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| Loop 202 South Mountain, AZ | |
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| | Loop 202 South Mountain, AZ | | | |
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Loop 202 South Mountain, AZ
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| Hiking | 6.08 Miles |
1,061 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.08 Miles | 2 Hrs 40 Mns | | 2.28 mph |
| 1,061 ft AEG | | | | |
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[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
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| no partners | | When I did my last survey hike, almost six months ago, there had been no changes anywhere along the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway’s Center Segment. (Unless you count someone whitewashing the Graffiti Ranch, which is actually on private land.)
Previous Survey Hikes
11/8/17: [ photoset ]
4/28/17: [ photoset ]
10/28/16
4/29/16
12/17/15: [ photoset ]
4/13/15: [ photoset ]
Since then, work has moved southeast from 59th Ave. and Estrella Dr. to 51st Ave. and Dusty Lane. Approaches to what will now be an overpass have had earth ramped up, and the first concrete support pillars are in place. There’s all kinds of orange cones & caution signs on either side of the future overpass.
A construction vehicle access road had been plowed from the south end of Dusty Lane over Main Ridge North, across the intervening valley, then over Main Ridge South to Pecos Rd.
There are water tanker refilling stations & resevoirs put in near multiuse crossing #3 (or waypoint #17 on the attached GPS file), at waypoint #9 (the west end of the new luxury development) and waypoint #1 (the pump station on Pecos Rd.).
For what it is worth, the new luxury development, being built by Taylor Morrison, is formally known as The Promontory at Foothills West Summit Collection Community. Quite a mouthful. More words obviously means more luxury. 
“Waypoints” are the locations of the photographs I took every 1/10th of a mile along the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway right-of-way, to document the changes as they gradually occur. But once it became difficult, or possibly illegal, to do so, I would instead parallel the right-of-way. Paralleling became necessary on this trip.
There is a small, unnamed, ridge that partially separates the Graffiti Ranch and Stone Wall Ranch from Main Ridge South. The R.A. Steele Ranch is at the western tip of that unnamed ridge. From a vantage point about a quarter mile east of R.A. Steele Ranch, I could see the three ranches, the luxury development, the south slope of Main Ridge North, the valley, and the north slope of Main Ridge South.
I counted twelve homes under construction in The Promontory at Foothills West Summit Collection Community luxury development. Apparently, some are already complete and ready for sale for the low, low, price of only $600,000. Or more. Notice how Taylor Morrison’s [ youtube video ] avoids mentioning the freeway which will be serenading the occupants. 
In the valley, and at either end of the Center Segment, the entire right-of-way is delineated by yellow rope. There were no “Do Not Enter” signs, except on the fences surrounding the water stations. There were also many yellow ropes running at odd angles to the right-of-way. Maybe those were marking future culverts or multiuse crossings? 
I saw many black on white “NOTICE: Waters of the U.S.” signs. There’s no water anywhere at the west end of South Mountain Park. (There’s a jillion washes though.) I wonder what the signs mean?
I also spotted a wood pole marked “Sensitive Area”. That was odd, because prior to construction beginning on The Promontory at Foothills West Summit Collection Community luxury development the valley was nothing but waste land. No petroglyphs, like near waypoint #4.
The access road up the north slope of Main Ridge South has replaced the rugged jeep trail that used to be there, so I had to bushwhack up to waypoint #7. It didn’t take long. There was a seismograph at the foot of the power tower. The seismograph was marked “Do Not Disturb”. My guess is they are to measure possible structural stress on the power towers.
But I saw no signs of blasting. At least not yet. Lots of earth moving, though, being done by graders, dozers and a large hydraulic jackhammer. It looked like the grader was setting up piles for the dozer to push over the ridge’s crest, sending boulders bounding down hill. 
Because I could not follow the old jeep trail across Main Ridge South, from waypoint #7 (on the ridge’s north spur) to waypoint #6 (on it’s south spur), I had to bushwhack down & up the steep wash separating the two. Like I did on my first survey hike, before I discovered the jeep trail. It took some care to pick my way over the jagged granite without gigging myself on the barbwire fence marking the Gila River Indian Community.
I took a break sitting on one of the cement pilings for the power tower near waypoint #5, before backtracking to my SUV in Dusty Lane.
Hike Video: https://vimeo.com/486131916 |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Found some nice Ironwood south of Dusty Lane, near the future multiuse crossing #3. |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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