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| Hiking | 6.40 Miles |
270 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.40 Miles | 2 Hrs 17 Mns | | 2.80 mph |
| 270 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | With a free Sunday and great weather, it was time to take the family out for another hike. I was thinking to take them to the Broadway Cave, but Wally pointed out that the Lost Dutchman Marathon was today, so that idea was out. I wanted to find something I haven't hike or at least recorded and saved on my GPS. Looking thru my records, I noticed that in McDowell Mt Park there is the 168th St spur trail that I didn't have recorded. It's entirely possible that I've never even hiked this trail. If I did, I don't remember it. Out and back from the main trailhead is almost 6.5 miles, perfect.
Everything in the park is still very green from the winter rains. Lots of nice open views of the Mazzies, Four Peaks, Superstitions and Mt. Ord in spots. The 168th St. spur trail is actually pretty nice and underrated. It's obviously more narrow than the Pemberton, but also has a lot more vegetation around it. Not far in we spotted a red tailed hawk sitting on a saguaro, likely looking for an early lunch. I was able to get one picture of it before it flew away. Not long after that, I saw a huge white tail buck just off the trail up ahead of us. I pointed him out to Dmitri just in time before he took when he saw us. I wasn't able to get a picture of him, and Radmila and Natasha missed it. It was at least an 8 point, huge rack, probably the biggest deer I've ever seen in AZ. These 2 wildlife sightings made the day.
Got to the end of the trail and headed back. Made very good time, nearly 3 mph. Saw lots of bikers on the Pemberton, and a few hikers, mostly as we got back to the trailhead. Saw one trail runner on the 168th St spur. Finished just after 11am and beat the lunch rush at DJs Bagel Café in Fountain Hills. |
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