Climbing Reports

Travel using both feet and hands, whether scrambling unroped or technical climbing using rope and anchors.

Newman Peak, Arizona, February 2016

February 9, 2016 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On February 5 I climbed Newman Peak, the highest point in the Picacho Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. With 2529 feet of topographic prominence it is also the 38th most prominent peak in Arizona.

Newman Peak has a reputation for difficult access and brushy and rocky slopes. So I did my homework beforehand. I researched the driving route from online reports, USGS topo maps, and satellite images.

The previous afternoon I drove in to below Newman Peak from the south on primitive roads. I carried my driving notes with me, updating them as I worked my way in. My drive crossed the Central Arizona Project Canal without issue in two places. As I passed through the first of three gates I entered Arizona State Trust Land. I carried my annual Arizona State Land recreational permit.

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Coyote Mountain Attempt, Arizona, January 2016

January 27, 2016 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On January 23 I joined two friends, Eric Kassan, and Kay Komuro, for an attempt on Coyote Mountain west of Tucson, Arizona. Coyote Mountain is a steep and rocky mountain just east of Kitt Peak. It has a long-abandoned trail leading towards the summit. We greatly underestimated the peak and decided to turn back short of the summit. I learned a lot about Coyote Mountain and plan to try again soon.

I got good morning views of Coyote Mountain from the east and north from Tucson on Arizona Hwy 86. That morning, it seemed every other vehicle I met on this highway was a Border Patrol vehicle. I wondered if that was normal for a Saturday morning.

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Gu Achi Peak, Arizona, January 2016

January 25, 2016 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On January 21 Josef Nuernberger and I drove into the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation (Tohono O’odham Nation) and climbed Gu Achi Peak, the highpoint of the Santa Rosa Mountains and one of the 73 Arizona peaks with at least 2000 feet of prominence.

Gu Achi Peak is rarely climbed due to remoteness, lack of online access information, and a reputation for the locals being unwelcoming of visitors. With some road access research provided by Eric Kassan, Josef and I found the drive in from the south to be straightforward (with suitable maps, vehicle clearance, and good tires). The only local inhabitant we saw, in the tiny community of Sil Nakya, appeared friendly and we saw no other vehicles once we left pavement near there.

Our route up the peak followed an east-ward facing ridge with mostly firm footing and which steepened near the top and provided some class 2 and 3 scrambling. The weather was ideal and the summit provided views of other Southern Arizona peaks I have visited and many more I hope to visit in the future.

Gu Achi Peak from the approach road from the south

We found little information about road access to Gu Achi Peak, so I have included my driving directions here. This approaches Gu Achi Peak from the south Starting on Arizona Highway 86.

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Golden Gate Mountain, Arizona, January 2016

January 14, 2016 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, January 12, I climbed Golden Gate Mountain, just west of Gates Pass in the Tucson Mountains. I climbed the Northeast slope from the David Yetman West Trailhead. The weather was ideal and the views were excellent. The upper slope was a bit steep but the footing was firm with some fun rock scrambling. Most of the brush was avoidable. I had the summit to myself and met only one party on my descent.

Golden Gate Mountain from above David Yetman Trail

The Northeast slope of Golden Gate Mountain is a fan-like slope descending from rock bands below the north summit. It lies between two drainage channels leading towards Golden Gate Pass above the David Yetman Trail. It is just right of center in the above photo.

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