The Mountains of Arizona
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Peak 2538 • Peak 2425 I returned to the Samaniego Hills roughly two weeks after being here, when I hiked Peak 2434 and Rotten Benchmark. I was in Tucson for a couple days visiting with this lady I met on the internet, and planned for these peaks on the day I was to leave. I arrived in Tucson two days ago, the state in the middle of its first big cold Pacific storm of the season. The rain came and went, and got particularly heavy in the evening and night. Yesterday was a mix of sun and clouds, and spells of rain, sometimes heavy. But all of the weather sites agreed this would move out by today. I was up before dawn this morning, intending to be in the area as the sun was rising. I bid my hostess goodbye, and was on the road at 6:15 a.m., in the dark. It is certainly convenient that she lives close to the peaks. It was very cold for now, the car's temperometer reading 30° outside. Being a Saturday, there was no traffic. I followed Tangerine Road to Interstate-10, then that to Marana Road, then Marana Road westbound toward the Ironwood Forest National Monument. It was about this time my low-tire-pressure light turned on. The car handled well and I wasn't going fast, only about 40 miles per hour. I suspected it may be low due to the very cold air. As long as it handled fine, I was willing to chance it.
Date: January 10, 2026
• Elevation: 2,538 feet ✳
• Prominence: 376 feet
• Distance: 4.6 miles (whole hike)
• Time: 3 hours (whole hike)
• Gain: 690 feet
• Conditions: Freezing cold, clear skies, warming slightly
Arizona
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LoJ
Marana Road eventually connects with Silverbell Road, which wanders a few more miles before entering the Monument and becoming a wide graded dirt road. It was still dark, but with the barest hint of dawn light in the east (in my rear view mirrors). The temperature dropped into the mid-20s.
I was concerned about the road's surface after two days of sometimes-heavy rain, but it was fine. There were a few more ruts, the low points through the arroyos were wet sand, and in some places, I could feel the tires "sticking" to the tread. As the sun rose, I could see it was going to be a clear day.
Silverbell Road connects with Sasco Road. I went right (northeast) and followed it about 7 or 8 more miles, going past "Sasco" Peak. I was looking for a side track going south. My two peaks on the agenda rise side by side south of the road, about a mile west of Cerro Prieto.
I found the road and eased in about a quarter mile, parking before a rough arroyo crossing. It was 7:20 a.m. now, the sun was up but still low, and I was in shadow. It was biting cold for now, about 25°. I layered up, with long everything, and two layers of heavy fleece over my poly-pro shirt, and a wool beanie.
Peak 2538 (2533 going by the map) rises just a mile distant, easily visible as the highest peak in the immediate area. It was in shadow for now, but its tops were lit. I got moving quickly to stay warm, following the track southwest about another mile, staying right at two Y-junctions.
The track comes to a steep-walled drainage. I proceeded south, paralleling the drainage, and angled generally upward, now on the peak's lowest west slopes. I was aiming for the saddle to the peak's south, which connects to Peak 2425.
The tread was rocky basaltic boulders with plenty of palo verde, creosote, saguaro, prickly-pear and cholla cactus. I could generally stick to open lanes but often had to find them. There was no actual bush-whacking.
I kept angling up as I angled toward the saddle, to where I was over a hundred feet above the saddle when I actually spotted it. So I kept with what I was doing, and just went up and over as long as it looked smart to do so.
Higher up, the grade steepens and there are more open talus slopes. I crossed one carefully, then got onto more firm rock, forming small tiers and easy cliffs. I scampered up through one rocky segment and suddenly found myself on the highest ridge of the peak, the summit just a five minute walk away.
The final walk went fast and was very simple. The slopes were gentle and the rocks held together well. I arrived on the summit about an hour after starting. It had warmed slightly but was still cold, into the 30s. The day was sunny and bright. I found a register within the summit cairn and signed in. The peak sees about one person a year, some years no one.
Views were very good, with the clear skies and low sun. Fortunately, there was no breeze. I spent about fifteen minutes up top, resting, having a snack and looking around. I could see all sorts of peaks in every direction. The two from two weeks ago rose to the northwest about five miles away.
Going down, I followed my exact route through the rocks, then any open and safe lanes once down lower. I aimed for the saddle, where I would...
Elevation: 2,425 feet ✳
• Prominence: 327 feet
• Gain: 330 feet
• Conditions: Colder than a well-digger's bottom
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...begin my hike up Peak 2425 (2416 going by the map). I aimed for the ridge ahead of me, which worked well. The slopes were gentle and covered in the same flora as is everywhere else in this part of the desert.
This put me on the west ridge toward the peak, which from this angle looked very cliffy and challenging. I was also hiking into the sun, which didn't help with me seeing fine detail.
Once closer, it was trivial hiking. I just anged left onto the gentler slopes, then up and to the top, about a twenty-minute climb from the saddle below.
This summit is small, the slopes dropping to all sides quickly. I found a register and signed in. This peak also doesn't see a lot of visitors, but I suspect those who climbed Peak 2538 also climbed this one as they're so close. I spent about ten minutes here. It was cold still but not as biting.
Going down, I dropped off the peak's north slope, then angled westish to get to the saddle. I continued to drop until I was below both peaks, now nearing that drainage. I followed any openings I could, and had to drop into the drainage briefly.
I was soon back to the end of the road, which I followed back to my car. It was about 10:15 a.m. now, and I had hiked 4.6 miles. I was feeling good, and it was now into the 40s. It was actually a very lovely day. Someone with a gun was going to town in the hills nearby.
I got into my car and drove out, the tires still looking good. Once back to the gas stations at Marana Road and Interstate-10, I figured out which one was low and filled it back to normal pressure. Then I ran a couple errands for that lady I met on the internet, and visited with her for another hour. It was close to 1 p.m. when I left for Bisbee.
The drive went fine, traffic being light. With that constriction at Empirita Road, I took the AZ-83 connector into Sonoita, then AZ-82 to Whetstone and AZ-90 into Sierra Vista. I got lucky as I had virtually no slowpokes to deal with, or being the eighth car in a long line.
In Sierra Vista, I stopped in at the Discount Tire on Fry Road and they found a small bolt in my tire, and patched it. They do patching as a free service and I was very grateful, so I am mentioning them here. Since I was in town and hadn't really sweated much on my hikes, I worked out at the gym I go to as well. I was home to Bisbee by 5 p.m..
I returned three days later to climb the western peak, Peak 2583, on my way to Tempe.
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