MOUNT FRANCIS
Prescott
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| Near the summit of Mount Francis |
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| Aspen Creek Trail |
For me, planning this hike was torture. Each time I put it on my calendar, my
efforts were thwarted by rain, snow, hail or schedule conflicts. I was beginning to feel as if the
powers that be didn’t want me to bag this peak. Then, out of the blue, just as the newly elected pontiff
emerged as pope Francis, the weather cleared. Was it a happy coincidence---or, a miracle? Certainly, His Holiness has bigger
concerns than my hiking itinerary, but I had to wonder (even though I’m not
Catholic) if the break in the weather, a hike up Mt. Francis and a new pope
named Francis aren’t--ya know-- connected. Still, whatever your religious affiliations, it’s hard to
deny that trekking in the "cathedral of the great outdoors" is a great way to
renew the spirit. Counts for
church! Now, on to the hike details.
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| East Copper Spring |
There's no shortage of hike-able peaks in the Prescott area
and this sweet little find on the fringes of log-cabin-vacation-home-land holds
its own among its loftier, more remote commrades. Remarkably easy to access for a mountain trek, the route is
a web of forest roads, ATV tracks and hiking trails. To seasoned hikers, the tiny 800 feet of elevation change
from the trailhead to the peak may seem like an outing for amateurs, however,
once on the trail, unrelenting dips and climbs easily add up to three times the
advertised ascent. There are many
ways to hitch together a loop hike using the labyrinth of dirt roads and
footpaths circling the antenna-cluttered peak which resembles a lumpy
knoll. Therefore, a good map and a
compass will be your best tools to avoid frustration and aimless wandering in
this scrubby terrain of juniper and yucca. And so, in yet another weary homage to
the slogan of this blog, we set off to conquer the mountain and record our
journey for your hiking sanity.
Here's a description of our route:
from the trailhead, cross Copper Basin Road and pick up Aspen
Creek Trail #48, follow the “48” signs 2.9 miles to the junction with East Copper
Trail #260. Turn right (north) and
hike 0.5 mile to a 3-way junction with a gate. Head up the road with the gate
to the summit of Mt Francis. Once
done exploring the peak, head back down to the first shed with antennas and
turn right onto the road below the power lines. Soon, you’ll pass thru another gate. At this point, you’re on FR9402D. Follow this aspen-fringed track to
Copper Basin Road, turn right and hike roughly a mile back to the
trailhead. NOTE: Along FR9402D, you will notice several
side roads on the right blockaded with boulders. According to my research, these theoretically head northeast
to connect with trail #48.
However, we didn’t verify this.
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| Aspens along FR9402D |
LENGTH: 7.8-mile loop
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 6266' - 7110'
FACILITIES: none
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 117 miles one way
GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, travel north on I17 to Cordes Junction and the
turn off for AZ69. Head into
Prescott on AZ69 (which will become Gurley St) and turn left (south) on
Montezuma St. Continue 1 mile to Copper Basin Road, turn right and go 4.6 miles
on Copper Basin to the Aspen Creek Trailhead on the right. Roads are paved up to the last 1.6
miles, which is on sedan-friendly dirt.
INFO:
City of Prescott Mile-High Trail System
Prescott National Forest
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