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| | | Circumference and Ridgleline Trails, AZ | | | |
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Circumference and Ridgleline Trails, AZ
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| Hiking | 5.42 Miles |
653 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.42 Miles | 2 Hrs 28 Mns | | 2.37 mph |
| 653 ft AEG | 11 Mns Break | | | |
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[ show ]
| partners | | After having a short conversation with Tracy on FB due to my out of control phone, we decided to get together for a hike and Diane joined us. I have no idea when the last time the three of us hiked together but I'm thinking it was Prescott or Flagstaff. Anyway, neither of them had hiked Deem Hills, my suggestion, so Tracy rounded us up and we met at the East TH a little before 9. Diane is limited on her hiking due to her knee (being replaced May 1) so I adjusted our route.
We mostly stuck on the northern Circumference Trail and Diane opted to add the Ridgeline Trail and actually led the way. It was a lovely morning for a hike as we started north to warm up. We hiked up the interior and encountered a couple hikers along the way is all. We complained about the lack of color this year, even no brittlebush blooms  . We got to the intersection with the Basalt Trail and gave Diane her choices and she said, let's go to the saddle and take the Ridgleine.
The Ridgeline is a little rockier than I like but Diane and Tracy hustled up the mountain and fortunately, took a couple short breaks. Soon we hit the switchback that takes you to the west saddle. This view caused us all to talk about how much the valley has grown since we've been here and basically agreed, this is not the Phoenix we initially knew and loved.
We finished our short climb and hiked over to the north side which I think provides such a beautiful view to the east. And now it was time to head down which always seems to take longer, but one can't complain as the grade makes it not so hard; except for the rocks they like to put on the trail for erosion control.
Once we got to the intersection we had the option to go back around the way we came or continue north down the trail and to the road. We chose to continue north, except.... the trail down to the road wasn't until we hiked to the NW side of the Circumference Trail; not quite how I remembered it  . We enjoyed our road walk back to the trail to take us to where we started.
It was a great day for the hike and to get semi-caught up. We then went over to Sauce in Happy Valley to celebrate Tracy's retirement... speaking of Phoenix's growth.
WATCH 5.41 mi, 8:53-11:21AM, 1448-2007 elevation, 130 avg bpm/159 max bpm burning 977 calories. I was in airplane mode so no Temp stats. |
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Wildflowers Observation None
Ocotillo were blooming. Saw some desert senna trying to regrow. Creosote also had blooms and cotton balls. |
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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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