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| | Hiking | | 4 Hrs | | 0.00 mph |
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| no partners | | 4/8/08 A friend took this trail today (did not get to very top)
I will skip all the wrong turns he took. He noted a mountain bike would be very useful for getting to the trailhead as it is a long walk along graded, dirt roads.
Very Similar Experience to Bigracket1
1)Paid 6$ for Tonto Pass and Parked at Granite Reef Recreation Area (Where North Power Road becomes the Bush Highway after curving North to East. One could park for free at the top of the hill before Power Road dives down to become Bush Highway (where the bikers on Hawes Trail park).
2)Took trail west along the lake to fence stating Government Land no Trespassing...
and went left. Went around a fence and onto a fenced road over a canal headed west. Followed graded dirt road along canal.
3)Graded Road eventually started veering north and then passed across the old salt river bed (now dry after the dam). There were Salt River Indian community signs stating $5000 fine and vehicle confiscation (this appeared to be a east/west boundary between federal land and Indian Land)
4)After crossing the trickle of water that was the salt river, the road goes up a ramp onto a new trail along a canal. Head left (west) on this and you will come to a foot bridge that takes you over the canal to the north. You are now officially on Indian land. (note- wild horses were seen here)
5)Keep taking this graded, dirt road as it winds north then east and then north again following an underground canal that eventually pops up near the end of the graded road.
6) Once you come to the station where the canal comes up, vear right. The road starts to become rougher and ungraded.
7) The road eventually comes to an end (note- desert tortoise seen here). You can see the bridge that goes from the butte to the mountain here. That is your first goal and a crossroads of some sort.
 The "trail" goes up the butte from the north and the rout he took did involve chimney climbing up a small chute.
9) Trail is more defined up on top of the butte and crosses over to the mountain. You climb down a small wall before crossing the bridge (with a miny cave underneath the wall). To the right is a "trail" going down a large ravine (this is the way he came up the first time; not recommended)
10) Across the bridge there is a forest of cholla and some exposed rock. This a Y for the trail of sorts. He went right and got some great views of the Salt River and eventually hit a saddle. He then went up and north to the false summit BigRacket1 describes. One could actually jump from the false summit area to the base of the real peak, but this was felt too dangerous.
11) I suspect the actual way up to real summit involves taking a left at the Y. That goes under the chasm between the two summits.
I will try to include his photos if I can figure out how. He did try to come from Verde River side suggested above, but it was high water and he did not have a boat to cross the rivers at the convergence (Phon D Sutton rec area;this could be crossed in summer). I wonder if Sidhayes takes a back road from 87 Beeline within the Salt River Indian Community? My friend was worried about losing his car. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
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