On Tuesday, January 12, I made a short off-trail climb of Golden Gate Mountain, just west of Gates Pass in the Tucson Mountains. I climbed the Northeast slope from the David Yetman West Trailhead. The weather was ideal and the views were excellent. The upper slope was a bit steep but the footing was firm with some fun rock scrambling. Most of the brush was avoidable. I had the summit to myself and met only one party on my descent.

The Northeast slope of Golden Gate Mountain is a fan-like slope descending from rock bands below the north summit between two drainage channels towards Golden Gate Pass above the David Yetman Trail. It is just right of center in the above photo.

[Read more…] about Golden Gate Mountain, Arizona, January 2016