Pinal Peak and East Mountain from Pioneer Pass in Tonto National Forest, AZ

Hike Pinal Peak and East Mountain from Pioneer Pass Tonto National Forest, AZ

Class 1 8.5 miles 2600 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back May 2, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Pinal Peak and East Mountain from Pioneer Pass 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.

I parked at Pioneer Pass, accessible by any car, and started first to Pinal Peak. The trailhead is marked obviously and the trail switchbacks and winds up Pinal Peak's east ridge. There are snippets of a view toward East Mountain, as well as views to the south. Otherwise it's a pretty and forested walk. A quarter mile from the summit, the trail meets with the Pinal Peak dirt road system. Yes, you can drive up to Pinal Peak from the west, but where's the fun in that? I made it to the high point and didn't hang around becaue the many clusters of radio towers obscured most of the opportunity of a panoramic view.

Back at the trailhead, I headed west along the trail I'd be taking to access East Mountain. The trail started through the forest on an old dirt road before narrowing into a proper trail, then kept to the east of the ridge crest,  where it introduced unobstructed views to the east. It then passed over a minor saddle and continued on the west side of the ridge crest, great views toward the massive Pinal Peak. The trail eventually made it to the ridge crest north of East Mountain. From here it would continue north and start to descend, no official trail leading to the true summit. I started south along the ridge crest, which was quite steep. East Mountain's summit wasn't memorable, trees blocking most of the view.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Pinal Peak
7850 ft
4090 rise
2
East Mountain
6892 ft
692 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!

Pioneer Pass, view toward the Pinal Peak Trail.
Pioneer Pass, view toward the Pinal Peak Trail.
Image 1 from gallery
Mostly forested along the Pinal Peak Trail.
Mostly forested along the Pinal Peak Trail.
Image 3 from gallery
View back as I continue along the Pinal Peak Trail, East Mountain visible in the distance.
View back as I continue along the Pinal Peak Trail, East Mountain visible in the distance.
Open views of the east slope of Pinal Peak.
Open views of the east slope of Pinal Peak.
View south.
View south.
Pinal Peak is up there somewhere.
Pinal Peak is up there somewhere.
View back along the Pinal Peak Trail toward East Mountain.
View back along the Pinal Peak Trail toward East Mountain.
Image 9 from gallery
Image 10 from gallery
Higher up, view toward the ridgeline leading to East Mountain (the peak is out of frame on the left).
Higher up, view toward the ridgeline leading to East Mountain (the peak is out of frame on the left).
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Pinal Peak summit ahead.
Pinal Peak summit ahead.
Image 15 from gallery
The trail meets with the service roads surrounding the radio towers.
The trail meets with the service roads surrounding the radio towers.
View back toward the trail (center).
View back toward the trail (center).
Summit of Pinal Peak.
Summit of Pinal Peak.
Heading back down from Pinal Peak, a shot toward East Mountain (far left), my next objective.
Heading back down from Pinal Peak, a shot toward East Mountain (far left), my next objective.
Back at the trailhead, now heading to East Mountain.
Back at the trailhead, now heading to East Mountain.
Image 21 from gallery
View along the left side of the ridge crest toward Pinal Peak.
View along the left side of the ridge crest toward Pinal Peak.
Image 23 from gallery
Ahead is a false summit of East Mountain, which is still a bit of a hike away.
Ahead is a false summit of East Mountain, which is still a bit of a hike away.
An easily bypassed gate.
An easily bypassed gate.
The trail heads over to the right side of the ridge crest.
The trail heads over to the right side of the ridge crest.
East Mountain visible ahead.
East Mountain visible ahead.
Great views along the east side of the ridge crest.
Great views along the east side of the ridge crest.
The trail meets a minor saddle and then heads to the left side of the ridge crest.
The trail meets a minor saddle and then heads to the left side of the ridge crest.
On the left side of the ridge crest, a view toward Pinal Peak.
On the left side of the ridge crest, a view toward Pinal Peak.
The trail continues on the left side of East Mountain.
The trail continues on the left side of East Mountain.
View back shortly before the trail meets with the ridge crest on the north side of East Mountain.
View back shortly before the trail meets with the ridge crest on the north side of East Mountain.
View south after leaving the trail, the steep and short off-trail section required to reach East Mountain's summit.
View south after leaving the trail, the steep and short off-trail section required to reach East Mountain's summit.
East Mountain summit, view east.
East Mountain summit, view east.
East Mountain summit, view south.
East Mountain summit, view south.
East Mountain summit, view west toward Pinal Peak.
East Mountain summit, view west toward Pinal Peak.

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!