Speaking of which, we just did a hike this past Sunday (a very stormy day).  We started out (and finished the hike) with 17 people in an absolute downpour!  First of all, I have to say hats off to the hardy souls that joined us for what promised to be a very wet hike.  Fortunately, the rain did slow down and actually stopped for some time so we were not being rained on the whole hike. I have not had many opportunities to actually hike here in the desert during a rainstorm. It seems more often than not, that our rains are accompanied by thunder and lightning and we do not go out in that weather. But on Sunday, we were fortunate enough to have the rain minus the lightning which would have been a showstopper.  Anyway, as I was saying, this is one of the first times I’ve been out hiking in the desert mountains in the rain here in the valley.  I have to say it was absolutely beautiful!  The creosote bushes, which give our desert that great aroma when it rains, literally filled the air with their scent.  It kind of reminded me of when I used to hike in the pine forests back east and you couldn’t seem to breathe in enough of the beautiful scented air.

Not only did the desert smell fresh and the air felt crisp, but we were rewarded with some great views from within the clouds and above the clouds as we hiked up.  At some points during the hike it felt like we were walking out of the mist into a new world. It was very serene to say the least.  Then to top off the hike, the clouds cleared just enough to let the sun peak through and create an unbelievably bright, colorful rainbow as we were hiking back down to reality.  It really doesn’t get any better than that!  Anyway, I was just so in awe of the beauty of the desert on this hike, that I just had to mention it on our blog. And I wanted to highly recommend to those of you who haven’t done so yet, try to take advantage of some of the rainy days and get out there and hike!  Just don’t go if there is thunder and lightning in the forecast!  If you do get out there, let me know about your experience and send me some photos. I’d love to hear about it.

Lastly, you can go to our photo gallery on our site http://www.takeahikearizona.com and look at the gorgeous photos we took during this hike. They are included in the WM Symposium folder on our flickr page (which is linked to our photo gallery).  I also included a photo with this post of the rainbow we saw on our way back down.

Sonoran Desert Rainbow

The Chuparosa, always an early bloomer, is hitting its full stride right about now.  You will find the red blossoms on the plants especially abundant on the sunnier sides of the trail and along the warmer areas along the washes.  In particular, you can see these plants in full bloom along the sides of the road as you drive around town as well. The Chuparosa further up the slopes and on northern sides of slopes have yet to blossom.  For those of you who  may not already know this, you can eat the blossoms of the Chuparosa. You will even find them mixed in for color in salads you order from select restaurants around the valley.  So go find a blooming Chuparosa and pick a fresh red blossom and try tasting it (please make sure you know it is a Chuparosa before eating it!).  Let me know what you think it tastes like.

Other plants not yet blooming quite as spectacularly as the Chuparosa are the Creosote and Brittlebush.  Both of these bush-like plants produce pretty yellow flowers. The Creosote flowers are smaller and are accompanied by little white fuzz balls (I’m sure there is a technical name for those cute fuzz balls – if you know it – please tell me). The Brittlebush produces larger daisy-like flowers and can be found all over the desert in the Spring. I also noticed that the Buckhorn Cholla (not Staghorn which is not in this part of the desert) is starting to produce the very beginnings of its blossoms. As you hike along, check out the burgundy color shoots sprouting from the tips of the cholla branches on the Buckhorn.

We’ve also been seeing quite a few tiny little yellow and white flowers sprouting up here and there among the rocky slopes.  I’ve yet to see any poppies, lupine, owl’s clover, desert marigolds or any other cactus blooming.  As soon as those start popping up, I will be sure to let you know.  If you’d like to see what these flowers look like, just go to our photo gallery and head to the Flower folder. We have photos of all kinds of desert flora. If you have any questions about anything you see during your desert wanderings, please give us a shout at info@takeahikearizona.com and we’ll try to help you out or find someone who can!  Enjoy the Spring!

As many of you may already know, the State of Arizona is starting to close 13 state parks in the coming weeks.  Many of us are contacting our representatives about this issue, but in addition to the state closures I also wanted to provide you with some information about the planned closure of a number of our beautiful Phoenix parks.  These closures are not getting the same amount of press as the state park closures, but to those of us who love these areas and use them regularly these closures will have a significant impact on us and visitors to our area!  As of right now, it appears that the City of Phoenix is planning to lay off 14 park rangers and reduce public access to our local parks in the area.  The city plans to reduce public access to the parks by closing them on Mondays and Tuesdays.  The anticipated closures include:

• Camelback Mountain
• Piestewa Peak Park
• North Mountain Park
• South Mountain Park
• Shaw Butte
• Lookout Mountain
• Papago Park and
• Shadow Mountain

If this concerns you as it does us, please email one or all of the City of Phoenix Councilman listed at the links below and tell them to keep our parks open and save the jobs of 14 Phoenix Park Rangers: 

Councilman Thelda Williams at: http://phoenix.gov/district1/emdist1/index.html

Councilman Peggy Neely at: http://phoenix.gov/district2/emdist2/index.html

Councilman Bill Gates: http://phoenix.gov/district3/emdist3/index.html

Councilman Tom Simplot at: http://phoenix.gov/district4/emdist4/index.html

Councilman Claude Maddox at: http://phoenix.gov/district5/emdist5/index.html

Councilman Sal DiCiccio at: http://phoenix.gov/district6/index.html

Councilman Michael Nowakowski at:http://phoenix.gov/district7/emdist7/index.html

Councilman Michael Johnson at: http://phoenix.gov/district8/emdist8/index.html

Mayor Phil Gordon at: http://phoenix.gov/mayor/emmayor/index.html

Help us save our Phoenix Mountain Parks from closure!

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?

"A" Mountain

Okay, so we’re not really talking about risking your life on some extreme hike! We’re talking about hooking up with a fun group of people and riding the light rail to the “A” Mountain in Tempe! Take A Hike Arizona is partnering with Rail Life to get our friends out there to meet each other and network in a fun way! The plan is to meet on Saturday morning, March 21st at 8:00am at Mill’s End Coffee shop on the Southwest corner of 3rd & Mill (right off the 3rd & Mill light rail stop).

For those of you who may not be familiar with our A Mountain in Tempe, the official name of the mountain is actually Tempe Butte.  The City of Tempe refers to the same mountain as Hayden Butte. Locals refer to it as “A” Mountain due to the 60 foot tall painted letter A near the summit.  For a small bit of land, it certainly does have enough names! But, I digress.  The base of Tempe Butte is at 1,150 feet while the summit reaches an elevation of 1,496. For those of you without a calculator (I can’t do math in my head), the total climb is 346 feet and 2 inches. Okay, I just threw in the 2 inches to see if you were paying attention!

The Butte may not qualify as an all out hike, but it does provide a nice quick jaunt uphill (just over 1/2 mile) and provides nice views of downtown Tempe, Tempe Town Lake and the surrounding area. Contrary to how it looks from a distance, Tempe Butte actually supports a nice variety of flora and fauna. You can find cholla cactus, barrel cactus, palo verde trees, mesquite trees, and even our majestic saguaro! As far as wildlife sightings go, you probably won’t find too many javelina or mule deer on this spot of land, but you can find cottontails, jackrabbits, pack rats and lizards!

The Butte is also a designated historical landmark. Just off the trailhead on the Leonard Monti Trail, you can find a number of petroglyphs carved into the rock by the Hohokam people. The Hohokams lived in the Phoenix area between 500 A.D. and 1450 A.D.  How anyone can do that without air conditioning is beyond me!

So, anyway, the idea is to have a fun, casual get together while getting some exercise and fresh air! Not only that, but June and I (owners of Take A Hike Arizona) will be there to provide the interpretive part of the hike. That means you get to hear all kinds of fun facts about the desert inhabitants!  All you have to do is show up, bring your own water and snacks and comfortable walking shoes. We look forward to seeing (and meeting) you there!

The Sonoran Desert is the most diverse desert in the world;

Did you know that: 

• There are more plants and animals living in the Sonoran Desert than most forests;
• There is on average a mountain rescue in the valley every 3 days;

• If you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated;
• There are about 500 edible plants in the Sonoran Desert;
• There have been people living in the Sonoran Desert for the past 12,000 years;
• A jackrabbit can outrun most animals in the desert;
• The creosote bush gives us the smell of the desert;
• The average person that is bitten by a rattlesnake will need 20 viles of antivenin;
• One vile of antivenin cost $3,000.00? (yikes!) 

These are just a FEW of the fun facts that you’ll learn on a Take A Hike Arizona hike.  Whether you are visiting the valley or a resident, the guides of Take A Hike Arizona want to make your hike to the Sonoran Desert a fun, yet safe adventure.  If you are fortunate enough to visit the Sonoran Desert, why not experience, explore and enjoy it by hiking with a professional, knowledgeable guide?  All of our guided hikes are designed with you in mind!  We choose our trails based on your ability, needs and interests.  Our guides are all CPR and Wilderness First Aid certified.  We provide your water, snacks, lunch, backpacks, trekking poles and all entry and permit fees.  Make the most of your time in the desert and make your hike memorable. Take a hike with Take A Hike Arizona!

Brittle bush in full bloom.

Well, it is a chilly day here in the desert! It started raining yesterday and has continued raining through today. I believe the reported high temperature for today is supposed to be about 60 degrees. brrrr. This does not happen very often in the Valley of the Sun, so for those of us who live here, we appreciate the change in the weather. For those visiting our area this week, it could be worse, at least it is not snowing! Although now that I think of it, I did hear reports of snow and hail just a bit north of us up in the Cave Creek and Carefree areas. I expect that once we suffer through these 3 or 4 days of winter , we will be right back in the swing of Spring!! The great news is, the more rain we get now, the more colorful our wildflower season will be!

The Spring wildflower season is truly something to behold here in the Sonoran Desert. We have almost every color you can imagine when all of the different plants and cacti bloom. One of the more popular places for locals to visit during the Spring is Picacho Peak. This area is well known for its poppy flowers. These flowers come in all kinds of vibrant colors like red, yellow and orange and they spread out as far as the eye can see! Another area that we particularly enjoy during the Spring is Usery Mountain Regional Park and the McDowell Mountains. In addition to the poppies, these areas also have countless cacti, bushes, trees and other flora that provide continual color to the desert from mid-February to late May. We have already seen much of the Chuparosa in full bloom. Over the past week, the brittlebush have started blooming with their yellow flowers. These plants practically cover the desert floor from one end to the other resembling a yellow carpet. These plants will continue to bloom for several months to come. Other plants that are the first indicators of spring are the Blue Palo Verde Tree and the Sweet Acacia Tree. These are usually the first to bloom, even before the chuparosa and brittlebush. The Blue Palo Verdes began blooming a week or so ago in the lower lying areas. The Little Leaf Palo Verdes will begin to bloom a few weeks after, as they are typically up a bit higher on the hillsides and more open to the chilly air. The Sweet Acacia Tree, although not an indigenous tree to the Sonoran Desert, has begun blooming in many of the nearby neighborhoods as well. What all of this means is, Spring is arriving! This is our absolute favorite time to hike and bring guests out into the desert. You simply can’t beat the desert scenery and colors! Check out our wildflower photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/takeahikearizona to see some great examples of the flowers we expect to see in the very near future!