Hey everyone,
I've climbed the tallest in Arizona and I'm just looking for something a little more "dicey". Does anyone know of anything a little more challenging?

ChristopherFranklin wrote:Hey everyone,
I've climbed the tallest in Arizona and I'm just looking for something a little more "dicey". Does anyone know of anything a little more challenging?

Yeah Chris ... how 'bout Oak Creek Spire ?

If you're headed down south, the other one, (there's only TWO in Arizona), would be Baboquivari Peak ...

Well, Humphrey's is not really that "dicey," unless you hit a killer electrical storm... I hit one so bad the ground buzzed like a power plant on the ridge.

But anyway, take a look at Brown's Peak, Maricopa County highpoint. It has a chute with some loose rock and scrambling. It does have 20 miles on a dirt road to get there though.

I recommend Picketpost near Superior. It's a fun peak with great views, morning shade, and some Class 2 stuff. Easy drive from Phoenix on 60.

Another fun one is Superstition Peak from Hieroglyph Canyon. It has a lot of off-trail stuff and isn't frequented too often.

Also check out Flatiron in the Superstitions, with a little scrambling, but the most crowded by far of all these options.

Be careful of the snakes heading off-trail this time of year though!

Baboquivari Peak looks fun! Researching...

ChristopherFranklin wrote:Baboquivari Peak looks fun! Researching...

Here's the SCOOP on the POOP ......

http://www.summitpost.org/desert-winter-baboquivari-in-february/495907

Probably would be a cooler climb in winter ... just saying.

Another fun one is Superstition Peak from Hieroglyph Canyon. It has a lot of off-trail stuff and isn't frequented too often.

This was a fun hike, not sure I'd go as far as calling it "dicey" though. It had 3 very short, easy class 3 moves. Guess if you wanted to make your own route, it could be dicey.

Marmaduke wrote:

Another fun one is Superstition Peak from Hieroglyph Canyon. It has a lot of off-trail stuff and isn't frequented too often.

This was a fun hike, not sure I'd go as far as calling it "dicey" though. It had 3 very short, easy class 3 moves. Guess if you wanted to make your own route, it could be dicey.

There are a couple rock climbing routes on it, but it is some of the worst rock in the state. But, if a hiking trail is "dicey" to him, Picketpost might be as well...

Superstition from the S is class 3 in one or 2 places, but class 2 from the NE.

Depends how far you want to drive, and what your definition of dicey would be. Castle Dome is class 3, but only for cool weather. The normal route up Signal is class 2, but from Palm Canyon can be class 3 to low 5 (but easier on your car), also for cool weather. Babo has a low 5 section that is joined by a class 3 section at top, with a chance to fall about 90'; unless you are super good at downclimbing, you will need a 60m rope, at least to rappel the ladder pitch. Babo is often limited by snow or heat-- fall is probably a decent time. I've never done Browns or the rest of 4-peak; supposedly, the traverse to the other summits can be pretty hard. That looks like your best bet from Phx area.

Sedona area has lots of class 3/4 obscure climbs-- most are not in any guide books. I just followed someone else.

There are a few peaks in the GC that are class 4--low 5; again not in many guides (if at all)-- I was shown the way by someone who'd been before.

If you drive to Vegas I can send you on every grade of "dicey."

Phx does have active climbing groups.

I understand what you are saying about Humphreys, but haven't summited anything else worth mentioning in that state. I like this concept in favor of dicey:

With enough motivation and cleverness, you can make most climbs in Arizona "dicey", even Humphreys.

When things cool (e.g. November), the desert summits between Yuma and Gila Bend are usually rocky, remote, loose, cactusy, iffy roads, border patrol and with occasional crossers. Try Mohawk Needle along Interstate-8 about 55 miles east of Yuma. I haven't climbed that but it looks dicey.

The gas station and minimart at Exit 85 in Sentinel also looks kind of dicey. There's a bar in Gila Bend where the front end is burned out, so you enter from the rear. That place looks really dicey. Frankly, all of Gila Bend is generally dicey.

Haha! Yeah I have a scar from a dicey bar in gila bend! A friend and I are planning to climb mt Whitney's mountaineers route and Capitol in Colorado it's dicey for sure. Just kinda looking for some warm ups.

No worries, there are lots of options for "warm ups" in AZ...even walking a couple hundred yards warms you up around here... the tough part would be finding a "cool down." haha

Heading up North for scrambling in Sedona is a good bet. Give Bell Rock a go maybe. Class 3-4 mostly, ending in a pitch of 5.8. There are tons of areas in Sedona to pick from otherwise.

Marmaduke wrote:

Another fun one is Superstition Peak from Hieroglyph Canyon. It has a lot of off-trail stuff and isn't frequented too often.

This was a fun hike, not sure I'd go as far as calling it "dicey" though. It had 3 very short, easy class 3 moves. Guess if you wanted to make your own route, it could be dicey.

Tell ya what .... let's all meet at DICEY RILEY'S to enjoy a tall cool one !

chris (or anybody else for that matter) hit me up with an email with a more specific idea of what you're looking for and more likely than not i'll have some ideas.