During our climb the clouds had dispersed and the wind had increased. Directions: From Casa Grande, go east on Interstate 10 for 29 miles to Picacho Peak Road (Exit 219). This is a big peak with lots of relief, and that’s what draws a lot of people to climb it – the fact that it’s the range high point doesn’t hurt either. How to Get There. We were in Arizona to enjoy some warm weather and do some hiking. The northern one is called the Brady pumping station, and it sits 3 miles WSW of Peak 2410. It’s a double summit, but the one with the spot elevation of 2405 is the higher point. Here’s what this one looks like from the west. Its purpose is to deliver water for farmers, and it is called the Santa Rosa Canal – it runs for 65 miles, past such places as Eloy, Arizona City and through many more miles of Pinal County to finally end near Maricopa. We were not alone for sure on this partly cloudy and warm morning. It is basically a wide concrete ditch which carries water from the Colorado River on the western edge of the state and runs it a distance of 336 miles all the way to its terminus in Tucson. Take the right (W) branch, following it about 2.0 miles to a point 0.4 miles SSE of the peak. There was another of those wildlife bridges, like the one I used for Newman Peak, and I used it to cross the canal. Tucson, AZ. Hiking info, trail maps, and 29 trip reports from Picacho Peak (3,370 ft) in the Picacho Mountains of Arizona peakery; Log a climb. However, the road is spectacular and lower vistas along the road provide exceptional views. This is one of those washes that nobody knows about, yet it leaves its imprint on this area of desert. The north Atalaya ridge to the east, summit at right: This is one of two trails in Picacho Peak State Park that takes you to the peak and it is a must do in spring due to the abundance of wildflowers. See the 2 steep peaks in the middle of the photo? In this Friday, July 31, 2015 photo, a lone saguaro looms over the entrance of the Picacho Peak State Park in Picacho, Ariz. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from June until October. The biggest, meanest and famousest of them is Picacho Peak. Share. After a few days in Phoenix, we headed to Tucson. Picacho Peak Trail ist ein 3.3 Meilen langer, stark besuchter Hin- und Rückweg in der Nähe von Santa Fe, New Mexico. Several variations are available at mapped junctions. Thanks to John Kirk for the use of the 2 previous photos. Here’s a good view of it from the south. Three of the usual suspects had been there before us, but we duly signed in to the register. The east side of Peak 2702. Looking north to Newman Peak – the line is the intervening freeway. Picacho del Diablo is located deep in one of Mexico's national parks and is a much sought after peak. Directions From the intersection of I-10 and I-8 (in Casa Grande), take I-10 Southeast for 20.7 miles to exit 219 / Picacho Peak Road. PICACHO DEL DIABLO CLIMB OVERVIEW. Cables, Canyon, … Helpful. One mile before this pumping station, another aqueduct branches off of the CAP and heads west. It is tough on senior hikers. I’ve now spent almost 2,400 words describing the part of the Picacho Mountains that sits to the east of the freeway. Four miles farther north, near the town of Eloy, our wash dies an ignoble death, gobbled up by cotton fields and irrigation ditches. It is most easily climbed from the frontage road just below it and outside the park. Back at my truck before two o’clock – it had been a good day, and I’d get home early enough to celebrate Christmas. It is a strenuous effort, however, so you shouldn't attempt this if you get winded climbing the stairs in your house. I know of 4 people who have died on this peak, but none of them fell – they all died of dehydration in the heat. Gila Bend, AZ. Once it leaves Phoenix, it heads south across the desert towards Tucson, and on its journey it passes along the western edge of the Picacho Mountains. The best part, though, was the view south along the ridge. Hike K17. The first was a small group of bumps at the northeast corner of the Picacho Mountains which had their own name, the Granite Hills. On the way down, I met up with a huge mass of bees plastered to a rock – I think they were swarming, and had stopped there for the night. It was a glorious morning with perfect … For our descent, we headed south from the summit along the ridge down to the saddle at 4,000 feet, then dropped down steep terrain to the west into the basin and back to the canal crossing. Peralta Trail. From the top it looks like a boring trail. An arrow-shaped stone atop the peak of Huayna Picchu appears to point due south, directly through the famous Intihuatana Stone, to Mount Salcantay, one of … Perhaps the most popular trail at Picacho Peak, the Hunter Trail gives the shortest route to the top. From the freeway, you have a front-row seat as you drive by, putting it in a spotlight for millions of people each year. And there are a lot of them. I left a register on the true summit. Peak 2437 was very quick, less than an hour to complete. Sunset Vista Trail takes you on a pleasant and colorful 3.1 miles on the south side of Picacho to the peak. The most popular route, the Hunter Trail, takes you to the top of the mountain. The most common route up to the summit of Picacho Peak is Hunter Trail. Picacho, AZ. The water is flowing towards us, and the building holds the pumping facilities, which pump the water through an underground tunnel. From its saddle with Picacho, it … Check this out. That may be why after hiking it I experienced cramps! Picacho – it’s a Spanish word, of course, like so many names here in the American southwest. Tucson, AZ. Due to the uneven topography of Arizona, there are places where the water must be pumped uphill, and this is done by means of large pumping stations. Coming from Phoenix, take exit 219 for Picacho Peak State Park. Er führt durch schönen Wald, vorbei an herrlichen Aussicht One more sits at the north end of the ridge, a double summit shown on the map as Peak 2702. Two weeks before Christmas in 2010, I returned – this time, to climb the biggest one north of Newman Peak. There was one other car in the parking lot, but I saw no one on my ascent. Halfway there, about Interstate 10, railroad tracks, and the Central Arizona Project canal pass through the opening. It’s derived from the work pico, which means “peak”. It’s also a great place to stop for a hike — one that will test your fear of heights and make you weak in the knees. Picacho del Diablo ('Devil's Peak') is the highest peak on the Baja California peninsula, measuring 3,096 metres (10,157 ft).It is alternately called Cerro de la Encantada, meaning 'Hill of the Enchanted' or 'Hill of the Bewitched'. The trail switchbacks up the north slopes, then to a cliff wall, before one last zag leads you to a saddle between Picacho Peak and Razorback Ridge (Peak 3161). There are a number of different routes to the peak via the Dale Bale Trails including an easy diversion from Atalaya Mountain, but this route takes off from the Nature Conservation property on the northside of the peak. Follow the numerous signs. CLIMBING THE NOSE - Jorg Verhoeven's ascent of the most famous route in the world - Duration: 25:29. It is 3.1 miles and circles around the backside of the mountain then comes up and connects to the Hunter trail avoiding a lot of the difficulties. #1 - Picacho Peak via Hunter Trail. Along the ridge which bears Picacho Peak can also be found another steep one called Peak 3161. Sunset Vista Trail takes you on a pleasant and colorful 3.1 miles on the south side of Picacho to the peak. Almost immediately after the saddle, the route got spicy. It seemed like a good idea to see how quickly I could polish this one off, so I set off quickly up the northeast side. The top was quite pleasant, despite sharing it with 20 new friends. It’s all by itself out there, ignored and rarely visited. Rock Climbing Total Time: 4:00. It certainly met the hype and we were excited for the hike. It was an uneventful climb, if you don’t count the bees. Even so, it still qualifies as a Class 3 climb and requires over 2,300 vertical feet of ascent. To me, the word picacho has always implied something special about a peak, one that’s bigger, more special, more unique – notable in some way. All of that hardware exists today, helping thousands ascend the peak. Picacho Peak is where the most western battle took place in the Civil war. Back down the same way to the ol’ Toyota. same climbing route that we use today. The sharp spur soars above the desert and provided early travelers a useful navigational aid. Driving farther west, past the old North Star Mine, we parked at the 2,180-foot contour along the southeast ridge of Peak 2628. We encountered several more steep sections where fixed cables were present. Newman Peak consists of crystalline rocks: granite, gneiss, and schist. It’s short but very steep 1.5 miles to the summit, and then back the way you came up. Just before the canal reaches the Picacho station, another aqueduct branches off to the west. The UTM coordinate grid is defined by the blue tick marks spaced one kilometer apart along the edges of the older maps NEXT. Unfortunately, I ended up crossing over the bump to the north at 2915 feet, but still made it to the top of Peak 2957 in 41 minutes for a total gain of 950 feet – not too bad for an old guy in his mid-60s. The route is tucked up under and overhanging cliff on smooth rock and descends about 150 feet, with cables assisting your descent in the trickier sections. It … We headed up the trail. From Phoenix drive south on I-10. Apache Junction, AZ . I know of 4 people who have died on this peak, but none of them fell – they all died of dehydration in the heat. Florence, AZ. Three others had signed in before I arrived, but I added my John Henry to theirs. Rillito River Park. I ventured up this steep, rugged path on a pre-dawn on a late March morning. We drove back out to the bridge across the CAP, and once on the other side drove several miles to reach our final peak of the day. It was muggy and hot with little wind, so I was drenched by the time we reached the saddle. It lies about a mile off Interstate 10 directly between Phoenix and Tuscon, and thousands of people gaze up at its distinct, blocky summit every day. This one has been called “Pump Station Peak”, but is more correctly Peak 2165. Upon visiting 2702, I saw that the bump to the southeast, which contoured the same, was clearly higher. The trail then encounters a series of steeper sections with fixed cables. It may be only two miles (3.2 km) long, but it is two, long and twisted – for some terrifying – miles of adventurous trail. It calls for a fair amount of scrambling and maneuvering with cables along steep ledges and gains elevation pretty quickly. Picacho Benchmark sits a mere 425 feet outside the park to the west of the other peaks. Some of the climbs are pretty...challenging. I set out from a point a couple of miles to the east and followed a series of ridges all the way to the summit, passing over Point 2433 en route. This is not a trip report, but a compilation of my thoughts and notes on climbing Picacho del Diablo derived from three successful ascents and several not so successful forays to the mountain. Once it emerges, it flows along by gravity. They sit astride the freeway, and all the peaks are easy to access. One sultry summer morning, I drove to the start of Sunset Vista Trail and set out at 5:25 AM. The DPS distinguishes Big Picacho (el Picacho del Diablo) from Little Picacho (Picacho Peak), both of which are based on mangled Spanglish. Second Water Trail. Trailhead: Little Picacho Wash Ask smceown about Picacho Peak State Park. Staying on the east side of the range, I drove several miles south and parked for number 2. I ran across a write up where a woman called it “Picacho Peak aka Hell Hike” and she mentioned a “death chute”. Note: there are many routes to climbing Picacho Peak. 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