Maricopa County High Point Trip Report

Browns Peak (7,657 ft)

Date: September 1999
Author: Andy Martin

Drive pickup to Four Peaks trail trailhead. Bring plenty of water if the day is hot. Use the topo map, and hike to the 6,840' pass just NW of the peak.

From here it is easy to spot the big coulior immediately west of the summit. You want to end up in this gully, but first must climb about 400 vertical feet up a well worn use route that climbs the NW ridge. The trick is when to drop into the gully, so keep an eye to your right for this. Once in the gully be careful not to kick rocks down, and if others are up higher be alert for rockfall.

I have never descended the gully, all 3 times opting for the brush choked use route that heads due north, starting perhaps 200' east of the summit. This route heads downslope to about 6,960', then contours west back to the NW ridge use trail. No rock climbing is needed on this route, but there are slippery mud patches, and the brush is thick.