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| Hiking | 4.80 Miles |
2,780 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.80 Miles | 7 Hrs | | 0.69 mph |
| 2,780 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | | Started trip under prepared- lack of water and not enough sleep the night before. Left parking lot at about 9 am determined to make it to the top. After a sweaty ascent up the meadow the shady canyon was a welcome sight. My friend and I strayed off the route a couple times(especially because a lot of the paint dots were washed away), but luckily other hikers helped us back on the path. We had a difficult time going up especially just after the waterfall. After chosing the correct canyon the path was obvious. The trail is very interesting, you seem to be in a narrow plant-lined niche the whole time. We saw a couple large beetles, but not a whole lot more wildlife along the path. The canyon is very scenic, there's a lot of weird rockscapes up there. I thougt I would die before reaching the top, its a long trek. Your progress upwards taunts you, especially when the Flatiron is behind you as you approach the high ridge. Up on the ridge is an easy walk up the giant sloping mass to the tip of the Flatiron. The top of the Flatiron is an ethereal place. What a massive cliff! It was the highest off the surrounding land I had ever been. You can see everything from downtown Phoenix, to Canyon Lake. The Fountain Hills fountain went off (a tiny vertical white line)while we were up there. I finished my last sip of water up there and began to dread going down. The three of us on top took a long time before we were ready to leave. We decided to stay for a while and watch the vultures below while we relaxed in the cool winds. Heading down was a pain. Already being exausted, I was in for some severe suffering. I hurt myself a couple times scurrying down some rough places, but the sheer amount of time it took to get back was the killer. I was dehydrated and sunburned when I reached the car, but it was an amazing time It was hiking that monolithic rock. It was a truly beautiful and challenging hike through some bizarre topography, an expierience I won't not soon forget. |
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