Page Type:
|
Mountain/Rock |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
32.02560°N / 113.1455°W |
County:
|
Pima |
Activities:
|
Hiking |
Season:
|
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
|
Elevation:
|
2850 ft / 869 m |
|
Overview
Quitovaguita Benchmark is the highest point in the Agua Dulce Mountains. These rugged mountains rise sharply above the desert plain west of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The summit of Quitovaguita is only three miles from the border. Quitovaguita has an isolation of 12.4 miles, and a prominence of 1,600'.
Few people ever travel to this remote area. A check of Peakbagger.com reveals only six registered ascents as of March 2018. But for those willing to venture off into the desert wilderness, an ascent of Quitovaguita Benchmark makes for a worthy objective.
Getting There
From Hwy 85 just south of Ajo, turn onto Darby Wells Road. Zero your odometer here. At 1.9 miles, stay left on the now Bates Well Road. Enter the monument at 12.5 miles and turn right. At 16.8 miles, you will reach Bates Well. At 22.9 miles, go straight at the Pozo Nuevo Road intersection. At 25.6 miles, you will reach a Border Patrol station. Continue another 4.1 miles further west and park near BM 1057. The road is in generally good condition the entire way.
Route - El Camino Del Diablo Road
See the attached GPS track. The round trip hike is 13.8 miles with 1,900' of gain. You will have to cross several drainages as you walk to the base of the mountain. The route is Class 1 and 2, with a few possible Class 3 sections. The East Ridge is the easier of the two routes. Expect typical desert bushwhacking no matter which route you choose.