Battleship Mountain Assault

Superstition Mountain Wilderness
Tonto National Forest, Arizona
After Action Report
February 2019

Michael and Joe at First Water Ranch Trailhead

Joe Tansill sent a message a few months ago; "since you will be retiring soon, we should put a hike on the calendar!" It has been 7 years since we took the boys on our traditional New Year's Hike (Photos here from 2012 Reevis Ranch Trip) and we were way overdue. He sent this hike link for Battleship Mountain, and suggested we schedule a two night trip over Presidents Day weekend (Joe is still working). It was the weekend after Valentines Day, so if we treated the ladies right on that venerable holiday, we should be able to secure our kitchen passes for the trip.

Here is our report...

Preparation

Dragging out the gear after 7 years of storage

My official last day at AECOM was February 8, which gave me a whole week to drag out the old backpacking gear, sort, test, toss, and reload. Using the menu planner and gear list from our last trip in the area (Indian Pain Mine 2007), it was a snap to get it all together, especially without that intrusive day job!

Our boys are all grown, and with their own families, jobs, college, etc.; only Michael Atkins was able to work this trip into his schedule, and only for a day hike on day 1.

Day 1: 16 February

Ready to go

We met at Joe's house Saturday morning, at about 0830 so we could drive to the trailhead together (in Joe's truck with Michael following). We allocated the food bags and group gear and by the time the truck was loaded, Michael arrived and we were off. Its only a short 45 minute drive to the First Water Trailhead. Busy, but with a couple of parking places available, we signed the trail register, took some photos and were off!

Garden Valley with Hackberry Mesa left, and Black Mesa right

Easy hiking on well marked trails took us through very lush desert landscape. Recent rains tamped down the trail dust and most of the desert floor was covered in green grass. Garden Valley is more of a basin between two Mesas (Hackberry, and Black), but features a wide easy to follow trail through a garden of prickly pear and cholla cactus! The valley narrows between the two mesa's and both sides were thick with towering saguaros.

Battleship Mountain with Geromino Head in distance

Exiting Garden Valley the trail drops away steeply toward the Second Water spring. The trail passes one and through another stand of hardwood trees indicating the location of the spring. Off the trail to the left we spot a large flat rock formation in the drainage. Water from the spring flows over the rock toward Boulder canyon. The GPS indicates we have covered 3.8 miles in a little under two hours, and we decided this is a perfect place to break for lunch!

Goose took advantage of the rock 'bowls' for a drink

After settling down for lunch, several groups of hikers passed through. We would see quite a few day hikers, many on their way to Battleship Mountain.

Lunch Break!

We enjoyed a traditional trail lunch of pita bread, cheese, and hard salami.  Michael didn't pack a lunch but we have plenty, including some PKU friendly nutri-grain bars and fresh Clementines. After a leisurely lunch, we start to pack it up and Michael decides to head back. Just then a group of horseback riders pass on the trail above the lunch rock and Goose takes off in pursuit. Luckily, Michael catches up with Goose before she catches the riders.

Michael heads back up the trail, while we 'saddle-up' and head down toward Boulder Canyon. Its only a 1/2 mile or so before we start to hear the roar of moving water. At first we thought it was wind, but as we approached the Boulder Canyon trail intersection, it was clear the intermittent Boulder Canyon creek was anything but intermittent today!

8 stream crossings before reaching the camp site

Reaching the creek, we follow the trail upstream, and make our first of 8 crossings. Normally water levels would mean the crossing would entail just stepping across on boulders in the creek. Today the flow was heavy, with most of the crossing boulders submerged under the heavy flow. Not wanting to get wet boots, we took our time and when necessary went off trail either up or down stream to find boulders to hop across and keep the boots dry.

About half-way to the point where the scramble begins up Battleship Mountain, we spot a clearing just off the trail with a fire ring and excellent tent site. We decide to drop the packs and continue up the trail to find the start of the route up the mountain. We encounter several groups of day hikers. One pair who had come from the Dutchman trail said they had crossed the stream 22 times so far! They have given up long ago on worrying about keeping boots dry, and simply trudged through the rushing water! They were heading back to the trailhead the way we came, and were glad to hear they only had 8 more crossings to go!

We spotted a group of three hikers returning on the Battleship summit 'trail' so it was easy to spot the rock cairns and point of departure to head up to the climb. They had reached the summit ("it was awesome") and were returning back. We explained we were just checking out the route for tomorrow and were camped about a mile downstream. They thought that was "awesome" too!

Its not much of a 'trail' just a scramble up a rocky slope to gain a ridge line that leads to the south end of the mountain (let's call it the stern of the ship). It is well marked with rock cairns, but there were many trail variations!

Checking the GPS coordinates

Joe taking in the view of Boulder Creek

We were on route and knew exactly where we would head tomorrow. Just then a solo hiker on his way up to the summit appeared. He was new to the area and this was his first hike in the Superstition Mountains! We shared stories of our many trips in the area and recommended a few trail heads, but concluded that you can't go wrong, especially this time of year with ample water supplies.

We headed back to camp as he headed up to the summit. Just a couple of crossings back to camp, but one was particularly wide and required a detour upstream to keep the boots dry. At this point in the day, and with predicted overnight temperatures below freezing, the last thing we wanted was to get the boots wet. A large group of day hikers had just trudged through, and one "helpful" guy noticed us heading upstream to the boulder crossing, and wondered why we were afraid to get out boots wet as he demonstrated his method as he headed back into the stream.

We waved him off and continued. By the time we got back they had cleared out. One more crossing and we reached camp, boots dry, and set up the tent, start a fire, and set up the kitchen.

Camp is set, now its cocktail hour!

With the work done we enjoy cocktail hour until the sun begins to set and we fire up the stove and enjoy a great pasta dish Joe had prepared at home and we re-heated on the trail. It was delicious. We chased it down and with some coffee, another libation or two, and topped it off with some delicious cosmic brownies. As the full moon came up, and the temperatures dropped, it was time to hit the sleeping bags and call this a day!

Day 2: 18 February

Pancake breakfast!

Frost on the outside and frozen condensation on the inside of the tent confirmed the temperatures had dropped into the 30's. We crawled out and grabbing the MSR water pump, and collecting the empty water bottles it was off to pump a few liters of water, and hopefully warm up in the process! Much slower than normal, after 7 years of storage the MSR was in need of maintenance, but with 3.5 liters pumped (plenty for the day and breakfast) its time to return to camp. Joe has the second stove going and soon we are enjoying hot coffee as we break out the cooking stove and prepare trail pancakes!

We are in no rush and after a leisurely breakfast, take the time to tear down and fully lubricate the MSR and run through a 'test' liter. Success, it fills in just a few minutes. A couple of day hikers pass by and say good morning as we finish our coffee. We tidy up the camp, check the day packs and head out for the summit push!

We see the two hikers clearing the scramble section as we leave the trail and start our way up. In no time we gain the ridge and pick up the trail to the base of the mountain where the climbing begins. We start left on a ledge that soon disappears, not the route, and then double back to the last rock cairn. The GPS unit says the trail goes up, and looking up at the top we see another rock cairn 20-30 feet above us on a ledge. Obviously the trail goes UP here! We stow the hiking poles in our day packs, clearly we will need '4 wheel drive' from here on up.

The climbing is class 3, easy and somewhat scary but with plenty of hand and footholds the first obstacle is cleared. Just then the two hikers we saw earlier appeared just below us, returning from the ledge to nowhere. They were clearly shaken; "that scared the #%&* out of us. Is that the way up?"

We suggested they ditch the hiking poles and we offered to 'spot' them, but they were clearly rattled from their off-route experience and wisely headed down.

Looking NW on the 'deck' of Battleship Mountain

Soon we are on the 'stern' of the Battleship and looking NW along the nearly 1 mile length of the top of the mountain. Views on either side are tremendous!

LaBarge Canyon

Its a rolling hike along a well worn path before reaching the north end of the formation. Here the climbing will begin and the route finding a bit more challenging.

Joe consults the route notes before we press on

The path goes across this 3-4 foot wide 'bridge'

The formation narrows and the route follows a 3-4 foot wide rounded ridge before emptying onto the what we thought was the main formation. However, clearing that section, there were a few more climbing moves and another narrow crossing to the main summit formation.

Main summit formation

Approaching the main summit formation, the route follows a series of 'ball bearing' ramps (angled ledges covered with small rocks) around and up the left side. After climbing through the last notch, a clear trail heads up to the summit.

On the summit, Canyon Lake in the background

Fully stocked summit register

The hikearizona.com folks have placed a well-stocked register at the summit. It included a pair of field glasses, sunscreen, two summit logs and an assortment of items left behind by other climbers (campaign cork, hollow point bullet, airline size tequilla bottle, etc). We put our names in the log and broke out the lunch and took our time enjoying the meal and the view.

Happily we had the summit to ourselves and finally decided it was time to head back to camp. We passed another group that was heading up as we were heading down.

Looking south along the ridge of Battleship Mountain

It seemed easier going up!

Ocotillo in bloom

Path along the 'deck' of the battleship

The path down was easier to follow, but the down climbing was a bit more challenging. Soon we were back on the scramble section and then the main trail back to camp.

All that was missing were the cocktails!

We hit the wide stream crossing and decided it would be a fine time to take off the boots and socks and head across in bare feet. Accomplishing two objectives, keeping the boots dry and cooling off some hot and tired feet, we took a nice break before heading back to camp.

We restocked the fire wood for the evening camp fire and returned to the stream to pump some water (much faster with the tuned up MSR). Joe broke out his bible and led us in a Sunday afternoon prayer/bible reading.

Cocktail hour

With the sun setting behind the ridge line, it was time to start the fire, and relax before starting the dinner preparation.

Steve's chicken

The forecast called for overnight rain, and we considered moving the camp to the other side of the creek, but it was such a great spot we decided to stay put. Just then a few sprinkles reminded us to set the rain tarp in case it picked up. It didn't and we prepared a great dinner under somewhat cloudy skies. The temperature dropped, but with the clouds, it was not as cold, and with the fire reduced to a glowing bed of hot coals, we covered them and hit the sack.

Day 3: 19 February

We awoke to the patter of rain on the tent. Happy that we had pumped water last night, we scurried over to the rain tarp and started breakfast. The rain continued through most of breakfast, but we were warm and dry under the tarp with both stoves blazing, one for coffee and the other for bagel melts and oatmeal.

Still raining after breakfast, we decided to reload the packs in the tent, then move the packs under the rain tarp, while we took down the tent. We got all that done in short order and were on the trail by 0730!

8 stream crossings

Second Water Trail, time to layer off!

Even with the rain, the water level in the creek was lower, but with the rocks wet from the rain, it was a little more tricky. Again we made it through with dry boots. However, the grass and underbrush were soaked from the rain, so we were quite wet by the time we made it to the Second Water trail. The rain eased off to a fine mist, and we were able to shed the rain gear and head out in our base layers!

Snow line dropped to 3000 feet overnight, light dusting on Malapais Mountain

The views heading out were spectacular, the snow line had dropped to 3000 feet so many of the mountains were snow covered as we were heading out. The overnight rain and overcast skies made the desert an incredibly dark green!

We'll be back!

Coming out photo!

It was quite muddy passing through Garden valley but we arrived at the trailhead at about 1000. We passed on the 'tailgate' lunch and decided instead to head into Apache Junction to find some hot coffee and a hearty meal.

Great finish to an awesome trip!

Just 15 minutes or so to Apache Junction and we consult Siri for a 'local breakfast place,' she recommends Hackers Grill and we head straight there. The place is packed, a very good sign, so we put our name on the list and sit down in the waiting area. While we are waiting our waitress erases the breakfast specials on the chalk board and puts up the lunch specials. Don't worry she says you can still get breakfast! I fall for the burger/fries/beer and Joe sticks with the Omlette/home fries special, both were great and we were happy we found this place!

Great trip with a great friend, where to next?

Steve Atkins

Click here for Joe's Photo album

Click here for Steve's Photo album