The last few cool days of the season for the Sun City Hikers always comes too soon. This year was no exception. The desert provided us with a spectacular super bloom that we had not seen the likes of in years. With the end of our hiking season upon us, members wrapped up club business with our spring meeting held on March 30th at Cave Creek Regional Park. There were approximately 70 members who completed a short hike before the meeting started. After the hike, the members shared a potluck lunch before conducting club business which was mainly to vote for Hike Chairperson (Rod Frank) and Treasurer (Karol Mabe) and to vote on new membership issues. Rod gave an update on the upcoming spring overnight hikes being held in Henderson, Nevada. Thanks to President Deb Frank, Vice President Joette Conger and the Board for getting the meeting set up and for all the work they have accomplished over the last year.

Speaking of the overnight hikes, thirty-six members hiked in the Valley of Fire and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for three days. One cannot begin to describe the beauty of the desert at these locations. With names like Fire Wave, White Dome, Seven Wonders, Petroglyphs Trail, and Pine Creek Canyon, they all lived up to their names.  Born in fire, carved with water and polished by the wind, these formations with their striations, textures and colors that changed with every step, left you breathless with every turn in the trail.  There were narrow slot canyons, spectacular panoramic vistas and a fair amount of scrambling making these hikes unforgettable. 

The hundreds of petroglyphs which were a glimpse into the past almost made you see the Anasazi artists as they chipped away at the rocks to create the pictures. What they mean can be interpreted in a thousand ways, with no one able to say for sure, so let your imagination wander. Are they telling of great hunts, fallen tribesmen, aliens? No matter what, it looks like it was the newspaper of the day, left so all who came here would know of them. 

The last hike of the season was at the Hassayampa River Preserve and was enjoyed by 30 sun city hikers from all levels. After the hike about 15 of the hikers went to Chaparral Homemade Ice Cream and Cafe in Wickenburg for some very yummy ice cream.

Many of our members are leaving now for their summer homes and taking with them another years’ worth of memories.

We will hike together again soon:

The Fall Welcome Back is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

The Fall Overnight is tentatively scheduled for November 14-16, 2023, in Prescott.

Pictures credited to Steve Hughes