Hikers: Sankar Gopalasubramanian, Jenni Jacobs, Anatoli and Natasha Korkin, Darleen Lindquist, Joe Michalides, Bob Riley and father-in-law, and Violeta Selanteva

As we started down Route 69 towards Prescott on Saturday, the skies turned to a progressively darker gray, until they opened up in a downpour as we entered the Prescott Valley. However, Darleen, the eternal optimist, assured me that it was getting lighter off in the distance as we drove up the mountain above downtown Prescott, and that the rain would stop when we reached the trailhead. To my distinct pleasure, she was absolutely right. The ten of us started up the trail, with the lovely scent of pines surrounding us, with the sun breaking through the gray clouds and warming us, and with the oak and maple trees delighting us with blazing colors. We ascended up the mountain through the cool, fresh air, with the sun poking its head out and shining on the granite boulders. 

At the top of the mountain, at 7700 feet, we plopped down on the picnic tables to partake of our lunches, and then we climbed up to take in the spectacular view of the surrounding mountains and valleys from the fire tower. It was windy and cool, but the sun still came out occasionally, as we started off on the other side of the loop. We heard distant rumblings of thunder but were happy to be heading downhill. We passed moss-covered pines and breathed in the scents of the silent forest. The only sounds were of the wind in the trees, until we were suddenly assaulted by pea-sized hail. We donned our rain ponchos and continued downhill. The trail started to become white, but the shower ended.

We descended through towering ponderosa pine trees and past a massive alligator juniper tree. We tread upon fallen leaves and trudged past fallen trees and a mossy area, where a hint of a stream moistened the rocks. Suddenly, we were hit with a blast of icy air as the wind picked up, and a huge, gray cloud was overhead, while thunder boomed. We were again pummeled by small hailstones, until there was a sudden transition to a downpour of lovely, soft snowflakes. This lasted the rest of the hike and was quite soothing and peaceful, except for when we were unnerved by a lightning flash directly above us. We made it out safely, and Sankar's sandaled feet survived. Upon our return, we discovered that it was 34 degrees! We then proceeded to Young's Farm, where we warmed our insides with food and drink. It was a wonderful day with great company.

The above listed trip reports--documenting day hikes, backpacking trips, and car camping trips organized and arranged by the Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club, Inc.--are meant to be more of a record of the various events performed by the hiking club and are not meant to be the only guide for anyone else wishing to do the same hike or backpacking trip. Instead, they should only be used as a supplemental to an official guidebook that addresses that specific hike or backpacking trip. Natural changes (floods, fires, windstorms, etc.) can occur and change and alter the landscape. The Forest Service sometimes changes the routing of a trail. Trail junction signs can be removed or altered. For these reasons, the hiking club's trip reports and even the official guidebooks may no longer be totally accurate in describing the trail and its layout. There is always the possibility, however remote, of a hiker sustaining harm or injury while on any hike, no matter how safe it may initially seem. The Arizona Trailblazer's Hiking Club, Inc., as well as any of its officers, directors, representatives, and designated hike leaders, disclaims any liability or responsibility for accidents, injuries, damages, or losses whatsoever that may occur to anyone using the trip reports that are available on our website. The responsibility for good health and safety while hiking, backpacking, or camping, ultimately rests with the individual.