The Mountains of Arizona
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Brady Butte • Peak 5238 For the third time in three weeks, I returned to this little sector of the Bradshaw Mountains to tag a couple more peaks. I was here two weeks ago over by the Senator Highway, then again last week to hike to a pair of peaks north of the Mayer-Bolada Road. The biggest and most prominent peak in this grouping is Brady Butte, which rises south of the road. From a distance it looks like a steep and brushy grind, but last week I got a closer look at it and felt it may not be that difficult a peak to climb. The slopes looked friendly and the brush not as thick as at first glance. So Brady Butte suddenly became the priority. As an extra, I added on Peak 5238, which rises northeast of Brady Butte, slightly outside the forest boundary. I finished my classes last night and stopped for some groceries before heading north out of town. I went up the steep grade on Interstate-17 north of Black Canyon City in the new flex lanes, which I enjoy very much. I exited onto Dugas Road and followed it east, then took a side road to the same camping spot I've been at the past two weeks. It was about 9:30 when I rolled in. The moon was up, a waxing gibbous just past half-moon stage. It lit the countryside very nicely. The sky was clear and full of stars. I set up my cot and slept decently. It was a cool but mild night. I must have been in a funny position because my neck had a slight crick in it when I awoke. I was up at dawn, Venus already high in the sky to the east. After taking down camp, I was moving about 6 a.m. back south to highway AZ-69 into Mayer, then onto the Mayer-Bolada Road (Prescott Forest Road 67) heading into the hills. I drove in just past mile-marker 7, parking in a small clearing north of the road. Brady Butte rose high just across the road. I was in the shadow for now. It was near 7 a.m. when I was ready to go.
Date: October 1, 2025
• Elevation: 6,405 feet ✳
• Prominence: 847 feet ✳
• Distance: 3.6 miles
• Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Gain: 1,195 feet
• Conditions: Clear, dry and beautiful
• Wildlife: Javelina
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Lidar
A track emanates off the main road and passes through a corral. There is an odd sign there about this being an active mine, no minerals shall be taken away, and one must have a name tag. But it didn't say I couldn't be there. I had no name tag, but I went in anyway, living life on the edge.
I passed through one dummy-locked gate, then another a minute later, and continued south along this track. It is a narrow track with lots of leans and uneven segments, suitable for an ATV only. It gains uphill at a steady and slightly-steep grade, then about three-quarters of a mile in, passes a wire-stick gate and the Brady Butte Tank. I continued upward to a saddle, elevation 5,540 feet, this a little under a mile after starting.
The slopes of the peak looked pretty good from where I stood, so I picked a line and started in. It was brushy, mostly scrub live oak and small cactus, but with lanes most of the time. The initial 300 feet is the steepest and brushiest, but it was easy. I kept to lanes and only needed to push my way through the scrub occasionally.
The grade lessens slightly and the brush opens up more, now more grass. I was able to make excellent time, soon reaching the ridge above me, about a 650-foot gain from the saddle below. Now I was in the sun.
I made a right and continued south, heading straight for Brady Butte's top. The grade flattened briefly, then steepened, then suddenly, that was all. I was on top. This was a very efficient peak, no false summits or sketchy segments to deal with. It had taken me a little under 90 minutes from my car in a shade under two miles.
The top has a couple rock piles, one being the summit. Slightly offset is a memorial with a plaque and a strongbox set in concrete. It is for a Mr. McDonald, who passed in 2009. I walked about ten feet to the summit rock pile and found the register.
Bob Moore set the register here over 20 years ago but not many people had signed in. Some were from the McDonalds, obviously here to establish the memorial. A few others were familiar names. I was the first to sign in since 2018. The day was cool and mild, sunny with nary a cloud. The climb had been very easy, much moreso than I expected.
I decided to go visit with Mr. McDonald. I sat on a nearby rock and had a drink, and looked around. He didn't say much but I sensed he was okay with me being there, probably happy to have some company. I spent almost twenty minutes on top. I was in no hurry, the weather was fantastic, and I enjoyed the experience very much.
Going down, I retraced my route and made good time down the slopes. I was back to the track quickly and then back to my car, all this in about 45 minutes. I spooked a javelina near one of the gates at the corral. It was just 9:30 a.m. when I plopped into the front seat.
As mentioned already, this was a very straightforward, no fuss, no muss peak. The track was walkable, the slopes were steep but not that steep, the brush mostly had lanes, and what looked like the highpoint was actually the highpoint. I was expecting far worse brush and was very happy to have none of that.
Elevation: 5,238 feet ✳
• Prominence: 324 feet ✳
• Distance: 3.8 miles
• Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
• Gain: 540 feet
• Conditions: Sunny and lovely
• Wildlife: Cattle and barking dogs
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Back at my car, I did not have far to drive for my next peak. I backtracked four miles to mile-marker 3, where a road branches north toward a corral, and Peak 5238 in the distance. This road is FR-87B.
The road was a good road, but with some mudpits from recent rains. I went in about a half mile and parked near the corral. A big pickup with a cattle trailer was backed in to the corral, and in the corral were about a half dozen cattle. But curiously, there was no people there. I even called out to see if anyone was home, but got no reply except from two barking dogs.
I parked in a big turn-around apart from the corral. I was already dressed and ready so I was walking within moments. I stepped over a fence and got myself onto the rougher track that heads north toward the peak, which for now rose about a mile and a half away.
The track was easy to walk, and could be driven in a stock high clearance with good tires, 4-wheel drive not mandatory. I could have eased the Subaru in, except for a couple of arroyo crossings that might have stopped me. I made good time walking.
I got about a mile in and came to a rough side track branching east into a drainage. I dropped in and then made a turn left onto another track heading north. This turned out to be an error, but one easily fixed. I hiked about another half mile until I was abeam of the peak. I had to drop into the drainage, squeeze under a fence, and bash through some brush to get to where I should have been, a parallel track that runs exactly on the boundary of the National Forest. I was now on State Trust land.
I was now on the western slopes of the peak. The slopes were gentle and laid back well. There was some light brush and plenty of rocks, plus a couple of easy rock bands to clamber up. I just followed the slopes and ridges to the top, arriving about 45 minute after I started, a two-mile walk.
Views were very good. To the north was the town of Dewey-Humboldt, to the east the town of Mayer. I could see Brady Butte to the southwest with a little cloud over it. The top itself was rocky, with narrow fins jutting upward. I could not locate a register.
A peak to the west looked interesting to me. I got on my device to see its status. It comes in at just below ranked status, but I liked its lines and will probably come back for it in the future. Not today, though. I was tired by now.
I hiked down the slopes to the track along the boundary fence, then followed that and more tracks to my original track and back to my car, the round trip taking a little over 90 minutes. Back at my car, the cattle truck was still there and the dogs still there, but no human. The cattle in the corral just sat there, cattling.
It was now about 11:30 and warming, and I was done. I drove back into Mayer and parked again at the Circle K along the highway. I got some snacks and answered a few emails and texts, trying to kill time. I drove back into Scottsdale and got into my hotel. It was pushing 100° down here.
This was my third time hiking in this batch of peaks in three weeks. Would there be a return trip the following week? Maybe.
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