Route Editor
Route Scout
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DESTINATION Pass Mountain Ridgeline 51 Photosets 2024-11-29 2024-05-18 2024-04-03 2023-10-24 2023-10-24 2022-12-10 2022-08-14 2022-08-14 2022-08-14 2022-03-08 2022-02-09 2021-11-24 2021-04-26 2021-02-14 2020-12-02 2020-09-01 2020-06-14 2020-01-18 2019-05-05 2019-05-05
|
| HAZ Member Daytripper's 267 Photosets 2021-01-28 2021-01-22 2021-01-20 2021-01-15 2021-01-12 2021-01-07 2021-01-04 2021-01-01 2020-12-30 2020-12-28 2020-12-22 2020-12-18 2020-12-16 2020-12-14 2020-12-11 2020-12-08 2020-12-04 2020-12-02 2020-11-30 2020-11-27
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
, I like to use them at the self pay Goldmine trailhead in San Tan ,thought about backtracking to Meridian but decided to pay up and park at the less crowded Pass Mountain trailhead . Plans being undeterred I started from there in a brisk mid morning breeze and headed up to the the surprisingly not very busy Wind Cave Trail. After the Wind Cave made a brief visit to 3127 and then proceeded north to scramble up the rocky portion of the ridgeline, I prefer this to down climbing it. First time noticing some blue spray paint on the route above the wind cave as previously there were only white splotches Saw no one else from the Wind Cave Trail end to reaquiring the Pass Mountain Loop trail on the return, I did look back and see a couple of people on 3127 as I was heading up to the 3312 summit. The ridgeline route is discernible from use or on the rocky portions a few cairns. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the views were today, had thought the wind would have kicked up obscuring dust but instead seem to clear the air. Could see downtown Phoenix, the stadium in Glendale and over to the WhiteTanks, the McDowells ,Thompson Peak, the Goldfields, Superstition Mt. ,Weavers Needle, Saguaro Lake, Mt. Ord. After filling up with views and a lunch break headed down the scree slopes in a westerly direction. After the tougher hiking on the descent the hiking was much easier on reaching the Pass Mountain Loop and Maricopa Trail junction. I carried hiking poles which are a hindrance with the scrambling but were sure helpful coming down. No wildlife spotted today and fortunately minimal bee activity.