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| Hiking | 7.80 Miles |
4,060 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.80 Miles | 14 Hrs 45 Mns | | 0.53 mph |
| 4,060 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | *****THE FIRST EVER completed Four Peaks "Ultimate" Motherload and first ever recorded night time four peaks ultimate motherload over and back(renamed MLDV)******** For years the four peaks motherload stood as one of the most challenging "hikes" in Arizona. Yet, Ken (desertboonie) and I wanted to make this fierce hike even more difficult. So, how did we do that? Well, neither of us can remember exactly how this hare-brained came up. But, we agree now that one of us probably suggested going across and back, then the other threw in that we should do it at night. Both were ridiculous ideas at the time, and I believe the ideas were said in jest as Ken and I both intimately know how challenging these peaks are. Well, somehow this crazy notion stuck. And pretty soon we were both planning and training to make it possible. At this time the thought of going across the four peaks and returning had never even been proposed. Certainly we did wonder if it could even be done safely. Ken and I both know the peaks very well and knew this was an unheard of undertaking. The planning that went into this was a several months long.
Anyway for this hike Desert Boonie and I agreed on the name: "Ultimate Motherlode- Lunarcy and Madness." The "Lunarcy" because we did it by moonlight (sort of); and Madness because once we finished the motherlode proper, we turned around and went back across the Four Peaks for a second run. (that seemed like complete madness). Start time was 5:40PM and finish was, I think 7:30 AM? I sort of lost track, Ken will have the right time.
Route: Amethyst trail to Brown's-across the peaks, turn around and go back the way you came.
Desert Boonie and I have some "history" with the Four Peaks, each time we always say that's the last, but the peaks keep drawing us back. Like some kind of fetish we seem to have to keep making it more "perverse" to keep it interesting. That's just seems to be our kink and I can't explain it. I would also like to thank Ken for hiking this one with me. While we were tired and somewhat frazzled at times, there is no way that I would have attempted this with anyone but him. He is one of the strongest hikers imaginable and has the same passion for these Peaks as I do. He is fearless and determined and committed. His composure and knowledge of the Peaks kept us on course (mostly) and safe (we made it back anyway-LOL).
This night the Four Peaks offered just what one would expect and threw her usual set of obstacles at us. Ken got cliffed hard and had to make a leap of faith for the next foot hold and I lost my balance early in the night, fell and smashed my hand making it difficult to use. (Two weeks later a surgical procedure found that I had also "acquired" a 3/4 inch thorn in my hand during that fall-no wonder my hand didn't work right.) And on the peaks, it sure helps to have two working hands. I knocked a rock loose that smacked Ken right in his ribs. The full moon was mostly hidden in the clouds and provided little light which challenged our route finding.
While the Peaks did assert themselves, they also had some redeeming qualities. We were treated to some amazing lightning and thunderstorms which danced all around us-and delivered a reverberating echo of thunder for much of the night. This also kept us guessing about whether the lightning was headed our way. We could see the silhoutte of Camelback mountain parked in the midst of the city lights-very comforting. There was a moment of awe and peace sitting in the pale moonlight on the "reverse z."
The wildest thing for me was when a "mist" of clouds came out of the darkness from nowhere and blasted past our headlamps at an amazing clip-like some macabre kind of foreshadowing. The cloud blast occured, of course, while we were working our way up and on top of "razorback ridge" of peak 2. Not the ideal spot for the visually disorienting movement of clouds to rip by. But they did.
There were a few interesting things I noticed while doing this as a night hike. First, when rocks gave way and tumbled, they emitted pronounced sparks as they fell down the mountain. Secondly, the darkness distorted my sense of balance. Thirdly, for people like myself who like to plan their routes, the darkness takes that ability away. At night, one had to trust that a correct route would be chosen, little by little. For much of the night, we had to keep going on trust and assumption that we picked the right way. Sometimes we were right, other times not.
Finally, I would like to re-iterate that this is, in fact, not a hike at all. There are always a few moments that ones own life literally hangs on his or her ability to find or maintain their handhold. The challenges are many, especially if done purely, that is to say, without climbing gear- as we did.
All in all, this went better than either of us expected and we both felt pretty good afterwards. Thank again Ken for another great adventure!
Lastly, when completing the motherlode, we did drink the obligitory/celebratory 4 Peaks brewery beer. It was a little weird to be drinking it at 8AM, but very, very delicious anyway.
Also, saw many hikearizona.com member names in the logs on the peaks. Looked like bigracket1 was the last person to sign in on peak 2 on June 20, 2009.
Three of the biggest challenges with the four peaks is route finding, physical difficulty, and carrying enough water. Going both ways on four peaks, and doing so at night increases the three most challenging aspects of this adventure. |
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| "I'd feel better if we had some crampons. Oh, what the hell, let's go for it..." — Common climbing last words. |
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After that, we drove over to VHS for the relaxation. That trip was a whole story unto itself. Maybe some other time. Probably not though. 
