Teetering Atop Browns Peak

ADVENTURE GUIDE TEETERING ATOP HISTORY

Four Peaks Climb Tests Rusty Skills and Yields a Historic View

BY BOB KERRY PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER NOEBELS

Like an illustration of a fairy-tale kingdom, four jagged peaks haunt the distant skyline northeast of Phoenix. We had come to the Mazatzal Mountains for a rock climb, called by local climbers the Ladybug Route, up a huge rock buttress on the north side of Browns Peak—at 7,644 feet, the highest and northernmost of the Four Peaks. After watching the peaks from a distance for 35 years and researching their complex, sometimes tragic history, I jumped at the chance when Peter Noebels suggested the climb, accompanied by Phoenix Fire Department Capt. Manuel “Manny” Rangel and his friend Melinda McClelland, a strong climber with a sense of adventure.

The adventure began on Forest Service Road 143 with an hour-long drive to the Lone Pine Saddle trailhead. We drove through a dismaying landscape still scarred by the 1996 Lone Fire. Caused by a carelessly abandoned campfire, this monster forest fire consumed more than 61,000 acres in 11 days and burned much of the Four Peaks Wilderness Area.

FROM SINGED TO STUNNING The sun rises over Theodore Roosevelt Lake, draping pink light onto the once-charred landscape that smoldered a little over a decade ago during the Lone Fire, one of the largest forest fires in Arizona's history.

A ROCK WITH A VIEW when you go

Location: Four Peaks Wilderness Area, approximately 40 miles northeast of Phoenix. Getting There: From Phoenix, take Shea Boulevard to State Route 87 and turn left, driving 12 miles to Forest Service Road 143, also known as Four Peaks Road. Turn right onto FR 143 and follow for 18 miles to Forest Service Road 648 and turn right, following FR 648 for 1.3 miles to the trailhead parking lot. Travel Advisory: Always carry plenty of water, at least 1 gallon per day per person. Never hike or climb alone. The Four Peaks Wilderness Area is said to have the highest black bear population in Arizona. Additional Information: Tonto National Forest, (520) 467-3200; www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/ wilderness/wilderness-4peaks-index.shtml.

THE AFTER-CHAR CHALLENGE

The trails of Browns Peak (right) have become rugged and difficult to follow since after-fire brush has grown back at an alarming rate, obscuring the pathways.

But forest fires are strange beasts. Trail 133 toward Browns Peak, also known as Browns Trail, revealed an area on the mend. The trail winds for 2 miles through thick brush interspersed with burned areas, dotted with pine trees inexplicably spared by the fire. We passed 100-year-old juniper trees and granite hoodoos set among young oak trees. With chattering squirrels in the background, spectacular views of Theodore Roosevelt Lake stood out from every clearing. The trail follows a steep gully leading to the top of the mountain and our climbing goal: a huge buttress of quartzite glowing with green and golden lichen. Searching for a route, we split into two parties. Manny and Melinda moved out right on a ledge crowded with small oak trees. Peter and I started climbing from the gully. As it turned out, we all ended up on the same ledge after the first pitch, which is the length of the rope that linked us, in our case about 160 feet.

The climbing was excellent fun, not too hard with a lot of big handholds. It reminded me of climbing as a kid, up trees and over fences and whatever else there was to climb. Our exploits would not capture headlines in a climbing magazine, but it was just the kind of fun that makes climbing addictive.

Climbing behind Peter on the safety rope, I felt relaxed. But when I reached the ledge, Peter suggested I lead the next pitch. I am an experienced climber, but my rusty skills made me nervous about leading my first pitch in a long time.

After 30 feet of steep climbing, I wrapped a nylon sling around a sinewy oak tree growing out of a big crevice. As soon as I clipped the rope into the sling, a wave of courage swept over me; if I fell now, the rope would catch me. Another 100 feet of easier climbing placed me atop a huge block of quartzite, where I anchored the rope to belay Peter up.

Peter snapped photographs of Melinda and Manny below, focusing on Manny's bright red and white Dr. Seuss hat. I relaxed, taking in the vista of the Mazatzal Mountains to the north. Higher up, the climbing got easier. Soon we were sitting atop the jagged tower, but the climb wasn't over yet. Our buttress was separated from the main mountain by a deep gorge too steep to climb down, so we rappelled on our ropes into the main hiking gulley, then scrambled up to the top of Browns Peak.

The view from the top encompassed the other three peaks, all within a hundred feet or so of the elevation where we stood. Although they rose to eye level, the peaks didn't tempt us. The ridge between them featured an incredible jumble of boulders, cliffs and thick brush.

Resting on the summit at 7,644 feet, we scanned the panorama around us. We knew the appearance of rolling hills was deceptive. The lower-level terrain concealed a maze of canyons, ridges, washes, mesquite trees, cacti and darned little flat ground.

As we looked south and west from the peak, the Phoenix metro area presented a strange sight. Through the pervading haze, the surfaces of a myriad lakes, ponds and reservoirs glimmered as though floating in air.

Four Peaks stands in the Tonto National Forest, where, until some 150 years ago, the Tonto Apache and Yavapai Indians roamed freely. Scouting around, we found an inscription on a rock that reads, “TEMPLETON 4th CAV. 1867,” referring to one of the U.S. Army units that chased Apache renegades across this landscape before and after the Civil War. During the Apache Wars, battles between native tribes and U.S. troops were fought in nearby Tonto Basin, where Gen. George Crook rounded up recalcitrant Apaches who refused to live on the reservation. Crook enlisted the help of Apache scouts, who knew every nook and cranny of the territory. Round-the-clock pursuit by the soldiers made it impossible for the Apache bands to gather enough food to feed their families. The superior number of whites and the area's logistics gradually wore down the Apaches. Driven by starvation, the bands surrendered one by one.

Sitting on top of Browns Peak, it seemed incredible that the soldiers and the warriors they pursued could have crossed this country at night; we'd had a hard enough time in daylight. As the sun faded, we headed down the mountain. The scramble down the rocky gully went a lot faster than our climb up the Ladybug Route, and we soon returned to the trail. The shadow of the Mazatzal Mountains obscured Roosevelt Lake, but the outline of Four Peaks projected onto the far shore.

Although Bob Kerry lives in Tucson, where he practiced law for 30 years between hiking and climbing mountains all over Arizona.

Photographer Peter Noebels, who recently moved from Tucson to Portland, Oregon, has enjoyed Browns Peak for many years. Whether he's hiking it or climbing it, he says Browns Peak is a great adventure and a must-do for all peak-baggers.

ADVENTURE GUIDE 3 Great Climbs

WARNING: Rock climbing is extremely dangerous and can result in serious injury or death. In all fairness, so can crossing the street, but it's not nearly as rewarding or fun. While we can't even begin to scratch the surface of Arizona's great climbs, we consulted with Manuel "Manny" Rangel, Arizona administrator for www.rockclimbing.com and active member of www.mountainproject.com, for three recommended routes. Note: Each route requires proper training and equipment. Climbs are rated using the Yosemite Decimal System, which starts any climb requiring technical moves and protective equipment with a 5-point rating. The higher the second number, the harder the climb. The average climber generally stays within 5.6 to 5.10. Visit www.mountainproject.com and www.rockclimbing.com and consult with the recommended guidebooks for exact locations and route details.

SINKER Jacks Canyon Level: 5.6 DESCRIPTION: For those fresh-from-the-gym sport climbers, this solid starter route in Cracker Jack Cliffs lets you cut your teeth before you sink them into the area's abundance of high-rated moderate to hard climbs. The heavily pocketed mix of limestone and sandstone makes it a perfect place for first-time leads. LOCATION: Jacks Canyon, 30 miles south of Winslow off State Route 87. Sinker is at the east end of Cracker Jack Cliffs. CONTACT: Coconino National Forest, Mogollon Rim Ranger District, (928) 477-2255; www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/mog_rim/ jacks-canyon.shtml. GUIDEBOOK: Jacks Canyon Sport Climbing by Diedre Burton.

THE TOTEM POLE Queen Creek Level: 5.11 DESCRIPTION: This freestanding volcanic pillar in Lower Devil's Canyon might intimidate at first but, says Rangel, who claims it as an area sport-climb favorite, "It's [5.11], but only a short part and easy for the grade." Getting there may be more challenging than the climb itself. Reliable four-wheel drive required. LOCATION: Lower Devil's Canyon, east of Superior near Queen Creek. CONTACT: Tonto National Forest, Globe Ranger District, (928) 402-6200; www.mountainproject.com/v/arizona/queen_creek_ canyon/lower_devils_canyon/105861158. GUIDEBOOK: Queen Creek Canyon by Marty Karabin.

EUPHORIA Cochise Stronghold Level: 5.7 DESCRIPTION: The granite domes of southeastern Arizona are world-famous in the climbing community. Euphoria is a skilled-beginner-to-moderate route that takes trad (traditional) and sport climbers up the north side of scenic Sheepshead Dome. For a more challenging pathway to the pinnacle, try the newly rebolted Absinthe of Mallet (5.10) on the other side, which boasts a spectacular new finish. LOCATION: Approximately 10 miles north of Tombstone in the Dragoon Mountains. CONTACT: Coronado National Forest, Douglas Ranger District, (520) 364-3468; www.mountainproject.com/v/arizona/cochise_stronghold/sheepshead_area_southwest/105738062. GUIDEBOOK: Backcountry Rockclimbing in Southern Arizona by Bob Kerry.

HIGHLIGHTS Peter Noebels (opposite page) plots his next move on Earth Angel Spire, a 5.11-level traditional route in Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona. MARC MUENCH Laurel Wright (inset) navigates the 5.9-level Ride the Wild in Queen Creek's Lower Looner Land, southeast of Phoenix. Comprised of welded tuff, the area's totem-like spires and buttes are rough and steep, but the rocks' plentiful pockets and edges make it a climber's paradise. ANDREW BURR