GlassMountains Trip Reports

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.

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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.

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Tres Alamos, Arizona, February 2024

March 18, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Sunday, February 25, I climbed the highpoint of a triplet of peaks named Tres Alamos (“The Three Cottonwoods”), northwest of Wickenburg, Arizona. Tres Alamos lies in the Black Mountains. Unofficially named Sawyer Peak is the highest peak of the triplet and is also the highpoint of the Black Mountains. Sawyer Peak has 1473 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 161st most prominent peak in Arizona.

I had driven in from US Highway 93 the previous afternoon after climbing Arrastra Mountain with Scott Peavy. It was an easy drive in and I found a nice campsite with an unobstructed view of Tres Alamos. It was a pleasant evening and night in remote country.

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Arrastra Mountain, Arizona, February 2024

March 9, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Friday morning, February 23, I left Tucson for a weekend peakbagging trip in an area northwest of Wickenburg, Arizona. My first goal was to meet a climbing friend, Scott Peavy, the next morning to climb Arrastra Mountain. Arrastra Mountain is the highpoint of the Poachie Range. It has 1487 feet of prominence, making it the 159th most prominent peak in Arizona.

Distant Arrastra Mountain is barely in view from US Highway 93

After slowly driving through busy Phoenix and a congested Highway 93 around Wickenburg I found my turnoff onto a gated and eroded dirt road. I drove in about 0.3 mile and found a nice campsite in a wash beside the road. I spent that evening and night here. Only two vehicles passed by my camp. Low trees and a ridge helped muffle the sound of the busy nearby highway.

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