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| Bluebird Mine |
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| Rock was blasted out then sealant applied. |
- PEAK 721 meters dominates the southern end. The south ridge is easy. Use the frontage road to get to N33 36791, W114 50700 where a road goes north up a channel. But take the one running parallel to the right of it and it will pull away and go nearly 2 miles to old cars. A rough crossing is there then 3 forks on the far bank. Take the middle one reading 38316, 50299 and go half a mile to another fork el 600. Take the one going up the hill and follow the road north to the end where it makes a loop. Cut left into a canyon and go up a bedrock gully at 39294, 50650 el 1000. Go up to 39430, 50808 el 1500 where the rest to the main saddle and up to the summit is obvious. The reg is at 39785, 50569 el 2365. Placed by M&L in 1979, Bob Burd came in 2015 and that's it. 3 hours, 1800 gain from the fork at the hill with hardly anything steep. The roads are mtn bikeable. The SW ridge could be an alternate route but it's rough. Posted 2019.
- McCOY PEAK is next to I-10. Exit at Wiley Well Rd. Go left around the rest area and around the west end of a dike then east behind the dike keeping right of a kiosk and dunes. Soon the road goes left across a wash to a power line road. Go right on the power line road for a few feet then take a left and go a mile to a hidden road at N33 37571, W114 53377. This hidden road is just before a stone house. Go east for half a mile to a T at a post. Now go left. In about a mile the road swings to the right across a wash and on toward the peak. The road ends at a canyon west of the peak. Hike up the old track at 38777, 51918 then canyon to a right fork at 38890, 51576. Go up that to the ridge then go right keeping left of a bump. Climb up and around to the north side of the summit block and go up into a notch at 38971, 51200 then right to the top el 2000+. 3hrs, 1300 gain. All roads easy 4wd as of 2013.
- PEAK 409 meters is a twin summit east of McCoy Peak. A mine road goes nearly all the way up. Use the frontage road to get to road #1081 at N33 36790, W114 49473. Go north on that for half a mile and stay left at a main fork and go to the mine road at 38330, 49672 el 700. Walk it a fifth mile then it switches back then stay on that trajectory and it ends at the bottom of the 0 on 407 shown on the topo. It's a short walk to the saddle between the summits. 75 minutes, 700 gain. PEAK 433 is in view to the east with a tower on it. Use the frontage road to get to 36782, 47492 then drive north for 2 miles to a saddle with a gate el 750. Walk up to the tower el 1300 then up the ridge to the peak at 38446, 47761 el 1421. 1 hour, 700 gain. An Indian trail cuts thru the saddle. I walked it east down the canyon. It's on the south side at first then goes to the north side at the bottom. I followed it thru a saddle at 38209, 46957 el 650 then on to the flats where it fades. That's the longest stretch of unmolested trail I've found for that trail. It looks like a million Indians went thru there. It starts at the river and cuts thru the Big Maria Mtns then goes around the south side of the McCoy Mtns to the spring. Another branch of the trail cuts thru a saddle to the south. It can be seen crossing the road a half mile before the gate. These roads are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. Posted 2019.
- McCOY MOUNTAIN el 2828 is the highest peak. An old coot route goes up the NE ridge. Exit I-10 at exit 232. Get on the paved north side frontage road and go west a mile and a half to a sign for Dracker Rd. Go north on pavement for 5 and a half miles to a gate blocking the road at a solar site. Go west then north along the fence to a faint road at N33 42357, W114 46594. Keep going on the road to a faint track on the left at 42581, 48991, which is just before a deep gully. Take that for a mile to a T el 850 at the base of the range then walk to 41874, 50309 el 1200 and start zigzagging up the ridge. A shelf near the top at 41448, 50718 skirts under crags then the reg is at 41360, 50674. 4 hours, 2000 gain, not very steep. The 5+ miles of dirt road are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. Drive back the same way to avoid rocks and gullies. RV camp areas are along Dracker Rd, the best being 2 and a half miles in from the frontage road at a sign for Rose Way. Take plenty of extension cord to plug into the solar site. Posted 2019.
- BLUEBIRD PEAKPEAK el 812 meters is what I call the northernmost of the 800+ meter peaks. A mine trail goes to the south saddle el 2200. Take the Lovekin exit at Blythe and go north on pavement for about 18 miles to a sign for the Standard Mine. Go west there on graded road for a bit over 7 miles to a main fork. Go west for 3 and a half miles to another fork and stay right. Now just follow major roads that circle around the north tip of the range to a canyon on the west side with cabins. The last turnaround is a foundation with plenty of nails at N33 47911, W114 56183 el 1050. Walk on up the washed out road to a mine at the end with a winch still intact. Just above is the trail angling up left to right reading 47983, 55719 el 1750. It goes up with no major switches and tops out at the saddle reading 47828, 55376 el 2200. Now it's just a class 2 ridge up to the reg at 47944, 55355 el 2664. Another trail can be seen in the canyon to the south for a loop back. Retrace to the saddle and go left on the trail a short way to a minor tunnel then drop down the canyon on decent terrain. Trail fragments start showing up on the left bank around the 1600 level then the route goes over to the right bank. At 47605, 55468 el 1450 the trail becomes obvious and soon cuts over to the left bank then back to the right bank at the mouth. It's an easy stroll on down past a rock dwelling then a trail goes thru a gap to get back to the start. That took me 3 hours, 11 minutes with 1600 gain. The 8+ miles of unmaintained road are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. The main high trail goes on past the saddle el 2200 and crosses a ridge at 47833, 55089 el 2500. It then drops down the other side to el 2300 and seems to end. A lot of turquoise rock is along the trail and some boring mines. Posted 2019, 2021.
- PEAK 2710 ( Alzheimers Peak ) is 3 and a half miles SE of St Johns Mine. It's one of the elite 800+ meter peaks. The long canyon from the mine is an easy route. Take the Lovekin exit at Blythe and go north on pavement for about 18 miles to a sign for the Standard Mine. Go west there on graded road for a bit over 7 miles to a main fork. Go left for 50 feet then left again on a crude road hooking back to the south. Follow it 3.3 miles to the bank el 1100 of the long canyon. It's easy 4wd but for one crossing at the last half mile. Walk up the wash a fifth mile then get on the left bank and pass under the mine. The left bank works intermittently but be on it again at N33 45345, W114 54326. Soon there is a trench to cross so drop back to the main wash and come up the trench a few feet to get back up and then a second trench can be crossed at 45013, 53944. That will play out then get on the left bank again at 44686, 53831 and next get on the right bank for the first time at 44555, 53382. The peak is in view and it's best to go up the west side. I circled to the south side but had to deal with crags. The reg, at 44450, 52395, was placed by M&L in 1985. No surprise there, but the only other entry was a stunner. It was my name from 2009. What? I have no recollection whatsoever. I must have come up the east side to the south saddle. It's easy to walk north for a fifth mile from the reg staying mostly left of center to the first major saddle el 2400. I wanted a loop back along the base, so I descended east down from there to a gully at 44616, 52451 el 2200 then dropped to the left down that. The canyon eases up and it's easy to walk the left bank to a ghost road at the mouth. It might be best to use the road, but I shortcutted across the flats to a trench crossing at 45398, 51622 then drifted right and hit the road. It runs north along the base then starts curving east, and I should have got off it there and went staight to the next trench crossing at 46173, 52331. Then there's one more easier gully to cross on the way to the point then cross a gully at 46859, 52452 and then the last trench crossing is at 47087, 53509. That took me 7 hours, 20 minutes and 800 feet up the peak plus several trench crossings is the only strenuous gain. But that will come in under 7 hours next time because I know the route. It's hard to find a pristine canyon as big as this. And a lot of good pavement too. It rained 2 days earlier but I saw no water. A drill pipe at 44781, 53843 and cairns are the only human impact I saw in the canyon. PEAK 817 meters is the next one south and the north ridge looked easy. I didn't do it (I don't remember doing it), but my route up the south side of peak 2710 gave me a view. Stay in the long canyon and use the right bank at 44402, 52963 then cut over to the right bank of a left fork at 44294, 52840. In a fifth mile up that fork it opens up on the east side of peak 616 with easy ground to the north ridge. I betcha there's a reg on that one too. Posted 2019. SHORT VERSION - an easier loop can be done by skipping the peak. Leave the long canyon at 44621, 53452 el 1650 and walk along the bank of a side canyon to 44902, 53254 el 1750 where a route up a gully to the east goes to a saddle el 2150 on the crest. Then walk south on the crest on a faint trail to 44912, 52968 where an easy ridge goes down. At a major saddle el 1400, drop off the ridge to the right and walk smooth ground to a point where it's easy to drop off the left side and cross the main wash. Keep going to a ghost road that leads to a T. I decided to circle way out into the flats on easier ground and it took me an hour to get to the point, which is an air mile and half away. The more direct route might save 15 minutes but is rougher. I went to 45621, 51590 then 46178, 51354 and then went north a third mile where I could turn back toward the start and go with the flow of the gullies. I went to 46625, 51813 then crossed a gully at 46648, 52038 then another at 46859, 52452 and then on to The Trench (which is skippable) near the start at 47087, 53509. I went down that for 250 feet to a pothole with a minor class 3 drop. It had the only water I've ever seen in the range. Miners used it. It's a fifth mile down to an exit then a short walk to the start. That took me 5 and a half hours with 300 feet of strenuous gain. It's just a long, easy stroll in a wild place and the best pavement I've ever been on. Posted 2019.
- BLUEBIRD MINE - This hike starts at the same spot as the peak 2710 hike. Walk to an old road at N33 47364, W114 54388 el 1250 and go up to rock dwellings where the road crosses a deep gully, but a trail on the right bank is more appealing. It goes a third mile and fades where the mine is in view. Walk on up toward the mine and meet the road again and the trail goes up the right bank there. It will cross to the left bank and stay there to the mine el 1950. A dam and a long tunnel with rails are there. 2 hours, 500 noticeable gain. St JOHNS MINE - the trail starts at 47117, 54140 el 1200 and gains 250 feet to the tunnel. Short hike. Posted 2019. THE TRENCH is nearby also. Walk to 47263, 53431 el 1100 and drop in. It's a fifth mile up to a minor class 3 fall and pothole then a trail exits to the right just past that. That pothole had the only water I've ever seen in the range. Posted 2019.
Residents at The Trench
The Trench
1996 map 
Compressor and dump truck on the Bluebird Peak hike.
Mine on the Bluebird Peak hike.
