Kino and Browns Peaks in AZ

Harlan W.S. & Craig J
April 6-7, 2015

The first peak, Kino, has been on the Desert Peaks Section "suspended" list since 2003, when the NPS closed off over 90% of Organ Pipe National Monument. The closure followed the death of ranger Kris Eggle at the hands of a hit squad from a Mexican drug ring. (The Mexican police alerted the US authorities that the suspects had fled to the US.) The porous southern border of AZ was a magnet for drug smugglers and "undocumented alien" traffic. Even now one can see immense amounts of trash left behind by illegal trafficking in drugs and people.

But much has changed, and in 2014 the NPS re-opened most of Organ Pipe National Monument. Security is much better than in 2002, and illegal activities have been pushed into the nighttime hours. So the hike to Kino is fairly safe, as long as one doesn't stay there past daylight hours, and travels in a group. Dehydration and rattlesnakes are probably greater threats; see the comments from NPS at the end of this page. We also left water outside our cars, encouraging any possible thirsty immigrants to take that water in preference to breaking into the cars. I carried a SPOT satellite transmitter, and would have hit 911 if suspicions had mounted.

Because of the security issues, you probably won't want to camp near the Kino "trailheads." However, you can get an RV space for anywhere from $10-$20 a night in Ajo, and you are only 4-6 miles from the Darby Well Road. The road in was in very good shape, at least for the first 17 miles, and one could take a modest clearance sedan (being watchful of the occasional dip and rock).

My interest in Browns was kindled in 2008, when I traveled to Phoenix to visit a friend, and to climb Superstition Mountain the first time. I saw a rugged ridge to the NE, and my friend casually called it "Four Peak." I decided to scope out the ridge on the way back from Kino, with a vague plan for doing the technical 4-Peak traverse in later years.

Our track, near DPS A. The section across Growler Wash was brushy, and I would reroute that 1st part of the trip.	View of Kino to S, from near the TH. There is actually an improbable, mainly class 2 way snaking diagonally across those steep faces. Loose rock (often perched over cliffs) is the biggest danger.	Pic courtesy Craig J; palo verdes in bloom.
Craig and Bill examine one of many pieces of detritus left by immigrants and smugglers	Now we head south through main wash E of peak.	Bill and I will stay just R of rocky prominence; others will head up wash to R.
Pic courtesy of Craig J. Jeff climbs the precarious face.		South Kino. From the N peak, one can see lower mountains over the top, so this crag must be lower than the N peak.
View back north to folks gathering on N peak	L to R: Bill, Jeff, Craig (red shirt), John	Photo courtesy Craig J.
	View NE as we head back down
about to start descent over NE face	Many beautiful spiky plants are waiting to embed in your skin.
View back SW from just above NE face.	Pic courtesy Craig J. Bill examines a possibility.	View E across saddle; one must drop, then traverse to L.
View NW, over ridge bounding DPS B	Bill contemplates the start of traverse. Pic courtesy Craig J.
The traverse from saddle.
		From near parking, view S at peak.
Browns is reached by a long (20 mile) but very good dirt road, with some steep and exposed sections.	The Four Peaks to E; Browns is at L.	Vetch near start of hike.
	Verbena	View up at N side of Browns, showing class 2 & 3 gully
View SSW over peaks 2, 3 and 4	View NE from summit	View SSE from summit over Apache Lake
	Pano S from summit.
	Beginning descent. There is a chockstone just below top of gully, requiring a mantel, which turns back many folks
The arrow points to folks who turned back	Imagine hiking through the manzanita, if there were no trail!	lupines
manzanita flowers	wallflower	Overkill for this road-- but you will spend a lot of time in 1st gear.
View back on the Four Peaks.		Weaver's Needle to S.