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| Hiking | 12.02 Miles |
2,297 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.02 Miles | 5 Hrs 17 Mns | | 2.30 mph |
| 2,297 ft AEG | 3 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | Stayed local this weekend so I picked the Windgate-Bell Loop for a decent workout hike that I haven't done in 8 or 9 years. Andy was looking for somewhere to hike and this fit the bill for him, too.
I did a variation to try a figure 8 of the loop to add some mileage and AEG by incorporating the Gateway Loop Trail. We started up Windgate Pass, took Gateway over to Bell Pass, looped over both passes CCW then decided to cop out and take the Desert Park Trail rather than complete the figure 8. That bottom part of Windgate Pass gets a bit too steep and rocky after 9 miles.
Desert Park is still rocky, but mostly level and almost zero traffic. It's only a half mile longer than taking Windgate Pass back to the trailhead, but it's easier on the feet and legs.
Very cloudy, hazy, and even a bit gloomy at the start. I had zero complaints about this as it kept the temperature almost chilly, which was perfect for the slog up Bell Pass. The last part of Bell Pass was still in the shade, which helped even more. By the time we were over Bell Pass the sun was out, which made mildly better lighting for pictures, but not much. On the west side of the slope coming down Bell Pass, there's what looks like a mining road in the McDowell Mtn park area. I'm pretty sure it's not a trail. I tried to find on a satellite view but was having trouble. Possible future scouting hike.
Bell Pass Trail has a "Steeper/Less Steep" split that I don't remember seeing last time. We took the steeper section, which gave me Mt. Ord flashbacks.
Heavy traffic at the start with the hordes arriving and waiting for Scottsdale to open the gates, then it thinned out the further we got in. Saw a big group of 20+ people with a group of kids, then a few on Windgate Pass on the way back. One biker on Desert Park and that was it. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
I digress, but at 5:41am the mindless greyhounds all crushed onto the Gateway Loop Trail, so I chose the more mellow Desert Park start. The rat race was avoided because none of them were seen again for the rest of my hike and double T solo. The East End ascent was hot and humid, then some nice breezes and cloud cover helped immensely. I need to remember that the Tom's Thumb TH doesn't have water because two liters was slightly inadequate. 
Much of this route also was familiar to the Torote Loops in the Sierra Estrella range. Could be a five star route except for all those god-damned jets overhead constantly!
