Hike #19 - Sonoran Preserve - Desert Vista - Dixie Mountain Summit Phoenix AZ

Hike #19

Date: February 23, 2014 

Location: Phoenix AZ

Hikers: Me & Stroodel 

Directions:  
I17 North to Happy Valley Road or 7th Street North to Happy Valley Road. North on 19th Ave. Stay Straight onto N North Valley Pkwy. Take 3rd right onto W Copperhead Trail. Take 1st left onto N Melvern Trail and first right onto W Desert Vista Trail.  This trailhead is behind the Fireside Development. No Water/No Restrooms

Sonoran Preserve - Desert Vista Trailhead 

http://phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/sonoran/index.html

or    http://phoenix.gov/webcms/groups/internet/@inter/@dept/@parks/documents/web_content/095100.pdf

This is my second trip to the Desert Vista Trailhead.  Today Stroodel and I are hiking buddies.  It is Jim's birthday and he is off being Reverand Jim.  I will say Happy Birthday thoughts for him at the top of the Mountain. Happy 66th to the best hiking partner a girl could have.

The plan today is a quick hike at a fast pace.  I have my training partner who is speedy out of the gate.  Stroodel and I are ready to go! We are hiking up Hawk's Nest to Dixie Mountain to Dixie Summit.  Per my checking (which is better today) the hike will be a little over 3 miles up and back.

Hawk's Nest gets its name for the cactus that has a large nest in it.  If you zoom in you can see it.  But it will need to be renamed.  I will show you why at the end of the hike.

 It is a decent climb up Hawks Nest. We were moving quick.  A biker caught up to us and said he was surprised how quick we were moving.  I said it was my training partner.  She goes out quick.  But gets a little tired at the end.  It was 65 this morning and there were not alot of people on the trail. This is where Jim and I branched off on hike #15 but today I am staying straight.

We hit the end of the Hawks nest and headed to the right.  We will take Dixie Mountain loop for about 1 mile.  We passed a couple familys and ofcourse they had to talk to the dog.  That is what we always do too.

I rounded the corner and there were two guys riding unicycles.  We often see a guy on Shaw Butte riding one.  It has big mountain bike tires.  One of the guys was slow.  He said he was just learning. He said he knows the Shaw Butte guy.  There are about 10 of them in a group around Phoenix.  I have no idea how he stays on this thing and you add the rocks.  Crazy!!

After he passed we rounded the corner to the summit marker.  .2 to the top.  Steep switch backs and we were up in 5 minutes.

 There were two woman in from of us. They headed up first. Stroodel was slowing down and we stopped for a water break.  The balloons as usual were up to the North of us.  We saw them starting to land.

 Stroodel and I did a Selfie at the top.  Kind of hard to hold it all together when she does not want to sit on the rocks.  I don't blame her.  You can see I17 and the West Valley off to the East.

We take a break to sit for a minute and enjoy the quiet.  Still no one in sight and the summit is all mine! 

We headed back down the same way we came up. Running a litte and skipping the rocks.  I was feeling my legs. This was a good workout.  We stayed on Dixie Mountain til we hit Hawks Nest trail heading down.  Below is the reason the trail needs to be renamed.  If you look closely you will see a small head sticking up.  It is an Owl...who? and Owl...who?  HAHA. People say there are two babies in there. The picture does not do it justice. It is huge! 

Owl's Nesting in Cactus

Back to the parking lot.  I really like this area. Close to home and good workout. 

 This was a great quick hike.  Stroodel and I went up and back in a little over an hour.  Almost 3.5 miles.  Perfect morning hike for hike #19!

Check it off! 

This was a great week. Three really good hikes.  Almost to 20. I hope to pickup some shorter hikes over the next couple weeks. May be time to hit South Mountain area.  Will research soon.