Saddle Mountain, Az

                                East Crag                                                                        

• For the SADDLE MOUNTAIN TRAIL, use the paved Courthouse Road on the north side of the mountain. Go to mp 14.2 and turn south on a primitive road at a kiosk. Some cars can make this road to the end in a mile. Good camp spot. The trail leaves the south end of the parking area. Soon there is a fork, keep right. It climbs to a notch then jogs right to avoid some little cliffs. Soon it gets steeper then levels off some near the peak N33 26388, W113 02409 el 3000+. 3 hours, 1600 gain.
• For the seemingly impregnable EAST CRAG, take the 4wd road into the saddle SE of the Saddle Mtn TH. Drive back from the TH and take the first right and keep right at all forks to the saddle. Hike a trail south from the saddle to a higher saddle then go left to the crag. Go up a chute at N33 26406, W113 01591 and on up the easy spine. About half way up it gets trickier. Move left a little then near the top look for a chute at 3 o'clock. The whole thing is only class 3. On the return I never had to back down. I ducked the route. Less than 2 hrs round trip from the road. Take a hand line. NOT FOR BEGINNERS.
• The best SOUTH SUMMIT route is from the NW. Go to mp 12.6 on Courthouse Road and take a crude road at a kiosk. Go about a mile and a half to a fence. Go thru the fence then go left for nearly a mile to the end of the road. Hike thru a saddle at N33 26088, W113 02890 then go on to a steep drainage at 25808, 02714. Go up staying mostly on the right side to avoid the rough stuff. Aim for the break in the cliffs at 25724, 02512 then keep left thru the break to avoid brush. Once in the open, circle up to the left to get to the reg at 25672, 02332 el 2800. 3 hours.