So honestly, what is there to do in
Phoenix? That’s exactly what I was asking myself not too long ago. It seems
like there are a lot of things you can go do, but those all cost money. As we
all know, college students hate spending extra money. We’re all broke. So a few
friends and I got this crazy idea to go explore the area around Phoenix. All
around us there were houses, stores, and other suburban necessities. While
driving along a windy road I remember looking up and seeing this monstrosity of
a mountain and wondering where on Earth it came from. Naturally, I like a
challenge and if one presents itself to me, I’m not going to pass it up. I
wanted to climb to the top. I could only imagine that’d be the best view of the
valley and thankfully for me, hiking doesn’t cost a thing!
The next day, I researched hiking
trails in Phoenix and found a few in the area. While browsing, one stuck out to
me in particular - Camelback Mountain. However, while researching, not many of
the reviews offered me an actual insight to the experience. It was all just
facts about the location. Mind you, this was very helpful to know the
elevation, length of the trails, and the address to find it; but I wanted
something more. Since I couldn’t find that, I figured I’d write my own review
full of all the details normal review sites won’t tell you.
The very first time I hiked
Camelback, I can say without a doubt, I was extremely unprepared. When I first
went, all I had was a water bottle, my iPod, and some running shoes. While this
approach typically works for many smaller hikes, Camelback is a big mountain
and I’m just a little girl who was in a tad bit over her head.
The
hike starts out fairly easy. It’s uphill, but there’s hardly a noticeable
incline. There are a few stairs to help you along the way if you need them
though which is helpful. After the first 10 minutes I felt pretty good about
things. I was pumped up and figured if the whole hike was this easy, I’d be
done within 30 minutes. All of this was running through my head while I was
jogging up the mountain to some upbeat pop music and things were going great.
At least things were going great
until I made it around the first corner of the hike. I looked up at the journey
I had ahead of me and realized instantly that I would need a lot more than some
motivation, water, and music to get me to the top. Needless to say, I decided
my climb was done for the day and I turned around and hiked back down to my
car.
Feeling sweaty, gross, and a bit
dismayed, I sat in my car and came up with a list of essentials for the next
time I’d hike the mountain. I always believe you should constantly improve
things. I knew I had to improve myself before I could really do this. Believe
me, I hate quitting, but I knew if I wanted to hike this mountain I needed to
be smart about it. So here are a few things you should make sure you pack when
going on this hike: tons of water (a camelback if you have one), some band aids
(yes, this mountain will kick your butt, literally), a cellphone to make sure
you can call if you need help, a watch to tell time if necessary, some
sunscreen (even in the winter, the Valley doesn’t get that cold), and definitely wear something you can climb in
(flexible, breathable materials are best. Also, be sure to plan out at least
2-4 hours for the hike. Depending on your skill level this may vary, but just
in case. Also, make sure to plan to go either early in the morning or in the
evening before sundown if you’re going in Spring/Fall/Winter. Summer is still a
good time to go, just go early and be prepared for heat, lots of heat. It’s the
little things like these that really make the difference. As determined as I
was, I came back the next week more prepared than ever and ready to conquer the
beast before me.
Initially, I didn’t know if I’d actually
like hiking Camelback, it was honestly just a cheap way to pass time. After I
made it up there, I can honestly say that I was more than satisfied with this
experience than I could have ever imagined. There’re a few things that I think
about when trying to come up with something to do in my free time and those
determine whether I’ll try something again. Believe me, this mountain has it
all.
First off, it’s cheap. Hiking is one thing
that is completely free and you can do it as much as you want and that never
changes, at least for this mountain. Camelback never charges for anything. The
only thing you have to spend money on is gas (if you happen to be driving to
the mountain) and time. Both of which are easy to look past.
Secondly, It’s convenient to get to. The
mountain is smack dab in the middle of Phoenix (somewhere in-between Paradise
Valley and Scottsdale to be exact). It’s about a 5-10 minute drive to the
trailhead from the 51 freeways, which connects to loop 101, and the 202 as
well.
Third, there’s nothing else like it! Only
camelback is challenging enough to keep you working hard and excited at the
same time. The trail never stays the same. First it’s a small incline, then
stairs followed by a spot so steep you get to climb up the mountain via a
railing that was placed to help hikers (or if you’re a dare devil you can climb
it free hand), and after that, it’s a mix of small hills and large rocks to
climb. The workout is incredible. Not to mention is good for people who are new
to hiking as well as those who are experienced. I absolutely love the variety
of options on the trails.
Lastly, what really makes me believe
this mountain is the best in the valley is the view at the top. There’s nothing
that can compare to the feeling when you’ve just hiked a mountain. At least,
nothing can compare to that feeling except the combination of feeling
completely exhausted, accomplished, and exhilarated while being able to take a
deep breath and see the whole valley. It’s great to know that you climbed so
high that the skyscrapers of downtown phoenix look like little leggos and even
the mansions of Scottsdale look tiny. You better believe I enjoyed every second
of the view once I made it to the top. As the lovely Fort Minor said in his
rap, “This is 10% luck, 20%skill, 15% concentrated power of will – 5% pleasure,
50% pain, and 100% reason to remember the name.” Or in this case, 100% reason
to remember the place! It’s one of a kind and definitely the gem of the valley.
I’d
recommend everyone try it at least at some point in his or her life. Whether
you’re a Phoenix native or from some far off city; an athlete trying to stay in
shape or just a bored teenager; even if you don’t like to hike but want to try
something new; Camelback is the mountain for you.
