In the McDowell Mountains, the hike combinations are almost endless. This particular hike starts at the Gateway trailhead, and follows the Gateway Loop for a while, until it intersects the Windgate Pass trail, ultimately taking you to your destination of Windgate Pass. Windgate Pass is a saddle between the north side of McDowell Peak, and the East End ridgeline. This is another truly great hike in the McDowells. The roundtrip distance is just shy of 8 miles, and the elevation gain is well over 1000 feet, possibly even approaching 1500 feet. The Gateway trailhead has a ton of information on the hike, including a topographic map detailing all of the trails in the area. You could branch off in so many different directions, or even create your own loop by linking together several of the trails. To access the trailhead, just head east on Bell Road, east of the 101, until you hit Thompson Peak Parkway. Hang a left at the light, and the trailhead is about a mile up the road on the right hand side. If you haven't ventured into the McDowells yet get a move on it!
No comments:
Post a Comment