Trailblazers are ready to go up to Freemont Saddle. [photo by Rod]

Back Row: Jon, Bruce, Tom, Li, Irek, Jacki, Carol, Jan, Robbi Front Row: Anna, Lin, Tamar, Terry, Diane, Rod Not Shown: Cindy, Patti, Les, Michael, Ron

Group Photo at Lone Tree. [photo by Rod]

Two groups of hikers met early on a sunny Saturday morning at the Peralta Trailhead. The total with both groups was 20 hikers.
Our goal was to touch the base of the iconic Weaver’s Needle and/or visit Lone Tree.

Lone Tree Visitors [photo by Rod]

Going to the Base but no further [photo by Rod]

The Scramblers [photo by Rod]

We began with our Hiker’s parade.

Hiker’s Parade [photo by Rod]

Hiker’s Parade continues [photo by Rod]

We followed the trail on the east side of Peralta Canyon surrounded on both sides by trees and bushes. The air was cool, and you could feel the moisture from the recent rains.

Climbing up Peralta Canyon [photo by Rod]

Goat making the leap of faith. Wow!! [photo by Lin]

After a mile, stunning rock formation rise to left as we climb back into the canyon. We stopped often to admire the rock formations and spectacular scenery back towards the trailhead. It is hard to capture the grandeur with pictures.

Spectacular Vistas. [photo by Rod]

Some more Spectacular Vistas. [photo by Rod]

We begin to climb the canyon wall after 1.5 miles and shortly afterwards (2 miles) we begin a steep ascent to the saddle. Just before reaching the saddle, we stopped for some photos with the canyon as a spectacular backdrop.

The Ascent to the Saddle. [photo by Rod]

At the top of the saddle, we were rewarded with a panoramic view of Weaver's Needle. We stopped for snacks and posed for pictures.

Break at the Saddle. [photo by Tom]

Cindy !! [photo by Carol]

Lone Tree is a single Pinon Pine located on a ridge southwest of Weaver’s Needle. From Fremont Saddle we cut across on Cave Trail (#233) for about 0.25 mile then turned north. Lone Tree was about 0.5 mile up the trail.

Lin checks out Lone Tree [photo by Rod]

We returned to Fremont Saddle and bid farewell to the short hike group.

Returning to the Saddle [photo by Tom]

Short Hike
The short hike group descended Peralta back the route they arrived by, traveling at a leisurely pace, greeting people and dogs ascending, and admiring views we hadnt turned around to see on the way up. We made good time only dodging raindrops a few times. Arriving at the parking lot, we compared mileage on our watches and apps and after counting noses, headed home.
Long Hike
We descended switchbacks down the backside of the saddle for about 1 mile then traveled down Boulder Canyon next to a stream flowing over sandstone and around chunks of volcanic ash for another mile to the junction of the Peralta bypass trail (cross cut trail to Bluff Springs Trail). We stopped for a short break prepared to scramble up a steep (0.4 Mile 1000’) incline to touch the base of Weaver’s Needle. It is a treacherous climb (>30-degree rise) but I marked the route with cairns on my checkout hike.

We are going up there. [photo by Rod]

We tightened our straps and donned gloves and set off following the cairns.

The Climb is Steep. [photo by Tom]

But the view is Spectacular. [photo by Tom]

After scrambling for about an hour, we finally made it. Tom and Irek were climbing up to a ledge when we discovered two hikers had climbed up but couldn’t get down. They coached them back down.

Our Heroes climbing up to the ledge. [photo by Rod]

Cindy preparing to take a break. [photo by Rod]

Climbing down more treacherous than climbing up!!

Trying not to fall. [photo by Tom]

We returned to Fremont Saddle then returned to Trailhead via Peralta Canyon.

The return trip. [photo by Rod]