Left to right, rear: Stacey Miller and Mike Tansey; front: Dana Thomas, Eileen Lords-Mosse, Clare Bangs, Bill Halte, and Lynn Warren (photographer) pausing after a snack break on a saddle in Estrella Mountain Regional Park.
Hikers Enjoy Estrella Mountain Regional Park
Lynn Warren
The Maricopa County Park System encompasses 14 different areas, and Estrella Mountain Regional Park, a short distance south of PebbleCreek (PC), is one visited frequently by PC hikers since it is close and offers a variety of trails that can be combined to create hikes of different distances and elevation gains. On Aug. 7, just another really hot and humid morning, seven acclimated summer hikers enjoyed a familiar but enjoyable 8-mile loop hike with approximately 700 feet of elevation gain. Even though it was early, the group stopped halfway through the hike and enjoyed a short snack break with a great view of the valley. Join the hiking club and enjoy interesting areas like this with a great group of fellow hikers; visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.
Left to right: Lynn Warren (photographer), Diana Bedwell, Clare Bangs, Joyce Raidle, Rob Gold (guest), Bill Halte, and Mike Tansey pausing after a snack break in a big wash along the Dysart trail in Estrella Mountain Regional Park.
Hikers Enjoy “Cool” Hike
in EMRP
Lynn Warren
People normally think of a day with a forecast high of 105 degrees as a “hot” day. However, considering the high temperatures and humidity experienced in July and August, seven summer hikers thought that a Labor Day hike in Estrella Mountain Regional Park (EMRP) was quite comfortable and welcome relief relative to most outings in the previous weeks, and enjoyed a scenic 7-mile early morning loop in this nearby county park (many PC hikers support the county parks by buying an annual pass). The hiking club offers hikes appropriate for most levels of fitness; join the club and enjoy the Arizona outdoors with a fun group of people. Visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.
Left to right: Clare Bangs, Bill Halte, Mike Tansey, Neal Wring, Kris Raczkiewicz, Steve McElroy, and Lynn Warren (photographer) pausing for a quick photo after a snack break at Ford Canyon Dam on a hot, humid morning.
Hikers Challenge Ford Canyon in the Heat
Lynn Warren
As luck would have it, the hike scheduled for Aug. 28, on one of the more challenging trails in White Tank Mountain Regional Park, was on a day when the high in Phoenix reached 115 degrees. Regardless, seven summer hikers began the strenuous climb in rugged but scenic Ford Canyon (named for colorful pioneer Bert Ford) around 6 a.m. (a spectacular sunrise but already 100 degrees); normally, this hike would be a longer loop but because of summer heat and humidity, the group only went to the dam, which today holds back sand instead of water, and enjoyed a 7.5-mile round trip with 900 feet of elevation gain. As evidenced by the photo above, the group was in great shape at the dam and turnaround point, and found the return easy since it was almost all downhill. The hiking club offers a great opportunity to experience interesting areas like Ford Canyon you might not visit on your own; visit the club website at pchikers.org for more information and photos.