GlassMountains Trip Reports

Mount Perkins, Arizona, April 2024

May 18, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Friday, April 19, I drove from Tucson, Arizona, northwest through Kingman, then north on US Hwy 93. I turned to the west on a dirt road. After a few miles I found a secluded campsite and settled in for the night. My plan was to hike Mount Perkins on Saturday with Las Vegas Mountaineers Club members Eric and Stacey Kassan. I have climbed many Arizona peaks with Eric and Stacey. I looked forward to sharing another peak with them on this trip.

Mount Perkins lies to the southwest from my campsite

Mount Perkins is the highpoint of the Black Mountains northwest of Kingman (there are other Black Mountains to the southeast of Kingman). It has 2036 feet of prominence, making it the 67th most prominent peak in Arizona. There were several other prominent peaks visible from my campsite. I hope to visit the most prominent ones over the next year.

[Read more…]

Dunn Springs Mountain, Arizona, April 2024

April 27, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Sunday afternoon, April 7, Matthias Stender and I left Orange Butte and drove south and east towards the Chiricahua Mountains. We joined Andy Martin at a primitive campsite in Wood Canyon.

Our campsite below Dunn Springs Mountain

Here I first met Andy, a prolific peakbagger with decades of experience in and knowledge of the mountains. Recently Andy pointed out to Matthias that Matthias has been the most active hiker in Arizona in recent years according to how peakbaggers track these things. Andy and Matthias are much more serious peakbaggers than me. The three of us spent an enjoyable evening together and a pleasant night beneath Dunn Springs Mountain, our next day’s goal.

[Read more…]

Orange Butte, Arizona, April 2024

April 27, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Sunday, April 7, Matthias Stender, Wade Luther, and I climbed Orange Butte northeast of Bowie, Arizona. Orange Butte has 1040 feet of topographic prominence, placing it well down on the list of Arizona Prominence peaks. But it is quite visible to the north from Interstate Highway 10 between Willcox and the New Mexico state line. I was glad to have an opportunity climb Orange Butte with Matthias and looked forward to meeting Wade.

Orange Butte rises steeply to the east from our access road.

The three of us rendezvoused Sunday morning in the town of Bowie. From Bowie we caravanned north and east across the desert on good dirt roads.

[Read more…]

Bowie Mountain, Arizona, March 2024

March 24, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Thursday, March 24, I climbed Bowie Mountain, immediately south of the Fort Bowie National Historic Site in southeast Arizona. Bowie Mountain, with 1189 feet of topographic prominence, lies in the northern Chiricahua Mountains. It is visible to the south from Interstate 10, but seems most impressive to the northeast as one drives Arizona Highway 186 between Willcox and the Chiricahua National Monument.

Bowie Mountain to the west from Wood Mountain (2021-03-21)

I had previously attempted Bowie Mountain from the west in combination with a climb of Helens Dome. This was a Southern Arizona Hiking Club trip in December 2021 with Dave Kohnke, June Meyer, and Brian Brondel. We ran out of time once we reached the western rim of Bowie Mountain’s rocky summit ridge. Dave and June returned later to climb Bowie Mountain from Fort Bowie but I was unable to join them then. So this peak had been on my wish list for several years.

[Read more…]

« Previous Page