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| - I think Camelback Mountain is my Everest. I have tried to climb to the top twice and have turned around before reaching the summit because my cells no longer have the affinity to hold on to water, and I now dehydrate easily. So take heed visitors that are not used to desert climates! Bring more water than you think you may need because desert dehydration is real and this is the wrong place to test your cells proclivity to hold water. (Too many boulders, twigs, and loose gravel)
This hike is great ~2.3 mile (up and back) hike along a shadeless trail with a steep ~1142 feet steady butt burn kind of climb. That doesn't include the .25 to 1 mile walk from Invergordon where you have to park. There will be boulders, rocks, cacti, and seemingly harmless gravel that you will slip on and then gain more respect for.
I thought it was going well until about 2/3rds up. At that point I was relying on my haunches more than a woman of my fitness level should and when they started to fail, I clawed my way up using my hands (the scrambling portion around marker 25). You know your day has taken a turn when your hike turns into a literal climb! I was so close to the top but, I know my limits and when it's 95 degrees at 8 in the morning and the bottle of Arrowhead water I stuffed in my sports bra (because I needed my hands free to climb) was only half full....I knew it was time to turn around.
I have to say that Phoenicians are quite a polite and supportive bunch. It's pretty easy to lose sight of the trail but people were happy to point me in the right direction. Also, most people make an effort to safely get out of your way and share the very narrow trail when passing.
Lastly, I would like to extend a special thanks to the Park Ranger who, like a mirage, had a cooler filled with ice water and he allowed me to refill my tiny lil Arrowhead bottle!
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