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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Ridgeline hike above the Verde River Valley


Holiday surprise on the trail: Dec. 24, 2012
SCENIC TRAIL
McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Fountain Hills

With 20 trails laced over 21,000 acres of Verde River Basin desert, selecting a hike in this northeast Valley county park can be a dilemma. Therefore, I submit a suggestion---begin with Scenic Trail to get a fast and easy overview of the park layout.  Scenic Trail leaves from the main trailhead staging lot making a lasso-loop up and over the Lousley Hills.  Although the Rio Fire ravaged some of the area in 1995, once up on the ridgeline, the land returns to beautiful Sonoran desert glory.  Because much of the route follows the backbone of the Hills, the trail lives up to its name by offering double-edge views of the entire park, the town of Fountain Hills (look for the famous fountain at the top of each hour), the Verde River Valley and the green pecan and citrus farms of the Ft McDowell Indian Reservation.  A memorial bench on the crest provides a nice meditation or water break spot.  Here, look for an unusual crested saguaro on the downhill slope.  It's unique because the fan-like deformation is on one of the cactus' arms instead of on the top.
Overlooking the Verde River Valley

LENGTH:  4.3-mile loop
RATING:  moderate
ELEVATION:  1860' - 2011'
FEES:  $6 daily fee per vehicle, $2 walk or bike-in, annual passes available.
FACILITIES:  restrooms, water, visitor center, picnic tables, camping
GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, go east on Loop 202 to Beeline Highway (SR87). Head north on SR87 to Shea Blvd, turn left and drive less than a mile to Saguaro Blvd, turn right and continue to Fountain Hills Blvd, turn right and continue 4 miles to the park entrance. Pay your fee and drive thru the park to the main trailhead staging area at the end of Shallmo Drive.  Maps are available at the park entrance and visitor center.
A curious coyote checks us out

INFO: Maricopa County Parks & Recreation, 480-471-0173

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New Years Eve Day guided hike

SUNRISE PEAK
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Sunrise Peak

End the year on a high note atop Sunrise Peak with volunteer stewards of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve.  This guided trek with some steep sections is open to experienced, hardy hikers.  Click the link below to learn more.


LENGTH: 6 miles
RATING: moderate-difficult
ELEVATION GAIN: 900 ft
DATE: Monday, Dec 31, 2012
TIME: meet 7:45 sharp
PLACE: Lost Dog Wash trailhead, Scottsdale
INFO:
http://mcdowellsonoran.org/event/displayEvent/46#sthash.kKE1RbJa.dpbs

Sunday, December 23, 2012

The super volcano in our backyard


DUTCHMAN'S-BLACK MESA-SECOND WATER LOOP
Superstition Wilderness

Recent rains wet the washes: Dec. 22, 2012
So, now that we've survived the Mayan calendar end of the world scenario, let's take a step back in time to reflect on what a fire and brimstone extinction event might have looked like.  Fortunately, we can hike on the slag of just such a cataclysm---just pick any trail in the western Superstition Wilderness.
Weavers Needle
Stepping out on Dutchman's Trail
Between 25 and 15 million years ago, the craggy outback we know as the "Supes” was a churning cauldron of molten rock and white-hot volcanic cinders.  Here, the earth-borne violence was on the scale of what geologists call "super volcanoes"---incomprehensibly massive eruptive forces that spewed ash over thousands of miles.  As the firestorms wound down, the volcanoes collapsed to form a chain of deep depressions known as calderas.  Today, what remains of this maelstrom is a tumultuous landscape of bizarre hoodoos and eroded pillars of fused ejecta called "welded tuff".  Although this type of geology does not produce prime pickings for gold hunters, myths that the Lost Dutchman's Mine (and its rich cache) is hidden in this wilderness persist--adding colorful lore to the stark, rugged landscape.  First Water Trailhead is the major gateway to the western edge of Superstitions providing access to major hiking routes that crisscross the 160,200-acre badlands.  A relatively mild way to experience the guts of this terrain in a day hike is to make a loop with Dutchman's, Black Mesa, and Second Water trails.  The loop moves among some of the Supe's most awe-inspiring landmarks---deeply incised canyons of igneous rock, Yellow Peak (3061') and the area's signature feature, 4553' Weaver's Needle.  Contrary to what many people think, the needle is not a volcanic plug.  It's just eroding tuff like most everything else around it. So hike soundly fellow trekkers, Weaver's Needle will not pelt our trails in a fury of molten rock.  We'll have to settle to marvel in its deterioration as it slowly crumbles to dust over the next 100 million years.
HIKE DIRECTIONS:
From the trailhead, follow the access path 0.3 mile to the Dutchman's Trail #104 junction.  Veer right (south) and follow #104 3.9 miles to the Black Mesa Trail #241 junction.  Turn left (northwest) here and continue 3.0 miles on #241 to the Second Water Trail #236 junction, turn left (south) and follow #236 1.5 miles back to the Dutchman's junction, turn right and hike 0.3 mike back to the trailhead.
Hoodoos 

LENGTH:  9-mile loop
RATING:  easy-moderate
ELEVATION:  2,270' - 2,750'
FACILITIES:  restrooms, map kiosk
FEE: NONE at First Water trailhead.

GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, go east on US60 to the Idaho Road (SR88) exit.  Turn left and follow Idaho to SR88 and turn right.  Follow SR88 to First Water Road (FR78), which is located about a half mile past the entrance to Lost Dutchman State Park (between mileposts 201-202) and signed for First Water Trailhead. Turn right on FR78 and go 2.6 miles to the trailhead.

INFO: Mesa Ranger District, Tonto National Forest, 480-610-3300

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