The Mountains of Arizona
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Peak 5984 • Mushroom Mountain These two peaks lie in and around Price Canyon, in the southeastern Chiricahua Mountains. This would be my first time to this part of the range, and I wanted a sense of what to expect out this way. These two peaks were chosen mainly since they looked short and uncomplicated, a necessary condition this time of year when the heat (and critters) make long hikes untenable. I was on the road at 3:20 a.m., intending to be at my destination as the sun was rising. First pre-dawn light this time of year (close to the Solstice) occurs at 4:45 a.m., with usable light by 5 a.m.. I followed AZ-80 through Douglas, then up the backside of the Chiricahua Range, in the San Bernardino Valley. I then followed Price Canyon Road for 5.5 miles, going north and west through a ranch property and some State Trust land until I passed the Coronado National Forest boundary. Peak 5984 rises about two miles in the distance to the north, a big hump-shaped peak with open grassy slopes and some visible cliff bands. This would be my first peak for the morning.
Date: June 23, 2025
• Elevation: 5,984 feet ✳
• Prominence: 516 feet ✳
• Distance: 1.4 miles
• Time: 55 minutes
• Gain: 670 feet
• Conditions: Cool but humid with clouds, a light sprinkle
Arizona
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Main
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PB
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LoJ
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Lidar
I had no trouble with the road and made good time, arriving shortly before 5 a.m.. It was lighting up but still dark, so I took this time to get dressed properly, which included my snake gaiters. I followed FR-317 north to a junction, then left onto a lesser track that curled around the south tip of the mountain. I parked off the road, amid grass about an inch high, testament to the cattle that are run here.
The morning was surprisingly mild. The state had its first intense heat wave this past week, and in Bisbee temperatures had risen over 100°. But yesterday and today (so far) had been cloudier with a breeze, and temperatures down by about 10 degrees. My car said it was 70° outside at the moment. Expected high in this area was supposed to be in the low 90s (I used Rodeo, New Mexico, as my reference).
I was on the move at 5:15 a.m., marching up an open slope of grass toward some brushier and rockier terrain above me. I was soon in this mix, but always found a lane to pass through, the entire time keeping my head down for snakes. The rocks formed sloping tiers and I was able to get up these with just my feet and poles, no hands needed. This put me on a small nubbin, the southern appendage of the main peak.
Here, the terrain was flat and even dropped a little, with more open terrain and large rocks to hop along. I came upon some cattle on the slopes ahead of me. They scooted aside but I was never near them. I had to hop a meager fence here.
Next came the main slope up to the top, about a 400-foot gain. It was mostly open with low grass at first, then more brush and rock tiers the higher I got. But as before, I always had a lane if I was willing to zig and zag to find one. Then suddenly, that was it. I was on top.
The summit is flat with some low rock outcrops, and more grass than down below. I found the highpoint rocks but no indication of past visitors such as a cairn or register. Views were good, the clouds still shrouding the sun but providing some interesting lighting patterns including rays fanning across the clouds, and shafts down to the ground.
The one-way hike was short, about 0.7 mile, taking me just 25 minutes. It was still cool, the clouds helping keep the temperature at bay. I even had a very light sprinkle for about 30 seconds. I did not spend long, and never really stopped. I headed right back down.
The downhill hike went fine, and I was back to my car at 6:10 a.m.. Interestingly, it seemed to get cloudier, with some virga veils in the distance. My car said the temerature now was 74°. Normally by now, in direct sun, it would be past 80°.
I did not have far to drive, just a mile and a half back to the forest boundary. The next peak, Peak 5711, also known as Mushroom Mountain, rose to the east. Conditions were still favorable for hiking and I still had energy...
Elevation: 5,711 feet
• Prominence: 360 feet
• Distance: 2.1 miles
• Time: 75 minutes
• Gain: 580 feet
• Conditions: Cloudy and cool
PB
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LoJ
I followed a track east toward some trees lining a creekbed. To the south of the boundary fence was a ranch house and some out-buildings. I got in about a quarter mile and parked in a clearing off the road. A bunny was sitting in the road. It only moved and ran away when I was about a foot from it.
The peak rose to the east, about a mile away. It is a long ridge-shaped mass, the highpoint not obvious from below. As long as I stayed north of the fence, I was on Coronado Forest land. The highpoint is south of the fence, on State Trust land. I was on the move at 6:40 a.m..
I walked the road, and when it bent left toward a stock tank, I stayed straight, now walking a path beside the fence. After a half mile, the grade slowly steepened and the grass became more abundant. I was leaving the meadow below and slowly entering onto the grassy and brushy slopes.
I was able to stay on a path or opening almost the entire length of the fence. Toward the end, I stepped over it onto safer terrain, then just aimed upward. Although brushy with plenty of rocks, I was able to follow openings almost the entire way. The weather stayed cloudy and cool.
Shortly, the slope levelled and I was on the home stretch. Up ahead was the summit, covered in a lot of large rocks, some upended to form pillars. Off to the side and higher up was a distinctive rock with a flared top.
I approached this pillar, which rose about 15 feet above the lower side of the slope. I walked past it to the "top" where the slopes and rocks meet at the apex. Normally, this would be good enough. The mushroom-shaped pillar stood about 30 feet downslope, but it was clear its top is the highpoint.
From the "top side", I could see a promising way to get partway up. The lower rock flares outward with good traction. I stepped up onto this rock until I was at the top rock, my face inches from it.
I reached up and tagged the highpoint of this rock. Being tall with long arms helped. I had no intention to try to scramble up onto the rock. Although this formation has probably been here for eons, I don't want to be the guy who pulled it all down. Tagging it was good enough. The one-way hike had taken about 40 minutes, covering slightly over a mile.
Views were decent, but the sun was muted so the colors were not as fresh. The temperature seemed to stay steady, in the mid 70s. It was humid and although not hot and sultry, I was sweating heavily. I took a brief break to have a drink, then started down.
I followed the same route out, just blindly following the fence. The outbound hike went a little faster, and I was back to my car at 8 a.m., a one-hour and 15-minute hike.
I was happy to be successful on both of these hikes. The weather behaved, as I was expecting to get one peak, but then bail due to the rising heat. Two other peaks nearby, including big May Day Peak, are now on my agenda, but I'll wait until it is cooler before coming back. My snake gaiters worked well, but they can be uncomfortable. I never saw a snake.
The map cites an elevation of 5,711 feet for the summit, whereas the 1-meter Lidar gives 5,700 feet. Here, I believe that the Lidar missed this pillar, or it was "scrubbed" when the raw data goes through filters looking for anomalies. As nifty as Lidar is, it can easily be fooled by narrow features such as this rock pillar. I have decided to keep the 5,711-foot figure as the peak's elevation.
For the drive home, I hit some heavy rain on the highway, enough to take the dust already on my car and turn it into a muddy paste. Once in Douglas, the rain ceased and it was sunnier. I was home by 9:30 a.m..
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