Thanks for taking the time to record your hike and were honest about the intensity! So many tourists see Camelback as the top mountain to hike in Phoenix but aren't fully aware of just how grueling of a hike it can be or even that it can be fatal if you make a wrong decision. That's my brother's sign you passed 3/4 mile up. He was an AZ native, avid, fit, and healthy hiker. At 25, he pushed himself to his limits going off trail and climbing without proper safety gear, falling 50 feet to his death. The day of his funeral I was supposed to be doing my graduation walk at NAU but instead, I was walking down the aisle of a church to his casket. I just want everyone to enjoy our beautiful mountains but be prepared and know their limits so they can come home safely to their family.
I’ve hiked Camelback many dozens of times. Hint: Scramble up the rocks to the right of the handrail section for an added challenge and to bypass other hikers, i.e., don’t touch or use the handrails. I think this route is considered class 3. A good number of the regular hikers scramble up this section.
I did this hike last month and let me tell you it was excruciating. It was legit my first hike ever. I made it to very top and man let me tell you when I get to the bottom, my legs were in complete muscle failure but I was so proud of myself for pushing myself to my absolute limits.
Ahhh hello there!! Im new here and in the Phoenix area! I just wanted to thank you for your video and all the information on here. My husband and I are doing this hike tomorrow for the first time and we’re super excited so thank you!! 🤠
thanks for the kind words! I have video of the hike up the Cholla trail too, but Echo Canyon is better and more fun! And I have a ton of videos so if you have any questions on other hikes in the area please let me know and I'll always answer :)
Love that Mountain been hiking it for 40 years… back in the day, the trailhead was just a metal pergola and a water fountain that never worked lol. trail took a different route from the trailhead up the mountain, for the first 20 minutes of the hike… I really did prefer the original trail, I must admit…. For anyone watching this, it can be an extremely dangerous trail, so please be careful and take all precautions.
The last time I was out there was in June of 2017 during a particularly hot week. I am talking about a week that was even hot my Phoenix standards. I got to the base and deemed it too hot to climb so I just did a small hike on around the base of the Echo Canyon trailhead.
When I saw a rescue helicopter hovering above the trail presumably to get a hiker who could not handle the heat plus ranger at the entrance of the parking lot discouraging me not to try hiking it, I chickened out.
@@HikingEngineer I tried the hike a week ago when I was out there. The weather was picture perfect, clear skies at the top, temps in the mid 60s at the very summit and low wind. I was not able to make it because my legs and ankles hurt and I did not have enough stamina. I dropped a pin on my Google maps at the point where I decided to turn around and go back and when I got home, I was able to plug the coordinates in on Google Earth to find out where i stopped. After doing this, I found a very close approximation on Google maps that allowed me to see how far I was along on the trail. I was 4 tenth's of a mile away from the saddle. I will try again some day. I will not use age as an excuse. I am 66 but know a hiker in his 70's who can run rings around me and would have no doubt made it to the top with ease. I will try again in 3 years from now when I got back out there.
Curious what time of day you started this hike? And anyone who complains about you posting a hike video is clearly not an intelligent person. That’s me putting it nicely for RUclips. 😉 I’d prefer to be way more blunt about people like that. Great video. Thanks for sharing. 👍
Thank you for this. I do Cholla and Echo Monday through Friday. All summer I had the mountain all to myself, spoiled for sure. So, now that there’s so many humans on the “hill” I’ve been trying to figure out how to continue my addiction/moving meditation to the Camel. And I think I just figured it out. Park at Cholla do a “yo-yo”, avoid all the humans on echo by staying mostly to the left on the slab. Any tips would be greatly appreciated
@@erinbodine6933 Cholla is my meditation hike too….especially when it’s hot…..Not challenging, but you’d LOVE the Black Canyon City Trail- 10 miles north of Anthem 👊🏽💯🤙🏽
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for taking the time to record your hike and were honest about the intensity! So many tourists see Camelback as the top mountain to hike in Phoenix but aren't fully aware of just how grueling of a hike it can be or even that it can be fatal if you make a wrong decision. That's my brother's sign you passed 3/4 mile up. He was an AZ native, avid, fit, and healthy hiker. At 25, he pushed himself to his limits going off trail and climbing without proper safety gear, falling 50 feet to his death. The day of his funeral I was supposed to be doing my graduation walk at NAU but instead, I was walking down the aisle of a church to his casket. I just want everyone to enjoy our beautiful mountains but be prepared and know their limits so they can come home safely to their family.
I wrote you a message on fb -- sorry to hear about your brother. I hope my hiking videos help raise awareness -- I have a lot of them from all over
I’ve hiked Camelback many dozens of times.
Hint: Scramble up the rocks to the right of the handrail section for an added challenge and to bypass other hikers, i.e., don’t touch or use the handrails. I think this route is considered class 3. A good number of the regular hikers scramble up this section.
I do this sometimes, but often I'm going for time so I take the steppy left route just to try to save time
I did this hike last month and let me tell you it was excruciating. It was legit my first hike ever. I made it to very top and man let me tell you when I get to the bottom, my legs were in complete muscle failure but I was so proud of myself for pushing myself to my absolute limits.
good work!
Ahhh hello there!! Im new here and in the Phoenix area! I just wanted to thank you for your video and all the information on here. My husband and I are doing this hike tomorrow for the first time and we’re super excited so thank you!! 🤠
thanks for the kind words! I have video of the hike up the Cholla trail too, but Echo Canyon is better and more fun! And I have a ton of videos so if you have any questions on other hikes in the area please let me know and I'll always answer :)
Love that Mountain been hiking it for 40 years… back in the day, the trailhead was just a metal pergola and a water fountain that never worked lol. trail took a different route from the trailhead up the mountain, for the first 20 minutes of the hike… I really did prefer the original trail, I must admit…. For anyone watching this, it can be an extremely dangerous trail, so please be careful and take all precautions.
i live 5 min from it so have done it quite a bit
Dang, that is a crowded trail, and steep! Some neat rock structure though!
haha yeah you gotta come try it
@HikingEngineer Maybe one day haha
The last time I was out there was in June of 2017 during a particularly hot week. I am talking about a week that was even hot my Phoenix standards. I got to the base and deemed it too hot to climb so I just did a small hike on around the base of the Echo Canyon trailhead.
i love doing it in the heat! no one else out there then haha
When I saw a rescue helicopter hovering above the trail presumably to get a hiker who could not handle the heat plus ranger at the entrance of the parking lot discouraging me not to try hiking it, I chickened out.
@@jeffreyrigg9136 you can do it!
@@HikingEngineer I tried the hike a week ago when I was out there. The weather was picture perfect, clear skies at the top, temps in the mid 60s at the very summit and low wind. I was not able to make it because my legs and ankles hurt and I did not have enough stamina. I dropped a pin on my Google maps at the point where I decided to turn around and go back and when I got home, I was able to plug the coordinates in on Google Earth to find out where i stopped. After doing this, I found a very close approximation on Google maps that allowed me to see how far I was along on the trail. I was 4 tenth's of a mile away from the saddle. I will try again some day. I will not use age as an excuse. I am 66 but know a hiker in his 70's who can run rings around me and would have no doubt made it to the top with ease. I will try again in 3 years from now when I got back out there.
Looks like quite the epic hike!
Soon on Sunday me and my dad are going to do this trail
nice -- will it be your first time? hopefully this video helps!
Curious what time of day you started this hike? And anyone who complains about you posting a hike video is clearly not an intelligent person. That’s me putting it nicely for RUclips. 😉 I’d prefer to be way more blunt about people like that. Great video. Thanks for sharing. 👍
thanks haha
Hi. Is a guide needed if you are not an experienced hiker? TIA.
no need for a guide -- plenty of people on this mountain and markers for the trail everywhere, pretty impossible to get lost
Thank you for this. I do Cholla and Echo Monday through Friday. All summer I had the mountain all to myself, spoiled for sure. So, now that there’s so many humans on the “hill” I’ve been trying to figure out how to continue my addiction/moving meditation to the Camel. And I think I just figured it out. Park at Cholla do a “yo-yo”, avoid all the humans on echo by staying mostly to the left on the slab. Any tips would be greatly appreciated
thanks for the comment! Impressive you do them every day! If you ever want company I live just 5 min away!
@@jellyfrogfish I assume you meant to respond to Erin's comment?
@@jellyfrogfish thank you for your kind words. Aliens don’t exist.
@@erinbodine6933 Cholla is my meditation hike too….especially when it’s hot…..Not challenging, but you’d LOVE the Black Canyon City Trail- 10 miles north of Anthem 👊🏽💯🤙🏽
Did this trail back in September during the Metallica concert.
Could you hear them playing while hiking 🤣🤣
Lol. That would have been sweet @@HikingEngineer
Oof too many people. Looks fun though.
its a crowded little hike