Charles M. Christiansen Memorial Trail

Total hiking distance covered (per the GPS)  10 53Miles

Total time on trail 3 hours, 51 Minutes

Average hiking speed 2.9 MPH

Maximum elevation  1,692 ft.

Starting elevation 1,376 ft.  Ending Elevation 1,322 ft.

 

At 8:00 AM on Saturday, January 5, 2008 three of us, Ruth Dambach, Philip Mercieca  and I started our annual new years hike.  This year we decided to hike the entire length of the Charles M. Christiansen Memorial Trail (Trail 100) in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve.  The weather was cloudy and cool when we started and the sky was covered with dark threatening rain clouds.  Ruth and I agreed that the weather was reminiscent of last years hike on the Alta Trail.

Click on photographs to enlarge

Starting Trailhead (Tatum Blvd.) Out into the open
   
Cloudy, but good hiking Glad we're not going up there.
   
Easy trail Around 40th st., we're not alone

 Trail 100 is listed by Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department as an easy to moderate trail with water and restroom stops at both Dreamy Draw and the Phoenix Parks Department Visitors Center.  This allowed us to not carry anywhere as much in supplies as we normally would.  As we started out our hike from the East end of the trail at Tatum Blvd. we passed through an overgrown area with many Paloverde trees but the trail is wide and well maintained so going was easy.  It wasn’t very long before we realized that the trail is a multi-use trail for we were constantly being passes by mountain bikers.  Although we knew they were required to give us the right of way, the trail was wide enough for us to continue our hike as they passed us.  In fact, during the entire hike we encountered no problems sharing the trail.  This portion of the trail from the east trailhead to Dreamy draw is easy with slight rises in elevation but nothing to cause any problems.

Click on photographs to enlarge

Tunnel under the freeway Getting rougher
   
Again, easier There's Squaw Peak behind you Phil
   
Approaching Dreamy Draw Share the trail with others
   
Christmas decorations (Can you find Rudolph?) Tunnel under Cave Creek Rd.

We took a short break after arriving at Dreamy Draw and checked the GPS to determine that we had covered about 3 miles in around an hour.  At that pace, we expected to complete the hike a little early.  After passing through the tunnel under the 51 freeway the trail became a little steeper in places, but again, nothing to be concerned with.  The most interesting point is that the geology of the area was far different than what we had already passed through.  As we continued on we did pass a couple of abandoned, but filled in mine shafts.  After a little more distance we could see we were nearing the area of Cave Creek Road.  All too soon we could not only hear, but see the traffic on Cave Creek.  After passing through the tunnel under Cave Creek road we continued on and the geology changed again to more like what we had encountered near the start.  All of a sudden we came upon a Paloverde tree.  The tree had been decorated with Christmas decorations, complete with Rudolph.  Very clever, the Arizonans.  It was a sight well worth seeing.  This is also where we encountered the steepest part of the trail.  All 50 feet of it and it still created no problem.  We continued on and soon saw the buildings of the Pointe com into view.  After passing the stable area we approached the final tunnel on the trail.  The tunnel under 7th street.  Upon passing through we were at the Phoenix Parks Visitors Center.  We could have stopped but opted to just continue.  As we continued along the trail we could see the trail up North Mountain to the left, and Shaw Butte to the right.  After hiking the distance we had, we were glad the trail didn’t go that direction.  We continued along through the pass and before long, we could see the parked vehicles at the west end trailhead.  It wasn’t long before we arrived at the trailhead and had completed the entire length of the trail.

Click on photographs to enlarge

Up out of a gully This is as tough as it gets
   
Tunnel under 7th Street Do we need questions answered?
   
Nearing the finish The finishing trailhead (7th Ave.)

Upon checking the GPS we were informed that the trail length was in fact 10.5 miles like the Phoenix Parks map stated.  The elevations differed and as far as the trail being easy to moderate, I would classify it as only easy.  The only thing that might put it into the moderate class would be the distance.  The Charles M. Christiansen trail is a very enjoyable hike.  I would not consider it as a training hike for any of the more complex trails but is a wonderful trail for relaxation.

Hikers:

Ruth Dambach       Philip Mercieca          Larry Wayt       

 

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Larry Wayt (gnhikn@cox.net)