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| South Mountain west Loop, AZ | | -
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| | South Mountain west Loop, AZ | | | |
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South Mountain west Loop, AZ
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| Hiking | 20.65 Miles |
6,792 AEG |
| | Hiking | 20.65 Miles | 7 Hrs 55 Mns | | 2.78 mph |
| 6,792 ft AEG | 30 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I wanted to get in some distance this weekend. I was going to drive north for cooler weather, but Saturday morning was cool in Phoenix so I decided to save a couple hours driving each way and hike South Mountain. I started at the Bursera trailhead as usual toward Lost Ranch. Decided to take Gila and check out the new Western end of the Gila trail that I haven't been on yet.
First thing I have to say is that it felt great walking on well maintained trails. Last weekend's hike in Prescott was slow and steep and tiring. This was the exact opposite. The trail was well marked. When I reached the junction of Gila and Bursera there was a post pointing to the new section of Gila trail. It gently climbed up the hill heading west. Then at the ridge line it went down the other side with long, easy switchbacks. Well done South Mountain! They could have saved a lot of distance by taking the shortest route straight down the slope, but instead made a long, easy switchback which kept the slope gentle.
Gila trail ends at National where National crosses the the big wash at the bottom of the hill. My plan was to flow National to San Juan lookout and take Alta Trail. Along the way I saw a sign for Ma Hua Tauk Perimeter Trail. I know that goes near San Juan and I had never hikes it so I turned of National and followed it. It started heading west toward the casino and goes past a number of houses just east of the 202 that are hidden from view on the freeway by the sound wall. The trail runs above and parallel to the 202 for a while and the traffic noise is VERY LOUD! I couldn't even hear Route Scout announcements. Once the trail turns east the freeway noise faded.
Got to San Juan and rested for a few minutes at the lookout. Then headed up Alta Trail to the Y. Then Max Delta to Las Lomitas. To another break near the Kiwanis trailhead. Then up Kiwanis to National to Gila. I took the old Pyramid Trail back to the start. In retrospect I should have stayed on Gila where it branches off so that I could have done the full length of Gila. But phone battery was dying and I didn't want to lose the end of the route recording.
South mountain has been doing a great job maintaining the trails and making them easy to walk on. |
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