Piestewa Peak

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Piestewa Peak (formerly known as Squaw Peak), at 2608 feet (795 meters) is the second highest point in the Phoenix Mountains, after Camelback Mountain, and the third highest in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. It is located in the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. Piestewa Peak is named in honor of Army Spc. Lori Ann Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat in the US military.[1] Piestewa was born in Tuba City, Arizona on December 14, 1979. She was killed in Iraq on March 23, 2003, after the convoy in which she was driving was ambushed in Nasiriyah, Iraq.[2] The name change was officially approved at the federal level on April 10, 2008 by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names.[3][4]

Piestewa Peak has been designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride[5].


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[edit] Natural history

As a landform, Piestewa Peak is relatively young, formed 14 million years. However, it is composed of much older rock, primarily a form of granite called schist.[6]

Flora in this area is typical of the lower Sonoran Desert and includes almost all varieties of Arizona cactus such as saguaro, barrel, hedgehog, pincushion, jumping cholla and prickly pear. Trees and colorful shrubbery include palo verde, mesquite, ironwood trees, creosote (dominate), ocotillo, brittle bush, desert lavender and giant sage shrubs.[7]

Wildflowers are abundant in the early spring and include Mexican gold poppies (deep yellow), brittlebush (yellow), lupine (purples), desert globemallow (orange) and scorpionweed (purple). Fiddleneck and bladderpod also are blooming in some areas. These are in addition to the many varieties of flowering cacti.[8]

Reptiles and wildlife that thrive in the preserve are gila monster, horned lizard and chuckwalla. Hikers also can encounter rattlesnakes. The mammal population includes coyote, jackrabbit, cottontail rabbit, ground squirrel and kit fox. There are more than 54 species of birds from the turkey vulture to mockingbirds, cactus wrens, gamble’s quail and several species of owls and hawks.[9]

[edit] Hiking

It is important to remember that Piestewa Peak and the area around it are open, undeveloped desert areas. Please use care when heading out as hikers routinely encounter rocky terrain, rattlesnakes and other potential hazards native to the Sonoran Desert. If you encounter a rattlesnake, allow it space and time to escape.

The Piestewa Peak Summit Trail (elevation gain = 1,190 feet in 1.2 miles) is climbed thousands of times per week by locals and visitors seeking a cardio-vascular workout, great views, or a family outing.[10] This trail is more difficult than it looks, especially in the summer when temperatures are well over 100°F. No water is available on the trail and dehydration is a common and serious problem with hikers who come unprepared. Views from the summit include, in clear weather, Pinnacle Peak, the McDowell Mountains, Four Peaks, the Superstition Mountains, Tabletop Mountain, the Estrella Mountains, Woolsey Peak, the White Tanks Mountains, the Harquahala Mountains and the Bradshaw Mountains.

For more solitary hiking, with better odds of seeing wildlife, there are approximately fifteen miles of other interconnecting trails in the Preserve, ranging from easy to difficult.[11] It is even easier to get disoriented and lost on these back trails, and so the same precautionary measures apply. At a minimum: carry adequate water and a first-aid kit, wear a hat for protection against the sun, and hiking boots, know where you're going (and tell someone). Although cell-phone reception can be spotty in the Preserve, it's a good idea to bring one in case you get into trouble.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Arizona Republic
  2. ^ "The Forgotten Soldier," Rolling Stone
  3. ^ Associated Press
  4. ^ Arizona Native Scene
  5. ^ Phoenix Points of Pride. Retrieved on October 18, 2006.
  6. ^ Piestewa Peak Facts
  7. ^ Piestewa Peak Facts
  8. ^ Wildflower Viewing Guide
  9. ^ Piestewa Peak Facts
  10. ^ Piestewa Peak Trail Guide
  11. ^ Trail Guide

[edit] External links