Hike #21 - Sonoran Preserve - Desert Vista Trailhead -Union Peak Phoenix AZ

Hike #21

Date: March 8, 2014 

Location: Phoenix AZ

Hikers: Me, Jim & Tina

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

Back at the Sonoran Preserve to try another new hike.  UP - Union Peak is where we are headed.  Over a 6 mile hike to a Summit. (we like summits).  We are pressed for time today due to hair do's and Witch Dr's.  So we hope to get this done in 2 hours.

The trail we are taking is Hawk's Nest to Desert Tortoise to Valle Vista to Great Horned Owl to Union Peak.  This is the South part of the preserve.

We started the hike with our typical banter and stories.  Always fun filled conversation and never a dull moment.  I think someone was pushing someone else off the trail?...I can't remember.  We had two weeks of catching up because we were actually rained out last weekend.



This trail was lightly traveled at our start.  We did not see anyone.  There is a slight incline midway on Desert Tortoise, then it is flat out in the middle of no where. There was a cool spot that trail went between rocks.  We did not notice this the first time we were on Desert Tortoise.  Jim and I hike a portion of this back on hike #15.

We continued to hike to the end of Desert Tortoise.  It is not well marked other than to tell you that the trail ends.  At this point we took a right onto Valle Verde.  The first time we did this we took a left and headed up to Dixie Mountain.  Not this time...It is a NEW hike.  Yeah.

Once you head up the hill you do see a trail marker finally.  It is now a slow incline up the hill towards Great Horned Owl.

The sun is coming up earlier now so we miss the magnificent sunrises.  It is about 8am and it is still nice to see the sun shine on the Cholla.

At the top of Valle Verde we veered to the left.  There appears to be a path but not sure where it goes.  At first I thought this was Union Peak but I was wrong. We still have a way to go and it is more East.

The desert is supposed to be in bloom with wildflowers now.  March and April is the time of year according to the AZ Highways magazine.  We have had so little rain (last week was the first time this year). That is is pretty boring for flowers on this mountain.  I did see this cactus starting to bloom.  Had to capture it!

Valle Verde Trail ends and Great Horned Owl starts.  It is a loop around the Union Mtn.  We are not doing a loop today because that would make it over a 9 mile hike.....although we almost went there!

I remember studying the map because sometimes I get my East and West messed up when I get out there.  Must because I grew up thinking the Ocean is to the East and here in AZ the Ocean is No Where.  I mean it is to the West!  Anyway....we took a right at the GO marker and Tina said something that made me question it.  Luckily this friendly biker needed an excuse to stop up the hill and he told us we were taking the long way and to go back to the sign and take a left.

The biker was a nice guy.  We liked him!!

GO we did.  This trail is a climb up to the base of Union Peak.  It is very pretty. We could look north and see Dixie Mountain and all the other Mountains in the North Valley.  You can see the trails that we have travelled in earlier hikes cut into the mountains.  The have done a great job with this 

trailhead.

 We hit the UP Sign for Union Peak. We took a Right to head to the summit.  There were nice switch backs that cut up this Mountain/Hill (not sure which is was).  It was a good climb to work your lungs.  It was a Beautiful morning. Not a cloud in the sky. We leave in a GREAT place.

My Models as usual did exactly what I wanted them to do for the picture. Pointing Up.  Although Jim's picture had to be edited to make this G Rated!  He is Canadian.  His jokes aren't funny.

                                

We made it to the Summit.  Jim stopped at the first hill and I 

took a picture with the Cave Creek and Carefree area behind him.  

 We took a Selfie to show we made it.  I will blame the iPhone camera for the picture quality! 

 This was our view to the South.  You can see our houses from here.  

The view to the North. If you look closely you can see Elephant Mountain.  That is our new Where's Waldo.  We tend to look for it lately on this North Valley hikes. 

 Now we turned around and headed back. We were on a mission to make our two hours.  We did see some people from a Glendale hiking club heading up.  We saw these three cactus' and decide they looked like us.  Moe, Larry and Curly.  

 As we were headed back towards the Hawks Nest Junction we had two horses pass us.  They were very furry.  The lady told us they were xxx horses.  xxx = I can't remember the name even though I said I would.  Maybe I will update this when I remember.

 This was a great hike. These trails are awesome and so close to home.  We went longer than I thought.  Might be do to my one wrong way.  :)  Get use to it!!

Everyone made it to their Hair Cuts and Witch Dr's today.  

Next Week Will be a Leprechaun Hike!

St Patricks Day here we come. 

Hike #21. Check it off!!