Date: February 26, 2026 • Elevation: 2,113 feet ✳ • Prominence: 369 feet • Distance: 2.2 miles • Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes • Gain: 960 feet (gross) • Conditions: Sunny and very pleasant

Arizona • Main • PB • LoJ

This rocky peak lies in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve, about a mile east of Piestewa Peak and adjacent to Quartz Ridge. It does not have a name. Its printed summit elevation is 2,112 feet, but Lidar says it's actually 2,113 feet. I thought "Rush Peak" would be a good name for this peak. If you don't get the reference, hover here.

I gave this peak a look a long time ago, many years now, I don't really remember when. I drove up 36th Street, which leads up to a saddle west of the peak amid some very nice homes, and parked along the road. I busted up the peak's northwest ridge. Higher up, I hit some rocks that I didn't like. Footing was not secure and I decided to bail.

This time, with a morning open, I decided to give it another try. This is my Wednesday "open day", but I needed to be on campus by 11 a.m. for a meeting. This peak is local, so I wouldn't have to drive far. Now seemed to be a good chance to give it another look.

I was up early, and drove to the preserve's access point via Piestewa Peak Drive, parking at its far loop. I rolled in about 7:15 a.m., the sun up but still low, leaving me in shadow for the time being. It was clear and mild, temperature in the low 60s.

I got my boots on and a simple pack together, and started walking, following Trail 304 north, but only briefly. Within a tenth of a mile, I branched right, now on Trail 8B, the Ruth Hamilton Trail.

This trail gains steeply toward a pass, a 400-foot gain. This pass is north of a use-path that leads to Quartz Ridge. The trail is good, but in places is very steep with some rocky extrusions. For now, it was just me. I could hear a large group of about twenty hikers loud talking and laughing down below, on a different trail.

At the pass I was back in the sun. I got a good look at my intended peak, backlit by the sun. I encountered a couple hikers here going the other way. The trail drops 200 feet, some of it steeply and on exposed rock. This fed me to the trail's end, where 36th Street comes through. A sign said I had hiked 0.8 mile on the Ruth Hamilton Trail.

Peak 2113 is a steep bump of a hill, no one way looks better (or worse) than any other. So I went with what was closest, the northwest ridge. The steepness starts immediately. I hiked up and angled left, mainly to get some views of the upper terrain.

The first hundred feet was just open slope, held together by a low moss-like plant. The regolith is small flakey rock. It holds together somewhat well, but not always. I just took it slow and tested each foot placement.

I came to a set of rock outcrops and hugged them, hiking along their margin where I could use my hands for balance and holds. Some larger rocks formed steps I could walk on.

This directed me up toward the ridge and another set of rocks. The footing was about the same. I passed these and came to yet another set of rocks. Suddenly, I remembered this. This is where I bailed years ago.

On that hike I tried to go right, but this time, I stayed left. I stayed close to the rock-slope margin and carefully walked up the rubbly slope, using any larger rocks to step on. It was sloppy but it only went for about thirty feet. I was soon past it, now on the high saddle below the actual top.

The last thirty or so feet was steep but safe, and I was quickly on the summit ridge, back in the sun again. I walked the narrow ridge, the highpoint about a hundred-foot walk away. I had to drop down about ten feet to bypass one segment with an interesting cleft. Then I was on top, the one-way hike taking about 45 minutes.

The top was rocky and I had good views. I snapped images in a few directions. I could hear the cars down below on Lincoln Drive, and some construction noise on a road to the north where a new home is being built. I was happy to be here but I did not stick around. I started right down.

I followed the same general route down, hugging the bigger rocks and carefully down-stepping the steep open slopes. This went quickly and I never slipped. I was back to the Ruth Hamilton Trail quickly.

The remaining hike out went quickly. There was more people on the trail, but still relatively few when compared to the line of hikers on the Piestewa Peak Trail. I was back to my car after about forty minutes. It was barely past 9 a.m..

I was able to get cleaned up and on to campus in time for the meeting. I was pleased to bag this humble peak. It was never on my priority list but since it was close, and I had yet to tag it, and had one failed attempt from days of yore, it felt good to knock this one out.