W7A/YU-123 Jester's Peak

This peak does not actually have a name, but the trail that goes to the summit is called Jester's Trail, so I think Jester's Peak is better than "Peak 1954". I was surprised to find it had never been activated before, since it is not remote and has a trail. There must not be any SOTA activators in Yuma. This summit is a bit hard to see from the Yuma area because it is in front of and a little lower than the ridge. It just blends in.

From the parking area.

Since I had a small sedan, I parked in the big dirt area on the east side of Avenue 15 East, across from East 48th Street. The dirt was well packed and I didn't have any trouble getting in or out. From here I followed a jeep road that headed east towards a low ridge. There are a lot of OHV trails in this area, and I saw plenty of cars and other walkers while I was in the low area.

Start of Jester's Trail.

At the end of the road is an informational board with a map and some posters about the local flora and fauna. The start of the trail was obvious and easy to follow. It climbs along a ridge, mostly on one side, but occasionally crosses to the other. It was warm in the sun and a bit cool in the shade. That's desert hiking.  

Through some ocotillo.

The trail was easy to follow until a steep area just below the summit. Here it seemed like there had been some small sides that wiped the trail away. It was class 2 steep, and required a little care, but nothing bad. The trail ends at a flagpole on a peak that is a little lower than the summit. I took a use trail over to the high point. Note there is a military range south of the summit, so don't wander too far in that direction.

Looking over at the city.

 On top I had good cell service, and band conditions seemed good too. I had no trouble making contacts with the KH1 whip. It was a pleasant temperature too, warm with a breeze to keep it from getting too hot. Once I was done playing radio I packed up and retraced my steps down. The steep area below the summit took some care to get through, but at the bottom I enjoyed the run.

Canyon separating this peak from Fortuna Benchmark.

I had to watch out for some unleashed dogs near the bottom. The human assured me they were friendly, but I seen enough dogs to know when it is friendly or not. This dog was not. Back at the car I headed back into town to get some lunch. Overall a fun summit and one I would recommend if you're in the area.

Fortuna Benchmark behind me.

Trailhead: Large dirt area at the intersection of 15th Avenue and 48th Street.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Drive or walk along the jeep road to the trailhead, then follow the trail to the summit.

Red Tape: Be aware of the military range south of the summit.