GlassMountains Trip Reports

Wood Mountain, Arizona, March 2021

March 26, 2021 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Sunday, March 14, Matthias Stender, Scott Peavy, and I climbed Wood Mountain in the Northern Chiricahua Mountains. Wood Mountain has 1446 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 162nd most prominent peak in Arizona. But we climbed 3000 feet from Wood Canyon to reach the twin summits and return. It was a more challenging and interesting climb than we had expected, and it was satisfying to summit this rarely climbed mountain.

Wood Mountain from Wood Canyon Road south of San Simon, Arizona

Wood Canyon lies south of the town of San Simon, Arizona. I scouted access to Wood Mountain two weeks earlier. On my drive I met Eva Morin who with her husband Howard owns the Morin Ranch close by up canyon. She wondered if I was off route to Portal. I explained that my friends and I hoped to visit Wood Mountain in the near future as part of our “peakbagging” activity. I verified with her that we could use a nearby primitive campsite and cross the land from there to the peak.

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Whitlock Peak, Arizona, March 2021

March 26, 2021 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Saturday, March 13, Matthias Stender, Scott Peavy, and I climbed Whitlock Peak northeast of the town of Bowie, Arizona. Whitlock Peak lies in the Northern Peloncillo Mountains, separate from the Whitlock Mountains to the west. It has 1691 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 107th most prominent peak in Arizona, and is remote from paved roads – I was glad to have company.

Looking east across the Whitlock Valley towards Whitlock Peak from Javelina Peak (2018-12-03)

Matthias, Scott, and I met in Bowie and drove in 28 miles to our parking spot in Poppy Canyon. This was a long drive on gravel, dirt, and rocky roads. I had driving waypoints from the Southern Arizona Hiking Club and scouted the driving route two weeks earlier to be sure of the route and to verify it was still open to the public.

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Growler Peak, Arizona, December 2020

March 2, 2021 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, December 22, I joined Matthias Stender on a climb of Growler Peak, within the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. Growler Peak has 1541 feet of topographic prominence and 12.1 miles of isolation. It lies west of the city of Ajo near the northern end of the Growler Mountains and overlooks the Growler Valley and the Granite Mountains to the west.

Growler Peak from near our parking spot along Charlie Bell Road

Matthias and I met in the town of Ajo and convoyed west on the Charlie Bell Road into the Cabeza Prieta NWR. We stopped short of Charlie Bell Pass where the road became rockier, narrower, and would be slower driving. This was close enough to Growler Peak for us to hike the rest of the way.

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Prieta Peak, Arizona, February 2021

February 27, 2021 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Saturday, February 20, Adam Humphreys and I climbed Prieta Peak, the highpoint of the Slate Mountains. Prieta Peak lies about 25 miles southwest of Casa Grande, Arizona. It has 1617 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 121st most prominent peak in Arizona.

Prieta Peak and the Slate Mountains from the Sawtooth Mountains (2018-02-03)

Prieta Peak first caught my attention when I climbed in the West Silver Bell Mountains late in 2017. I noted it again while climbing in the Sawtooth Mountains early in 2018. I have been hoping to visit it since, and was pleased to hear that Adam was available and interested in joining me this February.

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