The Phoenix Mountains Preserve (Piestewa Peak Park) seems to have the most variety of blooming flowers as of today.  There are plenty of beautiful blooming Hedgehogs cacti to see as well as blooming Pincushions. The trick is to wait until the sun warms them up a bit and they will open up and show off their gorgeous colors! Other plants starting to bloom in earnest in the Piestewa area are the Creosote bushes and the Brittlebush plants.  I also saw plenty of Scorpion Weed and Fiddlenecks as well as some Poppies here and there. Oh and the Ocotillo look outstanding!  The Buckhorn chollas are producing tons of buds so once they start blooming it will be fantastic!

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve – depending on which trail you take has different flowers blooming as well. Today along the Gateway Loop, I saw plenty of blooming bright fushia pink flowers on a number of Hedgehogs, didn’t see any Pincushions, some Brittlebush are starting to show their color and the Creosote are not too far behind. No Ironwood trees are showing anything yet, nor are the Palo Verdes. The remaining cacti, including Prickly-pear, Teddy Bear chollas, Chain-fruit chollas and Saguaros are still some time off from showing anything. The Saguaros are some of the last to bloom, so don’t hold your breath there.

We will be heading out to the Superstitions this week, we’ll let you know how the blooms look there as soon as we get a report back in!  If you have seen anything in any other areas, let us know. We’d love to keep everyone up to date on the season. It only comes around once a year!

Call or email us with your updates!! Or just comment below and let us know what you’ve been seeing this week!

With that said, we want to be able to share this beautiful landscape with more people. So, for this Spring (2011), we are offering great pricing for our guests. Furthermore, to encourage more families to experience, explore and enjoy the desert we are offering a great price that we have never been able to offer in the past.  Now, with each paying adult, a child (12 and under) hikes FREE.  If you happen to have more children hiking than you do paying adults, those extra kids get to hike at 50% off!  Also, kids ages 13-17 hike for 50% off as well regardless of the number of adults. 

Hiking is truly one of the most memorable ways to see the desert. You have the opportunity to see things up close that you may not discover otherwise, especially since our guides know where to look for you!  So, take advantage of this great pricing this Spring and join us for a fantastic hike in the Sonoran Desert.  Just call us at 480-634-8488 and we can help you pick out the excursion that is right for you!! Happy hiking!

Piestewa Peak Park (Phoenix Mountains Preserve).  From Highway 51, take the Glendale Ave exit. Head east on Glendale Ave (which actually turns into Lincoln Ave as you head further east).  About 3/4 of a mile from Highway 51, you take a left turn at the traffic lights onto Squaw Peak Drive.  Follow this road straight into the park and stay on this road all the way to the far end where you come to a circular parking area and can drive no further.  This is where we will be meeting to start this hike.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve (Gateway Trailhead).  For those of you with GPS, the exact address for this location is 18333 E. Thompson Peak Parkway, Scottsdale.  We will be meeting at the main building area on the east side of the parking lot. For those of you who still drive around the old fashioned way (like me), here are the directions.

Heading North on Hwy 101, take the Frank Lloyd Wright exit.  This exit will drop you onto the service road that runs parallel to the highway (Pima Rd). Stay on this road through the first set of traffic lights (cross over Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd at the traffic lights). Go past the West World entrance. Stay straight until your next set of traffic lights at Bell Rd. Turn right onto Bell Rd.  Follow Bell Rd past the Ice Den skating rink and past the Basha’s shopping center. At Thompson Peak Parkway (major intersection) take a left.  Follow Thompson Peak Parkway for a few hundred yards. The entrance to the Gateway Trailhead parking area is on your right.  Follow the entrance into the parking area and park wherever you find a spot. We will all meet up by the main building.

Heading South on Highway 101, take the Pima Rd/Princess Rd exit.  From the exit ramp, stay straight through the first set of lights at Pima Rd. At the second set of lights, take a left onto Bell Rd.  Follow Bell Rd past the Ice Den skating rink and past the Basha’s shopping center. At Thompson Peak Parkway (major intersection) take a left.  Follow Thompson Peak Parkway for a few hundred yards. The entrance to the Gateway Trailhead parking area is on your right.  Follow the entrance into the parking area and park wherever you find a spot. We will all meet up by the main building.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@takeahikearizona.com. See you there!

Kadija

 There is a special lady named Kadija who is near and dear to many hearts including ours at Take A Hike Arizona. Kadija, a single mom with 2 young boys, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  Kadija is known to be a dynamo (with an attitude) driving people to do their very best in their fitness regimes and their lives. Her loyal followers are always inspired by her unswerving support in their efforts. She always exudes confidence and a great enthusiasm toward life. She will be no different in her fight against cancer. But she does need our support.

Being a single mom with 2 young children, Kadija supports her family through her coaching as a fitness trainer. Unfortunately, she cannot continue to work at this time and her friends want to help. We, at Take A Hike Arizona, are hoping to raise funds to lend a helping hand. Join us on May 30th at 6:00am at the new Gateway Trailhead in Scottsdale for a sunrise hike.  We are not charging  for this guided hike, but will instead gladly accept donations to be contributed to Kadija’s fund. We will provide water, snacks, use of backpacks and trekking poles for those who need them. The hike will also be accompanied by 2 knowledgeable guides (June and Tracey) who can tell you all kinds of neat things about the desert flora and fauna.

If you’d like to join us for this hike and support a great cause, please RSVP to Andrea Hood at AHood4@cox.net or call June and Tracey (Take A Hike Arizona) at 480-634-8488 to reserve a spot on the hike. Donations will be accepted at the time of the hike.  Checks can be made payable to The Kadija Support Fund (an account that has been set up to accept donations for Kadija). To learn more about Kadija and the fund that has been set up, please visit the website that has been created by iBloom Interactive Marketing at http://www.aboutkadija.com.

We hope you can join us for this beautiful sunrise hike on Saturday, May 30th!

Pinnacle Peak visitor

Okay, let me first say that I am not an expert when it comes to snakes. However, with that said, I do know enough about them to be able to admire them from a distance. Call me crazy, but it is always a treat to come across our desert dwelling snakes on a hike. Let me reiterate… I like to see them from a distance.  I actually had a great opportunity this past week to do just that!

While out hiking on Pinnacle Peak on my way back down the trail, I turned the corner of one of the switchbacks and whoa….there it was.  Surprisingly, I was one of the first to come across the rattlesnake as he crossed the trail. I say surprisingly because I have never seen the Pinnacle Peak trail so crowded!  The snake must have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to pass by unhithered. Anyway, the photo at the top of this post is the one of the actual snake I saw on this hike. It was a Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake. After seeing this truly “pretty” snake, I thought perhaps it would be fun to share some information about these reptiles that call the Sonoran Desert home.

One interesting bit of trivia that I learned from the folks over at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center  is that there are more kinds of rattlesnakes that live in the Southwest than anywhere else in North America! However, you are more likely to be struck by lightning than bit by a rattlesnake. That should be encouraging to those of you who may be fearful of hiking in areas where rattlesnakes reside. What also may be of interest to you, is that the majority of rattlesnake bite victims are younger (under 30 years of age), male, and inebriated. I think you get the picture. If  you mess with the snake, it will mess with you.

Now let’s move on to the rattlesnake that comes to mind most often when talking about the desert southwest, the Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake.  This particular snake is Arizona’s largest rattler. It can reach lengths of up to 7 feet (or more).  I’ve heard that a coiled snake can strike at a distance half its body length. So if my math is correct, that means as long as I stand 30 feet away from this rattlesnake, I should be safe!  Bummer. I don’t think my zoom lens is that strong.

So back to the rattlesnake. A rattlesnake is a pit viper. This means that the snake has heat sensing pits to detect warm-blooded prey and predators. These heat sensing pits are located on each side of its face between the eye and nostril.  Since people are larger than most desert animals (that’s another blog post), we project a lot more heat and the rattlesnake senses that we are too big to eat.  Another feature that defines a rattlesnake is the flattened, distinct triangular shaped head, elliptical pupils like cat eyes and fangs that fold back into its mouth. One of the defining characteristics of  a Western Diamond-backed Rattler are the black and white bands around its tail right before the rattle. 

Speaking of the rattle, many people do wonder about what exactly is inside that part of the snake’s tail that makes that rattling sound. Well, actually there is nothing inside the rattle. The rattle itself is made of hollow segments of keratin. This is the same substance that our hair and fingernails are made of. The rattling sound is created when these segments of keratin are rubbed/shaken together – think of dry leaves rustling in the wind.  I cannot tell you how many times someone walking behind me brushed up against a dry bush on the side of the trail and I’ve stopped short in my tracks looking for the rattlesnake!  Now for the “however”. One thing to keep in mind, contrary to popular belief, you do not always hear a rattle as a warning when you come too close to a rattlesnake. Young snakes have only what is called a “prebutton” and really cannot create the rattle sound and for one reason or another an adult rattler may be missing his rattler all together. So always keep an eye out as you hike along don’t just rely on your hearing.

 So, rattlesnake 101 desert safety tips:

• Stay on the trail. You may encounter a snake on the trail, but you can see it and it can see you. Don’t go wandering about off trail where you are putting your feet down in areas that are not cleared and don’t go climbing up rocks and boulders where you are placing your hands where you can’t see them. You never know when a snake might be happily sunning itself on the boulder above you and there you go disturbing its fine day.
• If you hear a rattle, stop immediately. Look around for the source. If it’s your 8 year old nephew, then all is good (except for the 8 year old nephew). If you do see a rattlesnake, do not make any sudden moves. If you can, back away slowly to put some distance between you and the person closest to the snake. Seriously, that’s what I would do. Okay, not really. If someone is closer to the snake than you, then their hearing is not as acute as yours and you need to move them back with you away from the snake. More than likely, the snake will move along its way and you can continue your hike. Do not approach and/or try to encourage the snake to move along as it may take it as a challenge.
• It is always advisable to also wear high-topped shoes or boots for hiking in the desert.  
• Lastly, stay alert and keep your ears and eyes open! 

So those are the quick, (not all inclusive) rules of safety to try and avoid negative encounters with the rattlesnakes.  If for some reason there is an encounter that results in the rattlesnake biting someone, the first thing you should do is call 911 immediately. Then have that individual remove all jewelry such as rings, watches, bracelets, etc. Do not apply a tourniquet, do not administer any type of drugs or alcohol or suck the venom out (now we have 2 victims), and do not apply ice. Any person bitten by a snake should be transported to the hospital without delay even if you do not think it was a rattlesnake. And you do not need to take the snake with you to show the doctors what type of snake bit the individual. The doctors will treat the symptoms not the species of the snake.

Just as an added FYI, a typical rattlesnake bite will require 20 vials of antivenin ($3,000 per vial) and a tetanus shot. But look on the bright side, it’s better than running into a rabid bobcat. Oh, did I mention we have those too?

Arizona State Flower - Saguaro Blossom

“Welcome to my office.  My name is June Kleier and I’ll be your guide today.” Is how I like to greet my guests!   I love that my office has no doors, no windows and no light switches.  My office has fresh air, amazing views and unlimited opportunities to experience, explore and enjoy.  My office is the world’s most diverse desert, the Sonoran Desert.

I say to my guests, “This is your hike!”  I customize each hike to meet the needs of my guests.  We hike at their pace, we take as many photos as they like and we stop to take in the beautiful scenery as much as they want.

 My office changes daily depending on the type of hike my guests request.  Take A Hike Arizona offers leisure nature hikes, moderate hikes with gains in elevation and challenging, heart pumping treks through the pristine desert.  We truly have something for everyone.

To get to my office, I travel all over the Phoenix valley to some of the most beautiful locations in the Sonoran Desert.  Some of my favorite locations to hike are the Superstition Mountains, McDowell Mountain Preserve, South Mountain, Cave Creek Regional Park, Camelback Mountain, Usery Regional Park and Fountain Hills Regional Park (to name a few).

Take A Hike Arizona chooses the mountain, trail and type of hike based on the needs of our guests.  Our goal is to make your hike a memorable experience.  We want you to leave the valley with a better understanding and appreciation of the desert and its ecosystem.

So I encourage you to call Take A Hike Arizona, LLC toll free at 866-615-2748 or visit our website at www.takeahikearizona.com and visit my office.  My door is always open.  I can almost guarantee that the sun shines in my office 325 days a year and it has an annual average temperature of 71 degrees Fahrenheit.  Oh and did I mention that my office is currently full of spring wildflowers?