Mike, Marilyn, Diane, and Gayle joined me for a 7.5 mile hike starting from the Wagner Trailhead.
Views from Bluff Wash…
Looking toward the McDowells from the Pemberton Trail:
A very healthy saguaro along the Bluff Trail:
Looking toward the Superstitions from the Bluff Trail:
Some of the first poppies of the season…
Tom, Cathy, Marilyn, Nora, Ben, and Marilyn joined me for a hike starting from Tom’s Thumb Trailhead. After visiting Tom’s Thumb, we hiked over to the intersection with the East End Trail, where Dan and Cathy returned via Tom’s Thumb Trail. The rest of us made a loop, going down East End, then returning via Windmill, Coachwhip, Pemberton, Boulder, and Marcus Landslide. We hiked 10.6 miles with over 2100 feet of elevation gain.
Marilyn and Ben hike up the trail to the ridge on which Tom’s Thumb is situated. Pinnacle Peak and Troon Mountain can be seen in the distance.
Nora, Marilyn, Cathy, Ben, and Tom in front of Tom’s Thumb:
A view from the East End Trail:
Approaching the Windmill Trail:
A view of Four Peaks from the Windmill Trail:
Fairy Duster along the Coachwhip Trail:
Marilyn, Nora, Marilyn, and Ben along the Pemberton Trail:
Looking toward the Granite Ballroom and the Sven Towers from the Boulder Trail:
A very large boulder alongside the Marcus Landslide Trail:
Looking toward the Thumbnail Pinnacle from the Marcus Landslide Trail:
Ben, Marilyn, Gayle, Laura, Mike, and Marilyn joined me for a hike of nearly 12 miles. We hiked the South Ridge and the South Wash, returning via Dixie Mine and Pemberton.
Two views of Red Mountain…
The (Fountain Hills) fountain can be seen in this photo!
Looking over the South Wash towards Four Peaks:
This is the other direction, now looking toward the McDowells:
We’re in the wash now, albeit a narrow and shallower part:
Looking towards Four Peaks from the Dixie Mine Trail (near Pemberton). That’s a chain fruit cholla in the foreground.
Another view of Four Peaks, this time from the Pemberton Trail. A bunch of trail runners and mountain bikers had just passed us. You can still see a few of them in this photo.
Laura, Mike, Nora, Heather, Gayle, Bob, Ben, and Marilyn joined me for a nearly eleven mile hike in the McDowells. We visited the Dixie Mine and then continued onto Prospector, making a loop additionally comprised of the Bell Pass, Windmill, and Coachwhip trails.
Looking toward the McDowells from early in the hike:
Affectionate saguaros:
Dixie Mine adit:
Petroglyphs:
More petroglyphs:
Hiking up the waterfall:
A cool slab along the way up-canyon:
Laura, Mike, Nora, Heather, Gayle, Bob, Ben, and Marilyn:
Looking towards Fountain Hills and the Superstitions from the Prospector Trail overlook:
Continuing on the Prospector Trail…
Looking towards Four Peaks from the Bell Pass Trail:
Brittlebush blossoms along the Windmill Trail:
