Darby Well Road - Ajo

I camped off of Darby Well Road the night before driving into Mexico.

North Ajo Peak

My camp and North Ajo Peak.

North Ajo Peak

Ittindi Rock - Canyon Lake

My hike up Ittindi Rock was 2 miles round-trip. It was 108 degrees when I started at 6:25 PM. It was 29 minutes to the summit, and 43 minutes to the edge. I returned to my car at 8:01 PM, and it was 98 degrees.

The westernmost cliff was struck by lightning in 1898 and left a very visible mark. Thus, the name "Ittindi", the Apache word for lightning was applied to the feature.

Tortilla Creek Massif - Tortilla Flat

At 6:56 PM it was 104 degrees when I started my hike up Tortilla Creek Massif. The walk to the trailhead in the campground was 0.73 miles, and it took me 18 minutes from Tortilla Flat.  I reached the summit at 7:40 PM. From the trailhead the elevation gain to the summit is about 460 feet in a half mile. The summit is a 1.3 mile hike from Tortilla Flat, and it took me 44 minutes. It was quickly getting dark when I head back down. When I reached Tortilla Creek a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake crossed my path. It got in the strike position and rattled. Fortunately it moved away, but I could no longer see it, and it was still rattling. I had hoped it wasn't too close as I walked cautiously past the buzzing sound on my right. I was close to the campground and eager to get out of the brush. My round-trip hike was 2.8 miles, and it took me 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Peak 2580 - Goldfield Mountains

It was about 90 degrees when I started this hike at 8:09 AM. I followed a jeep trail to the base of the peak. Along the way someone had stacked rocks about 50 feet apart. This was the second time I have knocked them. However, as I raised my foot to kick another rock pile over, I saw a juvenile Western Diamondback Rattlesnake comfortably coiled and using the little spot of shade from the stack of rocks. So I let this rock cairn stand. The rattlesnake never rattled and didn't act defensively. I then photographed the rattlesnake from only a few feet away. After that I began my hike up the peak. At 8:50 AM I was on the summit. It had taken me 40 minutes. At 9:02 AM, I headed back down. Then I was back at my car at 9:35 AM. My hike was 1.6 miles round-trip, and had taken me 1 hour and 24 minutes.

Peak 2580 - Goldfield Mountains

This morning at 6:23 AM, I hiked up Peak 2580. It took me 40 minutes to reach the summit from my parked car. I also tried to climb up a rocky knob that I had been eyeing for several years, but I was unable to reach the top. I also encountered a Desert Tortoise. My 2 mile hike took me 2 hours and 13 minutes.

My 2 mile hike.

Black Cross Butte - Superstition Mountains

The temperatures were in the low 80s this morning so I headed out to Black Cross Butte. I had decided to do the 2 mile loop hike to the top of the butte. It's been nineteen days since I got stung by stingray, and I'm back to hiking in the desert again. Although, my ankle is still sore, I can now do a short and hard hike.

Ittindi Rock - Canyon Lake

I began my 2.4 mile round-trip hike at 10:05 AM. First I followed a gravel road up to the saddle where a trail began on my right. It was about a half mile to get here, and it took me 15 minutes. From there I followed the trail to the summit. It was 0.8 miles to the summit, and it had taken me 31 minutes to get there. Next, I continued following the trail, and going slightly downhill to the edge of a sheer cliff. This beautiful overlook had taken me 40 minutes to reach, and I was one mile from my mini van. Next, I continued to follow various faint trails until I could go no further. I reached the end at 1.3 miles, and at another great overlook. At this point, I had been hiking for 1 hour and 7 minutes. I turned around here and headed back. At 11:52 PM I was back at the saddle and road. Then I was back at my vehicle at 12:05 PM. My hike had taken me 2 hours.

The westernmost cliff was struck by lightning in 1898 and left a very visible mark. Thus, the name "Ittindi", the Apache word for lightning was applied to the feature.