Off The Beaten Path
This peak guide is presented here for the convenience of our visitors.
Neither the Desert Peaks Sections or the Sierra Club guarantees the accuracy of this document. Use at Your Own Risk!
| No. 46 | Old Smokey Mountain (4,373') | Arizona |
| 2-Jan-93 |
This guide is based on a Sage article by Richard Carey.
Topo Map:
Palm Canyon 7½
Coordinates: Lat 33 20 28 Lon 114 02 45
Trip Stats: 7.5 mi. r.t., 2200 ft. ,8 hrs., Class: 2(S3)
DRIVING
This peak lies about 2.5 miles SE of Signal in the heart of the Kofa Range and is on the same Palm Canyon topo map. Take the road east into the broad King Valley from the Stone Cabin junction. At jet. 79 turn north toward the King of Arizona mine and after about 6.5 miles turn left at jct. 63. The first 100 yards is rough as it crosses a wash so high clearance is needed. The road then improves and you will follow it for 3.1 miles to where it makes a loop to the south. Start the hike here where there is good camping at the entrance to a large canyon.
HIKING
The upper part of Big Dick canyon becomes steep and rough, but at the top the going is much easier across many small washes. We contoured left to the south and west of spectacular Squaw Peak until Old Smokey came into view and then climbed its east-side slopes to the summit block at the NW end of the sloping ridge. To gain the summit there is an interesting class 3 move on a narrow ridge.