On Easter morn we drove back to the highway, turned right 1.5 mi to King Ranch Road (Another "can't miss" sign). Three miles in to a crossroads, right almost a mile to the end of the road after "a 900 turn to the left" (Bill T .R. 's great Sage write-up) "The road end is near a house, and a chain or gate is across the road which becomes a driveway. The trail starts on the other side of a fence which parallels the road. There is a narrow passageway thru the fence that blocks cattle". We headed up Hieroglyphic Canyon, following a good use trail on the right that sometimes is 40 ft above the stream bed. At about 3750, take the right of two equal forks, then bypass two dry falls and some brush by taking a ledge on the left about 20 ft above the stream. Reached the saddle S of Pk 4790, ate lunch in shade, walked south to peak, going to the right of all gendarmes except the last (of course). One Cl 3 step and the summit is 2-3. 16 signed in and we went back via the much faster (for going up, too) ridge route. This well-ducked route passes by Pk 4402 and then heads almost due west into the canyon, passing thru the "yp" in Hieroglyphic Spring on the Goldfield 7.5 topo. Nearly all went for a long dip in the pool below the Indian Hieroglyphics. (It was 100° in Phoenix that days). Dennis, very er, tired, from the night before, slept most of the day. It was about 5:30 by the time all were back from the pool. Many ate in Miner's Camp in Apache Junction (good if you're really hungry) and we drove the long way home, taking ever-shortening turns at the wheel. Most arrived home about 5 AM Monday, having had 15 hours total sleep since thursday AM. Trips with over 400 mule drive home should schedule an extra day for the drive home. Many thanks to Chuck Stein for the excellent Forbes Route description from Dean Slough at the U of A, Tucson. Thanks also to Bill Bradley, George Davis, Ted Pinson, Norm Rohn, Brian Stone and Dennis Lopez for doing all the dirty work handling belays and rappels while the leader had the fun leads, --- Dale
