Hm... Let's take a look at the stats. 2.6 miles and 3,000 feet? No problem! I mean, we're in Arizona so maybe we'll need to start early and bring some extra water, but pfft. Easy peasy.

And the hike started easy. We wandered through the parking lots and campgrounds and cacti in the pre-dawn darkness before finding the actual trail. More like an old road, actually, but easy walking. As the light illuminated the terrain it became readily apparent it wasn't going to be so easy all the way up.

We wound through rocks and ledges before getting to a section that was nothing but stone. Not "stones" but "stone". There were stains on the walls where water must come down when it rains, but there was barely any moisture in the draw this day. The boy decided to run up the trail and left me behind. Not cool.

Also, I wound up going left when he went right and did a little bit of extra spiciness, but we found each other and continued up the trail. Straight up. It slayed me. The only reason I even came close to keeping up was because there were non-intuitive route choices and wacky mini-climbs.

When we finally exited Siphon Draw we followed the well-worn trail to the "The Flatiron". There were a bunch of others there enjoying the views of the city on the vast plain below us. We wandered around a bit, but then decided Peak 5024, a mere 400 feet higher, would be a better objective for the day.

What a great idea it was. While there were a ton of people on The Flatiron, there were only two on 5024 and both were on their way down. We had to craw through gaps in the rocks, edge around cacti, and do a couple of jumps to get to the summit. Totally worth it.

The views were essentially the same as from The Flatiron when looking west. Looking to the east, though, the views were deep into the Superstition Mountains. Rugged, brutal, gorgeous. Alas, we couldn't stay all day.

Back down the way we'd climbed. Usually, that's easier. This time I'm not sure it was. We got back to the car with legs that were shaking, but full hearts.

Definitely worth a visit, but remember the stats lie on this one. It's more Mailbox than Si.

📍On the lands of the Akimel O’odham (Upper Pima) people.