Face in the Rocks Along Tom’s Thumb Trail, McDowell Mountains

July 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
tom rock close

Tom’s Thumb Trail, on the north side of the McDowell Mountains, is dotted with curious rock formations, especially this particular boulder bearing a striking resemblance to one of Snow White’s seven dwarfs.

Could this be Tom? Perhaps. The figure appears near one of the final bends leading to the summit (aka Tom’s Thumb). What do you think?

Want to see it for yourself? Tom’s Thumb Trail is ideal for hikers seeking a bit of a challenge. The trail kicks off with a series of steep, somewhat slippery switchbacks. It levels off among classic Sonoran Preserve beauty – granite boulders, numerous cacti species and lots of lizards that liven up the neatly manicured trail. Views of Scottsdale’s urban sprawl are visible at the peak.

Filed Under: Odd Observations, Recreation, Valley of the Sun Tagged With: , , , ,

How the Phoenix Area Nabbed the “Valley of the Sun” Nickname

June 30, 2011 By 2 Comments
Midtown Phoenix Closeup

Q: Everybody refers to this area as the Valley. What exactly is the Valley the valley of?

A: This is a deeply troubling question because it actually required some work to nail down the answer.

The easy part first: This is the Valley of the Sun.

Of course it isn’t really the Valley of the Sun. The ancient Hohokam Indians did not say to their relatives, “Hey, you should come down to the Valley of the Sun for the winter.”

Valley of the Sun was a name cooked up in the 1930s to boost tourism. As these sorts of things go, it’s not bad — short, snappy, descriptive.

Filed Under: Dose of History, Natural Surroundings, Valley of the Sun Tagged With: , , ,

Do Valley Homes Have Fewer Basements?

June 10, 2011 By 2 Comments
Basement

Q:My wife says there are no basements here because there are no tornadoes, so we don’t need a place to hide. I say it’s because the ground is too hard. Who’s right?

A: First of all, your question is flawed by asserting there are no basements around here. Granted, there aren’t many, but there are some, especially in older homes. They’re relatively plentiful in the Encanto neighborhood of Phoenix and in some scattered pockets of pre-World War II homes around the Valley.

They’re not the pine-paneled rumpus-room basements you recall from your split level back in Moline, Ill., but they’re basements nonetheless.

And, as we shall see, basements have made somewhat of a comeback in recent years in upper-end new housing.

But the vast majority of Phoenix-area houses are squatting on concrete slabs, meaning that if we ever really did have a tornado, your best bet would be a merciful God.

Filed Under: Odd Observations, Valley of the Sun Tagged With: ,

World’s First Wave Pool Returns to its Roots

May 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Big Surf in the 1970s

Did you know the Valley is home to the world’s first wave pool? “Waikiki Beach” at Big Surf Waterpark in Tempe has welcomed desert beach bums for more than four decades. Today, it remains the third largest wave pool worldwide, containing some 2.5 million gallons of water.

The wave pool is the brainchild of Phoenix construction engineer Phillip Dexter. Fascinated by surfers he saw on TV during the 60s, Dexter envisioned a surfing destination right here in the Valley of the Sun. Ironically, Dexter wasn’t a good surfer himself. Prior to embarking on this project, he had only seen the ocean a handful of times. First when deployed on a pocket carrier during World War II, the second in 1965 when serving a small stint as a construction engineer in California.

Filed Under: Dose of History, Recreation, Valley of the Sun Tagged With: , , , ,

South Mountain Preserve is Hub for Hikers, Cyclists

May 18, 2011 By 1 Comment
View from Dobbins Lookout at South Mountain Preserve

South Mountain Preserve, one of the nation’s largest municipal parks, offers outdoor enthusiasts a quick and easy escape from the daily grind. It boasts 16,000 acres of desert wilderness, just a short 10-minute drive from downtown Phoenix.

The preserve encompasses three mountain ranges: Ma Ha Tauk, Gila and Guadalupe. It’s believed the ancient Hohokam Indians settled this area thousands of years ago. Remnants of stone ruins and petroglyphs – or ancient rock carvings – are still visible today.

Starting in 1935, the region was developed into a recreational mecca with multi-use trails, picnic spots and scenic viewing areas. The master plan was spearheaded by the National Park Service utilizing President Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps. Many of the structures built during this era still exist.

Today, the park features more than 50 miles of trails and numerous picnic areas.

Filed Under: Recreation, Valley of the Sun Tagged With: , , , , ,
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