"1.13.2023~Friday the 13th White Rock Canyon Butte Foray via Charlie Brown Xmas tree route. 4.5 miles, 1,300’ gain in 2:25hrs. I ran 2 miles of the route (1.5 to and .5 from) Laszlo & Rozi we’re hiking nearby with their group so I was lucky enough to run into them at the end. He happened to spy me on top of the peak and snapped a photo of me. " — paula.raimondi • Jan 13, 2023

"11.17.2021~White Rock Canyon Peak & Fortress Butte via Hot Springs Canyon, AZ, w/Adam. 6.3 miles, 2,200’ gain in 3:52hrs. We were greeted in the parking lot by a baby Tarantula which Adam safely relocated so it didn’t get run over by a car. I packed up my bag of tricks & junk, this and that/theses and those for the WRCP crux. We set up protection for this short section using a dead Charlie Brown Christmas shrub as an anchor. After that fun peak, we went on to slay Fortress Butte which is across the canyon. It is a Football Field sized summit speckled with barrel cactuses (is that a word?) It lives up to its namesake since there is only one class 2 passageway up using the creepy exposed ledge of doom and a ramp, both filled with rotten & loose rock. With care, this route is safe and reasonable. It was a pretty morning with warm temps and cool breezes. These rarely visited peaks are 2 of my favorites. They never disappoint. It was my 4th time up WRCP & 2nd time up Fortress Butte. https://youtu.be/yfgrVTqxXk8 https://youtu.be/ojeRBke-kbM" — paula.raimondi • Nov 17, 2021

"1.14.2021 White Rock Canyon Butte, AZ. Plus a few lumps on the same ridge. 5.5 miles, 1,700’ gain. My friend Laszlo suggested he would like to experience this peak so I packed up my bag of tricks (homemade etrier, arbor throw bag, slick line, extra webbing, doohickeys & thingamagiggers) I set up our passageway for success and Volià! We were up! ....on my first throw too!!! " — paula.raimondi • Jan 14, 2021

"11.25.2020~Day 2. Solo. 5 miles, 1,500’ gain. 3:18hrs round trip. It was so thrilling, I had to go back and scare myself again. I think I have a fear addiction. I jogged and hiked fast from the parking lot to the rope set up spot in :53 min but my arbor throw bag got stuck and it took a while to aim and launch my webbing without it, so I was 2hrs in by the time I returned from the summit and packed up my gear. Took the cliffs route out of Hot Springs Canyon this time so I could view the petroglyphs. " — paula.raimondi • Nov 25, 2020

"11.24.2020~White Rock Canyon Peak, AZ. 4.5 miles, 1,500’ gain in 5:48hrs. Solo. This was one of my most courageous solo accomplishments on the most cruddy, rotten, loose rock I’ve ever experienced and the creepiest exposed corner/gully I’ve ever dealt with. The Crux is a class 4+ climb I had to do on loose crumbling rock in a gully just feet away from a 1,400’ drop off. Luckily I packed a bag of tricks of climbing doohickeys and thingamabobs. The approach to and from only took 1:48hrs RT but the rest of the time was spent solving the puzzle and to build up the courage to climb this beastie butte that towers above the Hot Springs trail. I so wondered why I was striving for this and not down below on an easy trek to the River where life is safe....I tried to set up my webbing below the West facing summit area but my Arbor throw line got snagged and it took me 2:30hrs to release it. I thought to give up. I went around the corner to find another option for an ascent and it was just awful looking but it was my last option. It took me 1:30hrs to set up my webbing (attached to a 1’ shrub trunk...don’t ask..the rock was more unreliable) and to go back and forth, up and down, to make sure I..." — paula.raimondi • Nov 24, 2020