Dragoon Mountains Archives – GlassMountains Trip Reports

Slavin Peak and China Peak, Arizona, March 2025

April 6, 2025 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Saturday, March 22, I hiked Slavin Peak (Peak 7115) and China Peak in the southern Dragoon Mountains of Southern Arizona. I had several goals in mind. First, I wanted to see how my left foot handled hiking after injuring it four weeks earlier. Second, I wanted to explore these peaks to see if I wanted to lead them for the Southern Arizona Hiking Club.

Slavin Peak rises on the left above me from its south ridge

A fellow SAHC member (who did not have a 4WD vehicle) was approaching her goal of 400 SAHC peaks. She had not yet hiked Slavin peak. I thought I could lead both Slavin Peak and China Peak on the same SAHC hike, but had not been that deep into the Southern Dragoon Mountains. I needed to see what the combination hike would require. It had a few surprises for me.

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Black Diamond Peak and Henry Peak, Arizona, February 2025

February 16, 2025 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Friday, February 7, I climbed Black Diamond Peak and Henry Peak (Peak 7155) in the southern Dragoon Mountains of Southern Arizona. I noted both peaks to the south when I hiked Sala Benchmark last December. I also noted at that time a road that climbed steeply up a canyon north of them. Indeed, the road proved to be drivable and I was able to visit both peaks on a pleasant winter day.

Black Diamond Peak (L) and Henry Peak just beyond Peak 7091 from Sala Benchmark

Black Diamond Peak has 7146 feet of elevation and 626 feet of topographic prominence. Its summit is a narrow NW to SE ridge with cliffs on most sides. The peak is named after the Black Diamond Mine, discovered by prospector Albert George in 1880. Albert George was killed in 1883 by the Apache, though the mine was quite productive for many years thereafter.

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OK Notch Peak, Arizona, December 2024

January 7, 2025 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On New Years Eve I climbed “OK Notch Peak” in the Southern Dragoon Mountains of Arizona east of the city of Tombstone, Arizona. OK Notch Peak is named for the “OK Notch” that lies on its northern ridge. This peak has 1084 feet of topographic prominence, making it a “P1K” and an attractive goal for local peakbaggers. Several of my peakbagging friends have climbed OK Notch Peak. They have published useful trip reports, and I expected a short, but rewarding outing close to my home in Tucson.

That morning I drove to Tombstone, then turned east on Gleeson Road. After several miles I found the dirt road providing access to OK Notch Peak and I passed through an unlocked wire gate.

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Sala Benchmark, Arizona, December 2024

December 27, 2024 by Paul McClellan Leave a Comment

On Christmas Eve I hiked to the summit of Sala Benchmark, a peak in the Southern Dragoon Mountains of Arizona. Sala Benchmark has 1264 feet of topographic prominence and rises to the east above Cochise Stronghold.

Cochise Stronghold, China Peak, and Sala Benchmark from Middlemarch Road

Several of people had visited it before me and had published helpful trip reports. This was to be a short hike, mostly on an unmaintained trail. I expected few surprises.

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