During the holiday season, hikers bring along ornaments to hang on a tree that lives at the summit of Camelback Mountain

Phoenix, AZ

This week’s photo challenge recalls one of the more demanding physical challenges for my wife and I since we started hiking in Arizona. This week’s photo challenge requires a short narration that I shall begin forthwith. Our challenge this week is called “On Top.” To read the specifics, click here. I submit for your consideration my weekly photo challenge entry, “On Top.”

Lynn and I on the summit of Camelback Mountain

Echo Canyon Summit Trail is short, only 1.3 miles one way, and it gains around 1200 feet of elevation in that short distance. Listed on the Camelback Mountain website as “Extremely Strenuous and Difficult,” there are segments where a handrail helps hikers hold their footing on large expanses of relatively smooth rock surface. When you finally reach the summit, you will be rewarded with a 360 degree view of the city of Phoenix and surrounding communities.

In a future post, I will feature the story of the several hours my wife, Lynn and I spent on the Echo Canyon Summit Trail and of the person who encouraged and cajoled us to keep on moving upward when we were both ready to turn back. This is my 100th post. Thanks to all of you who have elected to follow my musings.

John Steiner