The Mountains of Arizona
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Peak 4710 • Peak 5037 "Blue Bell Peak" For the fourth week in a row, I returned to the Mayer area to tag more peaks. I was here three weeks ago when I hiked to Pine Mountain and two nearby peaks, then two weeks ago hiking Little Mesa and its neighbor, and again last week, hiking to Brady Butte and one other nearby peak. This area is rich with easy-access peaks, good roads, and lovely vistas. There were two more in the area I wanted, so I figured I was on a streak and may as well go with what's working. After I got off work last night, I followed my same routine: a stop at a grocery for dinner and snacks, then a drive up north to the Dugas Road exit, then rolling into my same camp space I've used now four times. Tonight was a full moon and with clear skies, I could easily see my way around the area. It was a chilly night but not too bad, about 50° when I awoke at dawn. In fact, I actually saw Venus rise. I was awake and just looking to the east. There was some ambient light that way. Then, suddenly, a bright light pops above the horizon. It was Venus! I actually saw it appear in real time. I took down camp and had a breakfast, and sat in the car to warm a little. Today's agenda would have a slight wrinkle to it: one of the peaks was close by, just south of the community of Dugas. So I would not have far to drive. I was on the move a little after 6 a.m., mainly to let the sun rise a little so I wasn't driving right into it.
Date: October 8, 2025
• Elevation: 4,710 feet
• Prominence: 337 feet
• Distance: 4 miles
• Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
• Gain: 810 feet
• Conditions: Cool and clear
Arizona
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Main
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PB
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LoJ
This peak is a mesa that rises about a mile east of Sycamore Mesa. It lies on Forest land with some private properties along the road, but it appeared I could bypass any private lands if I chose my route carefully. I drove a few miles into Dugas, where the main excitement is the big puddle in Little Sycamore Creek which needs to be forded. It was about fifteen feet wide today, but shallow. I got through it fine and gave my undercarriage a quick bath.
I went about a half mile on the main road, then turned right onto a spur road signed for the Sycamore Ranger Station. This was a functioning ranger station before being closed down, but the buildings are still there and are maintained. They can be rented for overnight stays. I got in as far as the ranger station buildings, but then backtracked to a clearing just south of a cattle grate. I drove down this clearing and stashed my car in the trees that line Sycamore Creek.
There is no trail to the peak, but the terrain is mostly friendly. I'd be bypassing a small ranch to the east. This would add on a little under a mile each way. I dropped into the creekbed, which was muddy but with no standing water, then once on the opposite bank, started uphill. Up ahead is a rocky knob, spot elevation 4256 on the map. I hiked up a steep slope, then it moderated. It was cool, but once in the sun, the temperature rose about 5°. It was a cloudless and calm morning.
The hiking was easy, although the grass was heavier than I would have preferred. It was borderline warm for possible snakes, so I was vigilant for them. In time, I approached Point 4256 from the north and curled around its west side, passing under some power lines and one gate in a fenceline along the way.
On the south side of Point 4256, I crossed a broad grassy saddle then uphill toward Point 4545, angling to the left as I ascended. I was now on the mesa that held the highpoint, but I was still about a mile away.
I just walked on a southeast bearing, aiming for the higher ground. But the elevation changes were gradual, and it wasn't immediately obvious where the highest ground was. I aimed for what looked highest and would narrow it down once I got there.
Soon, I was "on top", wherever it was. I found a rock outcrop that seemed to be highest. There was even a cairn there, but no registers or hints of past visitors. Curiously, there have been no other visitors to this peak going by the Lists of John and Peakbagger sites. But someone was obviously here to build that cairn. There are some fences nearby, too. I'm sure a stray cow gets up here occasionally. I get a "first ascent", for what it's worth. It had taken me just over an hour to get here.
I sat briefly and rested, plus snap some images. Other than some wispy clouds in the distance, it was a clear, bright blue morning, and the temperature had risen into the 60s. I had a good view of the New River Mountains to the south, and of Tule Mesa to the east.
For the egress, I actually got on a wrong bearing, going too much north rather than northwest. When I encountered the fencing, I knew I had erred. But It was easy to correct. I could see my waypoint hills easily, especially Point 4256. The outbound hike also took a little over an hour, and I was back to my car a little after 9 a.m..
This humble peak fills in a blank for me, as I had hiked all the surrounding peaks already. There are more to the east but road access seems rough, although I will likely explore that way soon.
I head back out to the Interstate and toward Mayer, for my second peak.
Elevation: 5,037 feet ✳
• Prominence: 381 feet ✳
• Distance: 2.6 miles
• Time: 90 minutes
• Gain: 600 feet
• Conditions: Warm but very pleasant, some clouds
PB
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LoJ
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Mine information
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Lidar
The next peak on my agenda was Peak 5037, or Peak 5026 going by the printed elevation on the map (the 5,037-foot figure is from Lidar data). This peak rises a couple miles southwest of Mayer, and was the location of a very lucrative mine, the Blue Bell Mine, that persisted from the late 1800s through the mid-20th Century, and even into the 1990s on a much smaller scale.
From Mayer, I got onto the road toward Cordes, but only went a mile before turning onto another road going west. I stayed on this road about two miles, staying right at two junctions, before easing onto a rougher track going south, maked FR-9216A on the map. The peak rose a mile to the south from here.
I was able to drive in a few dozen feet but had to park when I hit a bad eroded rocky segment of the road. I locked up the car and started walking, the time about 10 a.m.. It was a little cloudier here, but warm, about 80°. However, it was not uncomfortable.
I walked the track about a half mile, then started up the brushy slope toward a ridge above me. The brush here was a little heavier than what I had on the nearby peaks. I could still push through it but there were few lanes. It was steep, and I made good time, arriving onto the ridge after about fifteen minutes.
The summit rose above me, and on the ridge, the gradient was much gentler and not as brushy. I walked a level segment, then a steep uphill to a high saddle, then one more steep section and I was on top. The one-way hike took about 40 minutes.
The top was open and bare, with low grass, a couple trees and scattered brush. The highpoint is toward the east tip of the short ridge. I found a lame three-rock cairn at the highpoint, but nothing else. Views were excellent, the clouds adding to the effect. I sat for about ten minutes in the shade of a tree for my summit break. I had a signal so I checked for emails and texts ... and had nothing. That makes me happy.
The hike down went very quickly, following essentially the identical route down. I was back to my car about 11:30 a.m.. This was a fine second peak for the day.
The Blue Bell Mine lies east of the peak, and there are numerous features named Blue Bell here, including a road, some stock tanks and a benchmark. I give this peak the unoffocial name "Blue Bell Peak". I am surprised no one ever named it this, given how important the mine was for so many years. I named it so I would remember it later on. Numerical names just don't stick in my head.
I stopped for a drink and an Aleve at the Circle K in Mayer. I had a zoom meeting at noon and I wanted to drive to the truck stops at Cordes Junction where I would have a better signal. I was only going to be a spectator, so if I was late, that was okay.
Well, I missed a turn and ended up on the southbound Interstate-17, so I followed it and stopped at the Sunset Point Rest Area, where I logged on for my zoom. I sat in my car for 45 minutes watching the zoom. This was good because it killed some time as my hotel in Scottsdale wouldn't be ready until 3 anyway. I enjoyed watching all the people coming and going at the rest area too.
The next week would be a week off, and I did not return to this area for more peaks. I got all the ones I could easily get, and enjoyed the four visits here in which I garnered nine peaks.
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