Climbing Reports

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

Completing My USA State Highpoints Project, March 2022

April 12, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

This March I completed my USA State Highpoints project by visiting Sassafras Mountain, Brasstown Bald, Cheaha Mountain, and, lastly, Britton Hill.

The Western USA State Highpoints

Paul on the summit of Mount Hood (July 1977) — Paul on the summit of Mount Hood (June 1977)

I began visiting USA State Highpoints in June 1977 with Mount Hood, the highpoint of Oregon. But I had no idea I was starting a State Highpoints project. I had previously climbed two other Oregon volcanoes and somehow the opportunity to join other work colleagues on an attempt of Mount Hood came up. This was my first experience with roped climbing on snow and ice with ice axe and crampons. I wore jeans and a cotton shirt, but the weather and conditions were excellent and I got away with my inexperience. Soon afterwards I improved my skills on a week-long snow and ice climbing course.

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Black Mountain (Pima), Arizona, February 2022

February 26, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

Linda and I recently boondocked near an abandoned mine off the Darby Well Road southwest of Ajo. Over the next two days I climbed Sauceda Benchmark and Black Mountain (Pima) while Linda explored the area on bicycle and foot. It was a sheltered and pleasant campsite.

Black Mountain from the southwest; the summit is on the left

My goal the second day was to climb Black Mountain, rising just to the south of our campsite. I know of four Black Mountains with at least 1000 feet of prominence in Arizona. This Black Mountain has 1328 feet of prominence and lies in the Little Ajo Mountains of Pima County south of Ajo. The northern slopes appeared quite steep from our campsite but some friends had found a good route up its southwest ridge that I intended to try.

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Sauceda Benchmark, Arizona, February 2022

February 25, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

Linda and I recently took our first boondocking trip of the winter season near Ajo, Arizona. On Thursday, February 10, we drove in and parked our trailer on a concrete slab near an abandoned mine off the Darby Well Road southwest of Ajo. Over the next two days I climbed Sauceda Benchmark and Black Mountain while Linda explored the area on bicycle and foot. It was a sheltered and pleasant campsite.

Sauceda Benchmark peeks above the Sikort Chuapo Mountains as I drive in on the Pipeline Road

My first climb was Sauceda Benchmark. With 1595 feet of prominence Sauceda Benchmark is the 126th most prominent peak in Arizona and the highpoint of the Sauceda Mountains. From our camp Friday morning, February 11, I drove to just south of Ajo, then turned northeast on the Pipeline Road.

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Big Horn Peak, Arizona, January 2022

January 29, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

Last Saturday, January 15, I left Tucson and drove to the Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct between Phoenix and Quartzsite, Arizona, just north of Interstate Highway 10. My goal was to climb Big Horn Peak, the 180th more prominent peak in Arizona with 1400 feet of topographic prominence. Though Big Horn Peak is way down on the Arizona prominence list, it has a very distinctive appearance and offers a complex route with significant rock scrambling around and above cliffs.

My view of Big Horn Peak from my drive in towards the Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct.

I arrived at the aqueduct and began my hike in at noon. I crossed a footbridge just below a water drop that sounded like a river rapid. The water was running strongly. Once across I followed dirt roads and crossed a locked gate and a barbed wire fence. Then I began hiking directly across the desert towards Big Horn Peak.

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