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| Dixie Mountain Loop and Peak, AZ | |
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| | Dixie Mountain Loop and Peak, AZ | | | |
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Dixie Mountain Loop and Peak, AZ
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| Hiking | 5.47 Miles |
1,022 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.47 Miles | 2 Hrs 8 Mns | | 2.67 mph |
| 1,022 ft AEG | 5 Mns Break | | | |
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none
[ show ]
| no partners | | My elevation hike of the week. Bonus, getting to do it in the afternoon and the temp was just about right; especially when the sun hid a bit behind the clouds.
Oh the way up Hawk's Nest Trail, I stopped to say hello to the female owl, no babies that I could see. There was also the usual suspects of wildflowers scattered on each side of the trail. Once to the saddle I headed east (counterclockwise) on the Dixie Mountain Loop, as I went the other way the last time I was up here. The trail is wide and eventually goes up to give you a nice view to the valley and beyond.
I continued my way contouring the mountainside as I made my way closer to Dixie Peak. I gave thot to not doing it, but it came up faster than I expected so my feet said, "yes" and up I went. It's not a bad climb except for the last bit when you think you should have topped out and you have a little further to go. There were people on the summit so I didn't stay but a minute to get a picture. On the way up I noticed a lot of panels of some sort over by the TSMC plant; I zoomed to get a closer look.
And now down to continue my way. Here is where I usually run into a few lizards and today was no exception. One little guy was trying to race me, so cute. When I turned the corner and headed north there was more lupine along the trail and that would be the case for much of the hike. Heading west from the saddle I spotted a lot of poppies. They were scattered with only a few groupings so it made it hard to photograph. I noticed a lot more London Rocket, an additional invasive species with the Stinknet. And, of course, if you think wildflowers like rain, these species are even hardier  .
Heading south I would encounter a lot more lupine and poppies so I enjoyed that as I made my way up to Cholla Saddle. The light was slightly filtered so I got some decent pictures. My legs were tired a little ways back but they were snapping out of their funk. That's been happening a couple times. This getting older really sucks. And now to tackle the last long hill. I seemed to do fine so that put a smile on my face. I encountered a few hikers at the saddle with Hawk's Nest, checked in on the owl and completed the hike. I could have added on but there was a beer waiting and it won out, the first "Huck It" of the season.
WATCH 5.11 miles, 2:32-4:43 burning 870 calories. Elevation 1644-2332. 131 avg bpm/161 max with 10% in Zone 4 Anaerobic (149-167 bpm), 39% Zone 3 Aerobic (131-148 bpm) and 49% Zone 2 Weight Control (112-130 bpm). TEMP was a lovely 69.8, filtered sun from time to time and 29% humidity.
Not quite the same as last year around this time as it was the superbloom when I was treated to a stunning show: [ triplog ] (has the videos too). |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
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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. |
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