Eight enthusiastic hikers enjoyed this cross-country ridgeline trek on a warm autumn day: Lynda King, Brian Cross, Joe Morescki, Carolyn Morescki, Janet DeSimone, Rex Whitehead, Peter Yanover, and hike leader Ted Tenny.

We started northwest on the Jeep trail from Willow Springs Trailhead, turned left on the road across Willow Springs Canyon, then right on the mining road before heading off trail. Ted pointed out Gonzales Needle, a historic landmark named after a grand nephew of the Peralta family. Gonzales Needle marks the northern limit of the Goldfield Mining District.

The off-trail route took us over a divide and then down into a streambed lined with slickrock. After climbing down to a canyon we headed north, past an old fence and onto a game trail. The canyon contained lots of prickly vegetation after the wet winter.

Emerging on another jeep trail, we walked northwest a half mile to the turnoff for Bagley Tank. The turnoff isn’t marked, and trees hide it until you’re there.

The Bagley Tank road goes over open range land. Disaster Ridge looms up ahead on the left, but before we get there, Dome Mountain, the Razorback, Peak 3141 and the Golden Dome come into view. On the right are glimpses of the mountain we’re about to climb, Peak 2881.

A hill with a black rounded top and steep red sides marks our approach to Bagley Tank. The road dips down to reveal a livestock watering pond, dry today but once used for cattle ranching.

Disaster Canyon begins at Bagley Tank and flows northwest to Saguaro Lake. We went the other way, climbing the ridge that leads to Peak 2881.

The view from the peak is fantastic! We enjoyed our picnic lunch, then Ted pointed out that it’s too steep to climb down on the south or east. So we started back the way we came, then went around a boulder marking the end of the cliff. A game trail took us down in a spiral route to a saddle southeast of the peak. From there we walked a smooth ridge with great views of Weaver’s Needle and the Superstitions.

The hike ended on a dirt road to the Apache Trail highway, then a short walk up the highway to our cars.