Fig Peak (Peak 4140) in Mount Nutt Wilderness BLM, AZ

Hike Fig Peak (Peak 4140) Mount Nutt Wilderness BLM, AZ

Class 3 8.4 miles 1900 gain 4-6 hrs Loop Jan 22, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Fig Peak (Peak 4140) GPX Track

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Fig Peak is a minor summit just below Mount Nutt in the Mount Nutt Wilderness, though it's a peak that's sort of on its own and easily overlooked, though I guess most of the peaks out here in the Black Mountains are generally overlooked. We named it Fig Peak based on its proximity to Fig Spring nearby. You'll notice on my attached map that we formed a loop, the eastern portion following a "road" for some time. You can possible drive out on the adjacent road grid and do this hike as a shorter out and back from that direction, but those are possibly pretty poor roads and also you'll be missing a lot of the gorgeous scenery when coming in using the western portion of our loop. Assuming you do the hike as we did, I recommend starting from Dawson Drive, passable by any vehicle. A legal road continues for a while into BLM-managed land, but it's quite rough and I recommend just parking on Dawson Drive to save your tires.

On a topo map Fig Peak looks like a real puzzle, the most likely ascent option likely on its north side. We planned to wrap around the peak's circumference until locating a weakness. Our group set out on the road for a couple of miles. Along the way it entered what seems to be private land based on a map, though there's only one "no trespassing" sign that we could see and it was for a spur road leading out to Fig Spring. We heard gunshots, likely less legal an activity here than our hike, so we took a minute to go confirm with them we weren't in their line of fire. They seemed spooked, quickly assuring us they were finishing up and apologized for being so close. It's nice to encounter courteous gun owners in remote places.

Soon we were within the Mount Nutt Wilderness and we entered a major drainage complete with running water and plenty of foliage. A burro trail kept the bushwhacking to a minimum as we enjoyed the cliffs formed by this unnamed creek. There was even a short section of box canyon that felt particularly cozy. The canyon opened up into a gorgeous desert setting, the eroded faces of the Black Mountains always a glorious sight. We stuck more or less to the drainage, boulder-hopping at times as we inspected the western cliffs of Fig Peak. No weaknesses yet. We were still hopeful for a route to emerge.

A brushy slope popped in on the right, finally a chance to make some upward progress. An animal trail wrapped around the brush and brought us up to a wide, steep slope leading up the north side of Fig Peak. A low-angle gully appeared on the right, a severe break in an otherwise formidable cliff face. It seemed like the most viable option we had, so we begrudingly decided to wrestle with some brush to get to its start and headed up. Ultimately this gully went at Class 3 due to a couple of short sections on solid rock, but its majority was Class 2. Somehow we were able to just keep making vertical progress, a seemingly miraculous feat considering the otherwise impenetrable faces surrounding Fig Peak. There was certainly some loose rock, but it was actually a pretty fun scramble. Toward the top of the gully was a small headwall, so we climbed out (Class 3) on the right and continued up some more scrambling and ultimately to a grassy slope. The summit was still not visible, and we didn't let go of the idea that we could still be cliffed out.

The grassy slope brought us to a rocky spine, which we crossed over and then the summit came into view. On our ascent we followed the rocky spine crest (Class 2/3), an extracurricular activity I recommend doing if only to get a view of an incredibly sheer drop. I left our descent on my attached map, which parallels the rocky spine by traversing an easy slope rather than sticks to the crest. The summit block looked serious from afar, but Matt and Chris found a loose Class 3/4 chute to reach the summit. Alternatively, we wrapped around the block's eastern side, spiraling nearly all the way around the summit block in order to keep the ascent fun Class 2/3.

On the way back we decided to attempt a loop, so at the base of the extended miraculous gully, we hung right and ascended a hundred vertical feet to a minor saddle. From here we descended to the east down a grassy and often rocky slope. It was definitely less pretty than the ascent, but there was a nice short section with running water and some of the monoliths on this side of Fig Peak were pretty cool to look at. I think we were all a bit curious to see if the eastern cliffs had any possible ascent options, but we wre pretty confident the gully we found was the only non-technical option. We reached what's marked on maps as Quartzsite Road, but it's really not much of a road. We followed it, then took another unmarked road leading south and then continued through the open desert back to the BLM road we hiked in on initially.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Fig Peak (Peak 4120)
4120 ft
480 rise

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We hiked along a BLM road for a bit. Fig Peak seen on the right. Our goal was a drainage seen right of center.
We hiked along a BLM road for a bit. Fig Peak seen on the right. Our goal was a drainage seen right of center.
Entering the drainage, separated by a cool-looking fin on the left and Fig Peak on the right.
Entering the drainage, separated by a cool-looking fin on the left and Fig Peak on the right.
Entering Mount Nutt Wilderness.
Entering Mount Nutt Wilderness.
Unexpectedly cool scenery, complete with flowing water.
Unexpectedly cool scenery, complete with flowing water.
Narrower portion within the drainage.
Narrower portion within the drainage.
It was sometimes brushy, but animal trails helped keep the bushwhacking minimal.
It was sometimes brushy, but animal trails helped keep the bushwhacking minimal.
Image 6 from gallery
Fun water features.
Fun water features.
View back as the canyon began opening up.
View back as the canyon began opening up.
And then we were into the gorgeous open desert.
And then we were into the gorgeous open desert.
Colorful eroded cliffs within the Mount Nutt Wilderness.
Colorful eroded cliffs within the Mount Nutt Wilderness.
View back into the drainage after we located a Class 2 brushy slope to ascend.
View back into the drainage after we located a Class 2 brushy slope to ascend.
Above this brushy slope, a steeper and not brushy slope took us higher. Left of center you can see the saddle we used for our descent loop later. Right of center is our miraculous Class 3 gully.
Above this brushy slope, a steeper and not brushy slope took us higher. Left of center you can see the saddle we used for our descent loop later. Right of center is our miraculous Class 3 gully.
Ascending to the Class 3 gully, which had some brush to deal with at its base.
Ascending to the Class 3 gully, which had some brush to deal with at its base.
View back as we enter the gully.
View back as we enter the gully.
Class 2 mostly.
Class 2 mostly.
Short Class 3 section.
Short Class 3 section.
View down the gully.
View down the gully.
Class 3 move.
Class 3 move.
View down the Class 3 move.
View down the Class 3 move.
Higher up, the gully ends at a small arch (where friends are standing). A Class 3 move leads out of the gully and up onto a slope.
Higher up, the gully ends at a small arch (where friends are standing). A Class 3 move leads out of the gully and up onto a slope.
Higher up, another Class 3 move.
Higher up, another Class 3 move.
And then onto a grassy slope. We ascended to a rocky spine above.
And then onto a grassy slope. We ascended to a rocky spine above.
Rocky spine, though that's not the high point.
Rocky spine, though that's not the high point.
We followed the spine on the ascent, but kept to its right later.
We followed the spine on the ascent, but kept to its right later.
Spine seen left, easier slope option seen center. Fig Peak seen on the right.
Spine seen left, easier slope option seen center. Fig Peak seen on the right.
Approaching Fig Peak.
Approaching Fig Peak.
Chris/Matt looking at a loose Class 3/4 chute. I recommend heading left and following the cliff base.
Chris/Matt looking at a loose Class 3/4 chute. I recommend heading left and following the cliff base.
Fun Class 3 option instead.
Fun Class 3 option instead.
View back as we wrap around the east side of the peak.
View back as we wrap around the east side of the peak.
Class 2/2+ to gain the summit from the southwest side.
Class 2/2+ to gain the summit from the southwest side.
Fig Peak summit, view toward Mount Nutt.
Fig Peak summit, view toward Mount Nutt.
Fig Peak summit, view west down into our ascent route drainage. The trailhead is on the left out of frame.
Fig Peak summit, view west down into our ascent route drainage. The trailhead is on the left out of frame.
After backtracking down the miraculous gully, we headed up to the saddle seen right of center in order to form a loop.
After backtracking down the miraculous gully, we headed up to the saddle seen right of center in order to form a loop.
View back down as we near the saddle.
View back down as we near the saddle.
At the saddle, we headed down this rocky slope.
At the saddle, we headed down this rocky slope.
View back up as we descend.
View back up as we descend.
An interesting section with flowing water.
An interesting section with flowing water.
Entering open desert.
Entering open desert.
View back at our descent, gorgeous monoliths seen above.
View back at our descent, gorgeous monoliths seen above.
We hiked along Quartzsite Road (not really a road at this point) for a bit, then just continued through open desert back to the BLM road we hiked in on.
We hiked along Quartzsite Road (not really a road at this point) for a bit, then just continued through open desert back to the BLM road we hiked in on.

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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!