Pete Williams (Superman shirt) and 19 fellow hikers toast a unique accomplishment at Balanced Rock in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve; Photo by Lynn Warren.
Lynn Warren
When the hiking club began collecting statistics in 2004, the recorder likely never envisioned needing to use five digits for miles hiked. However, on April 8, Pete Williams, a “Super Hiker” since 2006, became the first and only club hiker to achieve 10,000 miles. Pete and 19 fellow hikers celebrated this great achievement with a toast of orange juice and champagne at the base of the impressive Balanced Rock in Scottdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve. In the early years, the club offered hikes on just one to two days a week but now, with the increased popularity of hiking, offers hikes six days a week with hikes for most levels of fitness. Pete has played an important role in this progression and currently serves as the club “trail master,” coordinating, scheduling and leading hikes for the regular season as well as researching new trails for the club to explore during the summer. The club hikes in many interesting areas around the valley, providing the opportunity to enjoy scenery and terrain a person might be reluctant to experience as a solo hiker. Visit the club’s website at pchikers.org for more information and pictures.