Hike #13 - Fraesfield Trailhead - Whiskey Bottle Scottsdale AZ

Hike #13

Date: January 25, 2014 (Stroodel's Bday) 

Location: Scottsdale AZ

Hikers: Tina, OZ & Linda 

Directions:  
101 to Pima Road. Right on Dynamite. Stay on Dynamite it will turn into E Rio Verde Drive. Turn left before 136th Street.  Big Sign for Fraesfield Trailhead. 


http://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve

I am still a little sore from the Flat Iron hike last week so we decided to go for longer and flatter this week.  (Just a note there was a rescue on Flat Iron last night. All over the news some lady fell and dislocated her shoulder. The rescue team made her stay up there all night and they were going to helivac her out this morning) Pretty exciting to think we were up there last week. :)

Fraesfield is a brand new Trailhead. It just opened this month.  The link above does not give a good shot of the far east trails.  (not sure why I can't find a good map online. Scottsdale is usually good at this).  There is a map at Browns Ranch and this trailhead that you can take with you.  There are only two main trails from the trailhead.  Whiskey Bottle and BlackHill.  They are not loops so make sure you don't end up at Granite Mountain Trailhead by not picking the right trail back.

Whiskey Bottle is our new hike adventure today.  It is 2.9 miles one way towards the base of Cholla Mountain.  The map shows it as Moderate.  I would call it easy. There is just one slight up and down. If you chose to take Black Hill know that it is mostly the sandy path which Tina and I hate.

We started out a 7:30 as the sun was rising. It is 60 degrees and overcast.  Jim had gel shots in his knees yesterday so he decided to pass since he is supposed to wait 24 hours.  Hard to keep that guy still.  He met us at the trailhead with Pagosha to say Hi!

There isn't a lot to say about this hike.  We saw 5 guys on bikes as we started off and passed three people total on the way back.  It is flat but a good hike for the distance.  It runs along side a golf course at a couple spots.

 The trail is very well marked. There are a few spots that you can branch off.  Part of this trail connects to several trails that we have done before when we started at Granite Mountain Trailhead.  You can see Browns Mountain in the back reflecting the Sunrise.  What a beautiful area we live in.

Oz was digging the walk.  There was no one around so he was able to go off leash.  He was funny because he would run ahead like a 10 year to see how far he could get before he heard OZ!  He is a good dog.

The path is great.  None of the rocky or sandy stuff. At certain places it is more red than sandy depending on the elevation.

The color of the sand as the sunrises is awesome!



We kept following the markers staying on Whiskey Bottle the whole time.

This is where the trail ended.  The GPS had us at over 3 miles on way but I think we made it up on the way back because it was less.  Who knows why.  We turned around here and headed back.  The crazy thing is you can hear the power lines humming as we walked under them.  It could have been our electric personality but I don't think so.  

 

The Sun was pretty much up by the time we headed back.  The overcast sky had cleared to.  Another beautiful day ahead in the desert.  I feel for my friends and relatives in New England.....7 degrees?  70 Degree?  SERIOUSLY.  You make the call!!

Our hike in the end was just shy of 7 miles.  We tried to get to 7 but walking a circle in the parking lot just didn't cut it.  We kept a better pace once we got started.  Pretty good 2 hour hike on a Saturday morning.

Lucky 13 - Check it OFF!