Left to right: Clare Bangs, Barb Boullear, Gary Bray, Marilyn Reynolds and Lynn Warren (photographer) in the morning sun on the south side of Saddle Mountain.
Lynn Warren
When Creekers hear Saddle Mountain, many associate this with the Saddle Mountain Brewery located just south of PebbleCreek. When PC hikers hear Saddle Mountain, they picture the brewery’s namesake, the odd-shaped mountain visible south of I-10 at Tonopah which looks as though a monster may have taken a giant bite out of the middle. On a hot April 21, just before the end of the regular season, five B hikers were treated to close-up views of dramatic scenery, somewhat like the Superstitions, as they tackled the challenging terrain to complete a seven mile loop around the mountain. Sadly, not only was this hike one of the last of the regular season, it was also a bit of a hiking swan song for Barb Boullear. She was a long time PebbleCreek resident and strong B hiker, including several backpacking adventures in the Grand Canyon, but she has relocated to Kansas City to be close to family. Hopefully she will get to visit PebbleCreek from time to time and again join us on a hike. The club enjoys adventurous hikes such as this all around the valley, as well as overnight trips to more distant areas. The club meets in the Tuscany Ballroom on the third Thursday throughout the hiking season and challenges the summer heat to find new trails for the next season; visit the club’s website at pchikers.org for more information and pictures.