Hike Mount Glenn Coronado National Forest, AZ

Mar 01, 2022 — Cochise Stronghold is a popular climbing destination in the Dragoon Mountains, and years ago I hiked the Cochise Stronghold Trail, which visits a bunch of the nice rock formations in the area. Today I was aiming to get the high point of the range, Mount Glenn. While the peak doesn't have much of the granitic personality of the terrain on its lower south side, the views are nice and the hike is pleasant.

To reach the trailhead, navigate here (31.94874, -109.94899) and turn right (north). Then turn left here (31.96789, -109.95169). Most vehicles could make it to where I parked (sedans may have to add a mile or so), but only trucks could continue farther. I was happy to hike the narrow, horrible switchbacks on foot rather than damage my car.

At the end of the road switchbacks I made it to an old mine. I looked up at the brushy, horrible slope that would take me to the east ridge of Mount Glenn. Although short-lived, the 300 feet of elevation gain up this slope was miserable. There's not an established social trail up this section. Low-hanging branches stuck me any chance they could, and after unearthing a few rocks and being knocked over a few times I found myself crawling up the slope instead. Yay, hiking.

Now on the east ridge of Mount Glenn, I was relieved to find the ridgeline looked mostly clear of brush and would be quite pleasant. I could see the summit a couple of miles away, and I started up. There was a noticeable trail much of the way along the ridge, but with the warming temperature I was happy to have my snake gaiters on as I trampled through the sometimes tall grasses. There were cool views toward the granite pinnacles to the south. Although pleasant, there's not much to say about the first half of the ascent. It's straightforward and went pretty quickly, the occasional steeper section slowing me down.

A couple of minor bumps on the ridgeline added some additional vertical gain about halfway up the ridge, and then a burn area a few hundred feet from the summit added some light bushwhacking over charred foliage. A rock outcropping along the ridge crest adds some Class 2/3 and brush to the mix, but it's easy to avoid this unnecessary obstacle by keeping to the left (south) of the ridge on the steep slope when nearing the summit area. Mount Glenn's high point might be one of two bumps, but I found the summit register on the farther bump, so I suppose that's what's been determined as the true summit. Plus, the views are nicer from the farther summit anyway.