Class 3 12.2 miles 2200 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Mar 22, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Kino Peak GPX Track

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Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is home to some pretty unique and interesting desert peaks, Kino Peak being one. Every time I come to the area to tick an objective off my list, more get added. Kino Peak is known for its somewhat complex, interesting summit route, and notorious for the array of tattered clothes and water bottles strewn along the approach, discarded by immigrants crossing the border. We took the standard route for Kino Peak, which starts from Bates Well Ranch, accessible by any vehicle. This historic site comprised of a few small buildings and old windmills seems to be visited pretty regularly by ATVers and folks interested in desert mining history, but we only took a little peek inside the cabin before starting out to Kino Peak.

The goal is to reach a lightly traveled trail that leads to a dirt road, but to get there some desert walking is first required. There is no one "best" route from Bates Well Ranch, except to head generally south until locating this trail. A quarter mile or so and we entered a sandy wash that drains southwest. We noted a cairn on the opposite bank of the wash and located a social trail which continued south. The trail is a nice little feature, but it's a bit difficult to follow at times. The desert landscape here is surprisingly not all that vegetated and even if you miss the trail the hiking shouldn't be unpleasant. We soon reached a dirt road (I traced it back on a satellite map and it seemed to just lead in a roundabout way into the wash we had just left). This dirt road is long and boring, and Kino Peak only slowly comes into view. The road eventually turns into a social trail that continues south.

Roughly three miles later, we reached a minor saddle on the east side of Kino Peak, the spot we'd leave the trail and start ascending. The initial slope is Class 2, leading to the base of a rock outcropping. We kept to the right here, wrapping just below the cliff base of the outcropping and then reemerging on its west side. A social trail becomes more apparent here, winding around more rock outcroppings as it slowly ascends to the east ridge of Kino Peak. We encountered some Class 2+ along this section.

Sooner than anticipated, we found ourselves staring at the impressive east face of Kino Peak from the top of a narrow perch. From here the ascent to the peak looks pretty precipitous, but we'd soon learn getting to its summit ridge wouldn't be as dangerous as it looks. Kino Peak was separated from us by a gap, but a small landbridge would link us to the base of the peak. To reach this landbridge, we dropped from our perch to the left and into a loose gully, which leads away from the peak for a short time. Getting into the gully required a Class 3 downclimb, the crux of the hike. A loose 100-ish feet of descent down this gully led to a ledge that we could use to wrap around the base of the ridge/perch we had just descended from, where Kino came back into view. A short Class 3 move got us up to the landbridge.

From the landbridge, we started north on Class 2 terrain, cairns marking the route for the most part. A really wide ledge brought us safely to the north side of Kino Peak's north ridge. It's surprisingly straightforward since both up and down are cliffs, but this ledge was a miraculous feature that kept the going relatively safe and unexposed. A Class 2 gully led above the higher cliffs and up to the ridgeline, where easy hiking led to the summit block.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Kino Peak
3197 ft
1537 rise

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Bates Well Ranch cabin.
Bates Well Ranch cabin.
Inside the cabin.
Inside the cabin.
We set off to the south from Bates Well Ranch, some mining detritus left behind along the way.
We set off to the south from Bates Well Ranch, some mining detritus left behind along the way.
We hiked through a wash briefly and found this trail on its opposite site. Kino Peak seen center.
We hiked through a wash briefly and found this trail on its opposite site. Kino Peak seen center.
The trail led to this road, and the road continued south.
The trail led to this road, and the road continued south.
Getting closer.
Getting closer.
The road led to another trail that slowly ascended to a saddle, seen ahead of Matt.
The road led to another trail that slowly ascended to a saddle, seen ahead of Matt.
At the saddle, looking back.
At the saddle, looking back.
At the saddle, view toward Kino Peak. Our first goal is to reach the rock outcrop just right of center.
At the saddle, view toward Kino Peak. Our first goal is to reach the rock outcrop just right of center.
Keeping right of the rock outcrop (seen on the left).
Keeping right of the rock outcrop (seen on the left).
View back toward the saddle we came up as we traverse beneath the rock outcrop.
View back toward the saddle we came up as we traverse beneath the rock outcrop.
Past the rock outcrop, some Class 2.
Past the rock outcrop, some Class 2.
View back toward the saddle. We came up from right above Matt. Rock outcrop that we wrapped around is seen top right.
View back toward the saddle. We came up from right above Matt. Rock outcrop that we wrapped around is seen top right.
A social trail leads around some more rock outcroppings.
A social trail leads around some more rock outcroppings.
View back along the social trail.
View back along the social trail.
A Class 2+ section as we continue along the east ridge. Kino Peak seen peeking out on the left.
A Class 2+ section as we continue along the east ridge. Kino Peak seen peeking out on the left.
Class 3 move, avoidable.
Class 3 move, avoidable.
Along a narrow ridge leading to a viewpoint of Kino Peak.
Along a narrow ridge leading to a viewpoint of Kino Peak.
View back along the narrow ridge from the way we came.
View back along the narrow ridge from the way we came.
End of the road. Kino Peak seen ahead, a land bridge just below out of frame. We'd have to reach the landbridge first. You can sort of see the route to come, which leads left to right beneath the higher cliffs on the right in this photo. Then we'd go back left along the ridgeline.
End of the road. Kino Peak seen ahead, a land bridge just below out of frame. We'd have to reach the landbridge first. You can sort of see the route to come, which leads left to right beneath the higher cliffs on the right in this photo. Then we'd go back left along the ridgeline.
On the left, near the end of the ridge, we located a Class 3 down-climb to get into an ugly gully.
On the left, near the end of the ridge, we located a Class 3 down-climb to get into an ugly gully.
View back at Matt doing the Class 3 down-climb, Kino Peak visible up top.
View back at Matt doing the Class 3 down-climb, Kino Peak visible up top.
Descending the gully. A ledge on above Matt serves as a way to wrap around and ultimately gain the landbridge.
Descending the gully. A ledge on above Matt serves as a way to wrap around and ultimately gain the landbridge.
View back up the gully we came down, and would need to reascend later.
View back up the gully we came down, and would need to reascend later.
A short Class 3 move to get up to the landbridge.
A short Class 3 move to get up to the landbridge.
Wider shot. Landbridge seen center, friends seen on the right above the Class 3 move.
Wider shot. Landbridge seen center, friends seen on the right above the Class 3 move.
At the landbridge, now continuing north at the base of Kino Peak's upper cliffs.
At the landbridge, now continuing north at the base of Kino Peak's upper cliffs.
View back toward the ridge we were just on and had to descend from. Chris is seen at the landbridge right now.
View back toward the ridge we were just on and had to descend from. Chris is seen at the landbridge right now.
Fairly straightforward hiking on Class 2 leads north along the base of the cliffs. You can see Matt ahead.
Fairly straightforward hiking on Class 2 leads north along the base of the cliffs. You can see Matt ahead.
View back along the nice ledge. The ridge we dropped from earlier visible on the left.
View back along the nice ledge. The ridge we dropped from earlier visible on the left.
Farther along the ledge, view back again.
Farther along the ledge, view back again.
Chris ascending a Class 2 gully to gain the ridgeline.
Chris ascending a Class 2 gully to gain the ridgeline.
Along the northern ridgeline of Kino Peak.
Along the northern ridgeline of Kino Peak.
Wandering along the ridgeline, not exceeding Class 2.
Wandering along the ridgeline, not exceeding Class 2.
Kino Peak summit block, Class 2.
Kino Peak summit block, Class 2.
Kino Peak, view southwest.
Kino Peak, view southwest.
Kino Peak, view east.
Kino Peak, view east.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!