Happy hiking!

 
Over the past four or so years, I’ve taken to hiking or snowshoeing each and
every week. Unfortunately, most of my friends are not up for the kind of
hiking I like to do. This means I end up going on many of my hikes alone.

Don’t get me wrong. I thoroughly enjoy spending a little time on my own. I’m
able to push the pace to where I get the perfect workout. Besides, I always
take my German Shepherd Dog, Suki. So I’m not really alone.

Still, I prefer to hike with others at least some of the time. Also, I’m
keenly aware that the inherent risks involved in hiking and snowshoeing can
be greatly amplified when you are on your own, and there is no one else to
assist in the unlikely event that trouble arises.

As a result, I’ve put a lot of energy into finding like-minded outdoor
enthusiasts that I can join on some of my outdoor activities. But it’s not
quite as easy as I’d have guessed. The better your conditioning, the harder
it is to find people who would enjoy your pace. Also, everyone has their own
ideas about what sort of activity is best.

So I set out to find ways to promote communities of outdoor enthusiasts,
which would allow people to connect with others that enjoyed the same types
of activities. And I thought the Internet was the best place to build these
communities.

There are already large sites where outdoor enthusiasts can hookup, but I
wanted a free community site that was dedicated to people planning and
discussing outdoor activities, and nothing else. The site also needed to be
simple: users should be able to instantly see any activities in their area
without logging in, or even having an account.

The result of this effort is the Trail Calendar website. This site is
divided into different locations so that when you visit the site, you’ll see
only those activities scheduled in your area. (The only exception is on your
very first visit, when you must tell the site where you are located.)
Although the site could potentially grow to be very big, users only see
nearby activities, which makes the site feel smaller and more intimate.

I’ve added the ability to RSVP activities so you can see who plans to join.
The site also rates people according to the number of activities they’ve
posted. I’m currently working on discussion forums and I’m looking at
implementing private groups, with a long list of cool ideas for features in
the longer term.

The site is still new. Some locations are picking up activity, while other
locations are waiting for people to post their first activity. So the next
phase is to get the word out and get more people using the site so that it
becomes more useful for those who do.

If anyone else feels this is a worthwhile cause, please post your next
activity on the site and tell your friends to do the same. Only with the
help of outdoor enthusiasts like you will the site grow the sort of online
communities, which I’d love to be part of.

Jonathan Wood
Trail Calendar
http://www.trailcalendar.com

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) of black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup whole kernel corn
1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Mash beans in a bowl. Add finely chopped onion, corn, salsa, pressed garlic, cilantro or parsley, salt and black pepper to beans. Mix well. Add bread crumbs and egg whites to bean mixture. Mix well. Form bean mixture into round hamburger patties, about 1/2 inch thick.

Heat a skillet over medium heat until hot. Lightly spray pan with nonstick cooking spray; cook patties 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Cooking on a grill is not recommended as the burgers will not hold together over a grill and will fall apart when you try to flip them.

Serve burgers on whole wheat buns with optional toppings such as sour cream and salsa. This recipe is so delicious that even the kids ate the burgers!! If you have some great, healthy recipes that are family favorites, we would love to hear from you. We’d even be happy to share your recipe on our blog! In the meantime, enjoy these black bean burgers!

I am not a Gila Monster!

Now I'm a Gila Monster!

Inside the tunnel under the bridge

Just spent the weekend up in Payson camping with the kids and enjoying the somewhat cooler weather.  One of the main activities we planned for our trip was a visit to the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.  The park itself is located 12 miles north of Payson right off Highway 87.  It is very easy to find.  Due to state budget cuts,  the park is currently open 5 days a week – Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) and is scheduled to close as of September 27th!  Hopefully, a resolution (other than actually closing the park) can be found before September so we can continue to enjoy this beautiful area.

The natural bridge itself is thought to be the world’s largest natural travertine bridge.  Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs.  The precipiation of the mineral springs forms a coating on nearby surfaces such as plants, roots, rocks, etc and forms very interesting formations including stalactites and stalagmites in limestone caves.  Another great example of travertine forming over plants and roots are the Havasu Falls in the western part of the Grand Canyon on the Havasupai reservation. But, back to the Tonto Natural Bridge.  The bridge itself sits 183 feet up above the ground.  The tunnel below the bridge is 400 feet long and as wide as 150 feet in some places.  Both the views from above and looking up from below are amazing! 

Our favorite part of the trip was hiking down the Gowan Trail and entering the tunnel itself below the bridge.  We spent quite a bit of time inside the tunnel climbing around and hiking to the other end.  Some spots were a bit hazardous due to the slippery, wet surfaces.  With that said, keep in mind that it is a lot easier to climb up some of these slippery slopes than it is to come back down them.  So be sure to take a look at what you are contemplating climbing up and see if it is something you can manuever back down. 

heading down some slickrock

In addition to the beautiful scenery the bridge provides, the other great thing about the tunnel is the cool air and refreshing water constantly dripping down from the ceiling above.  It is a great way to cool off on a hot day!

Also, you are allowed to enter the water to swim as long as you are not within the tunnel.  So as you come down the Gowan Trail, right before you step onto the man-made bridge that takes you to the entrance of the tunnel, veer off to the right and you can swim right there.  The water is very refreshing (meaning down right cold) and there are quite a few little critters that the kids will enjoy looking for around the swimming hole.  We found monster size crayfish (seriously, they looked like lobsters!), lots of fish and some interesting frogs.  There’s also a large number of swallows that nest in the tunnel and many other colorful birds flying in and out of the area.  So there is a lot to see.  We spent the better part of our day enjoying the park and we look forward to going back up again later this summer before the park closes in September.  For more information about the park visit the state park website and check out our photo gallery on our Facebook Fan page to see our photos from the trip.

View looking toward Superstition Mountains

I love when family and friends come to visit us here in beautiful Arizona!  It gives me the perfect excuse to do some more local sight seeing in my own backyard that I otherwise probably wouldn’t take the time to do.  Sound familiar?  Our latest “adventure” was taking a day to travel along the Apache Trail, one of my favorite scenic drives.   To begin this drive just head out on 60 East and take the Idaho Rd exit and follow the signs to Canyon Lake.

After a short drive down the Apache Trail, we started our day at Goldfield Ghost Town, the old mining town located right by the Lost Dutchman State Park.  We had a great time exploring the old town and taking lots of photos of the area.  Years ago, this little “ghost town” didn’t have much to offer, but it has since been rediscovered and tourists have been pouring in ever since.  As a result, it has gotten a little bit kitschy but it is still worth seeing especially with the kids!  I think we investigated every nook and cranny the town had.  We also spent a bit of money of some of the tours they offer there such as the mine tour.

The mine tour was a pleasant surprise. We learned quite a bit about how the miners spent their days and toiled under ground with only candle light to help them see.  Did you know that the miners were only given about 6 small candles on each shift to help them see what they were doing?  They would conserve their light by putting the candles out and eating their meals in the dark of the tunnels.  If I’m not mistaken, there are some restaurants that currently charge a pretty price for guests to eat in the dark now!  I guess the miners were on to something.

After our adventures at Goldfield, including a mock gunfight battle performed by volunteers, we hit the road again.  We drove towards Canyon Lake.  It is a gorgeous drive through interesting landscape with rock formations, plants, and animals not commonly seen in other parts of the valley.  We stopped at the Marina where Steamboat Dolly is docked.  We parked there and walked across the street to the Boulder Canyon Trail entrance.  We hiked up the trail to get some unbelievable views of the area.  We could see far into the Superstitions Wilderness and a good bit of Canyon Lake.  We saw some folks rafting up into one of the canyons that the larger boats cannot get into (add that to my list of things to do this summer!) and we saw plenty of collared lizards and a snake! 

After working up an appetite hiking, we got back in the car and continued down the Apache Trail.  Our destination was Tortilla Flats.  We made it just in time for dinner.  Even for a Saturday evening, the restaurant closes pretty early at 7:00pm so we felt fortunate to get in for last call (for food that is).  Tortilla Flats is best known for its decor of dollar bills covering every inch of space on the walls of the restaurant.  It is quite entertaining to read what people have written on the dollar bills and to see how old some of them are.  The food is pretty good too!  I will warn you though, if you plan to order the Nachos Grande, make sure you have someone to share them with!!

At Take A Hike Arizona, we love to share our experiences with our fans and we love to hear from you as well!  Tell us about some great adventures you have had whether it is here in the valley or in your hometown.  Just send us your experiences to info@takeahikearizona.com and we can share them with our readers as well!  Also, we offer great day hikes in the Superstitions area, described in this posting, during which our guides will show you some fantastic scenery and share many local legends and history with you along the way.  Just call us at 480-634-8488 to learn more about the excursions we offer!

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!

So for those of you not familiar with the area, head up the Peralta Trail up to the Freemont Saddle that overlooks Weaver’s Needle.  Do not try to hike up to the cave first. From the saddle, head up and over the rocks to your right where many people go to get an even better view of the Needle.  If you look towards the Needle (twelve o’clock), a little to the right (about 1-2 o’clock) is a lone pine tree (a little one).  You can’t miss it. As our friend told us, look for “the tree”. I was a little concerned at first until I saw that is is indeed the ONLY tree up there.  That tree is actually on the trail that you want to pick up to head toward Geronimo’s Cave. However, the tree is in the opposite direction of where you want to head.  So, start hiking on the trail to the right of the saddle that looks like it will take you toward the tree eventually, and you are on the right trail (just don’t bear left to head to the tree when that option appears).

Almost immediately you are in for a scenic treat. The minute you turn the corner and start heading back in the general direction of the trailhead, you have gorgeous views of the other side of the Superstitions that y0u don’t get to see while hiking up the Peralta Trail.  It’s nothing but wilderness. At this point, I wish I could tell you to just follow the trail from here on out but it is not so easy. The “trail” is not a clear path or marked in any manner. You may see cairns once in a while that you hope point you in the right direction, but that is about it.  The only thing I can tell you is stay parallel to the Peralta Canyon that you hiked up earlier and eventually you may find your way back to the trailhead. Seriously. This hike back via Geronimo’s Cave is not for the faint of heart nor the ill-prepared. You know the rule of thumb used at the Grand Canyon….it takes twice as long to hike a mile up than it does down? Well, reverse that for this hike.

Do not attempt to go back this way if you are running low on water or snacks. It takes some time to return by this route.  You should also be concerned about returning this way if you have anyone in your group that has even a minimal fear of heights.  There is quite a bit of scrambling over rocks and sliding down steep inclines – often close to the edge of large dropoffs. So take your time.

The cave itself will be off to the left side of the trail in the area where the landscape/rocks have a yellow tint.  The cave is quite large and pretty open so you really can’t miss it. You have to leave the trail for a few yards to hike up to the actual cave entrance, but you should see some paths that are worn down a bit from others that have gone there before you.  This is a great spot to hang out and enjoy the view for a bit and take lots of photos!  After this point, the trail gets a bit scarce. You have to pick your way through the boulders – while staying parallel to Peralta Canyon. You will also have to scramble quite a bit to get back to an area that feels like an actual trail again.

With all that said, my best advice is if you are going to Geronimo Cave for the first time, go with someone who has been there before and can help guide you back to the Peralta Trailhead.  Also, be sure to bring lots of water, snacks and really comfortable, sturdy shoes. Some of the descents are pretty steep and can be hard on your toes if you don’t have the right shoes on.  I would not recommend bringing younger kids as some of the rock scrambling may be difficult for them to get up and it is a long hike for little legs.

If you are curious about the hike, please feel free to check out the photos we took. They are in our photo gallery on our website under the Superstitions hiking folder. If you would like more information about the hike or would like a guided hike out into the area, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@takeahikearizona.com. We love to share our experiences with you and keep you safe out in the desert!

One of our favorite hikes in the Superstitions is the ever popular Peralta Trail.  It is so popular that parking can be a problem on the weekends. But even on a busy weekend, the area is so large that you are not competing for space on the trail like you would on Pinnacle Peak, Camelback or Piestewa Peak. 

Right from the start, the Peralta Trail has beautiful scenery around every corner. The rock formations along the way are some of the most unique to be found in the valley and during the warmer months, we often see gorgeous collared lizards and blooming flowers of all kinds. From the Peralta Trail you can also find Geronimo’s Cave (if you know where to look).  We are heading out there tomorrow for a fun (day off) hike. We’ll be sure to take some more photos – especially of the cave – and post them to our blog. So stay tuned for some more info about the hike and a few other trails that you can find starting from the same trailhead.

Take A Hike Arizona, LLC is one of the very few companies/organizations that holds a commercial permit to hike in this area of the Superstitions.  If you’d like to learn more about the excursions we offer in the Superstitions Wilderness Area, just give us a holler at 480-634-8488 or email us at info@takeahikearizona.com. We’d love to take you out there and show you the beauty found in this special part of the Sonoran Desert.

Grand Canyon Wildlife

So, we had a few extra days (4 to be exact) on our hands before the kids returned to school and we figured why not get out of the heat of the desert and go camping up at the South Rim? So we did! We made reservations at Mather Campground, which is one of the campgrounds located within the National Park boundaries of the Grand Canyon. We packed up our camping gear and the kids and headed out. With kids, it’s about a 4 hour drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. We always time it just right so we can stop in Flagstaff to stretch our legs a bit and have lunch.

Mather campground is one of my favorite places to stay (as long as you can get a reasonably sized site with shade). The campground has bathroom facilities throughout (although the facilities on the Juniper Loop by site #118 are closed and currently under construction) and there is also a shower/laundry facility available as well. We sort of like the idea of having a shower handy after hiking the Grand Canyon in 90-100 degree heat all day!

After settling in at the campsite, we decided to go for a walk on the Rim Trail at sunset. It was my 5 year old’s first visit to the Grand Canyon so I was curious to see what his impressions would be. As usual, on the way through the campground and the village, we came across a number of mule deer and elk. I don’t care how often you visit the National Parks, it is still always a great treat to see the wildlife! What’s really nice about the Grand Canyon village area, is you can almost set your watch by when the deer appear around the railway station and tracks. At least during this time of year, you are practically guaranteed to see the deer which makes it a great evening walk for the kids! So, we admired the deer (from a distance) for some time and then hightailed it to the rim for the view of the canyon at sunset. As always, it was spectacular! And yes, my 5 year old was duly impressed with the sheer dropoffs and kept asking what would happen if he jumped/fell from this spot…or this spot…or this spot. Needless to say, his wrist still has the indentations from my fingers wrapped tightly around it!

That was our first foray of the weekend to the edge of the canyon. Since we had kids with us, we decided to do a pretty mild hike the next day that we figured they could handle. We headed down the South Kaibab Trail with the plan to stop at Cedar Ridge, have lunch and head back up. I could only hope that the kids would enjoy their hike into this phenomenal wonder of the world as much as they enjoyed their shuttle bus ride to the trailhead. So, with lots of water, snacks and lunch we started down the trail in the early morning. The temperature at the trailhead (about 7,000 feet elevation) was about 75 – 80 degrees with a forecast of 95 degrees for later in the afternoon. Now, as you head down into the canyon those temperatures increase significantly. It is not uncommon for Phantom Ranch (elevation of 2,400 ft) to be at least 20 – 25 degrees hotter than the top of the canyon. Something to keep in mind when you know you will be hiking out as the day is heating up.

Anyway, we had a great hike down to Cedar Ridge (a descent of 1,140 feet from the rim). The kids did an awesome job and by that I mean, few complaints and few incidents of being too close to the edge of the trail. The one thing to keep in mind about hiking this trail is that there is no water supply available to refill your hydration pack or water bottles. So be sure to bring enough water (about 1 -1.5 liters per hour) for your trip down and back up from Cedar Ridge or Skeleton Point. What is nice about Cedar Ridge, besides the view, is that there are restroom facilities available. But there is no water to wash your hands so have some anti-bacterial gel or wipes along with you as well. And Cedar Ridge is a beautiful spot to have lunch. Just ask the squirrels!

The second we sat down we had a number of rock squirrels doing reconnaissance around our spot. We literally were under constant surveillance! Obviously, many visitors before us have conditioned the animals to expect a hand out. As frequent guests of our National Parks, we have learned that you do not feed the animals. First, it makes the animals dependent on humans to feed them, second, the type of food we feed them is detrimental to their health and lastly, they will bite you! Did you know that the Grand Canyon rangers have reported that more people are injured by bites from these cute furry little squirrels than by anything else at the Grand Canyon? I don’t know about you, but I’m in no hurry to go get my rabies shot! So keep the kids (and yourself) away from the squirrels and please don’t feed them your leftovers. Oh and did I forget to mention that all wildlife in the park is protected by federal law and if a ranger does happen to see you feeding the animals that you could be subject to a $500 fine? Ouch.

So, with lunch done and the day starting to heat up quickly, we started heading back up the trail towards the rim. The hike back up is about 1.5 miles and we needed to go up that 1,140 feet that we just came down quite easily a short time ago. It quickly became apparent that we made a wise choice to turn around at Cedar Ridge (as originally planned) versus heading a bit further down to Skeleton Point. The kids got tired with the steep climb and the increasing heat as did my husband who was backpacking our 5 year old up. But, we made sure everyone took frequent rest stops and drank lots of water. I even had a couple of bandanas that I wet down and used to cool off heads and necks. That helped immensely. We made it up the trail with no issues and still had water to spare at the top. So, overall I would have to say that our camping/hiking trip to the Canyon with our kids was a success. My husband actually admitted that he enjoyed camping (never did it before in his life!) and my kids will have fond memories of their Grand Canyon adventure and their favorite shuttle bus.

If you have never visited the Grand Canyon and would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at Take A Hike Arizona. We do not guide hikes in the Canyon, but we love to share our knowledge about it with those who are interested and we do know of a few great companies that do provide guiding services there if that is something else you would like to know about. If you are going to the canyon, have a safe trip and send us your photos! We would love to see them.