Gisela area – Pk 4029 and Black Mtn 3,971’ - Moderate Difficulty for a Dan Hike
Details
Let’s hike Peak 4029 and Black Mountain to the west of Gisela, and south of Payson. These are lesser known summits up the Beeline Highway. The starting point is 3 miles off of Beeline Highway on a paved road. We hike a small dirt road for 1.4 miles and 800’ to the summit of Peak 4029. We then walk along the ridgeline (west side of loop) until finally reaching the base of Black Mountain. Less than a quarter mile off-trail leads to the summit. We then go back down, and then cross over to the Black Mountain tank. Then we begin the loop back via the east side of the loop. Then we descend the same way. So, it’s a lollipop loop.
The hike is about 7 miles round trip, gaining about 1,700’. Paved starting point. < 1 hour drive from the meeting point. Latitude/Longitude of starting point: 34.1049, -111.3025
READ THE FOLLOWING: The Organizer of this trip is a VOLUNTEER, not a "leader". The organizer IS NOT trained in first aid and is not a bonded expert mountain guide. You will need to bring your own experience and judgment. If you want to enjoy the benefits of traveling in a group, then we suggest that you stay with the group on the trip.
The waitlist is created to give preference to hikers who have demonstrated the ability for tougher hikes and consistency of showing up when they RSVP. Those who have RSVPed multiple times and have always cancelled or been a no-show will be kept on the waitlist until others who are more likely to come are given an opportunity to RSVP. The waitlist also ensures we do not overwhelm parking, as this area doesn’t have infinite parking.
Assess the route and conditions as if you were going to do this trip solo.
About your organizer: My name is Dan. I moved to the Phoenix area in early 2017. I have organized over 200 hikes for various groups – including in Arizona, the Sierras, and Northern Nevada. I tend to choose mountain summits I have never done before. I do as much preparation and mapping as I can to ensure we take the correct trails. However, when driving to and hiking in a new area, there are always surprises and unknowns.
This hike is subject to cancellation or rescheduling due to fires or inclement weather.