posted by admin on Mar 4

If you’ve ever driven to Tucson from Phoenix and you glanced at that huge monolithic formation on the right side of the road as you got within 30 minutes of your destination then you’ve seen Picacho Peak. Well, since the business climate is in the dumper, my partner and I decided to explore new adventures so we planned our frontal assault on this massive formation. The temperature was in the low “60?s and thye sky was bluer than Liz Taylor’s eyes in “ National Velvet “, thus it was a perfect hiking weather.We arrived at10:15a.m. to start our trek and within the first 15 minutes we were cardio-challenged,sweat soaked, and breathing as hard as fillies in a 1.5 mile race. It’s 2.1 miles to the saddle and we were slammin. We passed several groups of people, while no one caught us. It’s pretty much straight up with short switchbacks; major maximus gluteus work, hamstrings, and quads. Once you arrive at the saddle you have to descend steep sections for 800ft using steel cables embedded in the rock to go around a large escarpment and then back up to the highest peak. Believe me when I tell you this is major adrenaline territory. So we scrabbled like monkeys dispatched by the wicked witch of the west for the first part, (total cardio and endorphins) then down on the cables which was scary causing adrenaline surges, then back up the other side on cables and even catwalks that look just a bit wider than dental floss. The summit is about 50 ft. by 50 ft. and you feel like you can touch the clouds if there were any. The only bummer was I couldn’t mark turf because too many poeple were hanging out there. We ate a couple wraps I had made, drank some water, high fived some people and started down. My soul was bursting with jubilation on the way down as I encountered Dads and daughters, complete families, couples from foreign countries,and even some Joe Pesci “Yutes” (Youths). We encouraged them all, lied about how far it was to the top and grinned from ear to ear.

It took us 3 hours round trip and it was the singular most empowering feat I’ve performed in years. It was the bomb and if you’re feeling old and you stay in shape I’d recommend it as a valid litmus test. Between my partner and myself we are a combined age of 114 years and we both glowed at the bottom. Whatever your age, if you can do Picacho via Hunter Trail in any amount of time I salute you!! It costs six dollars for a day pass and it was the best six dollars I spent this year.

Now the facts as laid out in the brochure. Picacho Peak at it’s highest is 3374 feet, the saddle is 2960 feet and going down around that escarpment to get to the highest peak is definitely worth it. So let me reiterate in the strongest terms, if you want to see what you are made of, or you want to feel alive, put down the remote, shut off the TV, taake a drive down near Tucson, pull over at Picacho State Park and live alot!! In summation, sometimes you gotta grab life by the ass in your teeth and shake it. OR like DEVO said ” Whip it, Whip it good.

Pierce and Lana