llmcguir - Nov 10, 2020 8:49 am Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2020
San Tan High Point
FYI: Do not try to park on Bell Road. There is now a housing community being built BEYOND the white fence, and there are lots of "Private Property" & "No Trespassing" Signs posted both before and after the white gate. I ended up parking a half mile up the road from the white gate, made my way beyond and hooked a right towards the peak. Had to cross 3 barbed wire fences. Made it to the top without any animal sightings except one jack rabbit. No swarms of bees, however there were at least 4 buzzing around me nearly the whole time I was sitting on the summit. On the way back to my car, I heard a lot of shooting/target practice from somewhere in the desert. Back on Bell Rd., a vehicle stopped me and said I need to be careful back in that desert because people shoot guns freely as it is private property. Overall, the hike itself was good and making it to the summit was awesome as I've wanted to check this peak off my list for a long time. Just take into consideration the above info if you decide to go for it, and probably park at the Goldmine TH and know that people might be doing target practice out there closer to the base of the high point peak.
As I recall these peaks had trails that went only part way up and then there were signs not to continue, must stay on trail. The trails looped back down to the base. We went up anyways.
surgent - Feb 9, 2017 1:44 am Date Climbed: Feb 5, 2017
It was steep
Happy to finally climb this peak, given it's off-limits to the public. There's no easy way up, but it's not overly difficult either, just really really steep. Some ridges may involve cliffs. Hiked with mstender and "azpeavy".
mstender - Feb 5, 2017 7:50 pm Date Climbed: Feb 5, 2017
Interesting local peak!
I drove by this peak many times but finally we did it. Hiked with Surgent. We started at Goldmine TH making it an 8 mile roundtrip. Beautiful clear and warm day with 78F back at the trailhead. Interesting views and perspectives at some well-known AZ peaks. Not an easy peak and you have to pick you route wisely.
runbyu1 - Mar 17, 2015 4:46 pm Date Climbed: Mar 16, 2015
Craziness
No trail to the top of this one and TONS of cacti that made the going slow. Right after the climbing got steep, I found myself surrounded by Javelina wild boars that finally split went I grabbed rocks & went ballistic. Near the summit, I got dive bombed by a huge vulture that came within about 10 ft of me before I saw it and yelled and it broke off. Also, while climbing/scrambling on the knife edge ridge, I ran into a bunch of huge killer bees that I was constantly dodging. Went down a different route farther north to avoid all that, which was better. Got to chase several big jackrabbits back in the flats and got a nice runner's high on the way back. Saw an awesome meteorite come super close to the earth right after I finished. Life is incredible.
runbyu1 - Jan 18, 2015 3:36 pm Date Climbed: Nov 26, 2013
llmcguir - Nov 10, 2020 8:49 am Date Climbed: Nov 8, 2020
San Tan High PointFYI: Do not try to park on Bell Road. There is now a housing community being built BEYOND the white fence, and there are lots of "Private Property" & "No Trespassing" Signs posted both before and after the white gate. I ended up parking a half mile up the road from the white gate, made my way beyond and hooked a right towards the peak. Had to cross 3 barbed wire fences. Made it to the top without any animal sightings except one jack rabbit. No swarms of bees, however there were at least 4 buzzing around me nearly the whole time I was sitting on the summit. On the way back to my car, I heard a lot of shooting/target practice from somewhere in the desert. Back on Bell Rd., a vehicle stopped me and said I need to be careful back in that desert because people shoot guns freely as it is private property. Overall, the hike itself was good and making it to the summit was awesome as I've wanted to check this peak off my list for a long time. Just take into consideration the above info if you decide to go for it, and probably park at the Goldmine TH and know that people might be doing target practice out there closer to the base of the high point peak.
Marmaduke - Jan 16, 2019 2:36 pm
Desert PeakAs I recall these peaks had trails that went only part way up and then there were signs not to continue, must stay on trail. The trails looped back down to the base. We went up anyways.
surgent - Feb 9, 2017 1:44 am Date Climbed: Feb 5, 2017
It was steepHappy to finally climb this peak, given it's off-limits to the public. There's no easy way up, but it's not overly difficult either, just really really steep. Some ridges may involve cliffs. Hiked with mstender and "azpeavy".
mstender - Feb 5, 2017 7:50 pm Date Climbed: Feb 5, 2017
Interesting local peak!I drove by this peak many times but finally we did it. Hiked with Surgent. We started at Goldmine TH making it an 8 mile roundtrip. Beautiful clear and warm day with 78F back at the trailhead. Interesting views and perspectives at some well-known AZ peaks. Not an easy peak and you have to pick you route wisely.
runbyu1 - Mar 17, 2015 4:46 pm Date Climbed: Mar 16, 2015
CrazinessNo trail to the top of this one and TONS of cacti that made the going slow. Right after the climbing got steep, I found myself surrounded by Javelina wild boars that finally split went I grabbed rocks & went ballistic. Near the summit, I got dive bombed by a huge vulture that came within about 10 ft of me before I saw it and yelled and it broke off. Also, while climbing/scrambling on the knife edge ridge, I ran into a bunch of huge killer bees that I was constantly dodging. Went down a different route farther north to avoid all that, which was better. Got to chase several big jackrabbits back in the flats and got a nice runner's high on the way back. Saw an awesome meteorite come super close to the earth right after I finished. Life is incredible.
runbyu1 - Jan 18, 2015 3:36 pm Date Climbed: Nov 26, 2013
FailedFailed attempt