All the Trailblazers at Granite Mountain Trail. [photo by Lin]

This hike had three options - a seven-mile loop, a nine-mile loop, and an eleven-mile loop. The seven-mile loop was led by Lin Chao, the nine-mile loop by Steve R, and the eleven- mile loop by Li. There were 26 hikers for this hike. For this hike, we had a special guest, Monica who for many years was a member of the AZ Trailblazers but moved back to Germany and now lives in Belgium.

Many arms. [photo by Ron]

A hiking we go. [photo by Ron]

Some wild life flying by. [photo by Ron]

The hike began at the Granite Mountain Trail head in the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve and we hiked as a group to Balanced Rock where we socialized and had a group photo opportunity, Leaving Balanced Rock, the seven-mile group, retraced its steps to the Granite Mountain Loop Trail and continued around granite Mountain and back to the trail head, the nine-mile and eleven-mile hikers continued on the Balanced Rock Trail, and the nine-mile hikers went north on the Cholla Mountain Trail to the Branding Iron Trail and over to the Granite Mountain Trail and proceeded on the north side of Granite Mountain back to the Trail head, The eleven-mile group continued to the far side of Cholla Mountain and went north around Cholla Mtn on the Cholla Mtn. Loop Trail and over to Branding Iron and the on the north side of Granite Mountain (Granite Mountain Loop Trail) and back to the trail head. After the hike some of the seven-mile and nine-mile hikers went to The Thumb for a great lunch and to have further socializing with Monica.

This cactus has a few arms. [photo by Ron]

Can not make its mind to be crested or not. [photo by Ron]

Trailblazers milling about. [photo by Ron]