On Saturday morning as we were nearing the top of Siphon Draw en route to the Flat Iron, we struck up a conversation with a friendly solo hiker, Jim - a snowbird from BC Canada who is spending his winter in nearby Apache Junction. When I asked Jim if this was his first climb up Siphon Draw, he replied that it was his 49th time this year! Actually it was his 49th time this 2016-2017 snowbird season, but heck - 49 Siphon Draws is super impressive no matter how you define your year.
Even more impressive...Jim was wearing a blue tee-shirt which read "58 OR' on the front and "85 CHOICE" on the back. In explaining the meaning of his tee-shirt, Jim stated that he made a choice to live like a 58 year old and not like the 85 year old that he actually is!
Way to go, Jim! You are not only an amazing hiker but an inspiration to all !
Route Editor
Route Scout
