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| | | Triple Arch and Peak 3141 via Black Glass Cyn, AZ | | | |
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Triple Arch and Peak 3141 via Black Glass Cyn, AZ
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| Hiking | 12.73 Miles |
2,329 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.73 Miles | 9 Hrs 57 Mns | | 1.77 mph |
| 2,329 ft AEG | 2 Hrs 46 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | We hadn't been to this part of the Goldfields in almost a year and decided to visit Triple Arch--I was there at the end of 2021, but TboneKathy didn't quite reach the arch that day. It seems like this one has gained in popularity lately, and I noticed that at some point, Willow Springs Trailhead changed to "Triple Arch Trailhead" on Google Maps, which made me think this could be on the fast track to turning into the Devil's Bridge of the Goldfields.
We started a little after 7AM, and there were two trucks in the lot with ATVs on trailers, but they left soon after we pulled up, and it was quiet after that. We followed Willow Spring Canyon Upper and Javelina Willow Springs Crossover in the early miles, and the spring bloom was still going strong--the Goldfields were golder than usual with yellow flowers all over the hillsides. The views near Helmet Rock with Golden Dome in the distance is always impressive in the morning sunlight. I noticed a random U.S. flag up on a cliff near Helmet Rock that I don't remember seeing last time.
We followed Rough 'N Ready Canyon toward Black Glass Canyon...there are some nice caves and tunnels along that stretch that we explored last time but didn't take the time go into today. We found there wasn't as much water as we expected in Black Glass Canyon--some of the photosets from last month had a lot of water and falls, which would've been nice to see, but drier meant fewer obstacles...and that I'd carried water shoes for nothing  .
[ youtube video ]
It was fun scrambling through the canyon, and there was just a trickle of water at a few of the falls areas. Someone did some serious brush clearing in there recently, which saved us some time and made the route a lot easier to follow--I remember pushing through lots of brush last time, but this time there was practically a trail tunneled through that made route finding unnecessary. After the canyon opened up again, we made our way up to the arch and enjoyed the views and ate a snack in the shade. As popular as this one seems to be getting, I was pleasantly surprised that we had it to ourselves.
We eventually made our way back to the creek bed and continued west. If we had time, I wanted to go up to Peak 3141...from a distance, it looked like a steep but straightforward approach without any major obstacles. It was initially easy hiking in the creek bed past Triple Arch but started to get very brushy after a few tenths of a mile. Turnaround time was approaching with ~ a mile left to the peak, and TboneKathy stayed behind while I took off for the top. I had a few brutal tangles with catclaw and brush in the creek bed before I got out and started the ascent up the east side of 3141.
Getting up there was what I expected from below...no real obstacles and no exposure, just a steady climb, lots of brush (mostly free of thorns, fortunately), and some loose rock underfoot...and I managed to lose a glove on the way up. There was a false summit as I cleared the first "peak", which turned out to be a flat ridge before the final push to the top. I saw a deer running up to the peak, moving much faster than I was and making it look very easy. I reached the top covered in yellow pollen from all the flowers I'd pushed through. I placed a register at the peak, and the views were fantastic--Saguaro Lake, Weaver's Needle and the Superstitions, Four Peaks, Red Mountain, and Golden Dome just to the west. That one is still on my list, but there wasn't time to give it a shot today.
[ youtube video ]
I didn't spend long at the top and headed back down (and failed to find the lost glove), rejoined TboneKathy, and we returned through Black Glass Canyon. On the hike out, we took a different route via Willow Springs Canyon. The scenery was nice, but the trail itself wasn't anything special, just flat, sandy OHV roads most the way back. This was a fun one--Black Glass Canyon is one of my favorites in the Goldfields, and I was happy TboneKathy got to see the arch this time. And we only saw one person all day--someone on a motorcycle when we were almost back to the parking lot...maybe Triple Arch isn't turning into Devil's Bridge quite yet... |
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Wildflowers Observation Substantial
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Lots of cool rock formations and stuff to see. Only saw a hand full of people all day!
The trails are unnamed and there are many spur trails as nice as the one you are on but I did end up where I planned to go so that was good. One more loop on Sonoran Trail #306 and I'll have a complete route. The longest hike we'll have to do is 7 miles so I think the turtle can muster that. 
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to start hiking.
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