Column No. 59
Bob Ring, Al Ring, Tallia Pfrimmer Cahoon
Montana Peak is the most recognizable landmark in the borderland mining region
that we’ve been writing about in this column. The Peak rises to 5,370 feet above
the surrounding beautiful rolling hills and rugged canyons. The old mining camp
of Ruby, now a ghost town, nestles below on its northwestern side at 4,200 feet
altitude.
Montana Peak was formed some 50-60 million years ago during a period of
explosive volcanism. More recently Ruby residents were witness to an earthquake
in 1887 that gave Montana Peak its current characteristic shape and a scaring
fire in the early 1930s.
Co-columnist Tallia Pfrimmer Cahoon grew up in the Ruby mining camp, living
there as a child from 1929 to 1938, when the camp bustled with almost 1,200
people. Montana Peak became a symbol of the rough, but wonderful, life that
people who lived in Ruby experienced. Fond memories of the old mining camp and
Montana Peak drew Tallia back to Ruby in 1994, when she began hosting Pima
Community College’s tours of the mining camp.
But it wasn’t until February 10th, 2002, for the first time, at the sprightly
age of 73 years, that Tallia climbed to the top of Montana Peak. Here in her own
words is Tallia’s account of that adventure:
“It had been some 68 years since I had picnicked with my family at the lower
levels of Montana Peak. Members of Tucson’s Southern Arizona Hiking Club were
scheduled to hike this prominent landmark just southeast of Ruby, Arizona. I
connected with them through a teacher friend, Pat MacArthur, with whom I taught
at St. John's School. Pat knew my connection with Ruby and when she heard they
were going to do a hike there, she called me and asked if I would be interested.
I replied, "YES!"
“It was early morning on a crisp, blustery, windy Sunday in February. Eighteen
eager hikers assembled at 7:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Plaza to carpool south on I-19
to the Arivaca exit, 48. At times, with the gusts of wind, the car seemed to
jerk to the side as we traveled.
“We proceeded west for 23 miles on the paved, winding road through the small
settlement of Sopori (Sobaipuri Indians - a group of the Pima Indians) through
rolling grasslands covered with Mesquite and Arizona Oak trees. We passed the
long-standing grotto erected on a hill above the age-old Sopori Ranch once owned
by Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Lee. Mrs. Lee had this grotto built in memory of her
husband after his untimely death in 1920 while rounding up cattle.
“Farther along the road we admired the prominent and rugged Cerro Colorado
Mountains to the north. Mining was the industry and silver was the concentrate
extracted from these hills in the 1800s.
“We stopped in Arivaca for a short time before continuing southeast on the Ruby
Road, again through the rolling grasslands for a distance of six miles. There we
crossed the cattle guard that defines the boundary of Pima and Santa Cruz
Counties. We left the winding paved road and traveled for some additional five
miles on the now-corrugated, rocky dirt road to Forest Service road 217,
California Gulch. A right turn here pointed us south; we proceeded very slowly
as we bounced along an extremely rough, rocky route for about a mile-and-a half,
arriving at the dry lake bed of Gold Boulder Dam. This dam was completed October
23, 1928 when the Eagle-Picher Lead Company was operating the Montana Mine in
Ruby. The time was 10:20 a.m.
“The brisk, gusty winds persisted as we gathered our lunches, water and cameras
for the hike to the top of the Peak. We began in the foothills of this massive
geologic structure and achieved the lower level ascent without any problems.
“Now it was necessary for us to choose the route as we climbed higher. Soon we
realized that this would be a rough, steep "bushwhacking" ascent because a trail
was non-existent. From time to time, a hiker would announce that "a trail" had
been spotted! Resembling a flock of sheep, we collectively, because of the rough
terrain, staggered along a cattle trail that expired a short distance ahead.
Again we groped our way upward.
“We stopped, somewhat unsteadily, along the way to admire the views on all sides
as the strong winds thrashed us with Nature's force. Supported by one another at
these stops, we continued to admire the close-by scenery as well as the distant
views.
“Now we saw evidence of the expansive fire that I remember as a young child. At
that time in my life I had never seen a fire of that size. I also remember that
all of the men who were not actively working in the mine and the mill on their
shift at the time of the fire were asked to take whatever tools they might have
had and go up on the mountain to fight the fire. A very large dark, gray-black
scar remained on the face of the mountain for a very long time after the fire.
We saw that, even today, the area on the west side of the mountain where the
fire was is almost devoid of vegetation.
“Near the top of the Peak, enormous rocks began to block the route. This had to
be the result of Mother Nature's horrific force during the earthquake of 1887,
7.2 on the Richter I think it was. The exposed rocks resulted from the quake
shaking the soil off the Peak near the top. No word in the English language can
adequately describe the gigantic size of this rock face. Makes one feel very
small and humble!
“We grabbed the low-slung branches of the numerous Arizona Oak trees to pull
ourselves slowly along in an upward direction. It wasn’t so much scary as it was
windy!
“By 12:50 p.m., we were admiring the distant views down below as well as the
far-off light blue mountain peaks south of us in Mexico. What breathtaking views
to behold! Looking down at Ruby, I could barely see the ruins of our old
Pfrimmer house and the jail. These appeared almost as specks as did other
buildings comparable to their size. I could identify my old school building
because of its "L" shape. Roads appeared as trails but were easy to see. The
tailings dump of ore refuse stood out as a huge white area.
“Even with the insistent gusty winds, we spent a little over an hour at the top
enjoying our lunches, the breathtaking views and taking countless pictures.
“We decided to take a different route down the mountain, hoping it might not be
as steep. However, we found that the new path was just as steep if not more so
in places. More than once we were sliding down sideways or just sitting down and
skidding along the ground using the heels of our hiking boots in a braking
action.
“By 3:30 p. m., we rested near the cars while we talked about Ruby history. Then
we drove a mile or so to the ghost town and did a quick walk through of what was
once a thriving mining camp, but which now, except for a caretaker, is isolated
and quiet.
“At 6:00 p.m., our cars traveled northwest along the dirt road heading back
toward Arivaca, then on to I - 19. By 7:45 p.m. I was home once again, tired
after an active day but happy after such a memorable excursion.”
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An earthquake in 1887 exposed the massive rock face on Montana Peak. (Photo by Tallia Pfrimmer Cahoon, 2002) |
Atop Montana Peak, Tallia poses in front of the view of Ruby far below. (Photo provided by Tallia Pfrimmer Cahoon, 2002) |
Next Time: Ruby’s best baseball player, Sammy Rosthenhausler
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Note: You can contact the Southern Arizona Hiking Club by telephone at
520-751-4513, by email at http://www.sahcinfo.org/, or write to: P. O. Box
32257, Tucson, Arizona 85751.