Old Smokey Mountain in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, AZ

Hike Old Smokey Mountain Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, AZ

Class 4 5.1 miles 1700 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Jan 24, 2020
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Old Smokey Mountain GPX Track

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Old Smokey Mountain is pretty far back along Kofa Queen Canyon Road. The road is rocky and slow which means good tires are a must, but only reasonably high clearance is required. Matt and I left the road and started along a wash heading south. The wash curved east slightly and then we took an animal trail east up to a low saddle. From the saddle, a half mile of side-hilling and slight ups and downs over drainage-riddled slopes dropped us into a wash that drains from Old Smokey Mountain. We could see a colorful unnamed peak on the left, and Old Smokey coming into view on the right. We followed this somewhat uninteresting wash south, only leaving it for short times to avoid the occasional encroaching brush, to the base of Old Smokey Mountain. I recommend not heading up the slope too early, despite how tempting it might be. There is a false summit that is seen from the base, but the true peak is farther south. We started to ascend the slope after we were sure we had avoided the false summit, and began heading to a gully that separates the false peak from the true peak. We took this gully to the saddle of the false/true summit. The going was slow and tedious, but never exceeded Class 2.

From the saddle, we continued south along the north ridge of Old Smokey Mountain, wrapping around to its east face, where interesting pinnacle-like boulders added some route finding to the summit. Without too much effort, we were at the base of the peak, which was about 30 feet above us. The scramble to get to the top required a short Class 3 move to gain an exposed, short, steep knife-edge. Falling to the left would mean death, so by reflex, I tended to lean to the right as I ascended this little ridge. Although the moves are Class 3, the exposure justifies calling the set of moves to the summit Class 4, plus the rock is more loose than I would have liked for being so exposed. The views north toward Summit Peak and Signal Peak were great, but the more impressive view was to the east toward Squaw Peak.

Despite the somewhat tedious approach, Old Smokey Mountain was a nice route that wrapped up a great few days in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Old Smokey Mountain
4373 ft
653 rise

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We started south from Kofa Queen Canyon Road through a wash.
We started south from Kofa Queen Canyon Road through a wash.
The wash curved east and we left it to gain the saddle visible on the left in this photo.
The wash curved east and we left it to gain the saddle visible on the left in this photo.
View back into the wash we came out of as we make our way to the low saddle.
View back into the wash we came out of as we make our way to the low saddle.
At the low saddle, a view toward the route to come. We would side-hill along the lumpy terrain on the right in this photo. Old Smokey Mountain is visible right of center. Note the colorful-looking cliff in the center of this photo.
At the low saddle, a view toward the route to come. We would side-hill along the lumpy terrain on the right in this photo. Old Smokey Mountain is visible right of center. Note the colorful-looking cliff in the center of this photo.
After navigating the lumpy terrain, we dropped into the wash on the right side of the colorful-looking cliff.
After navigating the lumpy terrain, we dropped into the wash on the right side of the colorful-looking cliff.
Old Smokey Mountain ahead. Don't ascend too soon - what's visible here is a false summit. Keep to the left for a bit before ascending to the saddle separating the false summit from the true summit.
Old Smokey Mountain ahead. Don't ascend too soon - what's visible here is a false summit. Keep to the left for a bit before ascending to the saddle separating the false summit from the true summit.
View back down the wash we ascended from o our way up to Old Smokey Mountain.
View back down the wash we ascended from o our way up to Old Smokey Mountain.
View toward Squaw Peak to the east as we head up Old Smokey.
View toward Squaw Peak to the east as we head up Old Smokey.
View back down into the wash we came out of. The ridge visible on the far left leads to the false summit. Ascending from the wash too soon would mean ascending over there instead of where we were.
View back down into the wash we came out of. The ridge visible on the far left leads to the false summit. Ascending from the wash too soon would mean ascending over there instead of where we were.
Class 2 up the north ridge of Old Smokey Mountain.
Class 2 up the north ridge of Old Smokey Mountain.
View back toward the saddle of Old Smokey Mountain and its false summit.
View back toward the saddle of Old Smokey Mountain and its false summit.
Class 3 boulders as we make our way along the east face of the peak.
Class 3 boulders as we make our way along the east face of the peak.
Route-finding through the boulders. There are two summit blocks, the one on the right (north) is the high point.
Route-finding through the boulders. There are two summit blocks, the one on the right (north) is the high point.
Starting up the Class 3+ moves.
Starting up the Class 3+ moves.
Close-up of the Class 4 summit ridge to Old Smokey Mountain.
Close-up of the Class 4 summit ridge to Old Smokey Mountain.
Wide shot of the summit moves. Squaw Peak visible top left.
Wide shot of the summit moves. Squaw Peak visible top left.
Old Smokey Mountain summit, view toward Signal Peak.
Old Smokey Mountain summit, view toward Signal Peak.
Old Smokey Mountain summit, view along the crux without Matt in the shot.
Old Smokey Mountain summit, view along the crux without Matt in the shot.

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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!