Mount Peeley Summit • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

[ checklist ] Cliff Fendlerbush Fleabane Indian Paintbrush Mariposa Lily Mock vervain New Mexico Locust New Mexico Thistle Rough menodora Scarlet hedgehog cactus Sierra onion Yerba Santa

Payson, AZ

Hiking		May 26 2025
		Vashti • Triplogs 277

Hiking	5.38 Miles	1,443 AEG

Hiking	5.38 Miles	4 Hrs 8 Mns	1.86 mph
	1,443 ft AEG	1 Hour 14 Mns Break

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Headed out for short hike with kids and friends on the holiday. It was a bit hotter than I had hoped, but sections of the trail had some nice breezes.

We left the valley at 630a and arrived at TH at 808a. There was one truck parked, and we passed a solo bicyclist en route. The road is in good shape if a bit bumpy and rough in some spots. Mainly, I had the ever-present nagging concern of meeting another car heading the opposite direction on a blind curve in a single car width section with a cliff on one side. Thankfully, we met no one heading in.

I haven't been to the Mt Peeley trailhead or this section of the divide trail before, so I was happy to be on a new to me trail. Lots of wildflowers about, both in quantity and variety.

As expected, lots of signs for the Arizona trail and great trail maintenance. The peeley summit spur is marked by a couple of large Cairns, but they are possible to miss given a large shrubbery just before them. No problems to head up to the summit. There are a number of different trails in the same area, all steep, some brushier than others. The trail levels out a tad just before the true summit. Great views up there! We enjoyed a rest and snack before heading back down the same way.

Upon our return to the TH, the original truck parked there in The morning was gone, and a new truck was parked in its place. We saw only a single group of 2 hikers, while we were on our way up, they passed us by. It was nice to have the trail and summit to ourselves.

The drive out was basically uneventful, we encountered one car going the opposite direction, luckily in a wide area with a nice pullout that we made use of. Sadly, my youngest got carsick both there and back on the road.

I will have to keep that in mind while planning future hikes that he will attend! I was hoping he would be okay sitting in the front seat on the way back, but no dice.

I wish I had been able to see this area before all the fires of the past years. It must have really been amazing. Still, great views, and next time I'll go in cooler weather!

I see Mt Peeley TH also has the deer creek trail coming off it, but I didn't notice a sign for it, but then again, I wasn't looking, either.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Horned Lizard

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Peeley

Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Thistle, fleabane, new Mexico locust, Mariposa lily, Indian paintbrush, little leaf mockorange, hedgehog Cacti blooms, dusky onion, yerba santa, yellow daisy type flowers.

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1 archive

Nov 10 2024

FOTG

Guides 37
Routes 556
Photos 10,872
Triplogs 1,052

43 male

Joined Jan 21 2013
AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 10 2024
		FOTG • Triplogs 1,052

Hiking	5.53 Miles	1,501 AEG

Hiking	5.53 Miles	3 Hrs 3 Mns	2.17 mph
	1,501 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

This one is always a pleasure. The trail was in great shape, to include the spur to the summit and the temps were perfect. There was a truck at the trailhead when we started and the same truck there when we finished, but we did not see anyone on the hike. A few patches of fall colors here and there in the distance, but nothing overly destination worthy.

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated

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May 08 2024

pseudalpine

Guides 59
Routes 1,100
Photos 1,191
Triplogs 1,290

male

Joined Jan 01 2023
Arizona

Payson, AZ

Hiking		May 08 2024
		pseudalpine • Triplogs 1,290

Hiking	14.15 Miles	3,187 AEG

Hiking	14.15 Miles	5 Hrs 30 Mns	2.83 mph
	3,187 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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I've done some hikes in the Mazatzals, well before Hike Az existed, but this was our first two official peaks in the range (besides Boulder Mountain and Four Peaks, which technically are part of the Mazatzal range). Good route, as expected, since it's associated with the Arizona Trail. I especially enjoyed the thick Ponderosa groves here and there that haven't been burnt (yet). The area reminds me of the Huachucas, but bigger. The most entertaining thing about today's hike was that some genius left a pencil with an eraser in the summit jar. Someone has turned nutrition waist channels up to eleven because they couldn't just remove the register, but they took the time to erase all of the entries. An eraser is almost as batty as when geniuses bolt and chain an ammo box to the summit (like Humphreys Peak), not realizing that nutrition waist channels can just easily remove the notebook from within and carry it out or throw it over the edge of a cliff. Most summit registers are silly anyway with cool stories bros! After descending from the first summit and merging onto the trail, we had a startling encounter with an agitated Arizona black. It took some stick and rock tossing to get that wittle phatty to relinquish the trail. Don't worry, no canines, humans or vipers were injured in the process. Shortly after this delay, we passed a backpacker traveling north who said he had started from the Roosevelt Lake Marina and was trekking to Flagstaff. We chatted briefly, he saying it was nice to finally see a human and then I wished him luck with his trip and we continued on to Mount Peeley. Our second summit was completely ruined by the horrible gnat swarms that wouldn't relent at dive bombing our eyes, noses and mouths. The slight breeze today wasn't enough, and it was literally a touch and go. Regardless, an easy summit by any reasonable standard. Maybe we'll spend more time up there on another trip, but I seriously doubt this second peak is getting repeated.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona Black Rattlesnake Dog

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Four Peaks Mount Ord Mount Peeley

7 archives

May 27 2023

John10s

Guides 25
Routes 377
Photos 5,927
Triplogs 347

40 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Mazatzal Mt Catherine - Mt Peeley, AZ

Hiking		May 27 2023
		John10s • Triplogs 347

Hiking	15.05 Miles	3,090 AEG

Hiking	15.05 Miles	9 Hrs 19 Mns	2.10 mph
	3,090 ft AEG	2 Hrs 9 Mns Break

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linked

[ checklist ] Benchmark Informational/Interpretive Sign Summit Register Log

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TboneKathy

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Our destination today was Mt. Catherine, and there were already four other vehicles in the parking lot at Mt. Peeley TH when we got there before 8AM...I figured it might be a popular destination on Memorial Day weekend. It was in the upper 50s when we started out, and the early miles on Mazatzal Divide Trail were very comfortable, especially as we got into the shade of the pine trees past the Peeley turnoff two miles in. We passed one backpacker who was heading back toward the trailhead, but that was it in the morning.

The official route up to Catherine takes a steep approach up the SE side the mountain, but we took the longer, scenic route and followed Mazatzal Divide around the north side before we left the trail. It was around a half mile from there up to the peak, and it was a mix of open forest with some brushy stretches, but there weren't any thorns to complicate things. We had a short scramble up one steep stretch on the route we took, and we were getting pelted with grasshoppers on the way to the peak, which was almost exactly at the seven mile mark.

The summit had great 360° views...Humphreys and the cliffs of Sedona were just barely visible through the haze, and Matzatzal Peak and the trio of unnamed peaks (7532/7549/7579) dominated the northern horizon. We could see the trailhead from the summit, along with three bodies of water (Bartlett, Horseshoe, Roosevelt), the Superstitions, and many other landmarks to the south and west. [ youtube video ]

Like so many of these Mazatzal peaks, there was an impressive number of ladybugs up there. We went to sit in the shade of an alligator juniper and found the trunk covered in thousands of ladybugs...in places, the bark wasn't even visible under the sea of red, and we were constantly brushing them off us the whole time we were up there. We ate a snack, and I left a summit register before we headed down. We took a slightly different route that went around the rocky section...it was brushier, but still very manageable without thorns.

Back on the trail, we passed two guys hiking, and they asked if we had a specific destination. I told them we went up to Mt. Catherine, and they asked which one that was, and I pointed to the mountain right next to us. They asked if there was a trail, and we told them no. One of them said they wanted to go up to a peak today, and it sounded like they were going to try it...no idea if they made it, but they didn't seem too prepared.

We'd planned to stop at Iron Dike ruins on the way back toward 87 at the end of the day, but it was looking like we'd be short on time to make that stop without being rushed, so we saved that for another day. On the hike out, TboneKathy waited while took a detour up to the Peeley summit. I was there three weeks ago on the way to Sheep Mountain, but it was only a half mile off the trail. There had only been ~10 entries in the summit register since I was last there, which was less than I expected. I took a brief break up there to get some pictures, then headed back to the trail. [ youtube video ]

There were still two other vehicles in the lot when we finished, but we'd only seen three people all day. On the drive back toward Highway 87, we saw a coatimundi run across the road ahead of us, but it disappeared into the brush before we could get a picture...nice way to end the day. This was an enjoyable hike with great weather, and hopefully I can get out to some of the other Mazatzal peaks soon.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Dudleya

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Ladybug beetle

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Four Peaks Horseshoe Reservoir Humboldt Mountain Indian Spring Peak Mazatzal Peak Mazatzal Wilderness Mount Catherine 7358ft - Mazatzal Mount Peeley Peak 6910 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7532 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7549 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7579 - Mazatzal Wilderness Saddle Mountain 6,535, Mazatzal Sheep Mountain Peak 6996

May 07 2023

ShatteredArm

Guides 12
Routes 192
Photos 863
Triplogs 356

42 male

Joined Nov 30 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		May 07 2023
		ShatteredArm • Triplogs 356

Hiking	5.00 Miles	1,482 AEG

Hiking	5.00 Miles	1 Hour 53 Mns	2.83 mph
	1,482 ft AEG	7 Mns Break

no routes

no photosets

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Wanted to do something easy-ish on the way home, and I decided Mount Peeley might fit the bill. Didn't do much research in terms of what the route is like, or where exactly to leave the AZT, but found an obvious cairn on the wooded north slope. Surprisingly well-worn and cairned social trail up to the top - didn't get any of the bushwacking I was expecting.

The controversy: the survey marker is on a mound on the west side of the peak, but the east side (where the summit register is) looks higher. My GPS track seems to confirm that suspicion - although I know that's not exact, the points near the summit register were ~10 feet higher than by the marker. I think the location called "Mount Peeley" is not actually at the summit of the mountain.

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Apr 30 2023

John10s

Guides 25
Routes 377
Photos 5,927
Triplogs 347

40 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Mazatzal Mt Peeley - Sheep Mtn - Peak 6910, AZ

Hiking		Apr 30 2023
		John10s • Triplogs 347

Hiking	9.20 Miles	2,588 AEG

Hiking	9.20 Miles	7 Hrs 47 Mns	1.54 mph
	2,588 ft AEG	1 Hour 49 Mns Break

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Sheep Mountain Peak 6996 - Mazatzal

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ishamod

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

I was back in the Mazatzals for the second straight weekend, and Sheep Mountain was the main destination, with a stop at Peeley on the way. There was one other vehicle in the parking lot when we set out from Mt. Peeley TH around 8AM, and the "missing" sign for GPS Joe was inside the trailhead sign, albeit tipped sideways inside the plastic covering.

Mazatzal Divide Trail is in good shape with minimal overgrowth, so the first two miles went quickly. We took the turnoff up to Mt. Peeley, and the informal trail was well-cairned and easy to follow. Near the top, we passed a group of five on their way down, and they promised that the flies weren't so bad at the summit. The views from Peeley were very nice--Mt. Catherine and Peaks 7539 and 7579 to the north, and Saddle Mountain, Peak 6910, and Sheep Mountain to the south. [ youtube video ]

The summit register was located in a rock outcropping ~20 yards east of the Tonto benchmark, not at the actual summit...someone must've assumed the outcropping was slightly higher. The original register log that @PrestonSands placed in 2011 was in a jar inside a plastic box with a newer notebook. Peeley gets plenty of visitors, and more than a few of them complained about bugs/flies in their entries

. After a short break at the top, we started the trek over to Sheep Mountain, dropping down the west side of Peeley. The west side was much steeper than the approach had been from the north, with a lot of loose rock.

The next stretch along the ridgeline involved plenty of bushwhacking and scrambling. I'd brought loppers, and they came in handy cutting through the manzanita. We repeatedly made our way up and over various rock outcroppings along the ridge...none of them were particularly high in elevation, but it was a rollercoaster of countless ups and downs. We stayed just to the west of Peak 6910, and after a few more obstacles, we finally made the last ascent to the top. [ youtube video ]

Once again, great views with Bartlett and Horseshoe Reservoir visible, the Superstitions and Weaver's Needle, Humboldt Mountain, Mt. Ord, and the other Mazatzal Peaks. One of the nice things about this hike is that the major peaks and landmarks are visible along nearly the entire route, so it's easy to see where you came from and what you're aiming for. We signed the "In Honor of GPS Joe" register, which was full of SSAR entries and familiar HAZ names. There was a lot of insect activity at this summit, too, especially lady bugs. We took a long break at the top and let the sweat dry a little before we started down...it was a warm day despite the elevation.

The hike back along the ridgeline went a little faster, and we had the benefit of the clearing I'd done on the way in when we managed to stay on the same track. I detoured over to the summit of 6910 along the way, and we took a different route on the hike out, swinging farther west of Peeley through an area with a lot of fallen trees. We ended up coming across an SSAR supply cache with a laminated note saying that the supplies were for the ongoing search for GPS Joe. It looked like they'd been out there for years--the plastic bottles were cracked and brittle.

We reconnected with Mazatzal Divide Trail and followed that around the west side of Peeley and back to the trailhead, and there were no other cars when we got back. Overall, the relatively short hike felt more strenuous than the mileage and AEG would suggest. No individual part of the hike was overly difficult, but the accumulated effect of the ups and downs scrambling along the ridgeline made it feel tougher, but it was a fun one. GPS Joe's disappearance remains a mystery...it's incredible--and sad--that no one has found any sign of him after all the extensive search efforts over the years.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Horned Lizard

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Informational/Interpretive Sign Point Summit Register Log

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Horseshoe Reservoir Humboldt Mountain Mazatzal Peak Mount Catherine 7358ft - Mazatzal Mount Peeley Peak 6910 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7532 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7579 - Mazatzal Wilderness San Francisco Mountains - Kachina Peaks Wilderness Sheep Mountain Peak 6996

Apr 15 2023

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 842
Photos 22,068
Triplogs 1,994

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

[ checklist ] Peak 6910 - Mazatzal Wilderness Saddle Mountain 6,535, Mazatzal Sheep Mountain Peak 6996

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 15 2023
		chumley • Triplogs 1,994

Hiking	5.42 Miles	1,509 AEG

Hiking	5.42 Miles	2 Hrs 19 Mns	2.50 mph
	1,509 ft AEG	9 Mns Break

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I had a few things going on with limited time to play so I opted for this one, which I hadn't done in years. It's just the right amount of driving on pavement and dirt, and the season and weather made it a perfect choice.

Parking lot was full and I had to park up the road in a sketchy pullout. Looked like a couple of AZT-affiliated folks were out there and also a horse trailer. I met the horse guys on my way out, they were just there for fun, which surprised me since that's a helluva road to drag a trailer up for a few miles of horseback riding.

Saw one thru-hiker from Wisconsin making himself lunch along the divide. He was almost 4 weeks in and in awe of the Mazzies. My overall impression of long-trail hikers has not been positive over the years so it's nice to meet one that is really out there enjoying the terrain he's experiencing and taking the time to appreciate his surroundings.

The track up to the summit is a mishmash of cairns, downed trees, increasingly thick oak growth, and a whole lot of huge pincushions. It's not tough to find the top, but it's not easy to follow any kind of official route.

Super hazy views. Temp 58 at the summit. A couple patches of snow along the divide. I should probably get up here without waiting so long next time.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Dwarf Lousewort

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Nov 17 2022

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,487
Photos 16,077
Triplogs 1,377

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Swinging from Mount Peeley, AZ

Hiking		Nov 17 2022
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,377

Hiking	9.59 Miles	2,284 AEG

Hiking	9.59 Miles
	2,284 ft AEG

Linked

linked

[ checklist ] Apache Peaks Baker Butte Boulder Mountain Chubb Mountain Four Peaks Mazatzal Peak Mount Ord Mount Peeley North Peak Pine Mountain Saddle Mountain 6,535, Mazatzal Sheep Mountain Peak 6996 Superstition Mountains - Ridgeline

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

I saw a triplog from @CannondaleKid the other day from his hike to the Mazzie Swingset, and it had been over 2 1/2 years since I had been to the swingset, so I decided to go back out there. I didn't want to drive all the way out there just to hike to the swingset, so I also drove to the end of FR 201 and hiked up to Mount Peeley.

Mount Peeley
This is the 3rd time that I have been up to Mount Peeley, and it is always an enjoyable hike. I did Mount Peeley first, and FR 201 was in good shape all the way to the end. It is narrow in lots of places, and I was glad that I did not meet any oncoming traffic on the drive.

The Mazatzal Divide Trail was a bit overgrown -- it wasn't bad, but it could stand to be trimmed. It was a bit breezy at the summit, which made it feel a bit cold; we managed, to find some rocks to sit behind and get out of most of the wind. Views are great up there, so it is an enjoyable summit.

Mazzie Swingset
After hiking Mount Peeley, we drove back on FR 201 to FR 191 and parked. We hiked along FR 191 and made our way to the swingset. As @CannondaleKid mentioned, there were some new seats on the swingset. I am not sure about the history of the swingset, but it is not something that you expect to see in a wilderness.

Synopsis
These 2 hikes were very enjoyable on a nice fall day!

Distance and elevation gain for the 2 hikes are below. Stats above are the sum of the two.
Mount Peeley: 5.28 miles with 1,501 feet of AEG
Mazzie Swingset: 4.31 miles with 783 feet of AEG

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Sumac

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mazatzal Quartzite

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Old Rusty Stuff

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

_____________________

Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

Oct 22 2022

ScottHika

Guides 2
Routes 31
Photos 902
Triplogs 50

male

Joined Sep 19 2020
Phoenix

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Oct 22 2022
		ScottHika • Triplogs 50

Hiking	15.15 Miles	3,176 AEG

Hiking	15.15 Miles	6 Hrs 30 Mns		2.47 mph
	3,176 ft AEG	22 Mns Break	15 LBS Pack

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linked

[ checklist ] Summit Register Log Trail Signs and Markings

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Saturday two summits in the Mazatzal Mountains clocking around 15 miles mostly AZT. First Mount Peeley, which I’ve done and then “Catherine” 7358 the prize of the day. It was a wonderful mostly 60s slightly cloudy breezy day. Traffic was light driving in and we left out of Mt. Peeley TH around 8am. Nobody else at TH but one car at return. Passed two thru-hikers on the AZT for the day. It was 6 ½ hours of fun during perfect time of year.

I noticed isolated wildflowers still here and some fall color. Should be really popping in a couple weeks. The ground was damp in places with canopy cover but no standing pools of water. Not sure when the last rain was. Took a different route from HAZ route for 7358, went a longer way around but would have been just as easy or easier going the shorter way. Summit visibility was not great, which is usual I suppose.

Didn’t see any deer or larger animals on the day, but may be due to bigger group than I usually hike with here. Lots of trail chatter. Insects were light. Noticed a few familiar HAZ peeps on the Peeley summit log. Didn’t see summit marker, log, and didn’t search hard for the Catherine 7358 top log. No arrowheads or artifacts visibly scattered about @wallyfrack. Overall, I didn’t take as many photos as usual, but enough to get the idea of the beauty here this time of year. Hung out up top and had a bite before a quick trip back. Tail conditions were really good as expected on the National trail. Probably will be heading back soon with a couple friends for more fun.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mazatzal Peak Mount Catherine 7358ft - Mazatzal Peak 7532 - Mazatzal Wilderness Peak 7579 - Mazatzal Wilderness Sheep Mountain Peak 6996

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

3 archives

May 12 2022

jacobemerick

Guides 38
Routes 183
Photos 1,605
Triplogs 233

40 male

Joined Dec 09 2014
Gilbert, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		May 12 2022
		jacobemerick • Triplogs 233

Hiking	5.00 Miles	1,526 AEG

Hiking	5.00 Miles	5 Hrs 49 Mns	1.13 mph
	1,526 ft AEG	1 Hour 24 Mns Break

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Adventure w/ youngest (5yo). We drove up the day before with the intent of spending a night with the grasshoppers. Approach was too sketch for my 2WD vehicle, so we opted for the trailhead, which was very windy until 10pm. According to my car's thermometer it dropped down to 32F just before sunrise... brr. Fire bans (and common-sense) meant no warming campfires, so we did an early start to keep shivers at bay.

Trail was in great shape. Flowers were popping and the bees were busy busy busy. Off-trail section is well-traveled to a fault - there are a few options to choose from and too many competing cairns. Daughter struggled on the final leg and was ecstatic to reach the summit. Descent moved quick. Two other vehicles at the trailhead when we finished up, tho I'm guessing both headed south.

Road is in great shape, no issues.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Dudleya

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Peeley

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Oct 16 2021

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,249
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,603

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Oct 16 2021
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,603

Hiking	4.98 Miles	1,463 AEG

Hiking	4.98 Miles	4 Hrs 2 Mns	1.46 mph
	1,463 ft AEG	38 Mns Break

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none

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partners

watermelonW

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Two other vehicles at the trailhead when we started, but we never saw any hikers. Cool temps as we headed uphill, and less breeze than I thought there would be. The was one downed tree across the trail about a hundred feet from the trailhead, and another about 1.85 miles in. Trail is in good shape, but lots of vegetation/grasses along the edges and encroaching. I was glad I had told my son to wear pants, because shorts would have resulted in a lot of scratches.

The half mile or so of offtrail to the summit was a little more overgrown and vague, but there were plenty of cairns along multiple routes. We ascended and descended slightly different routes, I liked the descent route better, but both were fine.

Took a long break at the summit and enjoyed the clear views. The hike back down was easy and uneventful, but getting warm at the end. Some folks were clearing the deadfall at the trailhead when we finished.

The road is in decent shape, medium clearance required. Didn’t need 4wd, but I did spin the tires in two steep spots.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Tarantula

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Stop crying and just go do the hike.

Apr 24 2021

emilystardust

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 24 2021
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Hiking	5.50 Miles	1,482 AEG

Hiking	5.50 Miles
	1,482 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

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no linked trail guides

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I went with a couple of friends who had never been up here. Weather was pretty good - warm in the sun, but cool in the shade and a nice breeze most of the time. Very windy at the summit.

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Nov 28 2020

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Peeley - Sheep - Catherine, AZ

Hiking		Nov 28 2020
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	15.16 Miles	4,017 AEG

Hiking	15.16 Miles	8 Hrs 39 Mns	2.47 mph
	4,017 ft AEG	2 Hrs 30 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Sheep Mountain Peak 6996 - Mazatzal

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Had this one planned for a while waiting for cooler weather and a ride to Peeley TH. A couple friends and I got started around 9am hoping to get it all done in a day even with a late-ish start.

Started with Peeley and were at the summit in about an hour. Was worried how long it'd take to get to and from Sheep Mountain, so we didn't hang around and soon set off down the ridgeline.

Worried about sunlight, and with Mount Catherine the main goal of the trip, my friends set off toward the MDT and headed North where they waited for me to summit Sheep Mountain and catch up. We were back hiking together within two hours. Overall found the route down the ridgeline to be well worn and very manageable. Prefer the views from the summit to those from Peeley.

We headed up the brushy slopes of Mount Catherine from the south. I'd like to try again from the north side. Less steep, trail climbs higher, and there's more pine cover. Overall it wasn't bad, and there were good openings through then bushes. Very nice summit and maybe my favorite on the day. Over 300ft higher than Peeley and has a better view of the nearby peaks.

Down to the MDT and back to Cornucopia. Nice stretch with plenty of pines. Sunset as we got back to the trailhead, didn't see anyone on the day.

5 archives

Nov 19 2020

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,487
Photos 16,077
Triplogs 1,377

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Mount Peeley and Sheep Mountain 6996, AZ

Hiking		Nov 19 2020
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,377

Hiking	9.60 Miles	2,724 AEG

Hiking	9.60 Miles	7 Hrs 54 Mns	2.05 mph
	2,724 ft AEG	3 Hrs 13 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Sheep Mountain Peak 6996 - Mazatzal

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I had done Mount Peeley before but had never done Sheep Mountain, so I decided to do this combo.

I guess that this is somewhat of a Memorial Hike for @gpsjoe. It was just over 10 years ago that he disappeared doing this hike. I was not living in Arizona at the time, so I never got to meet him...but he seems to have been well-liked by many HAZers, so I am sorry that I never had the pleasure to meet him.

I did the same route that several others have done: take the Mazzy Divide Trail to the northside of Peeley; go off-trail to Peeley; then go off-trail mostly following a ridgeline up to Sheep Mountain, passing Frustum #31 along the way. On the way back, near the frustum, we bypassed going back up Peeley and hit the Divide Trail and took it back to the TH. However, I did a crappy job of getting back to the Divide Trail, and we bushwhacked much more than we should have.

There wasn't as much vegetation to deal with as I thought there would be, but there was a good bit more rock scrambling than I envisioned...plus it seems like we went up and over about 10 false summits!

It was a fun hike, but it all of the rock scrambling was a bit strenuous. The views were great on both Peeley and Sheep!

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Cadastral Survey Marker HAZ - Hike HAZard Intrepid Back Shot Summit Register Log

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bartlett Reservoir Buckhorn Mountain Four Peaks Mount Ord Mount Peeley Peak 6910 - Mazatzal Wilderness S B Mountain Saguaro Lake Sheep Mountain Peak 6996

_____________________

Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there

Apr 24 2020

LJW

Routes 154
Photos 1,505
Triplogs 266

31 male

Joined Jun 02 2019
Phoenix, AZ

Deer Creek - Peeley - Gold Ridge, AZ

Hiking		Apr 24 2020
		LJW • Triplogs 266

Hiking	24.07 Miles	4,809 AEG

Hiking	24.07 Miles	9 Hrs 34 Mns	3.08 mph
	4,809 ft AEG	1 Hour 45 Mns Break

Linked

6 linked trail guides

Deer Creek Trail #45

Gold Ridge Trail #47

Camp Grasshopper - Mazatzal Main C/Site

Deer Creek / Canyon - Mazatzal Wilderness

Partners

none

no partners

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Really a Gold Ridge - Peeley - Deer Creek route but I wanted continuity with a hike I did in January when I wasn't able to get it all done counterclockwise. There are a few advantages to taking the loop clockwise. I think there's about 400ft less elevation gained. Maybe this is just a personal preference, but Gold Ridge is prettiest at sunrise as Deer Creek is in the light of day. DC is cooler than GR during the middle and later parts of the day, and obviously there's water all the way down. Gave it a second go, starting a quarter before 6am.

Gold Ridge is as usual in just about perfect shape. Good wildflower display on the lower and middle portions of trail. The deadfall has been cleared off the upper parts of the trail. Camp Grasshopper is clear for high clearance and good tires.

Saw the first people on the Divide Trail, a trio of backpackers. East slopes of Peeley the day started to feel warm. Cooled off under the pines on the north side and on the summit. Terrific visibility that turned hazier as increasing wind blew distant smoke around to the south. Plus the Phoenix haze that not even a state of emergency and stay at home orders can lift from the city.

Saw the second and last person on the day at the upper Deer Creek trailhead. Headed down the sharp grade and took a break at Gowan Camp. Good flow of water in Deer Creek and the wildflowers were constant. Water wasn't very cold and didn't help much cooling off. Trail has more deadfall than in January, and the grasses have grown in over the trail in parts. Route's easy to find, and there are regular cairns. Trail is noticeably warmer from the grave site to the trailhead.

Ended up around 90 degrees when I finished. The water and wildflower situation is at peak but probably on the way down, week or two to be worth much. There was a small brush fire at the Sycamore Creek turn off opposite the one to Four Peaks on the way back to Phoenix.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Gooding's Verbena Spreading Fleabane

Wildflowers Observation Substantial
Heavy on Deer Creek, Gold Ridge, medium on the Peeley stretch.

Medium flow

2 archives

Apr 23 2020

kingsnake

Guides 117
Routes 339
Photos 11,415
Triplogs 895

63 male

Joined Dec 20 2010
Sunnyslope, PHX

[ checklist ] Gooding's Verbena Spreading Fleabane Threadleaf Groundsel Unidentified Flora Western springbeauty

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 23 2020
		kingsnake • Triplogs 895

Hiking	6.10 Miles	1,492 AEG

Hiking	6.10 Miles	3 Hrs 4 Mns	1.99 mph
	1,492 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

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no linked trail guides

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no partners

The last time I was in the Old Beeline Highway area was just over eight years ago, when I hiked Little Saddle Mountain Trail #244 ( [ photoset ] ). This time, instead of following the pavement south down the Old Beeline Highway, I turned north on dirt FR 201. Though narrow & twisty, FR 201 was in much better shape than FR 172 to Woodbury Trailhead last year. It took me 40 minutes to make the 10.3 mile drive. Part of the reason I chose to hike Mount Peeley, was so I could do one of the two or three off roading videos I do every year.

Make sure you do your business before you leave home: The restrooms, at the reservation station on AZ-87 in Fort McDowell, are closed due to the coronavirus panic. And there is nothing at the Mount Peeley Trailhead other than bushes — which, judging by the toilet paper, has been recently used.

It was 61° at the Peeley Trailhead, but felt warmer. The high at Mount Peeley was expected to be 81°, but it was 87° when I returned at 1:30 p.m. I was thought there would be shade at the trailhead, but no such luck. Looking at @PrestonSands original hike description photos, it's a shame what happened.

The first ½ mile, there were some very healthy patches of spreading fleabane, Gooding’s verbena and whatever that yellow flower is in my photoset.

I headed up through the switchbacks on Mazatzal Divide Trail #23, which climbs 600 ft. in the next unshaded mile. I kept my pace slow & steady. The only slightly rocky part of the first two miles was a couple of feet of step-up in this section. Otherwise the trail was in great shape.

Just past the Mazatzal Wilderness sign, there is a moderate-sized cairn, currently marked with an Arizona Trail sticker. Mazatzal Divide Trail #23, now colocated with the Arizona Trail, continues west. Instead, turn left, off trail.

I say “off trail”, but there is an obvious use trail dragged through the duff, and cairns every 50-200 ft. If you lose site of the use trail, or the next cairn, keep heading up the spur which you’ve been following up Mount Peeley’s northwest slope. (A spur is a terrain feature which is down in three directions, up in one.) There were a few easily avoided patches of manzanita, but no grab & stabs or dangerous traverses along the use trail. Other than being very steep, climbing 500 ft. in a ½ mile, the use trail was no problem at all.

There is little shade on the use trail, and none on Mount Peeley’s summit.

I spent over an hour on Mount Peeley’s summit, exploring, enjoying the views, taking photos and reading the summit logs, which contained many familiar names.

It took me 40 minutes to hike off trail to the summit, but only 15 minutes to make it back down to Mazatzal Divide Trail #23. Overall, an hour all the way back to the Peeley Trailhead, jogging about a quarter of the way.

Drive Video: https://vimeo.com/469463798 (FR 201)
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/469467973

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cag Shot Cairn HAZ - Selfie Informational/Interpretive Sign Summit Register Log Trail Signs and Markings

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Four Peaks Mount Ord Mount Peeley Slate Creek Divide The Flatiron

Wildflowers Observation Light
Some decent flowers along the lower portion of the trail.

_____________________

http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored.

1 archive

Apr 16 2020

Daytripper

Guides 7
Routes 187
Photos 2,318
Triplogs 909

74 male

Joined Dec 10 2016
Gold Canyon

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 16 2020
		Daytripper • Triplogs 909

Hiking	5.80 Miles	1,612 AEG

Hiking	5.80 Miles
	1,612 ft AEG		12 LBS Pack

no routes

Linked

linked

Partners

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no partners

Another copy cat here inspired by recent helpful and appreciated triplogs indicating FR 201 was in good shape and it was, made it to the trailhead in my 2 wheel drive medium clearance vehicle with no problem. Met one ATV on the way down but was near a pull over spot, only 2 other vehicles at the trailhead , it was 49° on arrival and 64°when leaving. On exiting the vehicle applied some deep woods off perfume as the gnats were out in force. Started the march up the well groomed trail on this beautiful day . The cairn signaling the approach path to the summit came up quickly along the MDT, even included a sticker indicting the continuing AZT direction. Noted a few cairns on the way up some bear scat about halfway. From the remaining stumps envisioned some mighty large trees on the summit before presumably a fire must have flashed over them. Despite a good breeze the gnats would reappear when not moving so did have to reapply the bug repellent, to be able to stop and enjoy the views, not before getting rid of a couple by inhaling them. If anyone is looking for the benchmark and register there they are about 50 yards apart. While I was enjoying the views from the summit someone removed the cairns for the path down

, never did see them after starting back, admit that I can’t wear bifocal glasses going downhill. Mr. Magoo did find a game path with lots of pellets to follow ,some limbs that were more difficult to limbo under than for the deer , fortunately they didn’t jump down a cliff

This terrain is steep and had to concentrate on keeping balance while moving along. After losing elevation for awhile decided the deer that use this path were lost and had no intention of returning to the MDT . Being able to view Mazatzal Peak just decided to push through vegetation toward it to arrive at the MDT about .4 miles from the cairn, only slightly damaged with a few stab wounds and now able to add some extra mileage to the trip. Soon after back on track met one young lady hiker and then a couple, only persons I saw today none of us interested in conversation. Nice hike ,wish the drive was a little shorter.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Cairn

Wildflowers Observation Light
Mostly Verbena and aster, thistles starting

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Navy31 Army13

Apr 05 2020

FOTG

Guides 37
Routes 556
Photos 10,872
Triplogs 1,052

43 male

Joined Jan 21 2013
AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 05 2020
		FOTG • Triplogs 1,052

Hiking	5.00 Miles	1,482 AEG

Hiking	5.00 Miles
	1,482 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Partners

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no partners

Monkey see, monkey do. Still one of my favorite, "close to town" hikes. The road to the trailhead is in great shape. The trail was immaculate as usual. There was trickling water in the usual spot, as one makes the traverse to the north side of Peeley. We took a long break on the summit. Its nice to see our reservoirs to the west full of water. We ran into a couple of hikers on the way down and a crew of off-roaders armed with Bud Light and cigarettes making their way down the early portions of the trail.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mount Peeley

_____________________

1 archive

Apr 03 2020

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,249
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,603

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 03 2020
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,603

Hiking	5.03 Miles	1,471 AEG

Hiking	5.03 Miles	4 Hrs 15 Mns	1.43 mph
	1,471 ft AEG	44 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Partners

partners

realm09

watermelonW

The kids and I have been trying to get out to some different kid-friendly hikes during their extended break from school, and Peeley has been on the list. Seeing @dixieflyer triplog this week inspired me to get this one done. We got started around 0930 and headed uphill. I let the kids set the pace, as usual, and it was slow but fairly steady. The spotted a horned lizard, and my daughter held it for a minute before we continued on our way. About 200' past the wilderness sign, we turned off towards the summit at a large cairn. The use trail and cairns up to the summit were reasonably easy to follow, and where they faded out occasionally, it was easy enough to keep heading up the correct direction. Breezy at the top, and skies were a little hazy, but the views were good. We had a snack and rested for a few minutes before heading back down. Ended up following a game trail part of the way back down to the main trail; while it may have been a little steeper, it was easy to follow and brush free. My son slipped in one place and scraped his knee, but some gauze and tape took care of that. The only people we saw all day were at the junction with the main trail. We said hello and headed down while they headed up to the summit. Quick, but warm, hike back down to the trailhead, finishing up around 1330. One other vehicle at the trailhead in the morning, but three when we finished. Road is in pretty decent shape, at least medium clearance for a few rocky spots, but overall mostly clear; I used 4wd for the heck of it, but it wasn't necessary. The kids really enjoyed this hike, and I have a feeling they will want to return.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Greater Short-Horned Lizard

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Benchmark Intrepid Back Shot

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

Apr 01 2020

DixieFlyer

Guides 99
Routes 1,487
Photos 16,077
Triplogs 1,377

male

Joined Jan 07 2017
Fountain Hills,

Two Peaks and a Swingset, AZ

Hiking		Apr 01 2020
		DixieFlyer • Triplogs 1,377

Hiking	12.80 Miles	3,819 AEG

Hiking	12.80 Miles
	3,819 ft AEG

Linked

linked

Pine Butte