Swisshelm Mountains

The Swisshelm Mountains are a small mountain range adjacent to the southwest corner of the Chiricahua Mountains of eastern Cochise County, Arizona. They are separated from the Pedrogosa Mountains to the southeast, the Chiricahuas to the northeast, and by Leslie Creek, bordering the south and east; the area is now notable for the Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge.

Swisshelm Mountains
Wildfire in the Swisshelm Mountains, just west of the south end of the Chiricahuas
Highest point
PeakSwisshelm Mountain
Elevation7,185 ft (2,190 m) [1]
Coordinates31°40′28″N 109°32′07″W [2]
Dimensions
Length22 mi (35 km) N-S
Width6 mi (9.7 km)
Geography
Swisshelm Mountains in Arizona
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
RegionsSonoran Desert, Rucker Canyon, Leslie Canyon Refuge and Madrean Sky Islands
CountyCochise
CommunitiesElfrida, McNeal, Douglas and Agua Prieta, Sonora
Range coordinates31°40′28″N 109°32′07″W
Borders onSulphur Springs Valley, Chiricahua Mountains, Pedregosa Mountains-, Leslie Creek and Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge

The mountain range is named for John Swisshelm, a miner, a local settler of the late 1800s.[3]

Range

The range is a north-south range, with three notable peaks. In the south, Swisshelm Mountain is the highest at 7,185 feet (2,190 m). In the north, an unnamed peak is 5225 ft, and is adjacent to Whitewater Draw of the lower stretch of Rucker Creek. A second unnamed peak is in the northeast, at 5847 ft and also adjacent to Rucker Creek.

Leslie Creek forms the eastern and southern border of the Swisshelm Mountains. The Chiricahuas are directly adjacent eastwards; the Pedregosa Mountains are southeast and are drained by a tributary of Leslie Creek, Big Bend Creek.

The communities of Elfrida and McNeal are directly west of the Swisshelms in the Sulphur Springs Valley; Douglas and Agua Prieta, Sonora are due south at about 15 miles (24 km). The historical area of Sunizona, Arizona is northwest-(Pearce, Arizona).

See also

References
  1. "Swisshelm Mountain". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  2. "Swisshelm Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  3. Short history, John Swisshelm

Geology

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