New blog site. Go to Palmcreekhikers3.blogspot.com for Hikes Nov 23, 2018 onward

Palm Creek Hikers 3      If you cannot find this try using Google Search Engine. I can't get it on Bing search engine. 

For hikes prior to 2016 - Go to palmcreekhikers.blogspot.com/

November 23, 2018 - Brown Mountain Loop

Palm Creek Hiking

All organized hikes start from the parking lot northeast of Palm Park (north of the main mailboxes) on Friday mornings. Meet, sign up, and organize the car-pool. Leave by 8:00 AM. It has been tradition that when riding with someone, to reimburse the driver $10.00. Bring plenty of water and lunch. Please wear appropriate hiking clothing including footware for desert trails and a hat. If you are available to drive your vehicle and take passengers, please do so.

Brown Mountain Loop 

This is a very interesting hike with two distinct components. One part is a relatively flat walk at the base of some hills and amongst plentiful vegetation. The other aspect to the hike is a ridgeline along a small range of hills with four peaks, offering outstanding view for almost its entire length. 

Directions: From Florence Blvd. take I-10 south to exit 236. Turn right and then right quickly, onto Marana Road. Drive one mile and turn left onto Sanders Road, then drive four miles. After stopping at the stop sign, turn left onto Avra Valley Road. Drive one mile and turn right onto Sandero Road. Proceed past the Saguaro Park entrance road to Mile Wide Road and turn left. Follow the signs for the Desert Museum. Travel just past the Desert Museum and turn right to Juan Santa Cruz Picnic area. Follow the one-way road to the south end and park just before it turns back toward the entrance. The trailhead is not marked but is just beyond the picnic tables. 
Check out the following links for more information and maps.

        Juan Santa Cruz - Picnic Area All Trails


Brown Mountain Trail - All Trails


google maps to Juan Santa Cruz Picnic area                     

  Upcoming hikes:

                 

        Friday,  Nov. 30th 2018

        Butcher Jones Trail

        Friday Dec.7th

             Phoenix Mountain Loop

        Friday Dec. 14th, 2018

             Baby Jesus Loop

        Friday Dec. 21st, 2018

             Black Mesa / Hackberry Springs

     Skip’s cell: 503-580-3828      Barry’s Cell: 207-205-4298

                  

Tuesday Hikes Starting November 20, 2018

Tuesday Hikes at Casa Grande Mountain Park will be starting November 20th. Meet at the parking lot north of the mailboxes Tuesday mornings where you meet and sign up. A carpool is organized and the group leaves at 8:00 sharp. These hikes are quite rocky and sometimes the temperature is hot, so we recommend to wear hiking shoes (not running shoes), wear a hat, and bring lots of water.

On Casa Grande Mountain Park there are over 14 different hikes available that are around 3 miles long. These hikes are walked at a leisurely pace, taking time for photos, and discussing the flora, fauna, history or anything of interest. Hikers will be back before noon.

Driving Directions: From Florence Blvd, take I-10 south to exit 200, Sunland Gin Road. Turn right, then turn right again (just past the truck stop) onto West Arica Road. Drive west until you get to a stop sign, then keep going west on the dirt road until you arrive at Arica Road Trailhead. Portable Toilet at the trailhead. 9 miles travelling.

This group will join the Palm Creek Hiking Club to South Mountain on February 15 to experience the short 4.5-mile portion of the Fat Man's Pass Hike on South Mountain. The last hike of the season will be Sunset Vista Trail at Picacho Peak Park on March 15 to take in the poppy bloom. 

See the March Hike on this blog from last year for pictures of Casa Grande Mountain Park.

You are more than welcome to join the Palm Creek Hiking Club for $10.00, but not required since the funds are used primarily for the satellite Spot Emergency Locator devices, not needed locally where cell service is available.

Skip’s cell: 503-580-3828   Barry Hemmelgarn 207-205-4298

Friday Nov 16, 2018 – Desert Park Gateway Loop

Shorter Hike

Longer Hike

Directions: Take I-10 West to exit 161 onto Loop 202. Drive to exit 50A and onto Loop 101. Drive to exit 39 and turn right onto Raintree Drive. Travel 0.7 miles and turn left onto North Thompson Peak Parkway. Drive 2.6 miles and look for the entrance to the park, which is not well marked (The entrance is 0.5 miles north of Bell Road, on the right).

Summary: This is an easy hike in the McDowell Mountains that travels through the flats alongside a housing area then climbs slowly to the Gateway Loop Trail where it climbs a ridge and descends to the valley and loops back to the trailhead. Mike Colton will lead a more strenuous hike in the same area. 

History of this area: In 1991 a group of Scottsdale citizens got together to discuss their concerns about a new home and commercial development on the outskirts of the city. They formed the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust and set about to find a way to protect the McDowell Mountains and the surrounding desert from development. It was a landmark moment in 1994 when, as a result of the trust member's efforts, the City of Scottsdale dedicated the initial McDowell Sonoran Preserve, totaling 5 acres. Over two decades of hard work and advocacy by the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy (formerly Land Trust) have led to the development of new trailheads, a complex network of multi-use trails, and even a research initiative to monitor and track the flora and fauna of the preserve. In October 2012, the city celebrated the opening of the Brown's Ranch Trailhead and the incorporation of over 50 miles of new trails. 

Check out maps and directions on line.
alltrails

Google Maps East+McDowell+Foothills+Drive,+Scottsdale,+AZ - Desert Park Gateway Loop 

 

November 9, 2018: Hope Camp Trail, Saguaro National Park East

Barry's Pictures

Sharon's pictures 

Directions: Take I-10 south to Exit 279, S. Wentworth Rd. Follow E. Colossal Cave Road 8.6 miles to Camino Loma Alta, turn left then follow for approximately 5 miles to the trail head. 

Distance 93 miles. 

Summary: The saguaros are the highlight, but the trail itself is impressive too. It's an old jeep road, built by cowboys and it makes a great path for hiking and mountain biking. Deer Camp was one of the several "line camps" used by cowboys from the area ranches, including the Rocking X and X-9. Long before the cowboys, in the 13 and 14th centuries, the Hohokam people lived in the same area, harvesing saguaro fruit and mesquite beans, and hunting deer and bighorn sheep. The trail is an "out and back trail" with a few optional loops so distance can vary to suit each group.

Check out oneline maps. 
google maps

alltrails -hope camp Trail

November 2, 2018. - 50 Year Sutherland Trails

Sorry, no photos of this hike.

Directions: Take 1-10 south and take Exit 240. Turn left (east) on Tangerine Road. In 13.5 miles turn right onto Oracle Road, then in 0.2 miles turn left into Catalina State Park. At the Guard Shack purchase a car pass - cost $7.00. Proceed to the parking lot on the left.  The trip is 63 miles. 

The distance of the hike is 6 miles and is rated as a C+, which is fairly easy. All hikers will hike in one group.

Facilities at the Trailhead: Toilets, Snack Bar

Skip's Cell 503-580-3828     Barry's Cell 207-205-4298

March 23, 2018 - Casa Grande Mountain - Arica Trailhead - Last Hike and Picnic - Certificates

Three groups of hikers had their last hike for the year at Casa Grande Mountain. Along the way hikers payed tribute to Harm Thomas who hiked with this group and helped develop the trails at Casa Grande Mountain. This monument was built at "Harm's Way" on the trail and placed by Mike Colton and Peter Hughes.

Short Hiking Group 

Long Hiking Group 

Picnic and Certificates

Certificates for number of miles hiked in the 2017-2018 Season. 50, 75 and 100 miles. Highest miles was Mike Colton at over 160 miles. 

The picnic was very tasty with fried chicken, potato salad, beans, cookies and rum cake. Beverages were supplied. A great time. Thanks to Connie and Skip for organizing this event. 

Driving Directions:  Drive south on I-10. Take exit 200, Sunland Gin Rd. and turn right. In ½ block turn right on W. Arica Rd. Travel west on Arica Rd. to the end of the road in the gravel parking lot.