Ascent of Harquahala Mountain on 2015-01-03| Others in Party: | Jeff Webb
Mayukh Banik
Liz Romeu
----Only Party on Mountain | | Date: | Saturday, January 3, 2015 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Motorized Transport to Trailhead: | 4x4 Vehicle | | Peak: | Harquahala Mountain | | Location: | USA-Arizona | | Elevation: | 5681 ft / 1731 m |
Ascent Trip ReportAccess notes: The turnoff for the trailhead is on the south side of US-60 between mileposts 70 and 71, but is not marked at all. As indicated on SummitPost.org, when traveling northbound, look for a small palm tree on the left (north) side of the highway; almost directly across the way on the south side is a closed gate with a metal sign next to it. In typical BLM fashion, the sign has 'TRAIL' and an arrow vaguely pointing towards the mountain, but no other information. The gate is closed but not locked, so parties entering and existing should ensure they leave it as found. The dirt road on the other side follows the fence southward for a bit, then begins to climb towards the base of Harquahala Mountain. The road is generally in good shape for passenger cars traveling slowly, however there are a few spots where high clearance is a must. There is a narrow section where the vegetation closes in from both sides, with a few 'desert pinstripes' being inevitable on the vehicle's paint job. A marked side road splits off at one point - it should be ignored and the main track followed to the left. A parking area for horse trailers appears on the right; from here, there remain 0.4 miles to the end according to another sign. The trailhead parking area, complete with a toilet and an information board, presents itself about 2 miles from the highway.
Climbing notes: From 2300 ft, the well-traveled trail heads up the broad wash on the northwest side of the mountain, generally staying to its south. The wash narrows into a canyon, which the trail traverses close to its head and where it begins a steady climb up the steep northwest face. This section is overgrown in spots, with plants snagging pants and shirts more viciously than anticipated at first look. As elevation is gained, the trail switchbacks up increasingly exposed slopes; at the time of this ascent, up to 2 inches of snow covered the trail in shaded spots, making attention to foot placement very important. The trail tops out at a saddle at about 5100 ft, from where the radio antennas and the hut on the summit are clearly visible to the east. The remaining gain is achieved via a combination of trail and fire road, the latter at the very top where the trail terminates. The highest point on Harquahala Mountain is the pile of rocks on the south side of the radio antennas; the USGS marker is found here. The summit register is about 50 ft down, in a fancy binder maintained by the Smithsonian and the BLM. Views in all directions are stupendous, making the effort required to get here well worth it. The return requires attention in the snow covered sections, which can get slippery, avoidance of the snagging vegetation, and a good pair of knees. |
| Summary Total Data | | Total Elevation Gain: | 3401 ft / 1036 m | | Total Elevation Loss: | 3401 ft / 1036 m | | Round-Trip Distance: | 10 mi / 16.1 km | | Route Conditions: | Maintained Trail, Unmaintained Trail, Snow on Ground | | Ascent Statistics | | Gain on way in: | 3401 ft / 1036 m | | Gain Breakdown: | Net: 3371 ft / 1027 m; Extra: 30 ft / 9m | | Loss on way in: | 30 ft / 9 m | | Distance: | 5 mi / 8.1 km | | Route: | Harquahala Mountain Pack Trail | | Start Trailhead: | Harquahala Mountain Trailhead 2310 ft / 704 m | | Descent Statistics | | Loss on way out: | 3371 ft / 1027 m | | Distance: | 5 mi / 8 km | | Route: | Harquahala Mountain Pack Trail | | End Trailhead: | Harquahala Mountain Trailhead 2310 ft / 704 m | Ascent Part of Trip: AZ Sonoran Ranges 01-15
Complete Trip Sequence:
Total Trip Gain: 9112 ft / 2778 m Total Trip Loss: 9112 ft / 2778 m | GPS Data for Ascent/Trip
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Peaks:  climbed and  unclimbed by Mihai Giurgiulescu
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