Date: October 22, 2006 • Elevation: 7,128 feet • Prominence: 2,408 feet • Distance: 6 miles • Time: 4 hours • Gain: 1,700 feet • Conditions: Crystal clear and beautiful

Arizona • Main • AZ P1K • PB

Mount Ord is a symmetric peak in northeast Maricopa County where the Beeline Highway (AZ-87) crosses over the highest pass before dropping down northbound into the Lake Roosevelt basin. On clear days, it is visible on the northeast skyline from most points east of Phoenix, north (to the left) of the Four Peaks. It's about 35 miles north of Mesa.

Getting to the top of Mount Ord is simple. A decent dirt road gets within a half-mile of the summit, and a secondary road closed to unauthorized vehicles goes to the top, on which sits communications towers. I was spending the weekend hiking a couple of summits, starting with Pine Mountain yesterday. I camped at the Houston Mesa campground in Payson last night, then drove south along the Beeline this morning, arriving at the highpoint of the highway where the access road to Mount Ord's top starts.

This particular "Mount Ord Road" is narrow and paved for about a mile. It becomes dirt after passing a corral, then sweeps up the northern flanks of the peak. From here, the road gains the top from the northeast. There is another Mount Ord Road, an older dirt road starting about a thousand feet lower down near Ord Mine, about a mile east along AZ-87. The two roads meet one another about midway up.

I didn't want to drive all the way up, so after a few miles, I looked for a secluded place to park my truck. I came to the junction with Tonto Forest Road 1688, near a stock tank. I backed into it about 50 feet and it offered me a well-hidden place to park the truck. Not that car thieves are everywhere up here, but the road is traveled a lot and I prefered to park away from the main road if possible. The day was stunning: bright blue skies, bone dry, and mild.

Across the road was a couple, camping with their teenage son. They greeted me in broken English, and we had a short chat, as best we could. I couldn't place where they came from, but I would guess Turkey or somewhere like that. I asked generic questions about the area, and the father would reply by repeating the main nouns in my sentence. For example, if I asked about the roads, he would reply, "Yes, yes, the roads". They were friendly, and really all I wanted was to acknowledge them, and vice-versa.

I started hiking about 9:30 a.m., following the main Mount Ord Road. The scenery was already amazing, with views of the northern Mazatzal Mountains including Mazatzal Peak itself, and the steep-sloped Mount Peeley across the highway. I gained a few hundred feet, then lost it all as the road dipped. About a mile from my truck, the road met up with the other road mentioned earlier. I took my first break at a sharp bend near a cattle grate. I GPS'd my position, and figured to this point I had covered about two miles and a thousand feet of gain in an hour and a half. Just around the bend stood the summit, so I was actually pretty close.

The last mile went fast, and I came upon the gate at the end of the "public" road. I walked past the gate and up the steeper access road to the top, arriving at 11:20 a.m.. Mount Ord is topped by a huge, 100-foot tall lookout tower. Climbing it is prohibited. There is also a residence there for the lookout people. The rest of the summit is taken up by other towers and buildings. There was a worker there, sitting in his truck, but he ignored me and I him.

I found the highest point underneath the lookout tower, and strolled around the buildings before returning to the residence to sit on a stone wall and enjoy a snack and a call to my wife. I stayed on top for 30 minutes, took a few photos, and marveled at the visibility. I could see peaks over 100 miles away, making out some unique peaks near Gila Bend, out west toward Wickenburg, and east as far as the San Carlos Reservation. Nearer, of course, were the mighty Mazatzal Range peaks, and the Mogollon Rim cliffs to the north.

The hike down went quickly, taking me slightly more than an hour to return to my truck. I met an older lady who had grunted up that lower "Ord Mine Road" and we chatted. She uses that road to train for the Grand Canyon. The Turkish family was gone by this time, and I spent time relaxing before changing back into more comfortable clothes and driving back home. The top is a mature forest of pine, juniper and some oak, and there were some sections lit in the bright colors of fall.