Piestewa Peak Paces

Why do we always pick hard hikes for our month-iversaries? I guess I should say, "I." I definitely picked this one. But I wanted to do it with him, so I waited for a special occasion (our month-iversary), and until it was cooler. Cooler being a subjective term given that it was in the 100's all week. (Welcome to Arizona!)

Anyway, onto the hike: Piestewa Peak in Phoenix, Arizona.

Distance: 1.2 miles one way

Difficulty: Marked moderate to difficult on the website; marked double black diamond at the trail head. At 116 flights of stairs according to my FitBit, I'd dub it difficult

Time: About two hours (without rest breaks)

We started early, but not early enough. At a few minutes past 6 am (with sunset being around 6:30 am), ALL the parking spots were full. We ended up parking in a neighborhood despite our wishes not to do so. (Please don't block the driveways of people's homes if you do this!)

The trail is mostly rock, which decreases dust, an added plus. There are lots of steps built into the trail, especially in the beginning. There is also a low concrete rail along the first portion. We walked that rail like a balance beam to decrease the stepping. I recommend this if you can. It's pretty much a steady climb, with switchbacks. It's hard to miss the trail, but it is easy to miss your footing, so step carefully! Also beware of the brave runners who want to get around you....

The top is beautiful, though not quite as beautiful as the views on the way up, in my opinion. As with other trails, there are quite a few people at the summit, making it less serene.The way down was easier in some ways, but also harder on the knees. We took breaks both ways as needed. The plus side was that we heard a flutist as we descended. We saw him pack up on our way down. He'd even toted a drum half way up the mountain. Respect!

It was a good hike, one we may not do often (or ever again!), but worth it! I'm glad we went.

In summary: Go early. Take a headband. (The mountain is windy and you'll sweat.) Do the trail to commemorate something. Pace yourself. Do the trail to commemorate something, because you'll remember it!