Piestewa Peak

I knew I had time for either Piestewa Peak or Camelback before it was time to head back to San Diego. I flipped a coin and Piestewa Peak won. Previously known as Squaw Peak, this mountain was renamed in 2003 to honor Lori Ann Piestewa, the first known Native American woman to die in combat in the U.S. military. I knew this would be a crowded ‘Cowles’-like peak, but since I was trying to complete the Six-Pack of Peaks – Arizona Winter Challenge, I needed to climb it. As I neared the trailhead, I was prepared to circle for a parking spot, but as luck would have it, I snagged one! It had warmed up a touch, so I changed into one of my cooler shirts and set off.

The beginning of the trail is wide and has constructed steps and cement curbs. There a sign warning hikers about the dangers of heat, and to use headphones. This peak really is the Cowles of Phoenix. I wonder if Camelback is the same? I followed the stream of people along Trail 300-Summit Trail to a saddle around the .5-mile mark. Here, there is a junction with Trail 302. Staying on Trail 300, the climb began to get a bit steeper. Hikers and tourists would pass me coming down from the peak. The rocky trail would have a few sections of railing, but after climbing Picacho Peak, this seemed overkill, but given the level of traffic on this trail, necessary. After the final push I was on the summit. Given how crowded it was I did not stay long. In fact I did not bother to photograph the benchmark (I knew it was heavily scarred).

I took my photos and set off back down. Having to keep my face covering on due to crowds did mean I drank less than usual, and I could tell the difference. Soon I was back at my car and could properly rehydrate. All told, I did the 1.97 miles in 1:46 and climbed 1,125 feet. Now for a shower and the 6-hour drive home.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Fremont Saddle

Since we could not head back to San Diego until my son’s class was over in the mid-afternoon, I planned to squeeze in two more peaks on this trip. I had debated attempting Flatiron, but opted to hike Fremont Saddle instead. Once again, I left my hotel in the predawn darkness and drove the 50 minutes to Peralta Canyon.

After driving down a nicely groomed dirt road for about 6 or 7 miles, I came to a large parking lot. There were a few cars here, but still plenty of parking. I used the pit toilet to recycle some coffee before heading out. I signed the register and headed off.

The trail would work its way up the canyon toward the saddle. The skies were a bit overcast, so the light was a bit flat for the photos, but still the scenery was lovely. I found the trail fairly easy to follow, as portions of the trail were marked with horse cairns (aka horse poop). I was keeping a good pace as I neared the saddle.

As I crested the saddle, the 1,000 foot Weaver’s Needle stood before me. Better yet, the skies had opened a bit, and I had some nice light to take my photos. As I stood there taking in this incredible sight, the wind was blowing a bit, so I put on my windbreaker. I explored the saddle some, but I still had another peak to climb.

The return to the car went quickly, just like yesterday, I started to encounter fellow hikers making their way up. I chatted with one gentleman for a bit and he recommended I join the Arizona Hikers Facebook group. I figured my son has three more years at ASU, and they could be a good hiking resource for me. Back at the car, the lot had almost filled up. I tossed in my gear and headed back into town to climb Piestewa Peak. The final stats were 4.5 miles in 2:45 with 1,327 feet of gain.

Picacho Peak

After summiting Wasson Peak in the morning, my next climb was Picacho Peak. I had driven past it the day before, and in looking at it I couldn’t tell how there’s possibly a trail to the top. While the entire hike was going to be just two and a half miles, it was going to be an adventure. I paid my $7 entrance fee at the visitor center and continued on to the parking lot. The main lot was full, so I parked about .3 mile away. I changed into cooler shorts and refilled my water bladder before setting off down the road. Sure enough, as I reached the main lot, two parking spots opened. Oh well..

I followed the signs to the Hunter Trail and began my climb. It starts off relatively easy for .5 miles, gently climbing up toward the rock wall looming ahead of you. As I approached the rock wall, the trail turned south and hugged its base. Around 0.65 miles in, I reached a section with a slight overhang which formed a shallow cave. The trail now doubled back on itself and then reached a saddle. There were a few folks hanging out here, enjoying the views, and I snapped a group photo for some fellow hikers. I took a short rest, as the real challenge was about to begin. I put on my climbing gloves, stowed my trekking poles, and set off.

Crossing over the saddle, cables now lined the route. While there was one section before, here they really were needed as the trail curves steeply down along the west face of the wall. All told, I lost some 300 feet of elevation. Photos don’t quite capture the steepness nor the challenge this can pose.

Around 1.0 mile, the Hunter Trail intersects with the Sunset Trail. Now the trail would become more serious. I would use the cables to climb up steep rocky sections, or to steady myself as I crossed narrow ledges. I finally reached a small bowl on the west side of the peak and broke out my poles again. The biggest challenge still lay ahead — the steepest cabled section on the mountain. The cables are nearly vertical here. I carefully found my footholds and pulled myself upward. Once through the metal doorframe, I had one more cabled section to manage. This short section requires you to put your trust completely on a wooden plank and the safety wire to cross the 20 feet. Once past that section, it is a short climb to the actual summit. The area was under a high wind advisory, so I made sure to tighten my hat while on the summit. I relaxed for a bit, enjoying a snack and chatting with some other hikers. The views were tremendous. I could spot Wasson Peak off in the distance, Mt. Lemmon’s snow capped peak to the southeast, and below me the Dairy Queen that would be a post hike treat.

But this journey was not yet over, I needed to descend, so I set off, taking my time on each cable. No need to rush and make a mistake. I carefully worked my way down, at times sitting on my butt to make it easier. When the final section of cable appeared below the base of the saddle, A feeling of accomplishment swept over me. I thought to myself, “I need to stop by the visitor center and see if they have a shirt or patch”.

Just before I reached the end of the trail, I stopped and took a selfie pointing back to the summit I had just conquered. After changing into some post-hike clothes, I drove down to the visitor center, and yes, I got the t-shirt. From there, I stopped off at the Dairy Queen and ordered myself a nice Blizzard, then set off to Tempe and see my son.

Wasson Peak

Since I was bringing my son home from ASU for Passover, I decided to extend the trip and enjoy some hiking around Arizona. Originally, I had planned to visit Organ Pipe National Monument, do some hiking and camp overnight, then continue to Tucson and visit the Pima Air & Space Museum. Afterward, I would climb some of the peaks on the Six Pack of Peaks Challenge – Arizona Winter edition. But as I worked out the timing, I had to drop the visit to Organ Pipe. Instead, I drove straight to Tucson and spent the afternoon exploring the museum. The next morning I woke very early to reach the trailhead at dawn for Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park. It was a short 30-minute drive from the hotel. As I pulled into the parking lot, a single car was parked there. I gathered my gear, tossed on my fleece, and set off toward the summit. There was a warning sign about hiking in the desert, but I did not need to worry about the heat today. The rocky trail was nice and wide and lined with beautiful ocotillo, prickly pear, and saguaro, of course.

Reading the trail guide on socalhiker.net, I was keeping my eye out for one junction that could be missed. However, as I reached it, rocks were laid out across the wash that I had been walking and the stone steps were very visible. It felt odd to be hiking in the desert on a maintained trail, as so much of what I have been doing lately has been open desert hiking. I almost did not know what to do! After about a mile, I stashed my fleece in my pack and continued on.

The King Canyon Trail finally reaches a saddle and intersects with the Sweetwater Trail. Turning left toward the summit, a trail sign informed me it was a “Foot Trail Only: No Stock” allowed from this point on. So, those using a burro will have to end their journey here. It was too bad, a burro might have made the upcoming steep switchbacks a bit easier, although they were not really that bad. Part way up, I did find a closed mine entrance, which I stopped and peered into for a bit before continuing on. It was near here that I met the hiker from that car in the parking lot. We chatted for a bit before each continuing on our hikes.

The trail then intersected with the Hugh Norris Trail around the 3.1-mile point. From here, I followed the ridge out to the top of Wasson Peak. Atop the summit, I had some great views. I could see all of the Tucson Mountains, the city of Tucson, the Santa Catalina Mountains, the Rincon Mountains, and Picacho Peak with its distinct shape, out to the northwest. I found one reference mark, but none of the other marks. There was a register box, but its pages were filled, so I could not add my name. Since this was to be the first of two peaks today, I did not linger too long at the summit.

Once back at that first intersection, I debated taking the Hugh Norris Trail back down instead. Often this peak is done as a loop. That would have added an extra mile or so to the hike and I wanted to save as much energy as I could to climb Picacho Peak. As I made my way down, I passed more hikers making their way up to the summit. Soon, I was back at the car, having covered 6.75 miles in 3:18 with an elevation gain of 1,850 feet. Now for the 50-minute drive to Picacho!

Soldier Pass

I opted to skip hiking to Devil’s Bridge and went instead up Soldier Pass. Since the lot doesn’t open until 8, I parked about a mile away at the Sedona Dog Park and road walked it in. The air was cooler today, and some clouds dotted the sky. I quickly started making my way up the trail. The views were some of the best of the trip. The light on the rocks made for some great photos, and I felt like I was grabbing my camera every 20 yards.

The first point of interest was Devil’s Kitchen. This is a 150-foot wide sinkhole, and it was quite impressive. A bit after that, I reached the Seven Sacred Pools. A few had some stagnant water in them, and I’m guessing it must the something to see them flowing. But the star attraction was the cave just off the main trail near Brins Mesa.

Just as I reached the turn-off for the climb up to it, I encountered my first set of hikers, also headed to the same spot. They had parked just outside the gate. Having almost two miles of solitude was lovely. As we drew closer, I could hear voices echoing from within the cave. Once at the cave, three other ladies were there. They had come via the Jordan Trail. With a bit of effort, we made it into the cave. I marveled at the size of this wonder and its importance to the Native Americans.

I scrambled back down, as I did have an 11am check-out time and wanted to grab a shower before hitting the road back to Tempe. The trail was now filling up with people making their way up. I offered guidance to several folks on where to make the turn. A good sized crowd milled around the Seven Sacred Pools, as it is a stop on some of the Jeep tours. That early morning start was so worth it.

As I walked passed the now full lot, my curiosity had me glance over at the car those two ladies had parked. Yup, a citation was tucked under their wiper blade. That was going to be one expensive hike. I began walking back to my car, watching an almost steady stream of cars head to the trailhead, only to be disappointed. A local drove by and asked if I wanted a quick lift back to the dog park. I pulled up my mask and hopped in. He said he often shuttles folks between the park and the trailhead since there is almost no shoulder. He pointed out that the Sunrise Trail helps some, and I mentioned I used it coming up. I thanked him for the assistance. I knew my tracking was going to be funky with that last mile, only to discover I forgot to turn it back on when I left the cave. Oh well.

Bear Mountain

After dropping my son off to spend his one-year dating anniversary with his girlfriend in Tempe, I opted to head up to Sedona for some hiking over the weekend. I had planned to try to hike out to Devil’s Bridge and then maybe try Doe Mountain afterward. But as I drove up to the trailhead, the parking situation looked worse than Mt. Woodson on the weekend. So, I decided to pivot to one of my alternate hikes. Boynton Canyon trailhead was nearby, so I decided to see if I could find reasonable parking there. Sadly, the lot was full and the roadside parking was also packed.

Instead, I opted to hike Bear Mountain, one of the peaks on the Arizona Summer Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. Figuring since this was a harder hike than the other two, it would be less crowded. As I pulled up to the trailhead, I saw that the small lot was full, and about 8 or so cars lined the roadside. Since this is also the same parking spot for Doe Mountain, I figured I would probably be ok with the amount of trail traffic.

I grabbed my gear and crossed the road to the trailhead. The trail starts off crossing a short, flat section before beginning its first climb. I knew from the research I had done, that I was in for a short but steep hike. The trail was fairly easy to follow and whenever there was some uncertainty, painted white markers pointed the direction.

After a steeper section, I found myself on a plateau. It was here I finally got to see the actual summit. Looking back, I was rewarded with some sweeping views.

The trail continued climbing, but at a much gentler grade for a bit. In fact, there were a couple of small descents just to keep me on my toes. Off to my right, was Fay Canyon. I had hiked this several years ago with my twins during a Thanksgiving vacation. I am pretty sure I could spot the rock arch in the cliff. I took a short rest on a log at the saddle before the final steep push to the summit. Thus far, I think I saw about 10-15 hikers on the entire trail. With my break over, I began making my way up to the summit.

After about a quarter mile of climbing, I reached the end of the trail. I enjoyed another break, as well as the views. A rock pile served as the summit marker. I could see Bear Mountain – Middle Peak off to the northwest, but I did not feel the need to add another two miles to this hike.

The hike back down was mostly uneventful. One bonus was that the vistas were easier to see hiking in this direction. Even though it was now mid-afternoon, I did encounter some folks heading up. I gave them some information about what lay ahead, suggesting possible turnaround points. Soon I found myself back off the mountain and making my way across to my car. The parking lot and roadside had thinned out. If I did not have plans to meet a college friend for dinner, I might have done Doe Mountain as well. All told this hike was 4.5 miles roundtrip with about 2,000 feet of elevation gain.

Boynton Canyon

I had hoped to get to the trailhead for Devil’s Bridge before the crowds were too bad, but even with my early arrival, I could not find a parking spot. Plus, given this was still during the pandemic (and before the vaccine) I did not want to deal with it. Instead I headed further down the road to another great hike, Boynton Canyon. I found a parking spot at the the trailhead and grabbed my gear. If the lot was full, there are some overflow spots down the road.

The trail first passes by the Enchantment Resort before leaving civilization behind. You will also see a trail off to your right. This is the Boynton Vista Trail and after a short climb will offer some nice views. It is also said that this is the location of one of the energy vortexes in the region.

Once you are past the resort, the trail will continue northward and into the canyon proper. As you enter the canyon, the canyon wall will become closer and the trees more numerous. While I was here in October, I am sure this shade would be very welcomed during the hotter months. The trail will then turn westward. About 2 miles in is the turn-off to the Subway Cave. I did not do this side trip, in part I was not planning to do it so I did not have any information on the side route.

Staying on the Boynton Canyon Trail, I passed through the beautiful forest filled with ponderosa pine trees, and then oaks and maple trees. The trail does start to get a bit rockier and steeper as it nears the end of the trail. There is a nice wide plateau to relax and enjoy a snack, and of course soak in the view. Then simply retrace your route back to the trailhead.

Fay Canyon

Looking for a milder hike in the Sedona region since my daughter had her arm in the cast, and Fay Canyon seemed like a great option. It is very similar to the Boynton Canyon hike, but shorter. We found a parking spot along Boynton Pass Road. Crossing the road, we entered the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness and began our hike.

The trail passes into the canyon, and the cottonwood trees provide some shade, but it was a pleasant autumn day so it was not needed. After about 0.6 miles, we found the spur trail that would take us up to the arch and ruins. From the canyon floor it is very hard to see it. The trail was a bit steep, but armed with trekking poles we made the climb with no issues.

After exploring the area, we made our careful descent back to the main trail. We headed further into the canyon for a bit before retracing our route to the car.