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| TORTOLLITAS on Pk 4651, AZ | |
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| | TORTOLLITAS on Pk 4651, AZ | | | |
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TORTOLLITAS on Pk 4651, AZ
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| Hiking | 3.28 Miles |
1,102 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.28 Miles | 5 Hrs 10 Mns | | 2.07 mph |
| 1,102 ft AEG | 3 Hrs 35 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I had a last minute invite to visit relatives in Marana, Az, so I included a hike on the drive down.
The second highest peak in the Tortolita Mtns is Peak 4651, and the USGS put a benchmark up there in 1903. WOW ! - That was 112 years ago. They named it ‘Tortollitas’ (with two ‘L’s).
(The highest peak in the Tortolita Mountains is Pk 4696, AKA Jeffods Pk, only 45 Ft higher).
From Oracle Rd (Rte 77), I took Edwin Rd west, as this peak is in the NE section of the Tortolitas. I used an ‘active corral/tank/windmill’ area as my TH. Maps depict it as ‘Crow Windmill’.
This windmill is still ‘up-and-running’, and the huge tank is full to overflowing. Although I didn’t see any cattle, their ‘scat’ was all over the place, verifying that this area is still used by ranchers. The entire area is Arizona Trust land.
I hiked straight up to the high point and took a more gradual ridgeline down, to make a bit of a loop. (There are no trails to the top)
The usual vegetation along the way was easily avoided, and the top of Pk 4651 is actually a short, narrow ridgeline, with its high point on the north end. The summit log verifies that this peak gets alot of action.
The USGS datasheet for ‘Tortollitas’ benchmark was sent to me (at my request) by the USGS, as that survey department does not have a database online. Their datasheets are thorough, but not as elaborate as the NGS datasheets. The info states that surveyors were last up there in 1967.
Sometime after 1967, a souvenir hunter must have absconded with the little disk.
I spent over an hour moving toaster size boulders out of the way and digging in the surface dirt. This rock is the ‘fractured, and cracked’ type, similar to my LaBarge Mtn ‘diskless’ adventure. I’m sure the 1903 disk was easily removed.
The remains of the Height of Light wood and wire were plentiful, right next to the location of the high point.
I included some photos of flora, but for the most part, this whole area is just about void of blooming flowers. The distant views from the top were just so-so, as the sky was a bit hazy.
This was a nice little hike, even if the 1903 disk was gone. Next time I’m in the Tortolitas, I’ll go up a few mountains just to the north, and try to locate a few more of these little bits of history. |
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Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost
J.R.R.TOLKIEN |
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