We did the Tom's Thumb Hike on the northern side of the McDowell Ranges though we accessed the rock formations from the western side, rather than the north eastern trail-head. The hike was about twelve miles in total and took us four hours to complete. The rock formation known as Tom's Thumb in the picture above is at about 3500 feet. Getting up to it is pretty strenuous, there are a mountain's worth of switch backs to get to the ridge that leads to the rocks.

It was good challenging hike.

I went up Bell Pass today. It was a tough hike of approximately four miles with the last two miles being steeply vertical. The pass bridges the mountain range between the western and eastern aspects.

Phoenix is perenially hot now and there is no good time to go and do a hike. I did it between 10am and 1pm which put the temperature around 105F (about 42C). I took three bottles of water up which summed to two pints of water and had used every last drop by the time I had got back down to my car. (more)

Last year as my marriage obviously broke down I would travel out to Harpers Ferry in West Virginia and hike the mountain trails. It got me out of the house for several hours, left me to my own thoughts, and placed me in a very beautiful natural environment.

Sunrise over the McDowell Ranges

In Virginia you have to travel to a trailhead. They are not close, being generally outside of the suburbs by forty five minutes to several hours. Phoenix is the opposite. The trails are integrated into the city itself; whether Camelback, Squaw Peak or South Mountain. The northern mountain range is the McDowell's. (more)

Phoenix has been overcast, cold and drizzly all day. It is very unseasonal. The photograph below is from my car heading north up the 101 and looking toward the McDowell Ranges.

Normally at this time of day the McDowell Ranges are in stark relief against a bright blue sky and the long shadows of their own peaks.

Ironically the desert sun and heat has created a market for undercover parking which is in short supply. One of my workmates just leased an under-cover site in the parking lot for $40 a month. Apparently this is normal practice to charge for parking under a carport-like tin roof which at least offers some relief from the direct sun.