Left to right: Ron Hoffman, Dennis Zigmunt, Barb Kripps, Nancy Love, Kerry Walsh, Laurie Rosenbloom, Doug Bieker, and Tom Wellman (photo by Mary Hill)
PC Hikers Waiting at The Bus Stop
Mary Hill
The Bus Stop is one of the points of interest on this South Mountain Park hike. Others are Fat Man’s Pass, a very narrow passage on the trail, The Slide, and several 360-degree viewing points of Phoenix. It is a little different than most of our desert hikes, as there are huge boulders and rock formations in the area. All are welcome to join us. For more information go to the club’s website: pchikers.org.
A For Real Waterfall?!
Mary Hill
What?! Water actually in a waterfall? PebbleCreek Hiking Club members discovered on October 15, after four days of rain, there was actually water coming over the White Tank waterfall. Most of us had never seen that on multiple hikes to the area. The cool weather was also a welcome relief from hiking in the scorching summer months. We’d love to have you join us. Learn more at pchikers.org.
Left to right: Doug Bieker, Art Solorio, Pam Marshall, Diana Bedwell, Rowena Stephenson, Tom Wellman, Susan Bernt, Tom Bernt, Laurie Rosenbloom, Thom Zemke, George Houle, Diana Houle, Lynn Warren. Not pictured: Dennis Zigmunt.
Goodyear Make a Difference Day
Rowena Stephenson
Members of the PebbleCreek Hiking Club took time out of their weekend to lend a helping hand during the City of Goodyear’s annual Make a Difference Day on Oct. 25. Approximately 1,000 hours of volunteer time was donated during the event, which totaled nearly $37,000 in value. Saving the City tax dollars which can be redirected toward other essential services and urgent city needs. The group joined over 250 volunteers from several community organizations who came together to complete improvement projects across the city. The initiative aims to beautify neighborhoods, support local residents, and strengthen community ties through volunteer service. The hikers spent the day replacing plants at Loma Linda Park and Estrella Vista South Park, helping to rejuvenate the public spaces and create greener, more inviting environments for residents. If you are interested in enjoying the Arizona outdoors with a fun and also giving group of people, visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.
Left to right: Barbara Valencia, Tom O’Reilly, Charlene Elijew, Nadine Eder, Dennis Zigmunt, Alex Elijew, Barbara Kripps, Dana Thomas, Mark Gruca, Ron Hoffman, Ed Kim, and Stacey Miller pausing behind a fallen saguaro at Estrella Foothills. (Photo by Kay Thomas)
Hikers Encounter Fallen Giant
Kay Thomas
Fall is the perfect time to explore local park trails. On Oct. 31, on a “C” hike at Estrella Foothills, just south of PebbleCreek on Estrella Parkway, the PebbleCreek hiking group encountered an unusual obstacle across the trail, a downed saguaro that measured over 35 feet (because of harsh summers, just one of many casualties observed in the parks this year). Visit the club website at pchikers.org.
Left to right: Lynn Warren (photographer), Kris Raczkiewicz, Stacey Miller, Jan Larson, Neal Wring, and Mike Tansey pausing for a quick photo before heading down after lunch at the top of Granite Mountain.
Hikers Enjoy Prescott Trails
Lynn Warren
For a change of scenery, on Oct. 27, six “B” hikers headed north to Prescott and enjoyed two gorgeous days of hiking, including some impressive fall colors. On the first day, they completed a mostly wooded hike to Goldwater Lake, roughly 10.5 miles but only about 1,000 feet of elevation gain, followed by lunch and libations at the Lazy Z. On the second day, the group enjoyed a shorter but much steeper hike to the top of Granite Mountain, a Prescott icon, so named since the mountain primarily consists of exposed granite boulders and rock formations (and the source of the name of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who died fighting wildfires near Yarnell). The group enjoyed an al fresco lunch at the top of the mountain and had, as is often said, A Table with a View, in this case, impressive views of the Prescott Valley. The club hikes all around the valley year-round, with occasional trips to areas outside the valley; visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.
Left to right: Stacey Miller, Eileen Lords-Mosse, Kris Raczkiewicz, Laurie Malatesta, and Neal Wring pausing along the trail in Estrella Mountain Regional Park to celebrate Laurie’s milestone.
Sweet Treats for Hiking Milestone
Eileen Lords-Mosse
I’m going to share a little-known secret for those not in the PebbleCreek Hiking Club: sweet treats are given when a hiker achieves a worthy milestone. Such was the case on Oct. 16 when Laurie Malatesta achieved the coveted 1,000 miles hiked with the club. And, in a unique twist, Laurie provided her own home-baked, delicious cookies to the group of hikers who shared her milestone in a 9.7-mile hike at Estrella Mountain Regional Park. After retiring from the business that she started, Laurie discovered PebbleCreek, and since joining the club in 2023, has shown herself to be a solid hiker, a fun social hiker, and now, as we recently discovered, an accomplished baker. When Laurie is not hiking or baking, she takes time to enjoy the Cinema Society and staying informed on what is happening in the community. She is a joy to hike with and is representative of the camaraderie to be found in the hiking club. If you would like to meet Laurie and others like her, consider joining us; visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.