Black Cross Butte - Superstition Mountains

My hike.

Kimmi Bitter - The Dirty Drummer, Phoenix

Kimmi Bitter & the Westside Twang create a captivating sound that blends classic country with surf rock, and psychedelic twangs.

Fish Creek Vista - Superstition Mountains

I began my hike at 12:23 PM, and it was 102 degrees. I reached the end of Fish Creek Vista in 1 hour and 25 minutes. That was 1.04 miles. I tried to go farther than last time but I was unable to. I got back to my car at 2:40 PM. My hike was 2 miles round-trip, and it took me 2 hours and 18 minutes.

Fish Creek Vista  showcases dramatic Miocene-age volcanic rocks. The deep canyon displays a complex sequence of interbedded ash-flow tuffs, massive monolithic lava breccias, and rhyolite flows carved by rapid water erosion.

Little Four Peaks - Superstition Mountains

I began my hike at 2:58 PM, after I got off of work at Sprouts. It took me 38 minutes to reach peak three, my favorite summit of the Little Four Peaks. It was 97 degrees on top but comfortable. I finished my hike at 4:24 PM. My hike was 1.5 miles round-trip, and it took me 1 hour and 25 minutes. The elevation gain was 567 feet.

Peak Three

Peak Three

On the summit of Peak Three

Peak Four

Picketpost Mountain - Tonto National Forest

It was 83 degrees when I began my hike at 8:55 AM. It took me 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach the 4,378-foot summit. At the top thousands of gnats swarmed my head so I took a quick photo of the mailbox and headed down, and then took a break directly below the summit. I finished my 4.7 mile round-trip hike at 1:12 PM. It had taken me 4 hours and 16 minutes.

Gnats swarm mountain summits because they are drawn to the highest physical point in the landscape to find mates. Warm air currents carry tiny, weak-flying insects up the mountain slopes and pool them at the top.