Aubrey Peak Wilderness in Aubrey Peak Wilderness Area, AZ

Hike Aubrey Peak Wilderness Aubrey Peak Wilderness Area, AZ

Class 3 14.8 miles 5300 gain 9-12 hrs Loop Dec 18, 2024
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Aubrey Peak rises prominently within the eastern portion of the Aubrey Peak Wilderness, a landscape of volcanic features, including brightly colored tuff on mesa faces and rugged slopes leading to dramatic peaks. This lovely desert outing traverses most of the significant summits within the wilderness area. While the BLM recommends accessing the Aubrey Peak Wilderness from the east via Alamo Road and a series of Jeep roads, Adam and I sought a more efficient loop to reach the summits, which led us to approach from the southwest. To get there, we took Alamo Road to this point (34.60633, -113.81518) and headed southwest on Planet Ranch Road. We then veered onto Pipeline Road (34.48797, -113.91050), continuing generally southeast along a well-maintained road, likely suitable for passenger vehicles.

We entered the wilderness area, starting with a long walk through a broad wash before hiking into an arroyo network that led to another wash. This was the major drainage separating Peak 2835, our first summit, from Peak 2940, our third. We followed this wash until just before the saddle, then turned right, ascending the steep northwest slope of Peak 2835. The cliffy terrain on the north side of Peak 2759 initially made it difficult to find an obvious route. The lower terrain was steep but manageable, but higher up it became more loose. A brief Class 2 scramble along the final crest brought us to the summit.

Next came Peak 2759, a foreboding butte rising just to the northwest. From here it looked like it would give us some trouble. We descended as directly as possible to the saddle, navigating loose, brushy terrain. This route likely wasn’t more efficient than simply retracing our ascent. Opting to wrap around Peak 2759’s east side, we discovered a Class 2 weakness leading to the ridge crest. While the crest itself would have offered fun scrambling, we chose easier terrain just below it, finishing with a short Class 3 move to reach the high point.

After an easy desert jaunt, we approached Peak 2940 via its northern saddle and traversed a brushy, loose slope to the summit base. A Class 2 scramble with a brief Class 3 move along the crest brought us up quickly. Peak 2960, our next objective, lay across the desert, resembling a mesa fortress with sheer cliffs. The approach was scenic, with slickrock tuff providing a striking foreground to the dramatic peaks behind. Our topo map revealed various chute options on the mesa’s north side, but the first worked well so we didn’t have to explore other options. This chute requiring Class 2 scrambling through a bit of catclaw, with short Class 3 moves. Emerging from the chute, we faced a headwall of solid rock. This was a delightfully climbable section with a Class 3 route on remarkably concrete-like rock. We were momentarily dismayed to see a steep summit block, but it went easily once we wrapped around to its east side. We agreed Peak 2940 was our favorite of the day.

After dropping back through the chute, we navigated northwest across lumpy terrain and passed through a cliff band to reach the base of Aubrey Peak, the only named summit on our route. We hadn’t researched Aubrey Peak in detail and were unprepared for the summit block’s difficulty. Our direct but brushy approach led through a drainage, where animal trails helped avoid the thickest nonsense, and then headed up a steep slope. The summit route turned out to be a short Class 5 chimney obstructed by a chockstone. Without helmets or gear, we deemed it too risky. Stemming up the chimney, sliding out beneath the chockstone, and making a difficult move on flared rock felt far too precarious. Clearing the smaller rocks above the chockstone might have worked but risked dislodging boulders onto ourselves. Frustratingly, a false summit just to the northwest was only slightly lower and trivially accessible, while the true summit remained tantalizingly out of reach.

We continued toward Peak 2801, a beautiful summit featuring more slickrock, dark boulders strewn across bright tuff, and angled cliff bands. We reached the southern shoulder and were surprised to find the peak wasn’t as simple as we’d anticipated. From a distance, it appeared to be an easy slope walk, but a hidden cliff band offered a fortunate Class 3. A steep slope then brought us to the summit.

Adam took a direct route to our final summit, Peak 3132, while kindly encouraging me to tag Peak 2660. This added a couple of miles of easy desert walking, where I followed burro trails to the base of Peak 2660. Cliffs encircled it, but I found an accessible point on the north side. This pleasant peak offered some Class 2 and a short Class 3 chimney move. I briefly lamented not attempting Peak 2580 to the north, which looked intriguing but required complex route-finding, maybe another time.

I rejoined Adam at the saddle southeast of Peak 3132. Class 2 slabs led to the east ridge, which we took briefly until starting a loose traverse below jumbled rock. A more direct ascent soon became visible and we climbed more earnestly. A few Class 3 moves on generally solid rock wound us up to the summit, but we took turns since it’s quite steep. We took a moment to appreciate our loop through the Aubrey Peak Wilderness, and admired Peak 3132’s dramatic cliffy northwest ridge. The descent was through a crumbly gully, a straightforward Class 2 route that brought us down into the wash below, taking this back to the cars.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Peak 2835
2835 ft
595 rise
2
Peak 2759
2759 ft
359 rise
3
Peak 2940
2940 ft
520 rise
4
Peak 2960
2960 ft
560 rise
5
Aubrey Peak
2950 ft
353 rise
6
Peak 2801
2801 ft
321 rise
7
Peak 2660
2660 ft
300 rise
8
Peak 3132
3132 ft
772 rise

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Starting up a long wash walk.
Starting up a long wash walk.
Navigating the arroyo network through relatively tame desert. Peak 2835 (our first summit) seen right. Peak 2940 (third summit) seen left. We headed toward the saddle separating them.
Navigating the arroyo network through relatively tame desert. Peak 2835 (our first summit) seen right. Peak 2940 (third summit) seen left. We headed toward the saddle separating them.
A short narrow section within the major wash to the saddle.
A short narrow section within the major wash to the saddle.
Heading up to Peak 2835 via its steep northwest slope.
Heading up to Peak 2835 via its steep northwest slope.
View back toward the saddle, Peak 2940 seen above.
View back toward the saddle, Peak 2940 seen above.
Approaching the summit ridge above.
Approaching the summit ridge above.
Summit of Peak 2835, view north toward Peak 2759. Peak 2960 is the huge mesa behind it.
Summit of Peak 2835, view north toward Peak 2759. Peak 2960 is the huge mesa behind it.
Peak 3132 seen left of center, our last peak of the day.
Peak 3132 seen left of center, our last peak of the day.
Onward to Peak 2759. We wrapped around it on the right.
Onward to Peak 2759. We wrapped around it on the right.
View back toward Peak 2835.
View back toward Peak 2835.
Class 2 up Peak 2759.
Class 2 up Peak 2759.
We gained its ridge crest, then kept just below on easier terrain.
We gained its ridge crest, then kept just below on easier terrain.
Class 3 move to the summit.
Class 3 move to the summit.
Peak 2759, view back toward Peak 2835.
Peak 2759, view back toward Peak 2835.
Onward through the desert to Peak 2940 (left).
Onward through the desert to Peak 2940 (left).
We approached from Peak 2940's northern saddle.
We approached from Peak 2940's northern saddle.
Class 2/3.
Class 2/3.
View back as we near the summit of Peak 2940.
View back as we near the summit of Peak 2940.
Peak 2960 across the desert. Aubrey Peak poking up in the center.
Peak 2960 across the desert. Aubrey Peak poking up in the center.
Close-up toward Peak 2960, our next summit.
Close-up toward Peak 2960, our next summit.
Approaching the base of Peak 2960.
Approaching the base of Peak 2960.
View back, some cool slickrock tuff.
View back, some cool slickrock tuff.
A weakness chute on the northwest shoulder of Peak 2960.
A weakness chute on the northwest shoulder of Peak 2960.
Class 2, with some short Class 3 moves up the chute.
Class 2, with some short Class 3 moves up the chute.
A headwall once out of the chute.
A headwall once out of the chute.
Class 3 on really fun, but short-lived, concrete-quality rock.
Class 3 on really fun, but short-lived, concrete-quality rock.
The summit block a bit away.
The summit block a bit away.
Summit of Peak 2960 reached via the east side of the summit block.
Summit of Peak 2960 reached via the east side of the summit block.
Peak 2960 summit, view toward the three other peaks we did so far.
Peak 2960 summit, view toward the three other peaks we did so far.
View back toward the chute as we head toward Aubrey Peak.
View back toward the chute as we head toward Aubrey Peak.
A brushy approach. Aubrey Peak seen center (the little rock nubbin).
A brushy approach. Aubrey Peak seen center (the little rock nubbin).
Aubrey Peak above.
Aubrey Peak above.
View back as we near the base of Aubrey Peak.
View back as we near the base of Aubrey Peak.
Aubrey Peak summit block.
Aubrey Peak summit block.
Class 5 summit block.
Class 5 summit block.
View from the slightly lower lump false summit of Aubrey Peak.
View from the slightly lower lump false summit of Aubrey Peak.
Really interesting terrain as we head toward Peak 2801.
Really interesting terrain as we head toward Peak 2801.
View back toward Aubrey Peak.
View back toward Aubrey Peak.
Peak 2801 right of center. More gorgeous terrain.
Peak 2801 right of center. More gorgeous terrain.
A short slickrock tuff section.
A short slickrock tuff section.
We headed to the shoulder just above Adam.
We headed to the shoulder just above Adam.
View back at the interesting terrain we just hiked through from Aubrey Peak.
View back at the interesting terrain we just hiked through from Aubrey Peak.
Close-up toward Aubrey Peak.
Close-up toward Aubrey Peak.
A Class 3 weakness to overcome a cliff band to reach Peak 2801.
A Class 3 weakness to overcome a cliff band to reach Peak 2801.
View back at the Class 3 move.
View back at the Class 3 move.
Steep slope to the summit from here.
Steep slope to the summit from here.
Peak 2801 summit, view toward Aubrey Peak (center) and Peak 2960 (right).
Peak 2801 summit, view toward Aubrey Peak (center) and Peak 2960 (right).
Peak 3132 far left.
Peak 3132 far left.
Quick detour to Peak 2660.
Quick detour to Peak 2660.
View back toward Peak 2801 (left).
View back toward Peak 2801 (left).
Approaching Peak 2660.
Approaching Peak 2660.
Class 2, with a short Class 3 move in a chimney up to Peak 2660.
Class 2, with a short Class 3 move in a chimney up to Peak 2660.
Peak 2660 summit. Peak 3132 seen right (final peak). I hiked to the saddle center.
Peak 2660 summit. Peak 3132 seen right (final peak). I hiked to the saddle center.
View back toward Peak 2660's steep south face.
View back toward Peak 2660's steep south face.
From the saddle, headed up to Peak 3132.
From the saddle, headed up to Peak 3132.
Along the east ridge of Peak 3132.
Along the east ridge of Peak 3132.
Jumbled rock above, much of it rotten.
Jumbled rock above, much of it rotten.
Class 3 to the summit Peak 3132.
Class 3 to the summit Peak 3132.
Peak 3132 summit, view into the Aubrey Peak loop we just did.
Peak 3132 summit, view into the Aubrey Peak loop we just did.
Peak 3132, view northwest toward its interesting cliffy ridge.
Peak 3132, view northwest toward its interesting cliffy ridge.
Descending a rotten gully, Class 2.
Descending a rotten gully, Class 2.
View back up toward Peak 3132.
View back up toward Peak 3132.
Navigating a wash back to the cars.
Navigating a wash back to the cars.
View back toward Peak 3132 (left) as we head back.
View back toward Peak 3132 (left) as we head back.

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