Hidden Dome is far left, West Dome is left of Eagles Eye.
Twin Peaks
- The graded Ramsey Mine Road is the main access. It goes south from highway 60 at mp 34.3 just west of Brenda. It's graded for over a mile south of I-10 with RV pullouts along the way. Brenda has a store but no gas. Posted 2021.
- NEW WATER MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 2839 - the ridge from the NW saddle is the only decent route. South slopes are well defended by cholla and cliffs. It would be a 4 mile walk from the gas road to the south. I went in from the north for a shorter but steeper hike. Get off I-10 at exit 31 and east on highway 60 to the graded Ramsey Mine Rd. Go south over the interstate then turn east and go along the freeway for 5 miles on an easy 4wd road to a 4 way. Turn south for a tenth mile then go left on road #47F and stay left at forks to road #50F at N33 34754, W113 51631. Park at the end of #50F el 1700. One tricky spot is near the end of the road but close enough to the peak to park there if preferred. Go up canyon to the obvious rubble slope to the right of the NW saddle. At 34047, 52074 el 2300+, cut left on a sheep trail next to a tiny cave. It goes up and down a little to 34021, 52026 where it's easy to switch back into the NW saddle el 2450. Sheep trails go up the ridge thru dense cholla. At 33971, 51936 el 2650, be on the center of the ridge. Then skirt right of 2 minor bumps then get back on center for the last tenth mile. The summit block has a 5 foot long knife edge about 2 feet wide. A fall to the left would be fatal and to the right would be 10 feet. A 10 foot class 4 chute bypasses the knife edge. 8 feet of etriers and a hook would get hikers up that with a max exposure of 10 feet. The east end of the summit block looked worse. The reg at 33919, 51804 was placed by Vitz in 1987 and needs a jar and book. Nobody came back a second time and I won't either. Drive out the same way as the road going east gets nasty. All roads mtn bikeable. 3 hours, 1200 gain. Posted 2021.
- TWIN PEAKS -Get off I-10 at exit 31 and east on 60 to the graded Ramsey Mine Rd. Go south over the interstate then turn east and go along the freeway for 5 miles on a primitive road to a 4 way. Go south into a main wash in the mountains. At N33 36683, W113 55289 turn right then keep left thereafter and park near a draw which is at 36174,55871. Go on up the draw to a break in the cliffband at 36002,56097. Sheep use a narrow ledge here to get thru. I went up to the next level then up to the high cliffs where a narrow ledge goes left toward the main saddle then maybe a route on up to the west peak. It got too skimpy so I chickened out. Heavy sheep traffic here.Another way to drive in is to get off I-10 at the Vicksburg exit. Go south a couple miles then west on a gas road for 7 and a half miles to the 4 way. Not a rough road but a million dips.
- For EAGLES EYE, stay in the main wash as described above. The wash curves left then a cable marks the wilderness boundary. Hike up the smooth wash for a mile to potholes in a side canyon at N33 35224, W113 54572 el 2000. Climb past those and up that fork for a fifth mile to Hidden Tank in a slot at 35348, 54499 el 2150. It's not where the map shows it. Get around the tank on the left and aim for Eagles Eye at 35676, 54272. Approach it from the right. 3 hours. Another route is to get on a jeep road at 35957, 55253 and go nearly a mile to a very steep grade just before the crest about a half mile from the Eye. Don't go up the grade, instead get on a shelf atop the first cliff band at 35850, 54504. Walk along the cliff top until you can get up to the high cliff at 35756, 54445. Go left around the corner and use a game trail at the base of the cliff. Stay at that level until a gully under the Eye lets you up. It takes a half hour to get there. The tank had a lot of water in a long dry spell in March 2021.
- A good loop to HIDDEN BENCHMARK can be done using the same jeep road as above at 35957, 55253. Hike or drive a mile up the road to the crest where the domes and Eagles Eye can be seen. The plan is to walk the wide shelf below cliffs all the way to Hidden BM then return along the crest. The shelf is just below the level of the road. From the end of the road, drop down a draw a short way and get on a spotty game trail that goes down to the shelf below at 35862, 54450. Walk at that level below the north facing cliff bands. Stay on the shelf to 35725, where the peak comes into view. Drop down a little then angle up to a ridge at 35556, 53829 where the route thru the cliffs can be seen. Go up nearly to the base of the peak then go right around it and drop some to a natural stairway to get up the last cliff band. The summit with reg and BM is at 35442, 53608. Go back down and get on the flat crest and head west for West Dome. A convenient class 3 chute gets you down to the saddle at the base of the dome. Then you can go up a chute to the top of the dome. It's no more than class 2 except for one class 4 move that's 8 feet high. I stemmed up it then used an 8 foot handline with ibis hook to come back down. No sign of humanity on top. Come back down to the saddle and go south down the drainage all the way to Hidden Tank. Go around to the right to get past the tank then go out the main wash back to the start. Or you can go back from West Dome via Eagles Eye. On the way down from the saddle toward Hidden Tank, veer right on a shelf at 35457,54060. Walk at that level to a saddle at 35642, 54223 then it's a short way to the Eye. Go north down from the Eye below the first cliff band then walk a trail at the base of the cliff. When the cliff ends you can drop left back to with a good stick. Somelight brush but cacti not an issue until the summit area. OTHER LOOPS - in 2021 I walked up the jeep road to the end next to peak 2244 and on to Hidden BM then down the long SE ridge and returned by way of Hidden Tank but I forgot it's not where the maps shows it and wasted time. I should have circled south on easier ground. It's going to be a 5 hour hike. The class 3 route thru the cliffs at Hidden BM is at 35343, 53663.
- AIRWAY BEACON PEAK el 2540 was a part of the network to guide mail planes in the 1920's. An easy loop can be done. Take the Ramsey Mine Rd for a mile and a half south of I-10 to a sign for the end of county maintenance. Go left and stay on the main road for another mile and a half to a fork at a foundation. Go right to a fork in a deep wash at N33 37084, W113 57897. Both go, but left is smoother once you get out of the wash. It goes to another major wash that can be followed to the wilderness boundary next to peak 2019, but the road on the left bank is smoother. Walk on up the main wash to a fall then go left around it to get back on the road on top. Walk it to the summit. OHVs go to el 2350 then the road is a goner. The beacon pole on top has been cut down. I saw some cleared circles at 34817, 57433 el 2500. I kept going south on the main ridge thru dispersed rocks and cholla. I tried to stay on the main ridge but it's too rocky so I dropped down a ridge at 34610, 57233 el 2450. I went down to bright rock then down into a canyon at 34550, 56934 el 2150 then to a main wash at 34600, 56640 el 2000. I went a fifth mile up that to a main fork then up the left fork. The right bank works for a while then it's better to stay in the wash. I aimed for a smooth strip at 35501, 57002 el 2100 that led a few feet to a rim where I went down a canyon on a sheep trail. At 35817, 57397 el 1950, I exited the canyon to get back to the start. 3 hours, 500 noticeable gain. This is a wuss hike with good scenery. Posted 2021.
- BEAR HILLS HIGH POINT el 2188 is SE of Brenda. Take highway 60 to mp just west of town and go south on the graded Ramsey Mine Rd to the I-10 overpass. Go left there along the freeway on easy 4wd to the base of the mountain and pick a route up. I went up a ridge at N33 39707, W113 55101 el 1500. I saw some cleared rings, the most notable at 39838, 55043 el 1650. The reg is at 40059, 54620. It needs a book. 3 hours, 800 gain. Rocky but stable, not steep. All roads are mtn bikeable. Posted 2021.
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| Road numbers are all wrong |
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| Hidden Tank |
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| Lonely glyph on the flats |
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| Rock circles and the high peak |
