Margie's Peak - Sonoran Desert National Monument

Margie's Peak is located in the Sonoran Desert National Monument. There is no trail going up the mountain. It's about 2 miles to the 2,493 foot summit from the dirt road, but I started from the entrance to National Monument so it was 7 miles round trip. Going up the mountain required lots of climbing over and around boulders along the ridgeline. The scariest part was the thousands of Teddy Bear Cholla that I had to very carefully dodge. I got nailed twice by the painful barbed needles. Navigating around these certainly takes my mind off my OCD. It makes me focus diligently on the challenging terrain. That's why I love a tough climb.

Following the ridgeline up the mountain.

Margie's peak in the distance.

Hiking through a very dense grove of Teddy Bear Cholla.

Going up the ridgeline.

 

On the main east-west ridgeline.

Looking back at my route.

Looking back at my route.

Looking back at my route.

 

The summit straight ahead.

The summit straight ahead.

The summit.

Looking back at my route.

Looking back at my route.

An old surveyor's stick on the summit.

Me on the summit.

Me on the summit.

Looking east from the summit.

Looking back at my route.

Looking back at the summit as I descend a steeper route.

Looking back at Margie's Peak

Coming down the steeper but shorter ridge.

Looking back at my route.

Looking back at my route.

Margie's peak on the left.

Entrance to the Sonoran Desert National Monument.

My 7 mile route from the entrance.