Humphreys Peak
Arizona's High Point

Humphreys Peak is part of the San Francisco Peaks named for the mountain where the peak stands. It was named after Andrew A. Humphreys in 1870. He was a General in the Civil War and later became a Chief Engineer for the United States Army Corp of Engineers.

This Peak is 12,637 feet above Sea Level. At just over 11,000 feet in elevation the plant growth seems to disappear and you have a tundra like environment. It feels like you have gone to a different planet. At the bottom of the San Francisco Peaks there are unmatched beautiful valleys. Hart Prairie is lined with both majestic Pines and quaking Aspen. Meadows are abundant and so is the wildlife.

There are Places on Humphreys Peak which are considered sacred by the indians. They have ancient burial grounds there. It is also considered a healing place where Hopi and Navajo "medicine men would bring their subjects to be healed.

Pilots of small aircraft need to be careful about these peaks because the winds, during certain times of the year, can be in excess of 80 miles, per hour visibility is usually very good. Make sure your instruments are calibrated and you are not relying on the instruments only. Some pilots have crashed into the peak without explanation. Page, Arizona to Scottsdale Air Park is in a direct line. If you set the autopilot and miss the altimeter setting it can be deadly.

The most notorius crash happened in 1944 when a crew of eight crashed and died on Humphreys Peak. The aircraft was a B-24 bomber. It crashed into the mountain and rolled up hill. It's remains are still on the slope as a reminder.

The Highest Peak in Arizona will always be a Sacred Place even if you just endure the 5 mile hike from the Arizona Snowbowl starting point. The view from the top is inspiring, just like the hike. Do not forget to exhale!

You do feel one with the Universe or if your heart is upon the things of God, you can feel His Spirit there. It is next to impossible to ignore. This is one of those places where you'll find it hard to describe, but will enjoy the experience. You will wonder why you want to go back again and again. Many hikers will make this hike dozens of times. I know of one hiker who has been to the summit 51 times.

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