On April 14 I drove from Tucson north through Globe and into the Sierra Ancha to hike Aztec Peak, the high point of the range. Aztec Peak has 7748 feet of elevation and 2468 feet of prominence, the 41st most prominent peak in Arizona. Arizona has three physiographic regions, the Colorado Plateau in the northeast, the Basin and Range in the south and west, and the Arizona Transition Zone between those two. This peak was the only peak of this winter season I climbed that lay within the Transition Zone, all others lying in the Basin and Range region.
The Sierra Ancha and Aztec Peak from AZ 188 north of Globe
I pulled off of Arizona Highway 188 north of Globe to photograph my first view of the Sierra Ancha and Aztec Peak. Aztec Peak is the flat summit near the center of the above photo.
The Sierra Ancha and Aztec Peak from AZ 288
Further north I turned off AZ 188 onto AZ 288. This highway crosses the Salt River over a narrow bridge then climbs towards the Sierra Ancha through the high pass left of center in the above photo. Aztec Peak is on the right in this photo.
Browns Peak to the west from AZ 288
As AZ 288 climbs into the Sierra Ancha it passes by high sandstone cliffs. At one point a side road to the west climbs a grassy ridge facing cliffs with a view of Lake Roosevelt to the west. The ridge offers a scenic sunset campsite.
The Aztec Peak summit lookout tower from FR 487
The drive into the Sierra Ancha was scenic and the pine forest reminded me somewhat of the Blue Mountains of Oregon. I parked along a forest road 487 about three miles short of the Aztec Peak summit. I could easily have driven to the summit but I wanted to savor a pretty hike in mixed forest under sunny skies with thin high clouds and ideal temperatures to celebrate the end of a successful season of Arizona peakbagging.
The Sierra Ancha and Mazatzal Mountains from the summit of Aztec Peak
The Aztec Peak summit plateau is broad and offers many primitive camping sites. A large lookout tower rises above the summit, itself. The lookout was closed, but I climbed the stairs to just below the blocked access to the tower balcony and photographed the surrounding mountain views.
A milk snake on FR 487
I descended FR 487 back to my Jeep and started driving out. Near Workman Creek Falls I spotted a snake on the road and stopped to avoid driving over it and to get a good view of it before it slithered into the brush.
Apache Peaks from FR 220
On my way home I scouted out a rangeland and forest access road to Apache Peaks, the high point of the Blackjack Mountains just north of Globe. The drive into the Blackjack Mountains went quite well and I reached the spot on FR 220 where the climbing route leaves the road to climb up through cliffs and brush to the summit. The Apache Peaks summit is above the cliffs in this photo. The climb will involve some class 3 scrambling and travel through a lot of brush. I look forward to returning to climb Apache Peaks next winter or spring.
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