Mellow level hikers ready to take to the trails!
Warren Wasescha, Sun Lakes Hiking Club
November was the start of our hiking season, and you could feel the enthusiasm in the air both at our Welcome Back picnic and on the trails. The weather turned cooler, and our club members were ready to hike!
We had an excellent turnout at our Welcome Back picnic. The food was great, and seeing everyone again was nicer. Special thanks to Tim Donovan for organizing the event. At the picnic Ron Deraas and Joan Carlisle announced Lake Havasu as the location for our Special Hike this season. Dates are Feb. 10 through Feb. 13, 2025. They’ve reserved 40 hotel rooms at the Hampton Inn with roughly a 20% discount, so book now before the rooms are gone. More information can be found on our Meetup site.
Also notable was a giveaway at the picnic of artisan hiking sticks made from saguaro cactus ribs. These sticks were donated by Jan James in honor of her late friend Mark Zipfel who made them over the years. As of this writing, only one hiking stick remained at the end of the day.
The first Monday of hiking in November saw 58 of our hikers take to the trail. Our numbers on the Mellow hike were impressive and a reminder that we can always use more hike leaders to help keep the numbers per hike at a manageable level. That said, it’s a great time to meet a lot of great people on the trail while sharing the joys of hiking in our Valley.
Looking for adventure beyond the borders of Sun Lakes and SunBird? Like the idea of hiking with others? Come join the Sun Lakes Hiking Club. We are a friendly, inclusive group that welcomes all able-bodied hiking enthusiasts! Our club’s goal is to make group hiking fun, challenging, social, and safe. We hike in some incredibly scenic areas in and around the Valley. We welcome all able-bodied hikers living in Sun Lakes or SunBird to come join us.
You can learn more about the club by typing “Sun Lakes Hiking Club” into your web browser, and it will take you to our Meetup site where you can see a listing of our upcoming hikes and read more about our club.
Our club hikes at three different intensity levels on Mondays and often a Moderate and Mellow intensity level on Wednesdays from November through April. We hike the entire Phoenix Valley, as well as an occasional hike in the Payson, Prescott, Casa Grande, and Tucson areas. You can check out current and past hikes on the Meetup site. Have questions not found on the site? Email Paul Feeney at [email protected] to learn more.
One of the best things about our Hiking Club is the community we’ve built over the years. It’s not just about the hiking—it’s about meeting new people, sharing stories, and enjoying the outdoors together.
Hiking is one of the many rewarding activities you can do in our community. We hope you will join us this season!