On a warm and clear Saturday morning four Motorola Hiking Club members and one canine companion gathered at the Metate Trailhead in the Granite Basin Recreation Area of the Prescott National Forest for a group picture, before starting on the trail that would take us almost to the 7,626-foot summit of Granite Mountain, north of the Prescott area. Mike Wargel, Chuck Giovanniello, Beth Baumert, and Chuck Parsons, along with my eager, tail-wagging black lab, Buddy, assembled around the Granite Mountain Wilderness sign, while a fellow hiker was kind enough to take our picture for the record book.

With the Phoenix area already baking in record-breaking triple digits over the past couple of weeks, we expected much cooler temperatures earlier in the morning at this trailhead at 5,600 feet, and were somewhat surprised to find we were already at 80 degrees by 9:30 in the morning.

As much of this trail is in the open sun, it was only going to get warmer as the day progressed, so we decided not to dally too long and start hiking to our first destination, Blair Pass, which was 1.3 miles in the distance on this four- mile climb that would deposit us close to the summit of Granite Mountain in this 9,800 acre wilderness area.

It wasn’t too long before a returning hiker warned us of the presence of rattlesnakes, saying she had seen one on the edge of the trail about a half mile ahead. One of our hikers had just seen one of these venomous vipers the week before on the Parsons Spring trail. We would definitely have to keep a sharp lookout, especially me with my lab Buddy, who would probably see a coiled rattler as a potential playmate.

The first half mile of this trail parallels a small wash, as it climbs very gradually uphill through shaded forests of juniper, oak, pinyon pine, and ponderosa pine. We pause a few times to enjoy the wonderful rich aroma of butterscotch in the deeply furrowed bark of the mighty ponderosa. This is even more pronounced in dampened bark after a rainfall. Occasional blue lupine and Indian paintbrush graced the edge of our trail. We catch occasional glimpses of the summit of Granite Mountain through clearings in the trees along the trail. It seems that serious rock climbers come from all over the Southwest to take on the challenge of the 500-foot high south-facing buttress, known as Granite Mountain Wall, of this mountain of exposed granite. However on this warm spring day, we would not be fortunate enough see any climbers on the mountain.

Our trail soon emerges from the shade of the forest onto a sun-baked chaparral covered hillside, which would be our constant companion all the way to Granite Mountain Saddle. Chaparral is actually an association of three separate shrubs often found growing together in the upper Sonoran Desert life zone – manzanita, scrub oak, and mountain mahogany. Along with the chaparral, enormous alligator juniper would provide us with occasional shade along stretches of this sunny trail. It was at one of these early shady havens that a slightly overheated Buddy decided it was time for a shade and water break. We all took his cue and took a breather for a few minutes. It was really warming up fast, especially now that we were climbing in the full sun. It was going to be even more of a challenge reaching the summit in this heat.

Many of the red-barked manzanitas were starting to bloom, as were a number of hedgehog cactus along the trail. Buddy was now taking more and more rest breaks in the few shaded areas provided mostly by the alligator junipers, and I was beginning to wonder if he was going to make it to the top. Luckily, I brought along plenty of water for both of us, as he was fast drinking up his share in this unseasonable heat. We were now also starting to see more and more signs of one of Granite Mountain’s larger inhabitants, in the loose black droppings on rocks in the middle of the trail. These were the telltale calling cards of the mountain lion that calls this exposed granite mountain home. We could now envision hidden pairs of probing big cat eyes probably watching our every move from concealed rocky vantage points, while wondering with a cat’s curiosity what we were doing in their territory. Hopefully, they were not licking their chops in anticipation.

After 1.3 miles, we finally reach Blair Pass, which is a junction point for Cedar Spring and Little Granite Mountain trails. Here we take a welcome rest and water break in the shade of a large alligator juniper, before tackling the series of switchbacks that would take us to our next destination at the saddle.

Hmmm – wonder just how many of the big cats are now watching us? Hey – what’s with those buzzards lazily circling overhead on a late- morning thermal? Just what are they looking at anyway? I am starting to wish now that Buddy was a larger, more aggressive dog that wouldn’t mind meeting a lion head on. We now keep a sharp eye for both snakes and lions, while watching the buzzards circling overhead.

At the pass we take a right turn and continue on the Granite Mountain Trail, which follows a ridge for about a quarter mile before we hit the switchbacks. We now start a long ascent in a tight series of switchbacks on the rocky slopes of Granite Mountain that remind us a little of Jacob’s Ladder on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon. Were we so inclined, it is here that we would take an unmarked turnoff to the 500-foot sheer cliff known as Granite Mountain Wall and do some serious rock climbing. On this very warm day in May we were not so inclined to do so. Boy, is that ever a relief!

After navigating the last of the switchbacks, we soon come to our next destination at Granite Mountain Saddle, where we take another well-deserved water and rest break, much to Buddy’s relief. It is now getting close to lunch time, so we hike just a bit further to a good overlook area that provides us with a panoramic view of Prescott National Forest and the city of Prescott far below us. As we enjoy our lunches, we are treated to a nice cooling breeze, welcome relief from the heat of this unseasonably warm spring day.

After lunch we hang around for a while, resting, talking, and taking in the scenery below.

Returning to the saddle, we hang another right and head east along the west ridge of Granite Mountain. We are now in ponderosa country, as we climb steadily through great groves of the mighty ponderosa pine and wind our way through enormous granite boulders and slabs.

At the top of one such boulder pile is the amazing likeness of a whale’s head looking out over the forest, probably keeping a sharp eye out for Captain Ahab somewhere out there in the distance in this sea of trees and granite. Still wondering about those lions. Luckily the buzzards have now abandoned us in search of more appropriate prey.

After one more rest and water break, we press on through the ponderosa pines and granite formations, climbing steadily higher until we reach Granite Mountain Overlook, one mile from the saddle. We are now literally sitting on top of Granite Mountain Wall and take in a commanding view looking south of Granite Basin Lake, Little Granite Mountain (7,089'), Thumb Butte at the foot of the Sierra Prietas, Lizard Head, the northern Bradshaws, and the city of Prescott – all in a sea of trees and rocks that stretches out to the far horizon below us.

It looks almost like a storm system is moving in from the south, as its frontal winds are beginning to assault us with 20-25 MPH gusts, while we try to maintain our position on this rocky perch.

From our vantage point we can also look up directly at the 7,626-foot summit of Granite Mountain, terminated in a jumbled pile of monstrous granite boulders and slabs.

If we were true rock climbers, we would not be content to merely gaze at the summit. However, this is the Motorola Hiking Club, not the rock-climbing club, so we bid a fond goodbye to the summit, perfectly satisfied and content to admire and photograph it from a safe distance. We will leave the rock climbing to the experts.

A short distance down the trail, we pause for a group photo session, as I attempt to prop my Nikon up on a low rock for a timed shutter release, hoping I will get more than blue sky and clouds in the image.

As we head back down the same trail we came up on, we reflect back on one more hiking experience in a long, on-going series of wonderful hikes this club has offered over the years. What a great way to see this amazing and diverse state of Arizona, and what a great way to keep in shape, hiking the mountains, valleys, canyons, forests, and deserts of the Grand Canyon State. Now, where do you suppose those mountain lions are hiding out, as they continue to monitor us trekking through their home on Granite Mountain?

We are, after all, only temporary visitors here. This mountain belongs to the mountain lions, bears, deer, elk, and bighorn, to the eagles and hawks soaring high overhead, and to all the wildlife that have called this mountain of granite home for many thousands of years before man ever appeared on the scene. Let’s keep it that way for all the future generations to follow in our footsteps. The alternative is unthinkable.