Peak 4063 and Peak 3722 Loop in Black Mountains BLM, AZ

Hike Peak 4063 and Peak 3722 Loop Black Mountains BLM, AZ

Class 3 6.1 miles 2200 gain 2-4 hrs Loop Oct 23, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Peak 4063 and Peak 3722 Loop GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

These unnamed peaklets feature some of the lovely volcanic rock generally found in the Black Mountains, and served as a great add-on to their taller neighbor, Mount Perkins, nearby. I had no information about these peaks, so I contrived a loop that was more about scrambling and exploration moreso than efficiency. To reach the trailhead, leave AZ-93 here (35.6705855, -114.4598691) and follow the Eldorado Powerline Road west until this junction (35.664837, -114.491869), where you should keep left and continue southwest and then south. At this junction (35.63968, -114.50723) head east. High clearance is needed here due to a few big dips into washes, including the first to even get onto the road. There were no signs for wilderness areas and I believe this road is still open and driving on it is permitted, despite the fact that it's faded pretty significantly toward where I parked. Also, don't try continuing past my parking spot heading farther west – I don't think there are actually any other ways to reach this spot, despite roads drawn on maps hinting that there are.

I started south through the open desert, planning to do Peak 4063 first since it's the larger of the three. Peak 4063 can be easily reached via a slope with some Class 2 from the west, but that would have broken my lovely loop and reduced the fun scrambling to a boring desert bump hike. Instead, I left the flat desert and ascended the peak's east face on progressively fun and steepening rock. Class 2 quickly became Class 3. A couple of dryfalls and small cliff bands required some navigating around. It's hard to give a specific description of my route, but is are definitely more than one option. The last few hundred feet did have some interesting Class 3/3+ without exposure and led to a final slope to the Class 2 summit block. This was a great, fun little peak, at least from this direction.

I dropped west off the summit to avoid some cliffs and continued south along the ridgeline down to a very scary-looking horn to the south, Peak 4046. Some navigating around cliff bands and rock outcrops led me to the base of the peak. Here I kept to the left around the ridgeline and then found a notch to get back to the crest. I would use this notch on the way back down as well to escape the ridgeline. Peak 4046 went at only Class 2+, surprising based on how it looked from afar. I backtracked to the aforementioned notch and descended the rocky slope to the open desert below. I contoured to the saddle on the south side of Peak 3722 and then started up its southern slope on Class 2 terrain. Once on the ridge crest, the last of the three summits came into view. I wrapped around some rock outcrops and stayed on flat, easy terrain and then headed up a quick Class 2 jaunt to the high point.

I wasn't really sure how to get down from here to complete the loop, since the west face of Peak 3722 was riddled with serious cliffs, but I attempted a route down a major gully on the northwest side of the peak, which led me down safely with Class 2 and some light bushwhacking. Back in the initial open desert I came in on, it was a light jog back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Peak 4063
4063 ft
343 rise
2
Peak 4046
4046 ft
180 rise
3
Peak 3722
3722 ft
462 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

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!

Through the open desert. The ridgelines of Peaks 4063 (right) and Peak 3722 (left) come into view, though you can't see the peaks from here.
Through the open desert. The ridgelines of Peaks 4063 (right) and Peak 3722 (left) come into view, though you can't see the peaks from here.
View at my chosen route up the east face of Peak 4063. I more or less took the gully left of center in this photo, leaving it to avoid dryfalls and cliffs. The peak is somewhere up the in the center.
View at my chosen route up the east face of Peak 4063. I more or less took the gully left of center in this photo, leaving it to avoid dryfalls and cliffs. The peak is somewhere up the in the center.
Class 2 turning into Class 3 as I begin up the scramble.
Class 2 turning into Class 3 as I begin up the scramble.
View back down at my progress. Peak 3722 visible top right.
View back down at my progress. Peak 3722 visible top right.
Class 2/3 fun.
Class 2/3 fun.
View down a Class 2/3 move. The gully I came up from visible right of center.
View down a Class 2/3 move. The gully I came up from visible right of center.
Approaching the summit of Peak 4063, looking down at my progress. Peak 3722 visible center. You can also see the saddle I'll be getting to later in my loop on the far right.
Approaching the summit of Peak 4063, looking down at my progress. Peak 3722 visible center. You can also see the saddle I'll be getting to later in my loop on the far right.
Peak 4063 summit ahead.
Peak 4063 summit ahead.
Class 3 fun below the summit.
Class 3 fun below the summit.
Summit block of Peak 4063.
Summit block of Peak 4063.
A view at the west face of Peak 4063. Obviously you could get to the summit much more easily from this direction, but it looks boring.
A view at the west face of Peak 4063. Obviously you could get to the summit much more easily from this direction, but it looks boring.
Continuing south along the ridge crest after dropping right from the summit to avoid cliffs. Peak 4046 visible on the right (the horn-looking thing).
Continuing south along the ridge crest after dropping right from the summit to avoid cliffs. Peak 4046 visible on the right (the horn-looking thing).
View back toward Peak 4063.
View back toward Peak 4063.
Peak 4046 ahead. There's a bit of a mess of cliffs in front of it. You could drop down pretty far on the right to avoid it all and ascend via the more mellow slope, but I chose to stick to the Class 2 ridge and route-find in an out of the cliffs.
Peak 4046 ahead. There's a bit of a mess of cliffs in front of it. You could drop down pretty far on the right to avoid it all and ascend via the more mellow slope, but I chose to stick to the Class 2 ridge and route-find in an out of the cliffs.
View back toward Peak 4063.
View back toward Peak 4063.
Along the ridge below Peak 4046.
Along the ridge below Peak 4046.
Class 2+.
Class 2+.
View back down the ridgeline from Peak 4046. I avoided most of the cliffs by keeping to the left of them (right side in this photo).
View back down the ridgeline from Peak 4046. I avoided most of the cliffs by keeping to the left of them (right side in this photo).
Peak 4046, view toward Mount Perkins.
Peak 4046, view toward Mount Perkins.
Peak 4046, view toward Peak 4063 (left) and Peak 3722 (right).
Peak 4046, view toward Peak 4063 (left) and Peak 3722 (right).
I backtracked a bit and descended into open desert on the east side of Peak 4046.
I backtracked a bit and descended into open desert on the east side of Peak 4046.
View back along some side-hilling.
View back along some side-hilling.
At the saddle separating Peak 4063 and Peak 3722. Onward to 3722.
At the saddle separating Peak 4063 and Peak 3722. Onward to 3722.
Class 2 up to the ridgeline from the saddle.
Class 2 up to the ridgeline from the saddle.
View back toward the saddle after coming up some Class 2.
View back toward the saddle after coming up some Class 2.
Once on the ridgeline, Peak 3722 comes into view ahead. I wrapped around some minor rock outcrops and continued on fun Class 2 to the summit.
Once on the ridgeline, Peak 3722 comes into view ahead. I wrapped around some minor rock outcrops and continued on fun Class 2 to the summit.
Summit of Peak 3722, close-up toward Peak 4063 and the face I climbed earlier.
Summit of Peak 3722, close-up toward Peak 4063 and the face I climbed earlier.
After coming down from Peak 3722, now scouting for a way down back to the desert below.
After coming down from Peak 3722, now scouting for a way down back to the desert below.
View back toward Peak 3722.
View back toward Peak 3722.
My gully of choice, Class 2/3.
My gully of choice, Class 2/3.
Exiting the gully into the open desert and back to my car.
Exiting the gully into the open desert and back to my car.

Hire me or show me some love!

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!