Spur Cross Ranch
The Dragonfly Trail
Pete Williams
Nine members of the PebbleCreek Hiking Club did a hike on December 6 in the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. The Dragonfly Trail they did goes through a riparian area known for its numerous bird species. The hikers also hiked along the Metate Trail which has many very large Saguaros. Hikers that day included (left to right): Tom Wellman, Dave Geurden, Art Solorio, Wayne McKinney, Nancy Love, Wayne Wills, Laurie Rosenbloom, Doug Jamiolkowski (hike leader) and Jeanette Wellman. Check out our website at pchikers.org for more photos and information about the club.
Left to right: Lynn Warren, Steve Duncanson, Joe Clarkson, Wayne Wills, Helen Lewandowski, Dennis Zigmunt, Mark Frumkin and Bill Baxter testing “The Diving Board” (photo by Pete Williams since this was not selfie range).
Massacre Grounds and Massacre Falls
Lynn Warren
Massacre Grounds and Massacre Falls are on the northwest flanks of the Superstition Mountains and reward hikers with outstanding scenery and close-up experiences with scenic rock formations. On November 11, nine PC hikers took advantage of warm, sunny fall weather and enjoyed a hike to Massacre Falls (normally dry) and enjoyed lunch below the impressive cliff; on the return, near an area known as Massacre Grounds (according to legend, site of an Apache attack on one of the Peralta ore trains trying to transport gold ore to Mexico before this area was transferred to the United States after the Gadsden Purchase), they had a little fun and clowned around on an unusual rock formation nicknamed “The Diving Board.” The club hikes five days a week all around the valley and offers interesting hikes for almost every fitness level; the next meeting is January 19. Visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.
Left to right: Clare Bangs, Donna and Jeff Gillen, Lynn Warren (photographer), Ed Kim and Vicki Carter are surrounded by brilliant white on the summit of Quartz Peak.
Quartz Peak
Lynn Warren
Looking down at South Mountain is not something you normally have an opportunity to do but on December 1, six “B” hikers hiked to the top of Quartz Peak to enjoy almost 360 degree views, including Rainbow Valley, Saddle Mountain, Phoenix and South Mountain. Quartz Peak is part of the Sierra Estrella Mountains which you see when driving on I-10 since the range lies just southeast of PebbleCreek. Quartz Peak is in the heart of the range but, at 4,052 feet, is not the highest (Hayes and Montezuma’s Peak are higher) but is unique since the summit is a huge outcropping of brilliant white quartz. To reach the trailhead, the hikers drove south through Rainbow Valley and headed east toward the Estrellas on an adventurous nine-mile drive on a primitive desert road; although the BLM trailhead is in a very remote area, surprisingly there is a parking area with defined spots and a restroom. The hike to the peak is quite strenuous since it is a steady three-mile part trail, part scramble, 2500 feet climb to the summit but hikers are rewarded with a most unusual lunch spot with outstanding views. The club hikes five days a week all around the valley, occasionally including an adventure hike such as Quartz, but offers hikes for almost every level of fitness; visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.