McDowell Sonoran Preserve - Scottsdale, AZ

I hiked a 10.4 mile loop at the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. I hiked Tom's Thumb Trail to the East End Trail, and followed that tail to the Windmill Trail, to the Coachwhip Trail, to the Pemberton Trail, and finally to the Boulder Trail and past the Marcus Landslide. It took me 4 hours and 41 minutes to complete the loop.

I had a failed first attempt on Tom's Thumb Trail at 10am. It had rained that morning and the skies began to clear and the sun came out. However, clouds began to gather over the McDowell Mountains. I studied the darkening clouds and decided to start my hike since sunshine was only a mile away. But by the time I was less than a mile into my hike it began to lightly rain. I hoped it would be brief and I continued. At 1.3 miles up the mountains the rain increased and sunshine was miles away. I turned around here and ice pellets began to fall with the rain. After a few minutes I was soaked and cold. I made it back to my car in less than a half hour. I changed my shirt and my hiking pants dried out. At noon the sun came out and I started back up the mountains again. I hiked fast because I wanted to finish before 5pm. But first I hiked to Tom's Thumb which took an hour. Then I headed back to the East End Trail to finish the 10 mile loop.

My 10.4 mile hike.