hiking Camelback

On Saturday morning I joined a group of friends to hike Camelback Mountain. We hiked the Echo Canyon trail.

We started just as dawn was spreading over the valley. It had rained quite a bit the night before, so the air felt clean and new. To have such a chilly morning in May was incredible. Being on Camelback was the best place to be on a morning like that!

I was surprised by how green everything was. This is the desert, right? Every view of the valley below was green and lush. It was so beautiful and of course pictures don't do it justice.

This is what the "trail" looks like - just a sea of large boulders that you climb over and up. At some points it is so steep that there are metal hand rails to hoist yourself up with. It was a good challenge - both physically and mentally. But I made it! It felt really great to be on the top.

My favorite thing about the hike was the appreciation I gained for Arizona. I love living here, but I've never thought it was a very pretty place. Boy was I wrong! All of these years I was just looking at it from the wrong angle. :) From high up on the side of a mountain, it is stunning.

I can't wait to hike it again. . . next winter. We totally lucked out with the perfect weather this weekend.