This is one of three peaks in Phoenix's South Mountain Park. I had mapped out a loop over this peak and Goat Hill to get my Sunday run in, so headed to the park after my flight landed. I parked at the Alta Trailhead, at the corner of Stephen Mather Drive and Telegraph Pass Road. My plan was to go up to Salt Benchmark, then along the ridge and down across the valley and back up to Goat Hill before dropping back down to the lot. By my calculations, it would be about 14 miles.
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| Heading towards Salt Benchmark. |
I set off down the Bajada Trail, then turned right onto the Alta Trail. The Alta Trail climbs up to the ridge with plenty of switchbacks. It was my first time in the desert with saguaro cacti, so I was slowed down taking pictures of them. They're pretty neat. On the ridge I turned left, staying on the Alta Trail. The trail along the ridge goes over or around some minor peaks, and I saw a coyote on the shady side of the hill.
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| Cliffy area just below the summit. |
When I reached a point north of the summit, I turned and stepped off the trail and headed straight up the ridge. This was quite steep, but nothing too bad. Just below the summit are some small cliffs, but I was easily able to find a way through them to the top. The summit area is small, so don't plan on stringing out a long wire. My KH1 whip did very nicely instead. I had cell service on the summit.
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| Cholla on the ridge. |
Once I was done playing radio I took the same route back down to the trail. It looked like there might be a use path along the ridge to the slightly lower summit, but since I knew what the north ridge one was like I took it. Didn't want to get stuck on top of a cliff. Back on the trail I continued along the Alta Trail and took it down to the small parking lot where I turned left onto the Maricopa Trail/National Trail. This took me across the valley to the base of Goat Hill.
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