Hiking Reports

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

Horse Peak, Arizona, December 2022

December 16, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Saturday, December 10, Matthias Stender, Scott Peavy, Michael Vincent, and I climbed Horse Peak, the summit of Moreno Mountain. Horse Peak lies just north of the USA/Mexico Border in the Chukut Kuk District of the Tonoho O’odham Nation. Horse Peak has 4343 feet of elevation and 1407 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 178th most prominent peak in Arizona.

Our view of Morena Mountain/Horse Peak off Indian Road 19 at the Chukut Kuk District boundary. — Our view of Morena Mountain/Horse Peak off Indian Road 19 at the Chukut Kuk District boundary

We had been very fortunate to obtain permission to enter and travel through the Chukut Kuk District. Last spring I learned the District had a process for requesting entry, though I was doubtful that permission would be granted. But we were a small group of “avid hikers” and the District Vice Chairman and Chairwoman did generously grant us permission.

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Maricopa Mountains Highpoint, Arizona, December 2022

December 9, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Friday morning, December 2, I met other Southern Arizona Hiking Club members John Ohm, Dave Kohnke, Tom Tutein, and Larry Wippman in Oro Valley. Our goal was to climb Peak 3272, the Maricopa Mountains Highpoint. Peak 3272 has 1432 feet of prominence making it the 172nd most prominent peak in Arizona. This peak is also a SAHC peak, which explained the interest the others had in joining me.

Two saguaros (one a crested saguaro) frame the Maricopa Mountains Highpoint from our drive in

From Oro Valley we drove to the city of Maricopa, then further west to begin driving on primitive roads towards the Maricopa Mountains. As the roads deteriorated Tom and Larry parked their car and joined Dave in his Toyota FJ Cruiser. I drove my Jeep Rubicon with John beside me.

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Tidbits Mountain Lookout, Oregon, October 2022

October 12, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On October 6, Bob F. and I visited the Tidbits Mountain Lookout site in the Willamette National Forest of Oregon. This was the first time either of us had visited the lookout site, perched atop a rock pinnacle. I was hopeful we might also visit the higher Lookout Mountain summit atop another rock pinnacle to the east of the lookout site.

The Titbits Mountain Lookout site is on the top of the rock tower ahead

We followed forest roads from near Tombstone Pass and parked at the Gold Hill Trailhead. The Gold Hill Trail led us west through old growth forest to the Tidbits Mountain Trail. From there we continued west trail through more forest and across talus below the summit rock pinnacle. Finally we climbed up steep western slopes to reach the exposed and tiny lookout site.

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Jefferson Park, Oregon, October 2022

October 5, 2022 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On October 2, Bob F. and I drove to the Woodpecker Trailhead in the Willamette National Forest. From there we hiked the Woodpecker Ridge and Pacific Crest Trails to Jefferson Park, below the north face of Mount Jefferson. This was my first visit to Jefferson Park in 18 years. I wanted to visit it again and to see how the Lionshead Fire of 2020 had impacted the trails and the park, itself.

Mount Jefferson from the Woodpecker Trail and PCT junction

The Woodpecker Trailhead was still officially closed. But it was a quirk of the regulations that one could park a few hundred feet below the trailhead and hike around it to reach the trails. So we did that. Bob had a Central Cascades Wilderness Permit for the Pamelia Lake Trailhead. So we were legal and prepared for any forest rangers we might encounter.

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