From left: Neal Wring, Vicki Carter, Kris Raczkiewicz, Marilyn Reynolds, Bill Halte, Clare Bangs, Leon and Eileen Mosse, and Lynn Warren (photographer) relaxing after a leisurely lunch on the summit of Picacho Peak.
Hikers Enjoy Views on Picacho Peak Summit
Lynn Warren
If you have driven I-10 to Tucson, you probably noticed an imposing peak on the west side of the interstate about 45 miles north of Tucson at the exit for Picacho Peak State Park, site of the westernmost battle of the Civil War. The sheer rock mountain is Picacho Peak, and on March 1, nine A and B hikers successfully completed the short but steep climb to the summit, aided by cables in several steep sections. Although short in distance, this hike was very challenging, both going up and coming down, and everyone was pleased to have completed the hike with no incidents. The club enjoys interesting hikes all around the valley and occasionally travels farther for adventures such as this. Visit the club’s website at pchikers.org for more information and pictures.
From left: Kris Raczkiewicz, Wayne Wills, Vicki Carter, Lynn Warren (photographer), Eileen Lords-Mosse, and Mike Tansey celebrating an important milestone in nearby FINS park.
Canadian Hiker Hits a Milestone
Lynn Warren
The Hiking Club has several Canadian members but, because of the COVID situation, Vicki Carter is the only one who braved the trip to PebbleCreek for the current hiking season. Vicki has been a member of the club since 2011, so it may seem that it has taken her a long time to reach 1,609 km (that’s 1,000 miles for us), but it is a matter of having enough time, not ability, since Vicki is an excellent hiker who can easily handle any club hike. She is a snowbird from the Toronto area, so she is only here for part of the year, and she has other interests such as Tri-Chicks events, biking, skiing, and pickleball, which interfere with hiking. However, on Jan. 16, Vicki reached 1,609 kilometers and was joined by fellow hikers on a 19 kilometer hike to celebrate the occasion in nearby FINS hiking area. For more information about the club, visit the club’s website at pchikers.org.
Hiking Club Sees the Michelin Man at Cave Creek
Jan Sherwood
There are many benefits to joining the PebbleCreek Hiking Club. It’s a great way to exercise, we are a social, fun-loving group, our hikes take us through scenic areas in the surrounding desert, and we encounter some truly spectacular surprises. On this hike, we took a short spur off the main trail to see the “Michelin Man.” It’s not named that on the Cave Creek Regional Park map, but the PebbleCreek hikers gave it this designation—do you agree?
There are four levels of hikes, six days each week. Each hike has a leader and sweep; for safety, we carry an emergency locator beacon and a medical kit. If you’d like to explore the desert with us, check out the website at pchikers.org.
Dennis Zigmunt, Gary Baker, Wayne Wills, Ron Grove, Nadine Elder, Tom Wellman, Charlene Elijew, Pat Wilson, Alex Elijew, Sandy Mednick, and Art Solorio. (Photo by Jan Sherwood)
Hiking the Star Tower Trails
Jan Sherwood
The PebbleCreek Hiking Club drove a short distance down Estrella Parkway to hike the Star Tower trails. By day, the Star Tower trails are a close-in opportunity to hike intersecting loops with names like Sidewinder, Coyote Creek, Scorpion, Tarantula, and Roadrunner; all marked at intersections with colorful painted rocks to match the trail names. You can choose to hike a short distance or combine loops into a longer hike. We combined eight segments into our day hike. You can also visit at night when the Star Tower glows with embedded lights mimicking the Milky Way constellation. The club offers hikes of various degrees of difficulty six days a week. For more information, visit our website at pchikers.org.
Sandy Mednick, Charlene Elijew, Dennis Zigmunt, Tom Wellman, Wayne Wills, Ron Groves, and Alex Elijew (Jan Sherwood photographer)
Fifteen Hikers Visit the Copper Mountain Segment
Jan Sherwood
On a cold and windy day, 15 hikers in two groups hiked part of the Copper Mountain segment of the Black Canyon National Recreation Trail. The nearly 80 mile trail, in the Sonoran Desert, follows the Bradshaw Mountains near I-17, starting from the Carefree Highway and extending to Prescott National Forest. There are multiple convenient trailheads giving access to the various segments of this trail. Our group’s hike followed the well maintained Copper Mountain Loop Trail from the Big Bug Trailhead up to rocky ledges, giving us expansive views of the valley. The day warmed up, layers were shed, and the wind grew stronger as we headed back to the cars. The Hiking Club has hikes of various levels on every day except Sunday. For more information and to join a hike, visit the club’s website at pchikers.org.