This impressive desert peak has been on my hit list since I've moved to Tucson. I have not been able to find any information on the Internet about previous ascents of this peak and none of my maps show a road or trail to the top. So, I've included a detailed description of the route that I chose in order help remove some of the obstacles involved in bagging this peak. It also removes some of the adventure. If you are extremely stouthearted, read no further, write down the coordinates and off you go. The cache is located at an elevation of feet 4486; the official summit is 4505 feet. It took me under 5 hours car-to-car, depending on your ability and the route you choose your time may differ significantly from mine. You will need a high clearance vehicle to get within reasonable hiking distance.
The most difficult part about getting to the summit is finding a route across the CAP canal and getting to the base of the peak. After talking with a couple of locals, a cotton farmer and a mini-mart owner, I found two different routes across the canal, one south of the peak the other north. I chose the south.
Exit at Picacho Peak offramp and head toward the northeast side of I-10. Follow the frontage road south for 5 miles until you reach Park Link road, turn left. Follow Park Link for 0.7 miles to Pecan Road, turn left on Pecan and follow it for about 4.5 miles to the intersection with another dirt road, at approximately N32 39.880 W111 19.715. Follow this road to N32 40.174 W111 21.198, and then take a left turn. After you make the left turn you will be heading into a large basin that is capped by the summit of Newman Peak. There is a cattle gate at N32 41.027 W111 22.342, pass through it and close it behind you. At this point the road gets increasingly more difficult and the need for a 4-wheel drive becomes necessary. I made it to N32 41.845 W111 22.975 and parked there. Note that the roads to the Picacho Mountains are on State Trust Land and you are required to have a permit to be on them. Permits may be obtained from the following website: http://www.land.state.az.us/support/faqs.htm#01
From your parking spot follow the faint road until you reach the cul-de-sac with firepit and campsite. This is the end of the trail and the rest of the route is cross country. The route to the summit follows the main gully that ends at the saddle between Newman Peak and the minor peak to the west. Follow the drainage up to the massive chockstone about 2/3 of the way up. From here head to the east, picking your way through cliff bands, boulders and cacti until you reach the summit. I've also included a topo of the route that I followed. Email me if you would like a high resolution JPG for hardcopy.
The cache container is not large, it is similar to a climbers summit log. It contains a logbook, a pencil, and a few small items for trade. It is well hidden among the summit boulders. Note that there is a summit register sitting on top of the summit benchmark (GZ1939), it is a glass mason jar, and it is not the cache. Enjoy the view: Picacho Peak and North Face, Road leading to the Newman Peak.