Pump Station BLM - Ironwood Forest National Monument

I camped in the Ironwood Forest National Monument. I'm on my way to Chiricahua Crystal Cave in the Chiricahua Mountains.

Ragged Top - Ironwood Forest National Monument

This was my third time to the summit of Ragged Top (3,907 feet), and my second time up the south gully. I prefer the south gully to the north gully. My hike was 5.2 miles round-trip, and it took me 5 hours and 27 minutes. It is the biological and geological crown jewel of the Ironwood Forest National Monument.

The South Gully

The South Gully

View from the summit.

Looking down at the south gully from the summit.

View from the summit.

View from the summit.

Ragged Top - Ironwood Forest National Monument

This was my second time climbing the Ragged Top, but this time I went up the South Gully to the 3,907 foot summit. My hike was 5.1 miles round-trip, with an ascent of 1,679 feet. It took me 5 hours and 35 minutes.

Ragged Top - Ironwood Forest National Monument

The Ragged Top is the crown jewel of the Ironwood Forest National Monument. The peak is a mass of Tertiary rhyolite. The hike up the north gully to the summit is about 4 miles round trip. I made a couple of wrong turns. The elevation gain from the desert floor is about 1,767 feet, and mostly bushwhacking through cat claw shrubs. It was nasty but worth it.

The Ragged Top from Silverbell Road.

The North Gully

My route up the north gully.