Hiking Reports

Travel using primarily feet only. Hands might be used with hiking poles for balance or uphill travel.

Table Top Mountain, Arizona, December 2015

December 23, 2015 by Paul McClellan 1 Comment

Sunday, December 13, I hiked Table Top Mountain, the highest point of the Table Top Mountains west of Casa Grande, Arizona. Table Top Mountain has 2339 feet of prominence, making it the 48th most prominent peak in Arizona.

Table Top Trail is a maintained trail leading to the SW (false) summit of Table Top Mountain. From there, an unmaintained trail leads to the true summit to the northeast. I enjoyed hiking the trails and viewing the surrounding mountains and valleys in clear skies and pleasant temperatures.

For many visitors, the challenge of visiting Table Top Mountain is the drive. The drive starts with 11.2 miles of dirt/gravel Vekol Valley Road. Then it concludes with 4.5 miles of dirt/rock access road to the Table Top Trailhead.

There were several ruts where washes crossed the roads which required high clearance. The last few miles to the trailhead was on a rocky road with narrow passages through spiny vegetation and over an occasional cholla stem. I had no issues driving these roads with my Jeep with its excellence clearance and 10-ply tires. However, I did add “Arizona pin stripes” to the sides of my Jeep.

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Mount Ballard and Fissure Peak, Mule Mountains, Arizona

November 12, 2015 by Paul McClellan 6 Comments

On November 10 I hiked Mount Ballard and Fissure Peak in the Mule Mountains above Bisbee, Arizona. Fissure Peak, with an elevation about 7375 feet, is considered a few feet higher than Mount Ballard. So peakbaggers credit Fissure Peak with approximately 2675 feet of prominence. This makes Fissure Peak one of the 73 Arizona peaks with at least 2000 feet of prominence, and thereby a target of people who care about such things.

Mount Ballard (on left) and Fissure Peak (just right of center) from just above Mule Pass near Bisbee, Arizona.

That morning I left the Ramsay Vista Campground high in the Carr Canyon above Sierra Vista, and drove by Bisbee north to Mule Pass. Here I found the trail leading west and upwards towards Mount Ballard. Mount Ballard and Fissure Peak to its right were soon visible from the trail. The trail crossed a fence a few times and the brush increased as I climbed.

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Carr Peak and Miller Peak, Huachuca Mountains, Arizona

November 11, 2015 by Paul McClellan 1 Comment

On November 9 I hiked Carr Peak and Miller Peak in the Huachuca Mountains above Sierra Vista, Arizona. Miller Peak at 9466 feet is the highest peak in the Huachuca Mountains and the third highest peak in Southern Arizona. Miller Peak is also an “ultra prominence” peak with 5006 feet of prominence. Carr Peak is the second highest peak in the Huachuca Mountains. Both peaks are accessible from the Carr Peak Trailhead at the Ramsay Vista Campground at the end of Carr Canyon Road.

Carr Peak from the Carr Canyon Road just below Ramsay Vista Campground

The previous late afternoon I drove from Tucson through Sierra Vista and up the Carr Canyon Road to Ramsay Vista Campground. Although I met several cars coming down the road I found the campground empty. After circling the canyon I selected site #1 for the evening. Here I set up my tent and cooked dinner by headlamp, noticing a visitor’s eyes shining in my headlamp light. I did not approach the animal, but I suspect it was a ringtail.

Before retiring to the tent I spent time scanning the starry sky. I enjoyed viewing the Milky Way and identifying constellations, and viewed the Pleiades and the Andromeda Galaxy with my binoculars. The evening was breezy as expected from the forecast.

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Deseret Peak, Utah, September 2015

September 24, 2015 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

In early September I spent a week hiking several Utah prominence peaks and sampling Utah mountain ranges I had not yet visited. After climbing Mount Nebo I had planned to visit Mount Timpanogos also in the Wasatch. But Labor Day crowds would give me little chance to find a campsite near the trailhead I planned to use. Instead, I headed west for Deseret Peak in the Stansbury Mountains south of the Great Salt Lake. Deseret Peak is an “ultra prominence peak” with 5812 feet of prominence. With 11031 feet of elevation it the highest peak in the Stansbury Mountains.

The Stansbury Mountains from near Grantsville, Utah. Deseret Peak is left of center on the horizon.

On September 7 I drove southwest up the South Willow Canyon to the road’s end at the Loop Campground. I was fortunate to find a parking spot near the trailhead.

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