Pete Williams
Thirteen members of the PebbleCreek Hiking Club did a hike on October 28 on one of the top trails in Arizona – the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon in Sedona. At this time of the year this is one of the most beautiful hikes in the state. Pictured left to right are Pete Williams, Susan Rudoy, Alex Elijew, Charlene Elijew, Jim O’Shea, David Geurden, Jan Sherwood, Dana Thomas, Kay Thomas, Wayne Wills, Ron Hoffman and Roger Sanders. Doug Jamiolkowski was photographer and hike leader. Besides hiking in the Valley of the Sun, the club does hikes in Wickenburg, Prescott and Sedona. Check out our website at pchikers.org for more information about the club.
Left to right: Lynn Warren (photographer), Jim Gillespie, Leah and Steve Martin and Les Reister on the summit of Governor’s Peak.
Lynn Warren
A trail which has a “Welcome to Hell” sign at the sign-in register might intimidate some hikers but on October 23, five PC hikers headed northwest of Lake Pleasant on Castle Hot Springs Road and hiked to the summit of Governor’s Peak which provides 360 degree views of the rugged but scenic Hell’s Canyon Wilderness area. The peak is just over 3,000 feet in elevation and provides a bird’s eye view of the well maintained iconic Castle Hot Springs Resort far below. On the drive in, the hikers were greeted by a healthy wild burro and on the way out they stopped to photograph a neat jack-o’-lantern resting on the broken trunk of a saguaro, between upstretched arms. The hiking club enjoys local hikes all around the valley to areas such as Lake Pleasant, as well as overnight trips to more distant areas. The club meets in the Tuscany Ballroom on the third Thursday throughout the hiking season; visit the club’s website at PCHIKERS.ORG for more information and pictures.
Pete Williams
On October 22, 22 PebbleCreek Hiking Club members did a four mile hike and seven more did an eight mile hike on the new trails around Lake Pleasant. We then had lunch at Dillons BBQ on the marina on the lake. Doug Jamiolkowski took this photo when the two groups passed each other on the trail. The weather was perfect; the trails were great and the food excellent. A good time was had by all. The club does hikes at three levels several times a week. Check out our website at pchikers.org for more photos and information about the club.
Left to right: Clare Bangs, Steve McElroy, Bill Halte, Lynn Warren and Marilyn Reynolds on top of Camelback with Piestewa Peak in the background.
Lynn Warren
November brought cooler weather so five PebbleCreek hikers decided to do their own mini version of the Phoenix Summit Challenge on November 2. They warmed up with a hike to the top of South Mountain via the steep Holbert Trail and capped off the day with a climb to the summit of Camelback via the steep and rugged Echo Canyon Trail (for a day total of 9.8 miles and almost 3,000 feet of vertical). The original plan called for also climbing to the summit of Piestewa but, thanks to heavy morning traffic, the hikers ran out of time so saved this one for later. The hiking club enjoys hikes all around the valley to many local icons, as well as overnight trips to more distant areas. The club meets in the Tuscany Ballroom on the third Thursday throughout the hiking season; visit the club’s website at PCHIKERS.ORG for more information and pictures.