"Gone Camping @ Four Peaks" circled and turned across the computer screen. It was the only clue Josh left Secretary to his latest adventure. As with most of Josh's plans, the reality was much more detailed than the simple note implied.
While Four Peaks is the name of one of Josh's favorite brew pubs, Secretary knew he wasn't camping out on a barstool. Four Peaks is also one of Arizona's most well known mountain formations. Just 40 miles northeast of Phoenix, it is a scenic landmark, dotted with gem mines and overlooking Roosevelt Lake. Josh had decided to hike all four of the peaks during the weekend - a feat not accomplished by many for reasons Josh would find out for himself.
The backcountry road to the trailhead cut through the quintessential Western landscape of cactus, tumbleweeds and red rocks. The trail starts at the forth, southern most peak. All but the highest peak to the north is named. Brown Peak, at 7,657 feet is commonly referred to as Peak One.
There is no established trail across all four mountaintops. Even the trail to Peak One peters out before reaching the top. Josh topped the first peak quickly but soon found himself off track and bushwacking as he made his way to Peak Two. The trek to Peak Three was a harrowing slog. With no trail, Josh made his own down chossy ravens, traversing thin edges of the mountain and even hanging from the sides of rock cliffs. At one point he nearly lost his GPS when he threw his pack down a hill in advance. Fortunately he found it, because he would need it many times to relocate the "trail."
He never made it to Peak Three. He found a scenic spot with a view of the lake and set up his hammock. In the middle of the night, a cactus made contact with his sleeping pad. The next morning, rolled like a taco in his hammock, he packed camp and made his way off the peaks and back to Phoenix. The four point summit would be someone else's to claim.
