Don organized a hike the day after Leah arrived. There was a group of 16 of us. Joyce and her hiking friends Wayne and Val headed the hike. To get to the trail head we drove up South Mountain on an extremely twisty trail until we got to the very top! Unusual! Usually we hike to the top, not drive!
We trekked into Hidden Valley by hiking downward. Gorgeous view of Phoenix in the distance, craggy rocks, cacti and wild flowers. At one point we had to take off our backpacks to side step through a narrow pass between huge boulders, ironically called fat man's pass.
We were glad to be done about 1pm as it was getting hot, about 27C.
Starting our hike at the top of South Mountain.
Saguaro cacti, red barrel cacti and Brittle bush (yellow flowers) among the rock.
Brittle bush blooming with yellow daisy-like flowers are very plentiful right now.
Taking off backpacks in preparation to get through Fat Man's Pass.
Chris navigating Fat Man's Pass.
Leah in another passageway, not nearly as tight as Fat Man's Pass.
Flowering Hedge Hog cactus.
Etched out shelter.
Our hike trail - Hidden Valley on South Mountain.
Leah among the wildflowers.
Heading out of Hidden Valley.
It is a lot steeper than this picture shows!
Leah pointing to the skyscrapers of Phoenix in the distance.
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