Date: November 20, 2024 • Elevation: 5,268 feet • Prominence: 888 feet • Distance: 7.8 miles • Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes • Gain: 2,440 feet (gross) • Conditions: Marvelous

Arizona • Main • PB • LoJ • USGS BM Datasheet

Pinyon Mountain rises in the northeastern Superstition Wilderness, south of the Salt River and Apache Lake, and west of Lake Roosevelt. It is one of the high peaks of the Two Bar Ridge, which run farther south and include Two Bar Mountain. The Arizona Trail runs below the peak.

After classes on Tuesday, I stopped for simple groceries in town, then headed east. I did not want to do the whole drive to the trailhead all at once, so I only went as far as Superior, camping at the Oak Flat campground above town. I was here a month ago, and even camped in the same space as before.

Up higher in elevation, it was much cooler than down below. I had a meal in the front seat of my car, then debated whether to sleep on the cot in the open. The weather was mild with no clouds, but there was a steady breeze which was uncomfortable. I slept in the front passenger seat of the car, which leans all the way back to near horizontal. With blankets, it wasn't uncomfortable. I was able to get some decent sleep.

Today started cold but sunny and clear, not a cloud anywhere. I drove into Globe, then followed AZ-188 northwest. About 25 miles later, I turned onto Forest Road 83. This road bends left and parallels the highway briefly, then turns right, heading into the hills.

A couple miles later, the road comes to a fork. A straight is gated with a sign saying "dwelling" pointing that way. A left goes up an embankment, and a sign says Two Bar Ridge Trail 119 is 4 miles ahead.

I eased the Subaru up the embankment, the road a little rougher now but still a good road. It merges in with a sandy river channel, the road being within the channel itself. I drove only another quarter mile to a second gate. Another road, FR-1457, makes a hard left here. I parked on a sandy embankment out of the main road. The sand itself was coarse and easy to drive through.

I got my stuff together and started walking at 8:30 a.m.. It was sunny and cool, about 40°, but calm with no breezes. I'd be hiking a road most of the way so I wore shorts, but stuffed my jeans into my pack for the off-trail portion higher up.

The gate is dummy locked, so I passed through and started walking up the continuation of the road. It was coarse sand like before. The road gains uphill at a steady grade, about 5-7%. In another fifteen minutes, I came to a third gate. This one like before was dummy locked and I passed on through.

The sandy road curls south of Peak 4457. Up ahead, for reference, was Peak 4288. This peak blocked the view of Pinyon Mountain, which was still another mile and a half west.

The road then leaves the sandy channel and starts a steep uphill grind to a saddle near a water tank. I met two hunters coming down in their Polaris. I was at the saddle, elevation 3,800 feet, in about 45 minutes after starting, having gained about 925 feet in a little over a mile and a half.

It was at this saddle I could see Pinyon Mountain for the first time. It is a rounded hump of a peak with no cliffs and no obvious vegetation except for some very scattered brush.

The road drops about 60 feet and curls around Peak 4288, before coming to another higher saddle, now due east of Pinyon Mountain, elevation 3,980 feet. The road then makes a right and gains steeply up a slope near Peak 4575, this segment being the steepest section of road for the entire hike, grades easily 25% and above. For walking, it was easy, and the tread was generally clear of loose rocks. I was making excellent time.

The road then curls around Peak 4575 and comes to a Y-split near a stock tank. I went left, up a lesser track, gaining another hundred feet, now on a small flat area and the end of this spur road. I was now directly below Pinyon Mountain, still a little over a half-mile away and almost 800 feet higher.

The Arizona Trail picks up from here, and soon, comes to the Superstition Wilderness boundary. I followed the trail as far up as it would go. It started to skirt below the summit, and came to a pedestrian gate with an Arizona Trail shield on it. I'd leave the trail at this point.

There had been a fire here, the Black Fire, which started in July 2024 caused by lightning. It burned over 11,000 acres and was put down by the end of the month. It had burned the high crest of Two Bar Ridge and had taken out almost everything. Earlier photos showed mainly grass and low brush here originally. A few larger bushes and small trees were still standing but burned and I don't think they were all alive.

The off-trail was easy, now with no vegetation to block me or scratch me. The ground was mostly small rocks that held together well. It was steep at first, then moderated as I gained elevation. Soon, I could see the rocky windbreak structure on the summit ahead of me. I was on top the peak at 10:30, a two-hour ascent gaining 2,300 feet in just under 4 miles.

The views were fantastic, especially that of the Four Peaks, which were all clearly visible and in the opposite ordering one normally sees them from Phoenix. I found the benchmark and snapped an image of it, and sat on a rock in the lee of the windbreak. At this elevation, there was a steady breeze and it was very chilly. I put on my fleece sweater... but never needed the pants because there was no brush to avoid.

I spent about fifteen minutes up here enjoying the views. The hike had gone so well I barely felt fatigued. I could see the Sierra Ancha to the east, the Mazatzals to the north and northwest, and the Superstition Mountains to the south and southeast. Despite the chill up here, it was stunning weather, and I enjoyed my time up here very much. I could not find a register. If there had been one, it may have not survived the fire.

Going down, I followed the same route back to the trail, and met an Arizona Trail through-hiker heading south. We stopped to chat. He was looking at a couple more days. He would stop in Superior and that would complete the entire trail for him. I hope he succeeded.

Back on the roads now, I met two more women, both also Arizona Trail hikers. I stopped again for a short chat. I also met up with a couple hunters in their Polaris near the water tank saddle. They were having no luck seeing deer. They asked if I'd seen any and I said no. Not even scat.

The rest of the hike down went quickly. The road was steep but solid, not covered in gravel or rolling rocks or ruts, to where I could make good time. I was back to my car a little past noon, a 90-minute egress, and a three-hour, thirty-minute overall hike.

This hike had gone far better and easier than I expected. I knew it would be a logistically easy peak since I could follow a road for most of it, but I assumed the road would be nothing but ruts, loose rocks and gravel, and make travel go slower as a result.

I think I could have driven the Subaru past the two gates and as far as the road went within the drainage. Once it started up the steeper slopes, a stronger vehicle would be necessary. But even as far as where I left it up high, there was not a single place where the road was impassable. I think a Jeep or other small-wheelbase vehicle would be necessary. Up high, the road does get steep and it is a shelf road with some tight turns.

I headed back toward Globe, but wanted to take a look at a road that I had been curious about. This road leaves AZ-188 at the upper Wheatfields exit, and goes under the highway and into a canyon hemmed in by the Gerald Hills. The road was in great condition so I know now I can get in there. But I did not do any more hikes today.

I bided my time in town, and when the highway to Phoenix was reopened at 2 p.m., got in with everyone else and headed back to the city.