Hiking Hikers Hiking Group ("3H")

I am planning a bunch of summit hikes in the Pinelago Mountain Range above Safford. This requires taking off Friday May 2nd as some hikes will take place in the early afternoon. We will camp at the Shannon Campground which is first come, first serve. Heliograph Peak is right above it.

This is an overnight. There will be 16 miles of hiking and total elevation gain of 3,700’ in the two days. I will be hiking three summits over 10,000’ and 1 peak in the 9k range. Probably two the first day starting by 3pm for about 2 hours of hiking. Then we start hiking on Saturday at first light.

If interested in more details, feel free to send me a PM.

READ THE FOLLOWING: The Organizer of this trip is a VOLUNTEER, not a "leader". The organizer IS NOT trained in first aid and is not a bonded expert mountain guide. You will need to bring your own experience and judgment. If you want to enjoy the benefits of traveling in a group, then we suggest that you stay with the group on the trip.

The waitlist is created to give preference to hikers who have demonstrated the ability for tougher hikes and consistency of showing up when they RSVP. Those who have RSVPed multiple times and have always cancelled or been a no-show will be kept on the waitlist until others who are more likely to come are given an opportunity to RSVP, or just removed.

About your organizer: My name is Dan. I moved to the Phoenix area in early 2017. I have organized over 200 hikes for various groups – including in Arizona, the Sierras, and Northern Nevada. I tend to choose mountain summits I have never done before. I do as much preparation and mapping as I can to make sure we take the correct trails. However, when hiking a new mountain, there are always surprises and unknowns.

The hike date is subject to change based on weather conditions.

We will be doing a challenging evening hike on the Freedom Trail and Piestewa Peak. This may not be a good fit for beginners, since we will take some breaks, but will be averaging around a 20 minute/mile pace.

We will meet at the #304 trailhead in the parking lot at the end of Piestwa Peak Dr (keep going past the summit trailhead lot to the parking lot at the end of the road). We'll start on the #304 trail and quickly cross over to the #302. The first mile starts with a steadily steepening climb, followed by a slow descent after we cross the first ridgeline. Soon after, we will embark on a second steep climb, and after we join the Summit Trail (#300) we will make our way to the top of Piestwa Peak to catch the sunset before heading back to the parking lot.
Bring at least 1-2 liters of water and a flashlight since we may be hiking in the dark on our way down from the peak.
DISTANCE: 5 mile loop ELEVATION Gain: 2000 feet DURATION: Approximately 2-2.5 hrs FACILITIES: Located at the trailhead. Start time: 5:00 PM.

If interested, we can also go out for food/drinks after the hike. I know of a number of places nearby, but I am always open to new suggestions.

Great hike. If you're available, come and join us. The temperatures should be perfect for this challenging hike. Here is an excellent link with a description of the hike: https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=89

Length: 4.4 miles +/- Round Trip

Rating/Difficulty: Moderately Difficult to Difficult depending on skill level. There is some scrambling over large rocks, some slippery spots over loose rocks, and some open cliff areas that may not be suitable for those with a fear of heights. Gloves are a good idea here. A myriad of trail routes have sprung up over the years. Some of the routes are easier than others. If you are ahead of the hike leaders, you are on your own. Otherwise, we'll try to get you up and down the easiest way possible.

Accumulated Elevation Gain: 2000 feet

Hiking Time: Expect 3.5 to 4.5 hours for this hike.

What To Bring: Please bring plenty of water (at least three liters), nutritious snacks and your sense of adventure! We will break for lunch/snacks at the top. As always, bring good shoes, hats, hiking poles, sunscreen, cameras, etc.

Note: There is no water at the trailhead. There is a restroom.

Originally called Tordillo Mountain, the peak was renamed in the 1870s after the Army established the Picket Post camp nearby. For a time, the Army operated a heliograph station on the mountain, using mirrors to signal other outposts. This is a challenging hike to some spectacular views in all directions from the 4,375 foot summit. At the top, there is, at times, a mailbox. You can sign in at the register, if you like, or just enjoy some of the posts of those that have come before. Either way, we hope you'll join us on this exceptional hike!

Directions: From Phoenix, drive east on route 60 towards the small town of Superior. Drive 0.5 miles past mile marker 221 and turn right (south) on Forest Road (FR) #231 (look for the aluminum windmill to the south, and the sign announcing the turn for Picketpost Mountain). It is well marked, but it comes up fast, so be on the lookout for it as you watch the mile markers. Drive 0.3 miles to a signed junction with FR #310. Turn left, remaining on FR #231, and drive 0.7 miles to the large Picketpost parking area at the end of the road.

SUGGESTED CARPOOL LOCATION: Home Depot at Power and US 60. Go east on the Superstition Freeway (US 60) to Superstition Springs Blvd. exit 187. Take that exit, turn right and go 1/2 mile east, across Power Road. Then turn left, toward Home Depot, at the second driveway. Park in the southwest corner of the lot, behind Burger King. The Home Depot address is 6838 E Superstition Springs Blvd., Mesa, AZ 85208. Be ready to leave by 7:00 am.

Carpool arrangements and spots can be made by agreement. Just use the "Comments" section to make a suggestion to your fellow hikers!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please state whether you will meet at the carpool location or the trailhead. You are responsible for yourself in this regard. There is no guarantee that anyone will be at the carpool location. If no one has indicated they will be at the carpool spot, please consider proceeding to the trailhead.

Please understand, hiking has its dangers. By signing up and attending this, and any 3H events, you are responsible for your own safety, and organizers and their assistants cannot be held responsible for any injuries or other mishaps that may occur.

For anyone interested, following the hike, we can enjoy dining at Silver King Smokehouse & Saloon. Address: 404 Main Street Superior, AZ, 85173

This is a 2.9 mile nonsweep fitness hike loop. We start by going up Marcos De Niza, across the ridgeline to the stone houses and then return to the parking lot down the road. There are a 4 up climbs and 1 down climb. We start promptly at 5:30pm from the bathroom Ramada at the Pima entrance trailhead off 48th St. In Ahwatukee between 48th St & Guadalupe Rd. Phoenix). We try and complete this hike within 1 hour. Please bring a headlamp and plenty of water.

This event is cross-posted with Take a Hike meetup @ https://www.meetup.com/Take-a-Hike/events/vlxplsydcdbkb/