Tag: hiking

Sun Lakes Hiking Club—Summer Hiking Smarts

Sun Lakes Hiking Club members DeEtte Faith, Diane Alessi, and Henry Silberblatt enjoy the view near Tom's Thumb last month in the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve. (Photo by Henry Silberblatt)

Warren Wasescha As Valley temperatures reached 112°F, a friend called to say he caught the news of multiple hikers being rescued from trails due to fainting, heat stroke, and falls. Then last week, the news of a man rescued who stepped aside to let faster hikers pass, only to have the rock he leaned on…

Hiking Club January Highlights and February Events

Warren Wasescha Sixteen club members kicked off the new year by hiking to “Resolution Rock” at South Mountain to “fly” their resolutions through a special “rock portal” into the new year, followed by a “toast” at the trailhead afterwards. Word has it everyone is keeping their resolutions so far! In January, the Mellows enjoyed hikes…

Sun Lakes Hiking Club Highlights

Club hikers giving a "Thumbs Up" at the top of Tom's Thumb. Pictured (left to right) are Brian Hill, Tim Allen, Mei-Mei Ahlskog, Dena Brinkman, Diane Alessi, Jeannette Chenier, DeEtte Faith, and Marilyn Harkins. (Photo by Warren Wasescha)

Warren Wasescha December kicked off with a 4.5-mile hike by the Mellows led by Bob and Karen MacFarlane on five trails at South Mountain, while the Motivateds, led by DeEtte Faith, hiked 11 miles via the Gateway Trail to reach Tom’s Thumb to give a “thumbs up” to this majestic peak in the McDowell Mountains.…

Tight squeeze

Club members "skinny up" to make it through Fat Man's Pass.

Warren Wasescha One of the great things about the Sun Lakes Hiking Club is that you get a chance to see and experience areas of the Valley in a very different way. Take for example South Mountain. From the ground looking up, it’s just an average-looking mountain. But travel up the Mormon Trail to the…

Hikers cool off along the Mogollon Rim

Photo by Mark Malin

Warren Wasescha The club’s off-season hikes began this summer with a 6.3-mile hike on Houston Loop Trail along the Mogollon Rim near Payson, AZ, 4800 feet above sea level with temperatures 20 degrees cooler than in the desert, 90 miles away – a nice respite from the summer heat enjoying nature with friends. While our…

Summer is for hiking too

Warren Wasescha It’s summer. It’s hot. And you wonder, does anyone hike mountain trails around the Valley at this time of year? While the Sun Lakes Hiking Club’s official hiking season is November through April, club members do continue to hike during the summer months. The game plan is just a bit different. Top on…

A very special hiking trip

Judith Kuse In mid-March, 40 members of the Sun Lakes Hiking Club embarked on this year’s Special Hiking Trip with destinations in the Dragoon Mountains; the wine country of Willcox, AZ; the Chiricahuas and the city of Bisbee, AZ. The entire trip was graced with good trails, companionable hikers and the absence of glitches. Hikers…

Be prepared for summer hiking

Judith Kuse The Sun Lakes Hiking Club’s season is nearly over, but many of its members still enjoy hiking AZ trails throughout the spring and summer months. They know they must be alert to the special challenges of hiking in the heat, and they prepare well before venturing out. Marilyn Harkins, hike coordinator for the…