The popular west-side "Echo Canyon" approach will be closed until late 2013. The trailhead and parking area will be rebuilt. More details:

http://phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locatio ... lpark.html

Some of the trail will apparently be rebuilt or re-routed, but I am not sure to what extent. I have been hiking this trail for 20 years now, and in places it has degraded badly. My hope is they keep the rougher nature of this trail, which in places can rate low class-3, which makes it fun and gives this trail the reputation that it has. The east-side "Cholla" approach from Invergordon Road will remain open.

I expect there'll be some carry-over to the Cholla Trail and to nearby Piestewa Peak, so these already-crowded hikes will be that much more crowded.

This kinda sucks! I just booked a trip to Phoenix last night and we always stay in Scottsdale and we always get skrewed out of Echo canyon due to parking or like last time a helicopter rescue. Hell, we went down to climb the Flatiron the Thanksgiving before last and a plane crashed into the route the night before which shut it down. This was a very sad event if you remember. The Echo side is much more fun and makes for a good quick workout.

Tonka wrote:This kinda sucks! I just booked a trip to Phoenix last night and we always stay in Scottsdale and we always get skrewed out of Echo canyon due to parking or like last time a helicopter rescue. Hell, we went down to climb the Flatiron the Thanksgiving before last and a plane crashed into the route the night before which shut it down. This was a very sad event if you remember. The Echo side is much more fun and makes for a good quick workout.

Head to Hieroglyph and up to Superstition.

The east-side Cholla route is still open and as demanding as the Echo Canyon route. Here is a link to my page and some photos of the Cholla Route:

http://www.surgent.net/highpoints/az/ra ... lback.html

Park along Invergordon Road (about 2 miles east of Echo Cyn Road along Lincoln Road) and follow the people up Cholla Road and the trailhead.

MoapaPk wrote:

Tonka wrote:This kinda sucks! I just booked a trip to Phoenix last night and we always stay in Scottsdale and we always get skrewed out of Echo canyon due to parking or like last time a helicopter rescue. Hell, we went down to climb the Flatiron the Thanksgiving before last and a plane crashed into the route the night before which shut it down. This was a very sad event if you remember. The Echo side is much more fun and makes for a good quick workout.

Head to Hieroglyph and up to Superstition.

We've done the....boulder canyon route, great area. How many people get turned around once they're on the back side? I remember feeling lucky when I got our canyon right on the way out.

The trail will be slightly longer and slightly easier in the beginning:

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/jackal ... elback.php

I've updated this information on the Camelback Mtn page.

I'm bummed because all the rock climbing routes are on the echo side so no access.

ChristopherFranklin wrote:I'm bummed because all the rock climbing routes are on the echo side so no access.

You can go up Cholla and over, nobody will stop you. It is also possible to make your way there through neighborhoods. Or climb the single route at the summit. Best rock on the mountain, and lots of opportunity for new routes. I rappelled it a couple weekends ago.

Andrew Rankine wrote:
You can go up Cholla and over, nobody will stop you.

Yeah, just don't get STUCK with the Cholla !

lcarreau wrote:

Andrew Rankine wrote:
You can go up Cholla and over, nobody will stop you.

Yeah, just don't get STUCK with the Cholla !

That almost happened to me on Pass Mountain, I was looking around hiking off trail, not looking where I was going, just enjoying the scenery. I looked down and stopped just and a I nearly walked right into a cholla. I missed walking into it by a matter of inches. I paid real close attention where I was going after that.