Family Posts

Personal posts noting family events, transitions, or personal reflections.

Maricopa Peak, Arizona, April 2021

April 18, 2021 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Tuesday, April 13, I climbed Maricopa Peak, the summit of Javelina Mountain and the highpoint of the Sand Tank Mountains. Maricopa Peak is visible to the south from Interstate 8 about 20 miles east of Gila Bend, Arizona. It has 1484 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 155th most prominent peak in Arizona. It is located in Area A of the Sonoran Desert National Monument.

Linda and I enter Area A of the Sonoran Desert National Monument last December

Last December Linda and I explored the access road to Maricopa Peak. I found the road passable with high clearance to a parking spot close to the peak. We considered returning sometime to camp there to make the trip a family outing. But the opportunity to return did not arise before the desert became too hot for a pleasant camping trip. I was running out of opportunities to return this season so I decided to give the peak a try in spite of the warm temperatures.

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Cougar Pond Southeast Peak, Oregon, August 2019

August 31, 2019 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Friday, August 23, Linda and I drove up Pine Creek Road on the east side of the Elkhorn Mountains of northeast Oregon. My intent was to hike Cougar Pond Southeast Peak, an unofficially named peak in the nearby Elkhorn Mountains. Linda’s intent was to ride her mountain bike back to our campsite in the Baker Valley, then ride her road bike on a loop out of camp. It had been four years since I last drove this steep, rocky, and narrow road. I was glad to have my high-clearance, 4WD Jeep.

Linda prepares to descend the steep, rocky, and narrow road on her bike

Linda wondered why I had suggested she ride down on such a treacherous road. The previous day I had thought she would enjoy exploring this nearby part of the Elkhorn Mountains but this morning I wondered whether I had made a such a good suggestion.

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Mazatzal Peak, Arizona, April 2019

April 27, 2019 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Thursday, April 18, Linda and I and our dogs parked our trailer beside the Barnhardt Trailhead road and camped below the crest of the Mazatzal Mountains south of Payson, Arizona. We were boondocking, which meant we had no hookups but did have a lot of room for ourselves, dark nights, and little vehicle noise from AZ Highway 87 about a mile away. Our nearest neighbors were about half a mile away. We spent two nights camped there. Linda spent Friday morning mountain biking from our campsite up to the Barnhardt Trailhead. I spent Friday climbing nearby Mazatzal Peak.

View of Mazatzal Peak from our campsite beside the Barnhardt Trail Road

From our campsite Mazatzal Peak rose directly to the west. Its summit was visible high on the left side of the peak. Suicide Ridge gently descended from it to the right then dropped steeply down towards the Barnhardt Trailhead further right.

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Harcuvar Peak, Arizona, February 2019

February 14, 2019 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

In early February Linda and I and our dogs camped in the open desert near Vicksburg, Arizona, east of Quartzsite. We were boondocking, which meant we had no hookups but did have a lot of room for ourselves and dark nights. We spent three nights there. Linda spent February 6 and 7 hiking and mountain biking from our campsite. On the morning of February 7 I left camp to climb Harcuvar Peak.

Harcuvar Peak from the road hike. My climbing route ascended the steep rib just left of where the road curves out of view.

From camp I drove to Salome on US 60. Here I left US 60 and followed roads northwest to near the base of Harcuvar Peak. Harcuvar Peak lies in the Harcuvar Mountains, but is not the highpoint of the range. The highpoint of the Harcuvar Mountains is Smith Peak further north, which I hiked last November. Harcuvar Peak does, however, have 2048 feet of prominence making it the 66th most prominent peak in Arizona.

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