In April 6, 2019, eight Trailblazers decided to be the first Trailblazers to hike Battleship Mountain. This is a “A” class hike The persons going: Michael, Ian, Debbie, Yanis, Robert, David. Janet and Neil.

We started at First Water, which is the shortest and least elevation change path the get to the top of Battleship. It is still 14 miles round trip. We do the Lost Dutchman to Second Water to Boulder trails.

The junction with the trail that run up to the saddle that is the stern of Battleship is unmarked. If you keep looking across Boulder creek you can pick out where people have gone up the other side.

Try not to get wet as you cross Boulder creek as this time of year is has water running. This part of Boulder canyon is very scenic with the water running over the boulder. Up to the saddle is the easy part of this hike. If you turn-around here this would be a “B” class hike. We take a little rest here and I talk about what the next part is. Just before the “wall” is a small cave that you can leave hike poles in or other stuff that you will not be needing.

The “wall” is the first hard part of this hike as you have do a vertical climb of 20 feet. There are plenty of hand holds, so just make sure you have 3 points of contact at all times. Gloves with good grips help a lot. Once to the top look a round you can look down on the LaBarge box with the swimming pool. That pool is there year around and is over 6 foot deep. Then it is time to do the first of many boulder-hopping.

If you are height challenged this hike is not for you. Then the first of many spots that you get to walk the spine of Battleship.

Now I know there’s a God to overlook LaBarge Box.

This is a little before the main challenge the “bridge”. This is a spot about 6 foot across that has a 1,000 foot cliff on one side and a 500 foot cliff on the other. A lot of persons crawl this place, but the rock is even and easy to walk across. This is the last main challenge, but there is plenty of boulder hopping and small trails by cliffs to still do. We get to the bow of Battleship about noon and have lunch and find the ammo can with the sign in sheet. So it is now time to get back. On the way back we disturb a rattlesnake.

We give him a wide berth. This path is not used much, so you should expect to find rattlesnakes. On main trails the snakes have learned what the vibrations of humans are and to get out of the way.