end of year hike

 

Most years I like to start a hike usually "A" Mountain in Tempe.  We still might do that hike soon but it worked out that the week between Christmas and New Years the Johnson's had been staying at my parents and Dad thought a hike is a good idea.  I agree.  Arizona winters are perfect hiking weather and it was a lovely morning. (Top photo taken by Beatrix.  You can see her shadow at the bottom and she did a great job!)

This time we hiked our favorite, Spook Hill over past Red Mountain Park on Brown road.  This a well loved hike, only about a mile, and in the city so close by.  I've lost track of how many times I've hiked it but it's in regular rotation usually a few times a year for me.

    Andrew had work as well as Ammon so I picked up Elmina and Allen, DJ brought some of his kids, Louise brought her kids, and Dad drove separately.  Hiking is always more fun with a group of friends or family. Well, at least for me because I'm a special runner/hiker.  

Take a look at that sky!  Just beautiful.

Annual New Year's hike

 

Most years we try to hike "A" Mountain in Tempe on or around New Year's Day.  Usually my dad joins so I missed him this year since he and mom are on their mission in Pennsylvania.  

Since New Year's Day was on a Sunday this year Monday was a bank holiday.  It was a little strange this year because Andrew didn't have work, and Mesa Public Schools didn't have school including Franklin East where Zara and Rupert go to school.  However Heritage went back to school on Monday so Elliot and Avery weren't home.

Andrew stayed home with Beatrix for this hike since Beatrix is a little young (it's rocky and steep at the top) and Andrew's ankle is healing from an injury.

We invited Elmina and Allen to join so it was a little more fun for Rupert and Zara.  It was the little Opie's first time doing this hike.

I love how this time of the year you can see the wisemen, star of Bethlehem, and a menorah to celebrate the season. I was reading in Matthew 2 about the wisemen and was amazed to be reminded how King Herod questioned the wisemen about when the the star appeared and told them to report back to him where Christ was so he could also worship him.  We know King Herod was wicked and the wisemen had an angel tell them no to return but to go home after seeing Christ.

I also love their example of leaving the comforts of their home to bring precious gifts to he Savior.  It makes me ask what gifts am I giving the Savior and what sacrifices am I making to seek Him and have Him at the center of my life.

First trail of the year

With it being Martin Luther King Day the kids didn’t have school. Love a good long weekend. Andrew still had work and I knew I wanted to get a hike in but had to keep it simple.

Spook Hill is as simple and easy as it comes when hiking with kids. There were a lot of kids on the hill today, not including the ones with me.

On the way Elliot invited Pete’s boys and we ended up picking up Dean and Robinson. Having them made it so much more fun! The kids really liked grabbing donuts at a favorite place of Pete’s afterwards.

 Bea is such a good hiker! She had a good attitude and really believes in herself. Hiking with her is slower but she just doesn’t give up even when she falls. Such a cute hiker. All the kids did great though.

She got really attached to that big rock that Zara found and carried it most of the way home. The older kids liked counting the pools in backyards at the top and pointing out downtown Scottsdale and phoenix in the distance. Couldn’t have asked for better weather either. Really looking forward to hiking again soon while the weather is nice.

trail running: Pass Mountain

 

Yesterday Dan McKay, Robert McKay and went trail running the Pass Mountain trail in Usery.  Dad and I had just hiked it last month so I had a good feel for what to expect.  The guys let me lead the way and set the pace which was great, apart from the last mile when I ran out of steam.

We went around the mountain clockwise just like Dad and I did last month.  It gives a more gradual uphill and because we had an early start we didn't get any sun in our eyes until just after the halfway point and even then it was just a short while because we headed west soon after.

We took a five minute rest for some food and water at the saddle about halfway.  Such a pretty spot in the shade.  Dan and  brought backpacks with food and water and Robert brought nothing.  This was a good learning experience.  We are all on the same team for the ragnar trail in three weeks so this was really good training.  Neither of them have done the ragnar trail before and this is my second time.  I did one with Charity (Shepherd) Peterson, a friends from high school, and her brother Jacob Shepherd.

This is actually my second time trail running Pass Mountain.  I remember doing it years ago with Rachel Willis, her aunt Karen, Luke Johnson and maybe Emily Dial.  I think it was to train for the Ragnar Del Sol.  I remember we went counter clockwise that time.

Dad and I hiked it in 2 hours and 38 minutes so I thought we could trail run it in under 2 hours and we did!  It took us 1 hour and 50 minutes!  We weren't doing it for time but not bad.

Over halfway I looked up at two ladies coming in the opposite direction and ended up tripping and falling down hard.  My arm stung so bad.  The longer I go the more conscious I need to be to lift my feet high enough.  It could have been worse though.  Thankfully cactus wasn't involved.

Pretty sure I'll be back at this trail before long.  I like how there are always people on it, hikers, runners, and mountain bikers, and everyone is so polite.

Hackberry Springs hike with family

A couple days ago I got a group together to hike Hackberry Springs in the north Superstition area.  Two days before this hike I got the news that my Grand Canyon rim to rim group needed to be postponed to April.  One of the couple's mom's fractured her foot so their babysitter was out and it just fell apart from there.  Honestly, this is for the better since no one in my group trained except me.  I'm a little disappointed and a little relieved too.  It'll be great in April because the group will be more prepared and we'll have more people since Sara and Chris want to join.

I was planning on hiking Miner's Needle with Dad but since the rim to rim got postponed we went with a more family friendly hike.  This was a new trail for Dad and DJ (and Bea) so it was fin showing it off. :)

We hiked this trail in February with friends for our first time.  It was definitely greener this time.  It was steeper than I remembered but then again I didn't have Bea last time.  Honestly he did so good.  Beatrix has a great attitude when hiking and I planned on holding her at times so it was no surprise.  DJ carried her a but too at the end which was much appreciated since I had also ran 4 miles wit Sara that morning.

We took a picture at this "hugging" cactus last time too. :)

This is the actually spring.  The water comes out of the pipe Avery's foot is on.  There's a puddle of water behind dad where you can see little minnows.  Bea just loved this area.

Dad and DJ enjoyed exploring this area for the first time.  There's a campsite or two here, and hiking to the springs a scout group was just hiking out that had backpacked in the day before and camped near the spring.  DJ is interested in possibly taking his scouts there too.  Some elevation on the trail but not too far with a pack.

They had to get on the big boulders just like last time too.  This made me so nervous with the girls helping Bea but it worked out.

DJ helped Zara when she had a melt down about not turning around and going back the way we came.  I wanted to follow the wash back like we did last time because it's so pretty and a really cool hike.  Seeing the little toad (below) helped Zara cheer up.  There were also several puddles of water that were fun to find along the way.  Near the end there's a broken windmill and horse stalls.  It feels like a real adventure.

Dad had just gotten those hiking poles fora  good price at Seagull Book for those longer hikes (like Miner's Needle) so he wanted to give them a go.  There's a bit of a learning curve.  I also got a pair when he told me about them, thinking I'd bring them to the Grand Canyon, but that'll have to wait.

Bea gave me those cute flowers. :)

Love this area of the Superstition!  I can see us making this hike an annual thing.  Maybe more?  It was our second time this year.

Second Water trail w/Chris

Chris tool that photo.  Can you believe that sunrise?  I love watching the sun rise on a trail.  We have a beautiful state and stunning deserts here in Arizona.  I picked Chris up around 5:30am and we started hiking a quarter after 6:00.  I love how close the trails are in the north side on the Superstition.  It really was a great day for a hike.  Nice cool breeze, not too hot.

The trails starts as First water, i believe?  I actually hiked this trail with the kids (minus Bea) and Dad, and Rachel Willis and some of her family earlier this year.  It was much greener this time!  Chris and I saw probably 10 or more desert toads and those black stink bugs.  I don't remember seeing any of those last year.  It's amazing what a good monsoon season can do to the desert.

Here's the turn around point that we saw the week before at Boulder Canyon!  That hike was harder than Second Water (a little further and more elevation) so I'll switch those two hikes training for the Grand Canyon next time.

Coming back we accidentally got off trail a bit.  You can see it in the map above.  Thankfully I was able too check my phone in the RunKeeper app and get back on trail.  After that I was surprised to see a huge tarantula on the trial.  We saw one at Boulder Canyon last week but this one was bigger.  Thankfully they're harmless.

After that I was shocked to hear a rattlesnake right next top the trail on my left side.  I screamed and ran but Chris was still behind me.  With the snake all coiled up and head up Chris took it slow and took a wide sweep off the trail to get back to the trail where I was.  That shook us both up!  Thankfully nothing bad come of it and we made it back in good time. 

I really like that trail.  Second water also loops back to Hackberry which would be fun to do some time.  It crosses with another trail early on, I don't remember which, so it's a great starting point.

The Alltrails app said the Second Water to Boulder Canyon should be 8.8 miles but we did it well under 8 miles, so good to know. :)

Bounder Canyon trail

A couple weeks ago on conference weekend Chris, Dillon, and Dad joined me on a hike.  This was a new one to all of them.  It was my second time since I hike Boulder Canyon a year ago training for the Grand Canyon.  Last year was a difficult and learning experience.  This time was much better.  Great company and I knew how far I wanted to go.

Chris and I took the lead and turned around around the 4 mile mark.  We made it all the way to the sign that meets up with Second Water trail.  Dillon and Dad weren't far behind.

The trail head is at the Canyon Lake marina parking.  Those lake views are just stunning.

Hiked through canyons the second half and crossed the empty wash a couple times.  The desert was very green this year.  We were surprised by how much shade we had.  It pays to have an early start.

There was an old mine that was filled in near the turn around we took this picture at.  I didn't put it here but Chris rested on an old metal spring bed there.  So random. :)

Tough trail, but that wasn't a surprise to me.  Quite a bit of elevation change. ^ ^ My phone said 1,932.  The All trails app said about 1,800 feet.  Of course the trail does keep going south towards Piralta if you wanted to keep going.  Or you could turn on Second Water trail.

As far as training for the Grand Canyon this is a good one and I'm sure I'll be back again.  Maybe wear leggings/pants for this one.  It can get pokey and less traveled further out.

Pass Mountain trail

 

Two Saturdays ago dad came with me to hike the Pass Mountain trail in Usury Mountain Park.  It goes all the way around the big mountain with the wind cave trail.  I had actually train run it with a few friends a few years ago and we went counter clockwise.

Dad had hiked it many years ago going clockwise which is what we did!  I highly recommend clockwise because the elevation increase is more gradual and if you go first thing in the morning there's a decent amount of shade going out the first several miles and coming back the sun is behind you.

Arizona desert is just so beautiful!  Since we had a good monsoon season this year there were so many shades of green on the trail, and even a few flowers.  Our desert blooms in the spring so it was a surprise to see some flowers this time of year.

This is at the saddle mid trail.  It was a great spot to sit down for some water and snacks and soak in a beautiful view a breath of fresh air.

I started Runkeeper app at the car and we got in nearly 7.5 miles.  I'd say we kept the pace moving comfortably the whole time.  The last mile felt a little long, just wanted to rest but it was good to push myself.  This is a trail I look forward to coming back to many times.