Thumbs Up (and Down)

Weather:  71°, overcast

About this hike:  Every time I visit the McDowell-Scottsdale Sonoran Preserve I am impressed by what a spectacular job the City of Scottsdale has done with this outdoor recreation haven in the McDowell Mountains.  Trailheads feature abundant parking and facilities including restrooms (waterless latrines, so definitely bring your own drinking water), well-stocked literature racks including maps, and trash/recycling bins.  The best part is that the preserve is free to use.

I decided to take advantage of warm January temps and an overcast day to visit Tom's Thumb, a trailhead I haven't visited in years.  Getting there involves a bit of a drive up the 101-N, exit at Pima, continue on Happy Valley... Arterial streets give way to meandering residential streets lined with million-dollar mansions and views of the McDowells to match.  Unlike a few years ago when I first visited, roads to Tom's Thumb now feature clear signage to the parking area.

Tom's Thumb proved to be full of other hikers with similar Saturday plans.  Nabbing a parking spot was still not difficult.  The hike up to Tom's Thumb was about two miles each way and featured strenuous uphill for most of the hike up.  The trails are smooth and well graded, which can be a bit deceptive as they are also slippery gravel in spots.  I would HIGHLY recommend (and regret not having) hiking poles for the trek down.  A lot of people bring dogs on this trail and I got to play with a number of cute, friendly huskies this afternoon.

Exploring the Thumb is pretty cool, but definitely not an all-day event.  There are plenty of spur and side trails to explore, all well-signed at junctions/trailheads.  I opted to hike the Marcus Landslide, which is accessible both at Tom's Thumb trailhead and at a junction off the Tom's Thumb trail.  Signs along Marcus Landslide trail provide some insight into how the landslide occurred, and how this has shaped the present-day McDowell Mountains.  The trail was a relatively flat, easy one-miler each way.

Very enjoyable Saturday. I guess I need to visit McDowell-Scottsdale Sonoran Preserve more often.

Rock climbers atop Tom's Thumb

Hazy sunshine over the Marcus Landslide

Night Hike & My First Injury!

Weather:  99°, warm breeze, sunset

About this hike:  Got back from a crazy Hawaii trip on a red-eye flight to PHX this Saturday morning.  While I consider myself pretty hardcore, I didn't have any hiking gear in the car, and I was exhausted after no sleep on my flight...needless to say, my Saturday morning tradition didn't happen.

But by 6 pm I was rarin' to get my feet on Piestewa Peak.  I didn't take my time for this hike, mainly because I was stiff and sore having spent 10+ cumulative hours crammed into an airplane seat. I knew it wasn't going to be a record-breaker.

What a beautiful evening.  I reached the summit just after sunset.  A large, puffy white cloud over the McDowell Mountains was shooting out dazzling bolts of lightning.  And there was a warm breeze.  I stayed up on the zen-like summit for a long time just observing, thinking, reflecting... And then on the way down, all was well (I remembered the headlamp this time!) til near the base when I took a tumble.  Not sure how it happened...but I skinned up my hand and knee and hurt my left ankle.  None of it bad though, and my injuries haven't stopped me from working out today (not hiking tho!).  So after 2+ years of hiking Phoenix's and the surrounding mountains, one minor fall isn't a bad safety record.

Thompson Peak (~4K) is Off the List

Weather:  76° & sunny

About this hike:  Traffic  on the 101N to Gateway Trailhead in McDowell Sonoran was kind of heavy, but then again it's the weekend of Phoenix Open nearby in Scottsdale.  Parking was abundant at Gateway, and while the facilities are every bit as nice as Tom's Thumb, this one also has running water.

I have often gazed northward at the McDowells from atop Camelback wanting to conquer the mountain with the radio antennas on top (northward—don't confuse with South Mountain!).  I thought this was McDowell Peak, but I was mistaken—it's Thompson Peak.  Regardless, from the Gateway Trailhead it's a long hike up and over Bell Pass to the short Prospector Trail.  Prospector joins the service road that leads to the summit of Thompson Peak and the radio towers.

On the road up to Thompson Peak I encountered a MCSO deputy, but he ignored me, which is good as the language (road may be gated, county property), was unclear on whether or not hiking was allowed up there.  The maps all show the road and tell you the height of Thompson Peak, so I had to assume it was OK.  It was a very strenuous climb, and I nearly turned back at least once, but the view from on top is amazing.  The radio towers are massive and scary, and signs warn of radiation in the area.  I didn't stay at the top for long.

The surrounding scenery is typical Sonoran desert with saguaros, ocotillo, and lots of colorful rocks.  At times this hike was eerie quiet, and I saw some unidentified animal tracks on the trail.  Thankfully every so often I came across other hikers.  Being alone in this harsh desert can get scary.

Round trip, according to the maps I studied, I'd peg this hike at about 13 miles.  I am so glad to say I finally can check this one off the bucket list, but my gosh, I am so sore and paying for it tonight.