Desert Rocks!

It is a short walk from Gail and Dave’s Scottsdale house to the undeveloped desert.  Piles of granite, remnants of ancient igneous intrusions, are scattered across the landscape.  They just call out to be climbed!

Quite a few of us scrambled up the crack and made it atop this boulder.

I came back later with my rock climbing boots and found a few other routes.

We also went for a hike up Boulder Pass into the McDowell Mountains.  The pass is the last dip on the left in the range over Dana’s shoulder.

We stopped for lunch along the way and River found a choice spot to eat and relax for a few minutes.

There are plenty of cacti such as this prickly pear and  I think everyone had an encounter of some kind with these thorns.

The really unique thing about Boulder Pass is that water draining from the surrounding mountains has eroded passages underneath the boulders in the stream bed.  It is possible to ascend the pass by climbing under the rocks.

Unfortunately, I was too busy scrambling around myself and helping the kids that I couldn’t keep the camera accessible.  Everyone did some remarkable climbing!

We made it to the top of the pass after some considerable effort.  The kids all had a blast and loved climbing around on the rocks.  We also explored a cave that has been furnished with a wood stove, table, and other accoutrements converting it into a relatively comfortable campsite.  The view over the valley from the pass is quite remarkable.