Lookout Mountain

Phoenix Mountains Preserve

Selfie I took for my wife (who is in Houston) and my son (who lives in Maryland).
Selfie I took for my wife (who is in Houston) and my son (who lives in Maryland).

Got a late start because I was working on a non-hiking video project. 60°, and totally overcast, when I left home in Sunnyslope at 1500. Caught some sprinkles on my way up 7th St. to the Coral Gables TH, but the Lookout Mountain area was totally sunny. It was my first hike here since September, 2011. I had to clear my Crappy Garmin 62S nine9! — times, including turning the unit off & on, before it would properly reset. I am not joking when I say I could watch the mileage ticking up — .10, .20, .30, .40, etc. — without moving an inch. (Seriously, WordPress needs a middle finger icon.) I don’t like doing things twice, let alone nine times. Needless to say, I was pissed. :evil: Anyway, I hiked the Circumference Trail #308 loop counterclockwise. There are a lot fewer “do not enter” signs than at the North Mountain / Shaw Butte / Trail 100 area. (I saw only one.) It was 2.0 miles and about 400 AEG to the summit TH. Lots of switchbacks, which helped with the 500 AEG in .6 miles. Great 360° view of the valley from the summit. Waddle jogged down in 13 minutes, connected back up with #308, and headed back to my car. I stopped at Chino Bandido for dinner on the way home. happy_dance

Distance: 3.67 mi.

AEG: 1,010 ft.

Time: 1h 23m


Summit Panorama

There was a video here, but YouTube deleted my account: I’m now on Vimeo.

YouTube deleted my account. Fuck YouTube.