Piestewa Peak (formerly known as Squaw Peak) and Camelback Mountain are the two pre-eminent hikes in the metro-Phoenix area, both offering a great workout to gain a worthy summit. Both have similar statistics: about 1.25 miles each way, about 1,200 feet of gain, to make the summits. Camelback is so named for its camelback-shaped profile. From the south, some breccia-cliffs to the west look like its head (laying down, perhaps), then followed by the big symmetrical "camel" hump. Piestewa Peak is located about 4 air-miles to the northwest, an abruptly-sharp summit that looks tougher to climb than it really is. It used to be known as Squaw Peak before being renamed in honor of Pfc. Lori Piestewa, killed in Iraq and a native of the Hopi Nation in Northern Arizona. It's pronounced "Pie-ES-too-wa". Locals still call it Squaw Peak for the most part.

I hiked Camelback my first time in September 1992, not long after I moved here and when the weather was starting to cool slightly. I was hooked, and I hiked the peak about once or twice a week during that winter of 1992-93. Even when it got hot, I'd go for a hike a handful of times. Usually in the summer I'd try to be hiking by 4:30 a.m. as it gets very hot once the sun pokes above the horizon. And I wouldn't be the only one on the trails that early. Once or twice I have hiked it in the dead of summer, middle of the day, in mid-100 temperatures. Yeah, I wanted to "know what it was like" and to say I had done it, but the heat kicks my ass and I don't bother with the peak much during the hot months.

The most popular route up Camelback is from the west via Echo Canyon, a small parking lot that is always filled on weekends. The trail has been heavily shored up with railroad ties to combat erosion, and a few handrails on some slightly exposed rock slopes. There's a lot of rock-hopping for the last half of the hike. The views are usually very nice, but it can be dusty and smoggy in Phoenix. On clear days, you can see Picacho Peak near Tucson, Ord and the Four Peaks in the Mazatzals, and numerous other peaks and ranges surrounding Phoenix. The summit offers good bird's-eye views into the opulence of Paradise Valley, to see how the other half live. Invariably the route is full of people and it's not a wilderness experience by any means. But as a work-out peak, it's fantastic. Over the years I have ebbed and flowed on my Camelback ascents. I'll hike it 20-30 times in one winter than burn out on it, then not hike it maybe for a year, then come back for more. Conservatively I have hiked this peak guaranteed over 150 times, possibly over 200 times. Only once have I ever come up the east side from the Phoenician Resort, and only once have I ever bailed on a hike (got sick).

I've even come up with a unit of hiking measurement called the "camelback": any peak that has a combination of about 1,000 feet of gain in about one mile. I use it on my other bigger hikes and climbs. Often times I'll round a bend, see the summit and just say to myself: 1,000 more vertical, another mile - that's just a camelback. Or I'll describe a peak in the number of camelbacks it should require. For example, Sierra Estrella Peak is about 4 camelbacks.

When Camelback gets too crowded or I just want some variety, I usually head over to Piestewa Peak. There's more parking and the trail to the top is a little more fleshed out so that even on the cliffy-looking sections, there are steps and even some handrails. So yes, this isn't a great wilderness experience either, but you still get a hell of a good short hike and workout. The photos on the left sidebar were taken on January 30, 2010. It was a pretty day and I brought along the camera. I didn't start hiking Piestewa until about 1995, but since then I've hiked it maybe 150 times. Of the two, I think Camelback offers a little better over-all workout, but Piestewa is still a fine hike on its own merits.

I should mention: the vast majority of hikers up Piestewa do not go to the actual summit. Most cut left just below the top rocks and congregate on a broad, rounded hump of rock about 10 vertical feet and 50 horizontal feet from the true top. The true top can either be reached via an easy class-3 chute by cutting right, or going to this lower hump and working by sight over to the real top. The true summit is rocky but has some room for small crowds. There's a USGS benchmark in the rocks up here. Again, I think most people don't care about such a minor distinction, which is fine. I usually like to crawl up to the real top since it's less crowded.

My ascent times on Camelback range from 30 to 45 minutes up, 30 minutes down, and a little less on Squaw. I usually just record my total up-and-down time. My record on Camelback from the Echo Canyon parking lot is 55 minutes up and down, 50 minutes over at Piestewa. Usually, though, I am not running or trying to be hasty. My normal round trips are about 70 minutes on Piestewa, 80 on Camelback.

The sea of humanity can be frustrating but also its appeal. You see everything on these peaks. There's the usual gang of super-human workout freaks who run up and down the damn peaks in 30 minutes carrying no water, just to turn around and do it again. The female scenery is often quite outstanding. There's also families, little kids who want to be anywhere on earth other than on the hike (and who moan about it). I've seen moms carrying infants while hiking. I've seen guys drinking beer while on the hike. In winter, especially if there's some big event going on (e.g. a Bowl game), you see boatloads of tourists out tackling the peak, all wearing the team colors for their home team. Sometimes you'll see a person in nice slacks, dress shoes, looking like he came out of a meeting to hike the peak, and sometimes that's what they did! You get the people who are staying at one of the swanky resorts who decide to hike up Camelback on a whim, still wearing their resort-casual clothing and loafers. And sometimes they get to the top. I've seen people get injured or stagger due to dehydration, and have helped a few injured down each peak over the years. Most people are pretty cool, and I've never had a problem with anyone on the trails. The trick is not to think this is some remote wilderness, all-to-yourself hike. You must accept the hundreds of people as part of the deal. You'll see a little of everything and still get a good workout.