Camelback trails connect?

[azdesertfather]

Here's an easy question for those of you who have hike Camelback a lot more regularly than I have...do the endpoints of Echo Canyon & Cholla Trails connect at the same spot? If not, is one easy to find from the other? Thought it might be fun sometime to go from one TH to the other TH and back.

[chumley]

The both end up at the same spot on top of the mountain, and you can continue down the other trail on the opposite side.

[joebartels]

Yes. It's best to go up the Cholla end if it's your first time.
http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?GPS=878

[chumley]

Good point Joe: unless you see other people hiking down, it's a bit tough to figure out where the Cholla Trail starts down the mountain. It's basically just on a solid rock ridge for a while before an actual discernible trail appears.

[azdesertfather]

Yes. It's best to go up the Cholla end if it's your first time.
http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?GPS=878

I've done both. Why do you suggest the Cholla end as the starting point?

[azdesertfather]

Good point Joe: unless you see other people hiking down, it's a bit tough to figure out where the Cholla Trail starts down the mountain. It's basically just on a solid rock ridge for a while before an actual discernible trail appears.

oh, is that the reason? so it's easier to see where the Echo Canyon trail goes down the mountain if you came from Cholla for some reason? Never paid attention to that before...

[joebartels]

Echo isn't the issue, Cholla at the top is faint. However it doesn't matter, since you've done both.

[Davis2001r6]

I've done the "double humper" as I call it, starting at one side going up over and back down, then over again. As Joe said the Cholla trail can be a bit faint at the top.

[dinochelle]

IMO based on my past experience..starting w/ cholla and going down echo...I would stick w/ this if I were doing it again. b/c I would rather hike up the conditions of cholla and then do the rock hop down echo than to have to hike up all those rocks/boulders on the echo side 1st, that's a bit easier on my legs. I don't think the trail change-over is the main issue..I'd go by which type of hiking you prefer to start and end with and depending on what time of day you're starting...the shade/sun issue. Either which way....it's one heck of a mountain to hike...but I love it. oh, and the diversity of people on either side is pretty interesting too.

[azdesertfather]

sounds good...i think i might give this a try friday morning

[dinochelle]

one last thought....take into consideration the parking ;)

[DarthStiller]

Whenever I used to do both trails during the summer, I would always start on Cholla only because there's water over at Echo Canyon, which will be your halfway point of the hike. I would hate to start at Echo Canyon and run out of water partway up Cholla.

[jostream]

Either which way....it's one heck of a mountain to hike...but I love it. oh, and the diversity of people on either side is pretty interesting too.

That's an interesting point. What is your impression of the folks who do Cholla vs Echo? Without too much stereotyping of course.

[chumley]

My impression on the "diversity of people" comment refers to the variety of who you see on there. I used to hike Echo Canyon every single morning back when I worked a short walk from the TH. I would be out early and see then-Governor Symington (and his security entourage) several times a week. At that time of day, you have some serious regulars, and pretty hard-core hikers. And then there was the opposite side of the "diversity": plenty of people who have no business being on the mountain. Tourists in flip flops or deck shoes, khakis and golf shirts. Young children, and some who probably hadn't put forth that much physical effort in decades. Those folks were more prevalent on weekends, in the middle of the afternoon.

Camelback at times is more of a tourist destination than a hiking trail. And with that you get to see some diverse tourists!

[azdesertfather]

I just did Camelback from trailhead-trailhead-trailhead this morning, starting at Cholla. Saw a lot of soccer moms when I started up Cholla around 8am, and a lot more 20-somethings going up and down Echo during my time down and up on that side. Don't know if this is always the case, but there were a lot more using Echo Canyon than Cholla. On Cholla I might have passed 6-8 going up, and no one going down (maybe because the soccer moms were smart enough the be done by late morning!...even though in coming down it was only in the mid 80s today).

[dinochelle]

Man, I'm sure you passed me and a new lady friend of mine. We both came the evening before and got stuck in the wind storm so we both came back the next morning and were like "hey, weren't you here last night?"...it was pretty cool meeting someone like that. We started at 8 too...although neither of us are soccer moms...so I'm sure you were speaking of us in the "20-something" category. ;) It was a beautiful morning/day for hiking...glad you got out.

And, I agree w/ chumley about his discription on the diversity...when Joe and I shuttled this I was laughing so hard to see groups of tourists in cowboy boots and jeans and long sleeved shirts when I wished I were in a tank and shorts. LOL It's also fun to see who will and who won't say "hi" to me. There's the warmest people mixed w/ those who won't respond to my warm "hello"...but I keep saying it ;)
Nonetheless, even though I wish the parking was better....I still keep coming back for more.

[jostream]

I've lived here for almost 7 years and have been hiking Camelback since then and I've never ventured up Echo until Saturday. I've always considered hiking from Cholla like drinking a Coke; I always know what to expect and it is always satisfying. I like the steep parts and there are parts where you can stretch your legs and break out into a run or two. I can make it as hard or as easy as I want it to.

Reading things here and seeing people doing the over and back every week got me thinking, why not try it? So finally I gave it a shot Saturday. I started out @ Cholla @ 5:30, passed a girl doing her over and back, then made it down to Echo TH around 6:30 or so. Climbing from Echo was a bit of a chore. I only got passed by 2 people going up, a model-esque man and his GF in a sports bra and short shorts. I passed the same girl again from the Cholla side and she looked to be as much of a sweaty mess as I was and that made me feel a little better knowing that someone who does this regularly gets beat up from it too. I hung out at the top, ate, then made it back to the car around 7:30.

I didn't see many people on the Cholla side going up, granted it was still pretty dark out. Coming down Echo around 6 or so was like stepping into another world. The trail was loud and everyone seemed to know one another. Chit Chat everywhere, lots of people, and everything seemed to be a carry over from the previous night's dinner at El Chorro.

Bottom line, I got my butt kicked Saturday morning and I'll definitely be back for more this Saturday.