Category: desert

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Guadalupe Peak, Texas

Highpointers are all interested in getting to the top of this mountain. The trailhead is near the Pine Springs Visitor Center.

Guadalupe Peak, also known as Signal Peak, is the highest natural point in Texas, with an elevation of 8,751 feet (2,667 m) …. It is located in Guadalupe Mountains National Park …

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The peak can be climbed by a maintained stony trail (4.25 miles or 6.8 kilometres each way) at any time of the year. …

A stainless steel pyramid marks the summit. It was erected by American Airlines in 1958 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Butterfield Overland Mail, a stagecoach route that passed south of the mountain. …

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Once there you might want to scramble down and back up to the top of El Capitan, the most impressive face of the massif.

el-capitan

If interested in climbing Guadalupe, click over to SummitPost for details.

 

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man and dog 60 days off-trail

Ace Kvale turned 60 last fall, and to celebrate, he planned a 60-day, off-trail backpacking trip around Utah’s Canyon Country, leaving from his front door.

He had a dozen friends join him for different sections of the trip, and one friend who joined him for the whole thing: his blue heeler, 10-year-old Genghis Khan aka ‘Desert Dog’. …

Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/163509935

related – Desert Dawg Adventure Blawg

(via Outside)

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hiking across Mojave Reserve, California

Next time I get to Vegas I plan to cross the Mojave National Reserve south to north.

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I’ll start from highway 40 heading towards the Granite Mountains. Refill at Kelso Depot. Hike on to Mid Hills Campground , refilling my water bottles. And exiting at Nipton.

mojave-map

Surprisingly, water will not be a problem.

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water sources

I won’t count on natural springs, however. Let’s leave that for the wildlife.

I’ll carry the Tom Harrison map. Wish me luck.

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Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Northeastern Arizona.

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Named for its large deposits of petrified wood, the fee area of the park covers about 230 square miles (600 square kilometers), encompassing semi-desert shrub steppe as well as highly eroded and colorful badlands. …

The site, the northern part of which extends into the Painted Desert, was declared a national monument in 1906 and a national park in 1962. About 800,000 people visit the park each year and take part in activities including sightseeing, photography, hiking, and backpacking. …

The park’s seven maintained hiking trails, some paved, vary in length from less than 0.5 miles (0.8 km) to nearly 3 miles (4.8 km). …

Hikers and backpackers may also visit the park’s wilderness areas. Free permits are required for overnight stays …

I enjoyed the 1 mile hike at Blue Mesa. Reviews.

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Entry fee.

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Epic Grand Canyon Hike

Have you been following Peter McBride & Kevin Fedarko?

Epic Grand Canyon Hike: A 650-Mile Challenge (Part 1)

Epic Grand Canyon Hike: Frozen Shoes and Low on Food (Part 2)

I liked the 3rd and final instalment best.

Click PLAY or watch Thirst and Threats in the Godscape on YouTube.

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Barber Loop Trail, Mojave CA

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

I love Mojave National Preserve about an hour away from Las Vegas.

But I’d already done most of the popular hikes on previous trips.

Happily this time I discovered the Barber Loop Trail apparently the newest of the established trails.

Ideal for those sleeping at Hole-in-the-Wall Campground.

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It’s a loop so you can hike in either direction.

Barber Loop Trail, CA

Best is to start off into the desert, return via the Rings Loop Trail

Barber Loop Trail, CA

I was a bit disappointed. Standard flat desert.

Barber Loop Trail, CA

I’d hoped the trail would loop up on top of Barber Mountain. It doesn’t.

Barber Loop Trail, CA

There are a few things to see in the desert, of course.

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The best part is the section you could do separately as the Rings Loop Trail.

Barber Loop Trail, CA Barber Loop Trail, CA Barber Loop Trail, CA

more photos

If you want to know more, Bird and Hike posted an excellent trip report.

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hike Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

  • 3 miles return
  • 812 feet elevation gain

My old friend Francis Tally took me to one of his favourite hikes out of Usery Mountains Regional Park near his winter home in Mesa, AZ.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

Huge Saguaro cactus are the highlight. And the brazen chipmunks. 🙂

Francis told me an awful story of a hiker who fell into one of the OTHER types of cactus. It took paramedics 3 hours to remove enough spines just to transport him by ambulance!

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

We arrived on a Sunday morning to learn that weekend mornings are a zoo on this popular trail. It was difficult to find parking .

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

The trail itself is not all that difficult. Many children hike it.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

The Wind Cave isn’t really a “cave” but rather an indent to shelter from the wind.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

Almost everyone stops here. Francis and I scrambled on to the top of the mountain.

Finding some pink ribbons we decided to follow that off-trail route.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

Here we be. The sprawl of greater Phoenix at our feet.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

This is a terrific area for day hikes.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

Thanks Francis. … I assume the name tag on your hat is to help authorities return you to your retirement park if you get lost. 🙂

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

Exiting the Park Francis took me over to a nearby gun range just below the Phoenix sign. I’d never seen one before.

Wind Cave, Phoenix AZ with Francis

They are LOUD.

related – Roads Less Traveled trip report

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Peralta Trail #102 to Fremont Saddle, Phoenix

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

I had a half day free to hike. Not sure where to go, I drove up to Peralta trailhead close to Mesa, AZ. Of the many options from the trailhead, this looked best to me.

  • Level: Easy/ Moderate
  • Length: 5 miles
  • Elevation: approx 1300 ft. gain
  • Type: Out and Back

Peralta Trail 102

It was a beautiful day climbing up and along a creek. Here’s the vista on one side.

Peralta Trail 102

And the other side.

Peralta Trail 102

At the Fremont Saddle kids were scrambling the boulders. Moms tried to avert their eyes.

Peralta Trail 102

The most spectacular feature on the other side … Weaver’s Needle. Some people climb it.

Peralta Trail 102

details 

If you have two vehicles, you might want to continue past Fremont Saddle.

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Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak, Arizona

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Like many others driving between Phoenix and Tuscon, I’d always wanted to climb this unique volcanic plug.

It looks challenging, but I found it not too bad.

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It’s not via ferrata, but there are cables and other assistance everywhere needed.

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Bring gloves.

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As a former gymnast, I was certainly overconfident on arrival at the trailhead.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

I’d already embarrassed myself pronouncing the name of the peak as Pikachu. That’s wrong.

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Though one hiker cried 4 times getting up and down, I found it fun.

I love the giant, individually unique saguaro cactus.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

On the way up it’s difficult to imagine there’s actually a hiking route.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

This beautiful day attracted many to the peak. Everyone made it to the top so far as I could see. Myself included.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

Certain birds and animals make a good living waiting on lunch crumbs here.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

The vista from the top is not all that spectacular.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

I made a sidetrip to a smaller peak. Here’s the vista looking back to the summit.

Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak

Still, Hunter Trail to Picacho Peak is unique and interesting enough to be added to our list of best hikes in North America.

If you have two vehicles consider climbing up via Hunter Trail, returning via Sunset Trail.