The December 11 hike was awesome. Everyone observed that the recent rain made for some beautiful color in the landscape, from the green lichen covering the rocks, to a red-hued plant that was covering a lot of the hillsides. It was a group of 7 enthusiastic hikers plus Sugar, and everyone seemed to enjoy it very much. After the hike the group gathered for lunch at the First Watch in Mesa. There is nothing better than a beautiful hike after an Arizona rain with interesting people, followed by good food. What a great day!
We will not be hiking on Christmas Day. I hope everyone has a beautiful December 25 – however you choose to spend it. Our next hike will be the traditional New Year’s Day hike followed by a potluck. We usually have great weather on New Year’s Day in Phoenix; however, please watch your e-mail closely as the hike and potluck could be cancelled should we be experiencing inclement weather.
New Year’s Day Hike
The hike will be at the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve. All the details are on the flyer. We are offering both a moderate hike as well as an easy hike. The easy hike is truly a stroll through the desert at a nice slow pace; so if you are concerned that our hikes are too strenuous for you, New Year’s Day is the day to hike with us!!
The potluck is a popular event that brings joy to the beginning of a new year. Here are the details for the potluck. It will be outside on our patio. Please be aware of how close you are to another person. Be sure they are comfortable with the distance before approaching closer than 6 feet.
First Hike of 2022
Our first regular hike on January 8 will be at Granite Mountain Trailhead. Julie Smart will be our leader. This is a hike the Outdoor Group has done many, many times. This favorite is a 6-mile loop that is easy on the ups and downs.
If you haven’t already found it, notice the link to the Outdoor Group calendar in the sidebar on the right. That is the place to go to see how the rest of the season lines up.
As always you can get more information by emailing outdoorgroup@phoenixuu.org.
Spring Campout
We have a reservation at Sunset Crater National Monument for a spring campout May 20-22. Detailed information will be coming as we get closer to the date. Put it on your calendar to save the date! You will not want to miss this! At the beginning of each hike, we will gather to introduce ourselves, distanced, and ask what everyone is comfortable with. We will also make room for everyone to talk about what they are not comfortable with. This is to be part of the normal discussion, and we ask that you speak out about what you are not comfortable with. Stay safe, and I hope to see you soon, live and in person, 6 feet away.