It’s a trade-off between distance and elevation gain. The most direct route to Golden Hill 2726 gets awfully steep, on a slickrock surface covered with pebbles that make for poor footing.

So Ted chooses a roundabout route on this wild, exploratory adventure in the southern Goldfields. We climb the slopes east of peak 3047, then cross the canyon between the peak and Golden Hill 2726.

The day couldn’t be better for hiking! We start from Hackamore Trailhead with a cool, refreshing breeze and not a cloud in the sky.

Someone has marked the Orohai Trail with blue ribbons. The trail isn’t that easy to find, now that it has been re-routed. We continue north on Packsaddle Road, the Green Thumb Trail, and a dirt road that takes us up to a ridge with panoramic views.

Golden Hill 2726 and then Hat Top Hill come into view as we approach Forest Road 1356 on the Green Thumb Trail. We turn right on the road, then left at the junction near a stock watering pond.

The side road gets rougher and more primitive as we make our way north, passing Hat Top Hill and the Palo Verde Arch. Finally we get past the ridgeline on our left. Here we leave the road to begin our off-trail adventure in a rocky canyon.

After fighting our way through brush and boulders, we discover that the going is much easier on the north side of the canyon. So we cross over and begin a steady climb along the slopes east of peak 3047.

Lizards and a tiny turtle welcome us to their territory. The ground itself is interesting, with pieces of chalcedony and quartz crystals sparkling brightly in the sun.

Finally we reach a canyon overlook where we have to climb down, then up along the canyon’s north side, and over to our destination. It’s steep, but soon we are across the canyon and beginning our final ascent.

A rocky wash takes us southward, up to the saddle between hill 2726 and hill 2576, its companion to the east. From the saddle it’s a short rock climb to the top.

We made it!

There are natural rock benches on the top of the hill, so everyone stops to enjoy a picnic lunch with a view.

“This is my second attempt to climb up here,” Ted confesses. “It’s too steep from the other side.”

Looking down, no one doubts him.

“Well how are we going to get down?”

“We'll start the way we came up, then turn left and head for the pass.”

The exploratory part is over when we reach the pass west of hill 2726. From here it’s easy and mostly downhill. But our plans change when a hiker slips and suffers cuts from the rocks.

We walk back to the road the easiest way, then Ted decides to return to Hackamore Trailhead on the road instead of the trail.

Some young people on ATVs graciously offer to drive three of us back to the trailhead. The others walk back.

After the hike, Ted calls and learns that the hiker who fell on the rocks has been to Urgent Care and is O.K.

This hike is described in Footloose from Phoenix, by Ted Tenny, pages 76-84.