Hike #17 - A Mountain (Tempe Butte) Tempe AZ

Hike #17

Date: March 29th
Hikers: Me & Megan

Location: Tempe AZ
Distance: 1 mile
Rating: Moderate (because it is straight up hill - But a short distance)
Time: 30 minutes


History Link:https://www.asu.edu/tour/tempe/amtn.html

FEAR THE FORK!!

I have never hiked up A Mountain.  Even with my son being a Sun Devil I had never done it.  Well today is the day.  Megan and I are hiking up and then meeting Ricky for breakfast and then heading to watch the Dragonboat competition on Tempe Town Lake.

Read the history on the link above about the "A".  I never knew the history.

We parked off Ash by the railroad tracks only because I thought the parking would be difficult because there were a lot of activities going on this weekend.

The hike up is quick!!  It is straight up the mountain on a hill.  It is not too tough.  Gets your heart pounding but it is a quickie.  Older people or people with knee issues should probably stay away.  Everyone else.  Check it out!!

Hayden Flour Mill at the base of "A" Mountain

This was a busy area.  More so when we were coming down. Infact I saw a guy I work with and his wife coming up.  That was fun!

Most of the road up is paved.  We started off Mill.  You can start on a trail to the south of the mountain vs taking the road.

 Resting area where the trail and the road meet.  View to the North West.  Lots of new building over the Tempe Town Lake area.

Quick Pose! 

Another resting spot just under the "A"

 From the resting spot the trail is typical hiking.  There are hand rails if you need them.

The "A" is right off the trail. Two guys were hanging out next to it.

 View to the North over Tempe Town Lake. The Dragonboats are competing right behind the building.  

Final section to the top! 

"A" From the Top

Quick Stop to enjoy the View!

Planes from Sky Harbor very active.  Steps heading back down.  Lots more people coming up.  All ages.  One family had a 2 year old and a 6 month old on the guys back.







All Done!  Now back to the car across the tracks as the light rail comes by.  Pick up Ricky and ready to eat!!

"A" Mountain from the parking garage one street over where we went to breakfast.  OMG The best pancakes ever!  Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Rolled and carmel syrup with bacon and plain buttermilk.

Maybe we should hike again to burn the calories.




Try Snooze in Tempe! Worth the long wait on weekends. They gave us a free one because our order took so long.  Like we really needed another pancake.

My two favorite people in the whole world! 

Hike #17 Done! 

1/3 of the way to 51!!

Hike #16 - Quartz Trail, McDowell Mountains Scottsdale AZ

Hike #16

Date: March 28th
Hikers: Me & Jim

Location: Scottsdale AZ
Distance: Less 5 miles
Rating: Easy
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes


Link:http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve/trailheads

We have hiked most of the Scottsdale McDowells at this point.  However we have not done the Quartz Trail.  Not to be confused with the Quartz Trail at Piestewa Peak.  This trailhead is located in the McDowell Mountain Ranch development.  The trailhead parking is across the street from the trail off 102nd street and Mountain Ranch Road.

The Trail is a 9.5 mile out and back hike.  Today we are going to hike to the Talisan Trailhead and turn around. For about a 5 mile hike.

Lots of parking.  No water though.  The trees are all in full bloom. Especially the yellow ones.  ACHOOO. Don't even know their name because I don't want to know their name.


Cross the street and see the trailhead that runs along the road for 1/8th of a mile then down into the wash.

This hike is between two neighborhoods.  You walk in the wash and along some houses before you travel up into the McDowells.  There were a few people.  Few bikes but otherwise pretty quiet.

We walked under the street to continue up the trail.  The signs are well marked.  Seems like more neighborhood biking people use this trail.

 The cactus is starting to bloom. They are beautiful.  The morning is a little crisp. Low 60's but the sweatshirt comes off quickly.

 The view from out turnaround spot.  At 2.4 marker.  After this you will head towards Quartz Knob for another 2.5 miles to the end of the trail.  I will come back another day to do the 9 miles.

 The View of the McDowells after our hike.  It is a beautiful day in the valley of the sun!

It was a nice hike.  Jim and I enjoyed talking about our Fitbit war we had going on this week.  He is my rabbit right now.  He does a lot of steps at work.  He is forcing me to getup and take breaks at work!!  It is fun to challenge each other with the fitbit app. 

My ending temperature at 9:00 am. But look at the high for today.  97!! Yeah Baby!  Summer is just around the corner.  Forgot to shut off my Hike app as we chatted by the car.  A little over 1 hour hike.  

Hike #16! 

Done! 

Hike #15 Spur Crossing towards Skull Mesa Cave Creek, AZ

Hike #15

Date: March 21st
Hikers: Me & Jim

Location: Cave Creek AZ
Distance: Less 5 miles
Rating: Easy
Time: 1 1/2 hours


Link:http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/spur_cross/

We hiked out here in November of 2013.  This is where we did Elephant Mountain.  Today Jim and I ventured north on Spur Crossing towards Skull Mesa.  I would love to hike Skull Mesa some day. That is a 12 to 15 miler.

Beautiful morning in Arizona. The roads in Cave Creek were blocked off. At the time I did not know why. Today the plan is Spur Crossing as far as we can go but a 5 miler round trip max hike is planned.

Jim and I met at the Trailhead. $3 per person is the price to enter the park.  There were lots of cars in the parking lot but no one on our trail.  A lady and her two dogs ran passed us and then we saw two guys on the way back. I think most do the Spur Crossing South to Elephant Mountain.

The Creek was fairly dry when we first started however as we progressed up the trail there was more water.  We traversed the creek several times.  The first time there was a nice wood bridge for us to walk across.

Jim Striking a Pose!

We started up a slight hill with the creek to our right.  The flowers were beautiful and the bee's were buzzing. We quickly hit the next crossing and the water was much deeper.  There were boulders that we could step on to walk across. 

Much Deeper! 

Jim had no problem skipping on these rocks

 We crossed the rocks and headed up another hill we figured we would hit the creek again to cross.  We were in the Forest Road now.

 This is where our journey on this trail ended.  The water was too deep and now clear path of rocks to go across. We did not want to get our boots soaked.  We saw a dry creek to the West so we decided to go up that until we could no longer.  We were at about 2 miles here.

Shaded area so it looks green on my iPhone.  Weird! 

When we started this morning at 7:30 it was crispy and breezy.  Now 45 minutes later it is hot even in the shade.  We walked up the dry creek for 10 minutes.  You could see small prints in the sand.  I think a four legged creature has been here.

Pictures could not do this creek area justice.  The colors were red and the sun and cactus were all ahead.

We turned around and headed back from where we came.  We passed two guys coming towards us and that was about it.

Back at the first place we crossed the creek there was a duck and his wife.  Swimming around and chasing each other.

At the top of the hill we decided to take the Metate Trail back towards the parking lot.  This is .8 of a mile and picks up the bottom of Spurs Crossing.  It is about the same distance as the way we came but a much prettier trail.  We came upon this cactus as we headed into a much denser area.

We saw this rock under a cactus in the shade.  Jim said that it was used by the Natives of the land for them to grind corn.  It now was filled with water.  It looked like a heart from the distance but you can see where each side they must of scrapped something and it made the rock wither away.  Really Cool.  These purple flowers were only in this area.  Bee's stuck in everyone.

 So do I feel dumb?  After googling "rock to grind stone" I get this definition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metate
Guess what the trail is called. Metate!  Who knew.  Definition = A ground stone used to process grain or corn.  Jim is so smart. But we did not put two and two together to know the trail was named for the rock.  I feel smart now!!

View Looking Back of Dry Creek

 The yellow flowers in this area were magnificent.  There was this big field that was covered!

ACHHHHHOOOOO

 We finished up the hike on Spurs Crossing back to the car.  This area was packed with people.  All Ages.  We headed up the hill to the car and met back up with the lady we first saw running with her two dogs.  She said she did not see anyone on the trail we did as well.

Jim & I said goodbye and headed home.  Jim told me the streets were blocked off because it was the Cave Creek annual parade.  When I got back to the street a little after 9 I found the parade had started.  Horses were the hit of the Parade.  These folks had blowup horses on. Very funny.  Maybe next year we hike and then come watch the parade.  Need to remember that.

Zoom in they are blow up Donkeys!  

Fun Hike.  Maybe when I can easily cross the creek we will go for the 12 mile Skull Mesa Hike.  

Hike #15 

Done!