Little Ajo Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Little Ajo Mountains is a mountain range in southern Arizona, in extreme western Pima County, Arizona
. The city of Ajo
-(spanish
for garlic
), sits on the northeast of this small mountain range.
The range is a 13 by 13-mile (21 by 21-km) long range and is connected loosely northwest to Childs Mountain a northwest-southeast small mountain at the south of Childs Valley
. Ajo, is in the center-east of the range, and is famous for the Ajo Mine, open pit mine located in the Little Ajo Mountains.
The highest southeast peak in the Little Ajo Mountains is Black Mountain at 3009 feet (917 m). Three peaks comprise the northeast: Cardigan Peak at 2922 feet (891 m), Ajo Peak
-(highest of the range), at 3220 feet (981 m); also North Ajo Peak.
and forms a triple divide
point. Northwesterly from around Childs Mountain, the Childs Valley drains into the Growler Wash. From the south of the Little Ajo's the drainage is south-west-north, at the northern perimeter of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
. The east flank of the northwest-southeast Growler Mountains
merge into the Little Ajo Mountains. The Growler Valley
to the west merges with the Childs Wash drainage, and enters the San Cristobal Wash
Drainage on its southeast. The wash only heads towards the Gila River Valley
, but disappears into the ground.
To the northeast of the Little Ajo Range, and Ajo is the origins of Tenmile Wash
. The wash also is northwest-draining through the northwest-southeast Childs Valley - but on the east of the valley. The Childs Valley is also part of the water divide between the San Cristobal Wash Drainage west and the Tenmile Wash Drainage east. The two drainages begin the Gila River
's turn from south-to-west to end at the Gila River's confluence with the Colorado River
at Yuma
, Arizona–Winterhaven
, Clifornia.
.
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. The city of Ajo
Ajo, Arizona
Ajo is a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 3,705 at the 2000 census. Ajo is located on State Route 85 just from the Mexican border. It is the closest community to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument....
-(spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
), sits on the northeast of this small mountain range.
The range is a 13 by 13-mile (21 by 21-km) long range and is connected loosely northwest to Childs Mountain a northwest-southeast small mountain at the south of Childs Valley
Childs Valley
The Childs Valley is a valley in the Sonoran Desert of south-central Arizona west of Ajo. Upstream sections are located in far western Pima County; downstream it merges into the Gila River Valley in southwestern Maricopa County...
. Ajo, is in the center-east of the range, and is famous for the Ajo Mine, open pit mine located in the Little Ajo Mountains.
The highest southeast peak in the Little Ajo Mountains is Black Mountain at 3009 feet (917 m). Three peaks comprise the northeast: Cardigan Peak at 2922 feet (891 m), Ajo Peak
Ajo Peak
Ajo Peak is a mountain peak in southern Arizona, in the north-and-east Sonoran Desert. It is the tallest peak of the Little Ajo Mountains, and has two peaks nearby, Cardigan Peak at and North Ajo Peak.The mountain peak reaches in height....
-(highest of the range), at 3220 feet (981 m); also North Ajo Peak.
Valleys surrounding the Ajo Range
Three valleys drain from the Little Ajo Mountains region because the range is on a water divideWater divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
and forms a triple divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
point. Northwesterly from around Childs Mountain, the Childs Valley drains into the Growler Wash. From the south of the Little Ajo's the drainage is south-west-north, at the northern perimeter of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a U.S. National Monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve located in extreme southern Arizona which shares a border with the Mexican state of Sonora. The park is the only place in the United States where the Organ Pipe Cactus grows wild...
. The east flank of the northwest-southeast Growler Mountains
Growler Mountains
The Growler Mountains is a 23-mile, long north-south trending mountain range of far western Pima County, Arizona that lies west of Ajo, Arizona...
merge into the Little Ajo Mountains. The Growler Valley
Growler Valley
The Growler Valley is a valley of south-central Arizona west of Ajo, Arizona.Growler Valley is a 65-mile long valley paralleling the Growler Mountains on the east-, and the Granite Mountains on the west....
to the west merges with the Childs Wash drainage, and enters the San Cristobal Wash
San Cristobal Wash
The San Cristobal Wash is an ephemeral wash and watercourse of the San Cristobal Valley, flowing north into the Gila River Valley of the southwestern desert region of Arizona...
Drainage on its southeast. The wash only heads towards the Gila River Valley
Gila River Valley
The Gila River Valley is a multi-sectioned valley of the Gila River, mostly in Arizona. The Gila River forms in western New Mexico and flows west across southern-eastern, south-central, and southwestern Arizona; it changes directions across the state, and defines specific areas and valleys...
, but disappears into the ground.
To the northeast of the Little Ajo Range, and Ajo is the origins of Tenmile Wash
Tenmile Wash
Tenmile Wash is an ephemeral wash and watercourse about long in the northern Sonoran Desert of south-central Arizona. It forms the eastern drainage of a two drainage system of dry washes into the Gila River Valley; both flow northwesterly, and the western drainage is the San Cristobal Wash...
. The wash also is northwest-draining through the northwest-southeast Childs Valley - but on the east of the valley. The Childs Valley is also part of the water divide between the San Cristobal Wash Drainage west and the Tenmile Wash Drainage east. The two drainages begin the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
's turn from south-to-west to end at the Gila River's confluence with the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
at Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
, Arizona–Winterhaven
Winterhaven, California
Winterhaven is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Winterhaven is located east of Pilot Knob, The population was 394 at the 2010 census, down from 529 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area'...
, Clifornia.
Access to the mountains
Ajo, Arizona and the mountains are 70 miles (113 km) south of Interstate 8 by way of State Route 85; they are also 80 miles (129 km) west of Quijotoa, Arizona and the Tohono O'odham ReservationTohono O'odham
The Tohono O'odham are a group of Native American people who reside primarily in the Sonoran Desert of the southeastern Arizona and northwest Mexico...
.