Length: 6.8 miles
Duration:3 hours 07 minutes
Vertical Up:2539 feet
My track log at EveryTrailSmack dab in the middle of Phoenix is North Mountain and Shaw Butte. These two peaks are part of over 35,000 acres Phoenix has set aside for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians who want to get away from it all without leaving the city. More than 100 miles of trails are available for exploring the beauty of the Sonoran desert.
As part of my recent weight loss regiment, I have been doing some research for my next goal (more on that in the coming months). Ever since these two peaks popped up on my radar, I have wanted to climb them. After doing research at the Arizona Hiking trail index web site, I found a route that would conquer these two peaks in on pass (
Click me!).
It’s getting hot in Phoenix now so I had to start REAL early. I woke up at 4:45 and made it to the start of the trail by 5:30. It was light out, but the sun had not peaked above the eastern horizon yet. The first part of this hike was up to the top of Shaw Butte, with the first 45 minutes in the pre-dawn light. After a short hike in, the climb started, and what a start!
The first bit of the trail is switchbacks up the “backside” of the mountain. Once that initial climb is done, you reach a dirt road for the rest of the hike to the top. As the sun came up, the trail ducked behind the west side of Shaw Butte. A turn to the east and I started up the steepest part of the first climb.
When I made it to the summit I looked around for someone to take my picture. I saw these two nice older ladies and asked them … or so I thought. Apparently they did not speak English. They began to pose and I tried to explain I wanted my picture, not to take a picture of them. I walked around up top for a bit, looking over at my next target, North Mountain.
The descent down from Shaw Butte was along a long road that was crowded with people going up (this is the most popular route). Unbelievably I had the urge to run down the trail but resisted because I knew another climb was coming. The 1.5 mile hike down was easy and in short time I was on the bottom on the north side of the park. A short hike later and I was looking at my next ascent, North Mountain.
The transition trail from the preserve to the east side of the trails was fun. It hugs a peak and was not that hard of a climb. This trail dumps you out on the most popular trail in the park, a (closed) road from 7th street up to the top. This trail is packed with people - an eclectic mix of joggers, families and hikers.
I got into a rhythm on this trail and made it up to the top in short order. I gotta say that is one heck of a climb. After a quick break, I found the trail to the backside of the mountain for the decent. No one was taking this trail! The descent was brutal. It was very steep, full of shale (loose rock) and cactus. I only passed 2 people on the descent. It was really hard to believe I was in the middle of Phoneix.
Once on the bottom, it was a short walk to the car and completion of the loop. I was spent, it was hot and I was ready for my post-hike Gatorade.
What a great hike – it kicked my ass!
