Date: January 11, 2026 • Elevation: 5,511 feet ✳ • Prominence: 350 feet • Distance: 3.2 miles • Time: 2 hours • Gain: 870 feet • Conditions: Very cold, strong breeze, blue skies

Arizona • Main • PB • LoJ

This peak rises in the Mule Mountains between Bisbee and Tombstone. It's a nothing-special peak, but because it's close to where I live, I wanted to take a look at it. For the rest of the world, it can be skipped without regret. If you have something more interesting to do, like scratch your ear or check your laundry, I'll understand.

This particular peak is a mesa formation, set back a few miles from highway AZ-80, and not really visible unless you know exactly which bump to look for. The peak is typical of the Mule Mountains: limestone tiers forming a striated effect, lots of ocotillo and other pointy plants, and not a tree for miles.

It lies in a section of State Trust land with private land on three of its sides. From the highway, I followed Power Ranch Road in, heading east, for a couple miles. This is a scattered development of ranchettes, with homes built on what look like 40-acre plots.

The road barely nicks a corner of State Trust land, with signs mentioning no trespassing, permit required. I was able to squeeze past a barrier and in on a lesser track a few yards, about 50 feet off the main road. My car wasn't exactly hidden. I left a note in the windshield and my State Trust parking permit, and hoped for the best.

I started the hike at 10 a.m.. It was a clear day with some scattered high clouds, nothing puffy. But it was cold, right at 40°, and with a steady breeze that made it feel colder. I bundled up with two layers of fleece, long pants and a wool beanie.

I aimed northeast. The peak is not visible from here. A pointed cliff about three-quarters of a mile distant (midway to the peak) was what I saw, so I aimed for that. The lower terrain was through a maze of arroyos, and through some flat segments with plenty of ocotillo and rocks.

The grade steepened and I was now on the actual ascent. The terrain is essentially a sequence of slopes and small cliff bands followed by a level segment. I just went up each slope to the rocky rim, and repeated about four times. The climbing was simple, and cattle paths helped in places.

I approached that midway cliff band, which was very steep. I was able to follow game paths and openings, but it was loose in places. Once at the base of the rocks, I was able to do some light and easy scrambles through them to get above this barrier.

Now I could see the peak, about another three-quarters of a mile away. Most of this segment was level, with a slight downhill grade, about an 80-foot loss overall. In places, the ocotillo grew thickly and I had to find ways through them. The lower growth was not as bad, just grass and clumpy scrub about knee high.

Suddenly, I'm about two hundred feet from a brand-new house! I was not expecting this. I don't want to be seen, and while I was on State Trust land, I may have veered too close to a private land section. I angled away and got to where I could hike behind low ridges and stay out of sight of the house.

I was now at the base of the peak. The slope up was gentle and lightly brushy. The very top was a little rocky but easy to manage, no hands needed. And there I was, on top. The one-way distance came to about 1.6 miles, which I covered in an hour. The breeze was strong and I grew chilled fast.

Views were pretty good. I could see the snow-capped Chiricahua Mountains to the northeast, and the snow-capped Huachucas to the west. The Whetstones and Dragoon ranges seemed to be bare of snow. There was nothing to the south, on the higher Mule Mountain peaks.

The map shows two peaks with 5,480-foot contours, this one and one to the north about a quarter mile. The 1-meter Lidar says the peak I was on is 5,511 feet, and the one to the north was 5,500 feet. I did not visit this northern peak. I could not find a register on this peak. Very few people come here and I can see why.

I did not stay long. The cold wind was uncomfortable so I headed right down, retracing my route and generally staying out of sight of the house. I did not see any cars and wonder if it is inhabited. It's moot for me since this will be my only time here.

Going down the steep slopes went well, slipping a couple times but never actually falling. It took about an hour to hike out. The terrain here is not amenable to fast walking. Even on flat ground, the rocks roll with most steps. My car was right where I left it.

I piled in, still in my sweaty fleece, and drove out. It was noon now. I had the day open, so I drove north on AZ-80 to Davis Road and went east on it, checking out a possible inlet point for some peaks in that part of the Mule Mountains. Alas, the point was gated and posted and not an option. I know people can hike back there (It's state Trust with an easement, but I don't know where that is). I continued east to Central Highway and followed that home to Bisbee via Double Adobe, about a thirty mile drive.

I was happy to get this peak done, but admit it's not memorable. The Mules just are not amenable to hiking. Much of it is State Trust but with confusing access and a poor selection of roads. The peaks themselves tend to be like what I had today: rocky, full of ocotillo, no trees, and sometimes with thornbrush about waist high.