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Mesquite Benchmark, Arizona, March 2019

March 12, 2019 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Saturday, March 2, I joined Matthias Stender, Scott Peavy, and Michael Vincent on a climb of Mesquite Benchmark, the highpoint of the Mesquite Mountains of Pima County southwest of Sells, Arizona. Mesquite Benchmark has 3789 feet of elevation and 1769 feet of topographic prominence, tying it as the 98th most prominent peak in Arizona.

Saguaro cactus are joined by organ pipe cactus as we enter the canyon below Mesquite Benchmark.
Saguaro cactus are joined by organ pipe cactus as we enter the canyon below Mesquite Benchmark.

I met the others where Indian Road 21 heads south off AZ 86 Saturday morning. From there we drove south through the village of Pisinimo and by a few isolated residences. We encountered very little traffic south of Pisinimo except for several Border Patrol vehicles heading in both directions. The paved road deteriorated quickly.

[Read more…] about Mesquite Benchmark, Arizona, March 2019

Filed Under: Climbing Tagged With: Arizona, Mesquite Benchmark, Mesquite Mountains, Pima County

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