Barry M. Goldwater Range Archives – GlassMountains Trip Reports

Tinajas Altas Mountains, Arizona, January 2024

February 8, 2024 by Paul McClellan 1 Comment

On Saturday, January 27, Michael Vincent and I visited the Tinajas Altas Mountains in southwest Arizona. This rugged mountain range lies within the B arry M. Goldwater Air Force Range (BMGR). Our goal was to climb the highpoint of Tinajas Altas Mountains. The highpoint has only 2764 feet of elevation, but has 1724 feet of prominence, making it the 103rd most prominent peak in Arizona. The rugged and rocky Tinajas Altas Mountains lie in a remote and quite arid portion of the Sonoran Desert, adding to the challenge. I was glad to have Michael, a competent desert mountaineer and Jeep owner who I have climbed with in the past, as a companion.

Saturday morning I met Michael just east of the Tinajas Altas off El Camino del Diablo

That morning I met Michael near the Tinajas Altas (“High Tanks”) parking area. The Tinajas Altas lie just west of El Camino Del Diablo, an important travel route for indigenous people, Spaniard explorers, and settlers/miners over the centuries.

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Copper Mountains, Arizona, January 2019

January 19, 2019 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Sunday, January 13, I climbed the highpoint of the Copper Mountains located in the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) southeast of Yuma, Arizona. Copper Mountains Highpoint has only 2888 feet of elevation but has 1968 feet of topographic prominence, making it the 76th most prominent peak in Arizona. To gain access to the peak I obtained a BMGR permit ahead of time.

Sunrise on Copper Mountains Highpoint from the northeast

I drove my Jeep 13 miles into the BMGR Friday afternoon and camped near the Copper Mountains. Saturday I joined Matthias Stender on a climb of Cabeza Benchmark. Sunday I was on my own. I was glad my muscles had recovered from Saturday’s climb and the weather appeared promising even though it was raining in Tucson. As I was climbing solo and likely would see no one else on the mountain I planned to be especially alert and cautious this day.

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Southwestern Arizona Peaks, February 2018

February 24, 2018 by Paul McClellan 1 Comment

On February 17-19 I hiked three Southwestern Arizona peaks with old and new peakbagging friends. These peaks are located south of I-8 east of Yuma in the Barry M. Goldwater Range (BMGR) West, a military bombing range, and the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (CPNWR). This was my first time in this region of Arizona and I enjoyed exploring these steep and rugged peaks.

Friday evening, February 16, I camped just north of the BMGR south of Wellton, Arizona. I enjoyed the clear, dark, and starry sky above my solitary campsite. Overnight Eric Kassan arrived from Las Vegas, Adam Humphreys arrived from Phoenix, and Keith Christensen, Greg Gerlach, and Laura Newman arrived from Los Angeles. We had obtained permits to travel through the BMGR and the CPNWR to climb three prominence peaks over the next three days. I had climbed with Eric and Adam in the past but this was the first time I was to meet Keith, Greg, and Laura. They had just climbed a peak on Friday. I was to learn that they are very active peakbaggers and enjoyable companions in the mountains.

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