Pusch Peak Southeast Ridge Route

Pusch Peak’s classic summit is most often accessed via the Pusch Peak Northwest Side Route from the Linda Vista Trailhead – certainly the quickest route to the top… But starting from the Iris Dewhirst Pima Canyon Trailhead there is a more adventurous – and perhaps more beautiful – off-trail adventure that takes a beautiful line up to Pusch Peak – the Southeast Ridge Route.

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• 0.0 miles, 2900′: Park at the Iris Dewhirst Pima Canyon Trailhead. This hike starts on the Pima Canyon Trail (the only trail the leaves from this trailhead – the trail leaves from the east side of the parking lot). [Waypoint PC TH]
• 0.5 miles, 3100′: Roughly .5 miles along the trail look for the best place to leave the trail and head up a ridgeline to a large rock outcropping (this outcropping is visible from the parking lot and shown nicely in this blog post) [Waypoint PPSE01]. I am not aware of a clearly defined trail or clearly ‘best way’…
• 1.0 miles, 4500′: The rock outcropping is a good landmark on the way up and down [Waypoint PPSE02]. Hike to the NE end of the outcropping – a nice spot for a break!
• From the NE end of outcropping head up the hill onto a ridge, as you get higher you will start to have views of Pusch Peak and the path along the ridgeline to the top.
• Follow the ridgeline to the top! 2.2 miles, 5350′ – [Waypoint PP].

Pusch Peak is named for George Pusch who purchased the Steam Pump ranch on the west side of the Santa Catalina Mountains in 1874 – see the Pusch Ridge Wilderness for more details.

• [MapGreenTrailsCatalina]
• [MapSahcCatalina]

• Trail Talk – Summit Hut Blog – Pusch Peak, by Charles, Tuesday, May 15th 2012
• [GuideYellowBook]

2011 Dec Pusch Peak Christmas!

2011 Dec Pusch Peak and The Cleaver via Pima Canyon

• 2014/7/27 – Split this page from the original Pusch Peak page that had both routes