Left to right: Lynn Warren (photographer), Clare Bangs, Marilyn Reynolds, and Mike Tansey celebrating Clare’s achievement on Quartz Peak, where the drive to get there is as challenging as the climb.
Hiker Celebrates Major Milestone on Quartz Peak
Lynn Warren
Clare Bangs has been with the Hiking Club since 2013, serving as a “B” hike coordinator and is one of the handful who still backpacks, participating in outings in the Grand Canyon and along the Arizona Trail. He has racked up an impressive number of miles, only pausing a couple of years ago for a few weeks of rehab after a knee replacement. On Nov. 19, Clare and three fellow “B” hikers celebrated Clare’s reaching the milestone of 8,000 miles, only the fourth club member to reach this lofty level. Appropriately, the celebration was on top of a mountain peak. Quartz Peak is very impressive since it is a giant outcropping of white quartz on top of a peak in the middle of the Sierra Estrellas, approximately 25 miles south of PebbleCreek. The Hiking Club provides opportunities to experience many interesting areas such as this; visit the club’s website at pchikers.org for COVID updates and pictures.
Left to right: Neal Wring, Lynn Warren (photographer), Kris Raczkiewicz, Steve McElroy, and Eileen Lords-Mosse pausing on top of Bluff Springs Mt. with Weaver’s Needle in the background.
Hikers Enjoy an Adventure Hike in the Superstitions
Lynn Warren
The Hiking Club has four levels of hikes: D, C, B, and the less publicized A level. The A level tackles longer, harder, and usually more adventurous hikes. On Nov. 23, five A hikers enjoyed a 14-mile, 3,000 ft. challenge in the Superstitions. They hiked to the top of Bluff Springs Mt. and then bushwhacking along steep rocky ridges down to the Terrapin Trail. The hikers then took the Crosscut Trail, which passes just south of iconic Weaver’s Needle and is a beautiful spot for a break. This trail enabled the hikers to connect to the Peralta Trail and complete a loop back to the trailhead. The club enjoys scenic and adventurous hikes all around the valley. Visit the club’s website at pchikers.org for more information and pictures.