Camelback Mountain Trail Guide

Summit Trail (Echo Canyon)
Length: .1.2 miles one way
Elevation gain: 1,264 feet (summit is 2,704 feet)
Difficulty: Strenuous and difficult

Enter at Echo Canyon Parkway just east of Tatum Boulevard off of McDonald Drive. Parking is extremely limited at this trailhead and waits for a spot on weekends can be substantial.

This is a very strenuous trail recommended only for experienced hikers. The trail ascends through some spectacular sandstone rock formations and offers unparalleled views from the summit of the greater Phoenix area. The Echo Canyon area is open sunrise to sunset.

Cholla Trail
Length: 1.5 miles
Elevation gain: 1,200 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous and difficult

Parking is available on Invergordon/64th Street near Cholla Lane. There is no trailhead parking and street parking is very limited. Hikers must park on Invergordon and walk up the south side of Cholla Lane. Dropping off hikers on Cholla Lane is prohibited.

This trail is recommended only for experienced hikers. There are steep, rocky sections with drop-offs on both sides. From Oct. 1 to April 30, the Cholla Trailhead is open from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. From May 1 to Sept. 30, the hours are 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Easter Honeys

Well, the Wallaces didn't make it to Easter Sunrise Service at Red Rocks this year, but Nana and Pop (put on layers and layers and packed sit-upons and blankets and set the alarm for oh-dark-thirty and brushed snow off their car and) went. Hopefully we'll see pictures from them soon.

We did make it to the 8am service and even managed to look presentable and arrive on time. Here are a few shots of the egg hunt and stuff.

They really do like each other!

Honey Bunny
Easter Sunday was also Zachy's BIG 3rd Birthday! Doesn't he look dapper?
Family Portrait Prep, was as good as any of the finished product.
Mama's Doll

Wish Us Luck - and Caffeine

Well, we're hoping some of our clan wake way before dawn to make it to what should be an amazing Easter experience - Easter Sunrise Service at the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater.

Gates open at 4:30am, and the service begins at 6:30am. That's still way beyond when I like to be out of PJs, let alone bundled up for chilly mountain mornings. But, I also think it'd be one of those things you'd never regret doing, once you got there.

We'll see. I bet at least Nana and Pop will go. Bring on the coffee!

Natural Food Dyes

If you're contemplating the ingredients of dye, and have some time to get creative, here's info on using natural materials to create colorful Easter eggs. (I wish I could promise that we'll be doing this...not sure yet.)

http://www.greenissexy.org/2008/02/27/recipe-of-the-month-5/