An epic enthralling road to Mount Baldy in Apache County

Mount Baldy is an extinct volcano at an elevation of 3.408m (11,181ft) above the sea level, located in Apache County, in the U.S. state of Arizona It's one of the highest roads of Arizona.

Set high in the White Mountains on the northeastern corner of the state, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. A 4x4 vehicle is required. It is not generally snow-free until late June or even July in some years. The top of the peak is on the eastern edge of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation and access is closed to non-tribal members.

Tucked away on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, the road is pretty steep, hitting a 9% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at the paved AZ-273, the ascent is 15.7 km (9.75miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 648 meters. The average gradient is 4.12%.
Pic&video: Tim Toogood

 

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