Mike in the Wild

Almost everyone in the Phoenix area has heard of Pinnacle Peak, and many of us would recognize the distinctive granite mountain either in a picture or if we saw it on the distant horizon in North Scottsdale.  But for many years a restaurant in its shadow went by the same name and was probably the more popular of the two namesakes; there was certainly a period of time when more people dined on steaks at Pinnacle Peak Patio than hiked at Pinnacle Peak Park. But the cowboy restaurant closed almost five years ago and its property was redeveloped for housing and commercial uses.  In fact much of the surrounding pristine Sonoran Desert landscape that was half the draw of driving a dozen miles for barbecue chow has been replaced by homes, resorts, golf courses, shopping centers and business parks.  But in the midst of this suburban explosion Pinnacle Peak Park preserves 150 acres around the rocky spire that beacons all nature lovers to appreciate the beauty of the area. Near ...