Climb every mountain – in the Phoenix area

I’m not exactly Maria from the “Sound of Music,” but lately I feel like I’ve been climbing every mountain I can find around Phoenix.

Part of the reason is because I am totally loving the Arizona landscape. Who would have thought it would be so beautiful here? Before I moved to the area, all people told me was that it was hot and desert-like.
 

Yes, it’s hot. Extremely hot, but the desert is interesting.

But I digress. The real reason I’m climbing the mountains in the area is because they are there.

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PINNACLE PEAK - SO CLOSE TO HOME

My first one and the one that got me hooked was Pinnacle Peak.

This little guy is located just outside of Phoenix and I did it twice in one day. The first time I ran/walked up and then because it was so beautiful, I did it again, but the second time I brought my iPhone so I could take photos on the way.

It’s absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite ones in the area so far. The hike is only 1.75 miles (one way) and you climb approximately 1,300 feet with the highest point of the trail at 2,889 feet. It’s not a loop trail so you go down the same way you go up.

These photos were taken in the fall after the heat of the summer, but one of the reasons I love this trail so much is that the landscape changes so much throughout the year.  I did this one almost every week so was able to see the spring flowers bloom in March/April, the green of the cactus during May and June and then the browns of the fall.

One of the pluses of this trail is that it’s well-marked so you won’t get lost. They also have guides that walk up the path an hour before they close (at sunset) to make sure everyone is off the peak – so no chance of being left behind.

The only downside of Pinnacle Peak is that it can be crowded on the weekend.

I tried it one Sunday morning and even at 6:30 a.m., it was crazy busy. It’s less busy during the week.

Want to go for a hike? It’s located at 26802 N. 102nd Way in Scottsdale.





CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN

Every day on my way to work, I drive past this amazing red mountain. Turns out this is the infamous Camelback Mountain. It's really only famous in Phoenix as people always want to know if you've climbed it.

I have climbed it but only the Cholla Trail side.  There is a reason for this.  I was going to climb the Echo Canyon side which they say is shorter, but steeper, however, the week before my set date to climb a bunch of killer bees attacked a group of hikers and one of them died.  He fell off the side of the mountain. His buddies were just badly stung.

Now I know I hung out with the Bee Whisperer this summer in Carmel Valley, but those were honey bees. These were African “killer” bees. I wasn’t sure I was ready to mess those big boys.

So I did the Cholla side, which some say is a little harder because you don’t have any ropes to pull yourself up. You have to hoist yourself up over the rocks.  In fact, the last 1/8 of a mile to the summit is all rock scrambling.

So here’s the scoop with this hike. You have to go early. Really early. Like just as the sun is getting up early.  Otherwise you are not going to get parking in the area and you’ll not only be crawling over rocks, but people in your quest to get to the top.

What is fun though is that while I think this climb is harder than Pinnacle Peak, dogs can make it up to the top.

 If you want to try it, the Cholla Trailhead is located at the end of Cholla Lane, which is off of Invergordon Street (N. 64th Street).  It’s 3.5 miles round trip from trailhead to the top and back.