Catherine Peeley Photoset • chumley • 2025-10-25 • HikeArizona.COM

Catherine Peeley, AZ

	2025-10-25
	15 by chumley

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Catherine Peeley, AZ

Hiking	12.98 Miles	3,321 AEG

Hiking	12.98 Miles	6 Hrs 32 Mns	2.30 mph
	3,321 ft AEG	54 Mns Break

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linked

Cornucopia Trail #86

Mazatzal Divide Trail #23

Mount Catherine 7358 - Mazatzal

Mount Peeley Summit

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Seemed to be a little bit of a lull between aspens and maples doing their best autumn things (at least in places I might tolerate!) so I decided to peel off some miles in perfect autumn weather. I hadn't done Cathy before so that was the main goal. Ascended via the official route on the moderate north slope which was a piece of cake. Good views of ALL the prominent Arizona summits in every direction.

Descended via the steeper "shortcut" route, which was less brushy than expected but much more irritating as far as loose scree footing goes. It would be steep but "easier" to ascend this route as far as stability goes. Gravity v stability? Pick your poison.

Bored of retracing my divide steps again, I decided there was no reason to skip Peeley on the way back and opted to take a steep route up to the Peeley Sheep ridgeline and approach the summit from the west. I hadn't been down in here since the old search days, and a Sheep visit a decade ago. Needless to say, the manzanita is making a healthy comeback!

Recent rains had the summit looking like the Scottish Highlands, only missing the grazing sheep. Because the developed route seemed boring, I headed east off the peak for a nice change of pace, reconnecting with the trail about 700 feet down the slope.

There were two sxs's of heavily-armed non-english-speaking folks at the trailhead but instead of calling ice, I wished them luck on their coues hunt and enjoyed a pleasant drive back down the hill after a satisfying day on the trail.