The Mountains of Arizona
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Mexican Hat Mountain • Peak 5061 I had just completed a 4-hour, almost 7-mile hike to and from the Gunnison Hills Highpoint and was returning to Bisbee. It was not yet 1 p.m. and the weather remained beautiful, with clear skies, calm conditions and temperatures in the low 60s. From the Gunnison Hills, I got back onto US-191 near Sunsites, then followed that south to the barely-existing, almost-a-ghost-town of Pearce, where US-191 makes a bend east. The appropriately-named Ghost Town Road starts here and heads south, passing through the Courtland-Turquoise ghost town and mining claims from a century ago. I had two peaks on my radar, Mexican Hat Mountain and its smaller twin, Peak 5061. These lie east of Ghost Town Road, about two miles north of where Courtland once stood, and about 7 or 8 miles south of Pearce. The area here is about evenly split with private land and State Trust land, with the occasionaly tiny BLM enclave. Mexican Hat Mountain lies on private land but it is unposted. Peak 5061 is on State Trust land. I was here about a half hour after leaving the Gunnison Hills area.
Date: November 9, 2024
• Elevation: 5,221 feet
• Prominence: 501 feet
• Distance: 2 miles
• Time: 1 hour
• Gain: 541 feet
• Conditions: Beautiful blue skies and cool weather
Arizona
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Main
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PB
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LoJ
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Mine information
I rolled in and found a side road that goes east, between the two peaks. I parked, noting I was on State Trust land. I put my placard in the window, not really expecting anyone to come by. I could hear someone shooting in the distance.
I wanted to give Mexican Hat Mountain a look first. It is a conical mound covered in roads that encircle the peak on many levels. The whole area, including the slopes and flats to the east, are full of old roads, digs and tailings, but nothing looked active. No trucks, no buildings or equipment, no signs or fences.
I started hiking, first through a small mesquite bosque, then up open grassy slopes where the grade steadily increased. The peak gets its name because it looks like the crown of a sombrero, and from most angles, looks pretty steep higher up.
After a few minutes, I had come upon the first road cut. Getting onto it was challenging. The old graders had created berms that after all these years, were as loose and unconsolidated as they probably were a hundred years ago. I had to crab-crawl just to get up ten feet and onto the road.
Now on the roads, I followed them going up. I had no idea which ones to follow, but as long as they went up, I was okay with that. I knew that I probably should approach the summit from the north, as the ridge looked less steep that way.
I followed the roads, making a few "wrong" turns here and there, but I was soon at the north end of the peak. No roads go to the top. I found a spot where I could scamper up the road cut into the grassy and rocky slope above.
This steep slope worked well. I had to bypass a small cliff, and use my hands once or twice for balance, but there were no other challenges and I was soon on top of Mexican Hat Mountain.
The top is bare with low grass and a couple rock piles. The register was in one. The other held a repeater box, which I left alone. The peak does not see many visitors, just a few names going back about ten years.
Views were excellent, and I spent a few minutes relaxing and looking around. The one-way hike had taken just a half hour and I was pleased to be successful.
For the hike down, I followed my route exactly, and just went slow down the loose segments. I was back to my car after an hour total, where I took a fifteen-minute break.
Looking up the mine information later, it seems some exploration for gold has been going on, as recently as 2020 or so, and even a few articles from 2023 and 2024 talking about this potential gold mine. But I saw not a thing here, nothing that would indicate any recent workings.
Elevation: 5,061 feet
• Prominence: 321 feet
• Distance: 0.8 mile
• Time: 45 minutes
• Gain: 380 feet
• Conditions: Same
LoJ
Peak 5061 is just a lump of rocks and brush, and nothing special, but it was right there, so I went for it.
From the car, I walked across a short flat segment then up the slopes. Unlike Mexican Hat Mountain, which was mainly grass and spread-out brush, the brush here was much thicker and tanglier. Most of it was just knee high and not thorny, but it was a chore to push through. Lanes were usually not available.
I just grunted upward and after about twenty minutes, was on top this humble peak. It was bare, with some rocks but nothing that looked like a cairn. I found no register. I took a few images but did not rest. I got what I came for and turned right around.
The hike down went better due to gravity helping. I kicked some rocks out from under me twice and fell backwards, but just landed in the brush. It wasn't the most fun hike I have ever done.
I was back to my car in less than an hour. This little peak wasn't much to get excited about, but because it was so close, I'm happy I went for it. I was very tired by now.
I drove south on Ghost Town Road and looked at the one building that is supposedly from old Courtland. There are probably other buildings hidden elsewhere. The hills are mostly on private land and I am not yet sure what kind of access is allowed.
Going home, I followed a connector eastbound to the US-191 near the Border Patrol checkpoint, then followed my usual route home via Elfrida (with a stop for drinks) and Double Adobe. I was home by 4.
Today had gone well. I was especially happy to have success in the Gunnison Hills and enjoyed the scenery there very much. These latter two peaks were fun and I am glad I did them. As add-ons, they were perfect.
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