One week later, I returned to climb the small mountain beside the Picacho Pumping Station. The summit rises to 3,374 feet (1,028 m) above mean sea level. In this Friday, July 31, 2015 photo, a lone saguaro looms over the entrance of the Picacho Peak State Park in Picacho, Ariz. That may be why after hiking it I experienced cramps! Follow Picacho Road east and northeast 0.4 miles until it turns due north (waypoint PICRD2). Here’s a view of it from the south. Picacho Peak State Park. So wear gloves. The view from the summit is superb. It was the northernmost thing one could climb in the Picacho Mountains – beyond it, slopes ran down to the desert floor which then stretched many miles north to the towns of Florence and Coolidge. Newman Peak consists of crystalline rocks: granite, gneiss, and schist. Picacho Peak via Hunter Trail is a 3.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Picacho, Arizona that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. So I’ve shown you something very ancient on the west side of the range, and now I’ll show you something very modern. https://listsofjohn.com/qmap?lat=32.8534&lon=-111.3632&z=12&t=c&P=300&M=Desert+Mountaineer. Our third and final one of the day was just across the road to the south. It is 2.7 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2090 ft! From its saddle with Picacho, it is a Class 3 scramble to the top, done by few, and I myself didn’t complete it until 2002. Picacho Peak is a large lava flow. I felt the traversing sections that contained the cables were easy, but one vertical sections of cable was a little tricky to descend. The article is a bit funny and dramatic but because of it, I was constantly on the lookout for the impending “death chute”. Looking east to the Granite Hills – Treadway is the higher bump on the right. The way down proved uneventful, though slow going, as we would encounter slower groups on the steep sections or wait to give people ascending space on the trail. From its saddle with Picacho, it … It was back in March of 1988 that I climbed Newman Peak, the highest point in the range. The best part, though, was the view south along the ridge. Cables, Canyon, … Picacho Peak, 3,370', (image-left) and the Picacho Mountains are separated by a gap of shallowly buried bedrock. Date of experience: December 2014. It’s almost vertical in places, and cables are installed to help you hoist yourself up. Even so, it was almost 2 more years before I was able to get back in there to visit more of the peaks. Google Earth shows an old road going right to the southern base of the peak, a much wiser option for climbing this one. The peak is located in the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, a part of the Peninsular Ranges in the Mexican state of Baja California. Helpful. Once this step has been surmounted, you climb a short ramp to the left that brings you out at the northern end of the ridge-line at the top of Picacho Peak. Hunter trail to the top of Picacho Peak is the shortest route., but also the steepest. As the only guide service to offer Picacho del Diablo, we have extensive experience on the peak and many successful summits. Hiking info, trail maps, and 29 trip reports from Picacho Peak (3,370 ft) in the Picacho Mountains of Arizona peakery; Log a climb. Picacho del Diablo ('Devil's Peak') is the highest peak on the Baja California peninsula, measuring 3,096 metres (10,157 ft).It is alternately called Cerro de la Encantada, meaning 'Hill of the Enchanted' or 'Hill of the Bewitched'. The fence prevents animals from swimming across). There was no way we were on the right route. This one is called the Central Main Canal, and it runs for 20 miles to reach agricultural lands to the west of the Picacho Mountains on the western side of Interstate 10. There were 3 objectives on our list that day. Once at the parking lot for the Hunter Trail, simply follow the well beaten path. Tucson, AZ. There is cables to assist you in some spots. It isn't that tall, topping off at 3,370', nor is it large, especially compared to the nearby Newman Peak. The northern one is called the Brady pumping station, and it sits 3 miles WSW of Peak 2410. I left a register and enjoyed this solitary place for a while, then returned to my truck. Two others had signed in to the register before me. The UTM coordinate grid is defined by the blue tick marks spaced one kilometer apart along the edges of the older maps The land In the far southeastern corner of California, near the town of Yuma is one of the starkest desert landscapes in the world. It was still early, nine o’clock, when I arrived. It presents an imposing 1,400-foot wall to the park’s visitor center below. As is, I’d call it Class 2+ or so. And there are a lot of them. Elevations are obtained from the maps and are given in feet. Here’s how this one looks if you are driving along the freeway. One sultry summer morning, I drove to the start of Sunset Vista Trail and set out at 5:25 AM. From Phoenix drive south on I-10. I set out from a point a couple of miles to the east and followed a series of ridges all the way to the summit, passing over Point 2433 en route. There, it is pumped uphill for about 170 vertical feet through a huge underground tunnel to emerge once again as an open canal, continuing on its way to Tucson. It then parallels the east side of the freeway for another 9 miles, passing by the community of Picacho. Climb up the sloping rockface to where you can begin to walk along the ridgeline and follow the use-trail southward. Of course, the strain and fear involved with getting to the top make getting there an accomplishment (and getting home safely even more of one). Two of these sit to the west of the range. It’s the small bump all in sun to the right of and behind the cliff. All of the peaks on this side of the freeway lie within Picacho Peak State Park. The initial portion of the trail is just hiking. Coming from Phoenix, take exit 219 for Picacho Peak State Park. This is one of two trails in Picacho Peak State Park that takes you to the peak and it is a must do in spring due to the abundance of wildflowers. The recreation area has over 15 miles of mountain biking, hiking, and equestrian trails. Ask smceown about Picacho Peak State Park. addressone. An arrow-shaped stone atop the peak of Huayna Picchu appears to point due south, directly through the famous Intihuatana Stone, to Mount Salcantay, one of … Click here to submit your own climbing note for Picacho. Tucson, AZ. However, the road is spectacular and lower vistas along the road provide exceptional views. The trailhead for the Hunter Hiking Trail to Picacho Peak is located approximately 1.5 miles further into the park, at the top of the Barrett Loop (see downloadable trail map). Superior, AZ. As with many of the other peaks in the range, 3 climbers had been there before us: Bob Martin; Bob Packard; Mark Nichols. It’s a hillside full of rocks which bear the marks of an ancient culture – petroglyphs. I’d like to take you on a tour of the peaks, starting with the much larger group on the east side of the freeway. Some mountain ranges feel like old friends, especially if they’re close to home and you see them often. I suppose it could be argued that they aren’t even a part of the larger range, but they almost touch so I thought I’d consider them together. Before finding our hotel in Tucson, we drove the spectacular road to Mount Lemmon. Along the ridge which bears Picacho Peak can also be found another steep one called Peak 3161. It sits astride Interstate-10, and its imposing profile makes it look like a technical mountain to climb for most mortals. Note: there are many routes to climbing Picacho Peak. Two weeks before Christmas in 2010, I returned – this time, to climb the biggest one north of Newman Peak. Here’s a view of it from the northwest. From there, continue 0.2 miles to the Barrett Loop, turn … I ventured up this steep, rugged path on a pre-dawn on a late March morning. The sharp spur soars above the desert and provided early travelers a useful navigational aid. Once done descending, the trail finally started heading up and toward Picacho Peak. After the Brady Pumping Station has done its job, the water runs by gravity for 5.5 miles to reach the Picacho Pumping Station. APPROACH/ROUTE A: From the parking area walk 0.2 miles SW up Little Picacho Wash to a fork. It lies about a mile off Interstate 10 directly between Phoenix and Tuscon, and thousands of people gaze up at its distinct, blocky summit every day. Though appearing to be the remnant of a volcanic neck, it is now believed to be … It’s defined as the vertical distance between a peak and the lowest contour line surrounding that peak and no higher peak. #1 - Picacho Peak via Hunter Trail. And here’s another, looking at Newman Peak (far left), Point 4162 in the middle, and “South Newman” on the right. Interstate 10, railroad tracks, and the Central Arizona Project canal pass through the opening. Along the ridge which bears Picacho Peak can also be found another steep one called Peak 3161. PICACHO DEL DIABLO CLIMB OVERVIEW. We went early at Picacho Peak State Park. Mount Lemmon is a dominant peak, but don't expect great views from the top as towers and trees dominate the view. Hiking time: 5.5 hours Estimated hiking distance: 1 mile Elevation gain: 1120 feet USGS Topo Map: Picacho Peak Difficulties: Some navigation in the desert with no water available; some technical rock climbing, including climbs up to the … It … Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. Peak 2437 was very quick, less than an hour to complete. See the 2 steep peaks in the middle of the photo? During our climb the clouds had dispersed and the wind had increased. Four hours out from the truck, I found Blue Bottle Wash, a major wash strewn with white boulders to the northeast of Blue Bottle Peak. … Read more. I went there with a friend, and we approached it from the west side. Here’s what this one looks like from the west. Directions From the intersection of I-10 and I-8 (in Casa Grande), take I-10 Southeast for 20.7 miles to exit 219 / Picacho Peak Road. King Canyon Trail. Directions to this area and a route for a loop hike to both of these spots are in Greg Magee's Day Hikes and Nature Walks in the Las Cruces - El Paso Area. Directions: From Casa Grande, go east on Interstate 10 for 29 miles to Picacho Peak Road (Exit 219). Climb NW to a saddle at 1200+ feet elevation. It was an uneventful climb, if you don’t count the bees. Top trails ( 4) Picacho Peak via Hunter Trail. From the Phoenix area, take I-10 South to the Picacho Peak Road Exit (Exit 219). Picacho, AZ. The route is tucked up under and overhanging cliff on smooth rock and descends about 150 feet, with cables assisting your descent in the trickier sections. It was early December of 2010 when, early one morning, I drove to the north end of the range with friend Paul McMichael Jr. Some of the climbs are pretty...challenging. Now you can see the summit, the highpoint at the opposite or south end of the ridge. To me, the word picacho has always implied something special about a peak, one that’s bigger, more special, more unique – notable in some way. Rather, I found a road that took me over to the Central Arizona Project canal (more on that later). Follow the signs to the trailhead. I decided to descend a different way, opting for the long valley to the west of the summit. It was an easy walk to the summit of this peak which dominates the entire north end of the range. Once it emerges, it flows along by gravity. The north Atalaya ridge to the east, summit at right: needed to cover the usual climbing route from the roadhead. It is 3.1 miles and circles around the backside of the mountain then comes up and connects to the Hunter trail avoiding a lot of the difficulties. Once you make it beyond the halfway saddle, it’s a rollercoaster of a mountain and emotion. On the way down, I met up with a huge mass of bees plastered to a rock – I think they were swarming, and had stopped there for the night. All along the Picacho Mountains runs a man-made feature created in recent years, something called the Central Arizona Project Canal, or CAP for short. Like most ranges in Arizona, my first experience with this one was a climb of the high point, back in 1988, and once that was done, I didn’t try anything else for many years. After Camelback and Mount Humphreys, Picacho Peak is probably the next most famous summit in Arizona. We eventually made it to the top. It’s all by itself out there, ignored and rarely visited. From its saddle with Picacho, it is a Class 3 scramble to the top, done by few, and I myself didn’t complete it until 2002. If you drive from Tucson to Phoenix, you drive right though them – most of them are out in the desert on the east side of the road, but a few sit right beside it to the west. The peak is located in the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, a part of the Peninsular Ranges in the Mexican state of Baja California. Due to the uneven topography of Arizona, there are places where the water must be pumped uphill, and this is done by means of large pumping stations. Continue straight north past the sign where S24 turns right (waypoint PICS24, 4.3 miles from I-8). Climbing the Ladder on Picacho Peak The pointy cap of Picacho: Picacho is one of two high trails remaining open during the current trail closures, ... Out and back on our route mapped below is just four miles (28min climb, 23min descent). These are common on the desert floor, and can rise many hundreds of feet into the air. This is not a trip report, but a compilation of my thoughts and notes on climbing Picacho del Diablo derived from three successful ascents and several not so successful forays to the mountain. — 2.6 ... campsites, and points along the climbing route. The canal cost 4 billion dollars to construct, and it took 20 years to complete. The high point of the Granites has its own name, Treadway Benchmark, and it barely rises 300 feet above the surrounding desert. The trail switchbacks up the north slopes, then to a cliff wall, before one last zag leads you to a saddle between Picacho Peak and Razorback Ridge (Peak 3161). Unfortunately, I ended up crossing over the bump to the north at 2915 feet, but still made it to the top of Peak 2957 in 41 minutes for a total gain of 950 feet – not too bad for an old guy in his mid-60s. Driving farther west, past the old North Star Mine, we parked at the 2,180-foot contour along the southeast ridge of Peak 2628. It cost us $7 to enter the park FYI. Picacho – it’s a Spanish word, of course, like so many names here in the American southwest. I felt the 2nd section, which goes straight up crack in a section of steep rock, was the most difficult (not up, but on the way down). The CAP presents a barrier to animals, so at intervals bridges have been built for them to cross (the CAP has a high fence all along its length on both sides, so breaks in the fence are at the wildlife crossings. It’s short but very steep 1.5 miles to the summit, and then back the way you came up. Drive or walk to the short baserock waterfall (waypoint PICWTH) marking the start of the hiking route. Sunset Vista Trail takes you on a pleasant and colorful 3.1 miles on the south side of Picacho to the peak. This is one of those washes that nobody knows about, yet it leaves its imprint on this area of desert. Make a right turn at Picacho Peak Road and follow the road into the park. Here’s what they look like from below, a picture I took later. Peak 4209 sits about a mile and a half south along the ridge from Newman Peak, but that’s not how I went in. There are a number of different routes to the peak via the Dale Bale Trails including an easy diversion from Atalaya Mountain, but this route takes off from the Nature Conservation property on the northside of the peak. I’ve now spent almost 2,400 words describing the part of the Picacho Mountains that sits to the east of the freeway. We had heards that the flowers had been opened. Roundtrip Mileage: 6.2 miles. The range itself is named after this one, and it is truly spectacular. Once through the park gate, follow signs for Hunter Trail. Climbing Pt 5917 (Picacho Peak) in Big Bend National Park. Tucson, AZ. Here it is, seen from the north. Starting out early in the day, before the heat added another layer of … We encountered several more steep sections where fixed cables were present. A challenging ascent of Picacho del Diablo, Baja California's elusive highest peak. We choose this “easy” route for which we found the report by Steve Eckert (see References) to be the most useful. Significantly, this small peak turned out to be my 2,000th mountain climbed. This link will show you where to find Peak. We enjoyed the hike and the flowers. It was a 6-hour day, and an exhilarating climb, enjoyable in every way. It is tough on senior hikers. This one has been called “Pump Station Peak”, but is more correctly Peak 2165. A trail was built to the top, but it was no ordinary trail – in places, it had to scale near-vertical rock, so they had to drill into the rock to place metal posts and run cables. It’s quite something to be driving along in the flat, unpopulated desert and to come across this place. Halfway there, about I can confirm this since a friend and I were out in the foothills early Saturday morning sewing up the switchbacks. Its centerpiece spire is visible from downtown Tucson, a distance of 45 miles (72 km). Once done descending, the trail finally started heading up and toward Picacho Peak. Corkscrew Peak — 2.14 MONTGOMERY PEAK — 1.4 Picacho Peak — 5.4 Tucki Mtn. Picacho Peak (GCC5D6) was created by Wily Javelina ( adopted by CopperWings ) on 1/18/2003. Thanks for keeping me company. It was muggy and hot with little wind, so I was drenched by the time we reached the saddle. There were children climbing successfully the day I climbed Picacho. And then there’s the last one of all. There’s a hidden gem in the northern part of the Picacho Mountains just waiting for anyone to go and see. The trail to the summit is well marked and maintained. Check this out. If it weren’t for the cables and handrails, there would likely be some short Class 4 sections on this route. The most common route up to the summit of Picacho Peak is Hunter Trail. How to Get There. It’s the bump sticking up in the back on the right side. It wasn’t until more than 20 years later that I went back in to climb Newman’s neighbor, another big peak called “South Newman” by some. No matter your route, this is a great after work, sunset hike. Select Picacho Location Map Detail: … The hiking took us 4 hours. Looking north to Newman Peak – the line is the intervening freeway. You can bet I left them alone and beat a hasty retreat. There are 2 more things of note in this group of peaks. Several variations are available at mapped junctions. There are at least 7 routes to the peak, but except for the route from the west they all contain some class 4 sections. However, it does have a very distinct profile. Back down the same way to the ol’ Toyota. The most common route up to the summit of Picacho Peak is Hunter Trail. It’s a double summit, but the one with the spot elevation of 2405 is the higher point. CLIMBING THE NOSE - Jorg Verhoeven's ascent of the most famous route in the world - Duration: 25:29. The good ol’ CAP runs around the south end of the mountains, and a road we drove actually crossed the canal on a bridge. The climb to the top of Picacho del Diablo, the highest mountain on the Baja California peninsula, wasn’t supposed to be technical. A challenging ascent of Picacho del Diablo, Baja California's elusive highest peak. They took about twice as long to summit and descend. It calls for a fair amount of scrambling and maneuvering with cables along steep ledges and gains elevation pretty quickly. We left the freeway a couple of miles north of Picacho Pass and made our way by seldom-used dirt roads to the east, more-or-less paralleling the path of McClellan Wash. Picacho Peak is located just west of I-10 about 60 miles south of Phoenix (40 miles north of Tuscon). 2019-12-24. The hiking Difficulty calculator rates it as extreme! It certainly met the hype and we were excited for the hike. There are two routes to Picacho Peak. The one on the left is 3161; on the right, partly hidden in the background, is Picacho Peak. Little can grow natuarally in this arid land where the Colorado River struggles to avoid complete evaporation before entering Mexico and the Sea of Cortez. Joel ahead of me near the beginning of the Hunter Trail. The park is located between Casa Grande and Tucson near Interstate 10 in Pinal County. Gold Canyon, AZ. The water goes uphill for 111 feet, and the tunnel is 2,845 feet long. Wild Burro Trailhead. city. Almost immediately after the saddle, the route got spicy. This 13,000 acre recreation area is deed restricted, so residents will continue to enjoy this amazing natural amenity at their back door for generations to come.Experience the Southwest and the Chihuahua Desert like never before at the Picacho Peak Recreation Area in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Okay, now back to the climbing. This mountain at 10,154 feet (3095 meters) is the highest peak … Once done descending, the trail finally started heading up and toward Picacho Peak. Almost immediately after the saddle, the route got spicy. Picacho Peak is composed of basalt and andesite volcanic rocks. Adrian Gonzalez from MEXICO writes: Great mountain to climb route is confusing so I recommend always go with a GPS with route preloaded you can download the route here in wikiloc or gaia gps. Here’s a look to the north to Peak Benchmark. Date of experience: February 2020. Marana, AZ. It seemed like a good idea to see how quickly I could polish this one off, so I set off quickly up the northeast side. Picacho Peak Rd. A peak’s prominence, also known as topographic prominence or relative height, is a measure of how distinct a peak is from other peaks. Picacho Peak is a wonderful climb for someone wanting to push their limits a bit beyond the standard Class 1 trail-to-easy-summit kind o’ thing. There was one other car in the parking lot, but I saw no one on my ascent. Interstate 10, railroad tracks, and the Central Arizona Project canal pass through the opening. 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