| |
| Phx Mountain Preserve North Eastern Loop, AZ | | -
-
-
-
-
-
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
|
| | Phx Mountain Preserve North Eastern Loop, AZ | | | |
|
|
Phx Mountain Preserve North Eastern Loop, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 6.08 Miles |
1,173 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.08 Miles | 2 Hrs 13 Mns | | 2.74 mph |
| 1,173 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | I didn't quite do this as planned but I think it's a good route with the ups and downs I like to practice. I headed out from the 38th St TH around the northside of Happy Hour Ridgeline and then headed across the Valley from the 100 up to VOAZ. I do like these shoes as they aren't straight up. Today I did notice where the old VOAZ was on this north side and it had quite the angle. I do think it would be fun, though a little hard, to retrace the old trail that traverses over this part of the mountain.
I came down the southside onto the Freedom Trail 302 where I passed a few gals, said hello to a couple on the bench and then hung a right heading south hooking up with the Nature Trail 304. I had intended to hang a left (east) and hook up with the 8 but decided to continue on the 304. That 304 does go downhill as it heads south but it is not a fun trail at all. You can see minor re-routes too, mostly because it's a straight up/down situation with deep divets/ruts so you have to pay attention. The nice thing when you get to the bottom is there are facilities you can use if needed.
There was lots of human and dog traffic in this area until I made a u-turn to hook up with Ruth Hamilton #8B. It's been a while since I've been on this west side of #8B let alone climbing up it. I only have a vague memory and it actually is laid out pretty nicely with some climbing areas and decent trail in-between. I did stop to get a few pictures but basically kept moving; albeit slowly at times. It's not quite 1/2 mile to the top and 300 feet gain. I could see other hikers coming from the left (north) so I'm curious about that and will check it out one of these times.
There were a few more hikers in this area but only a few as I headed east and then north. They are making slow progress on the new house at the corner; sure wish it were a bar of some sort, that would have been so awesome. I headed up the pavement by the property and then onto the dirt. As I looked back I saw a sun dog; so fun to see. I hooked up with LV Yates Trail #8 and tried to picked up the pace as I meandered up and around to the saddle before heading down the hill. I was glad to be having a good hike and started contemplating food reward options as I got closer to finishing the hike.
I would see several groups doing Xmas photography with families from near the 40th St TH and even some from the 38th St TH. I do think it's nice that families try to take advantage of our desert environment for their photos and it was a nice late afternoon for it, although the light was a little flat. I have a terrible pain in my mid-right back since Thurs; hoping it's just a strain of some sort. Fortunately, it didn't bother me much and my right hip did well. I only saw a few lizards, several quail and one squirrel today.
WATCH 2:20-4:37PM, 5.94 miles burning 722 calories, 1404-1868 elevation, 138 avg bpm/173 max. 48% Zone 5 max, 37% Zone 4 anaerobic, 16% Zone 3 aerobic. Temp a lovely 68 and sunny with only 19% humidity. |
| _____________________
For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 