[Umbrous]

Does anyone happen to know when they are going to open the 7th St. building/access to the preserve? It will be nice when it's open because I won't go through the mess I went through today. I'm new to this part of the preserve and was trying something other than Dreamy Draw. After seeing 7th St. closed, I continued south to a small trailhead that had a paved trail leading straight up. It sucked but after going about half way up, there was a trail that led north down to 100 and the 7th St. tunnel. Now granted, this a blast to go down to get to 100, but returning to the car sucked. The climb back up and then the slow decent on the paved trail doesn't make this trailhead worth it, and what's that I smelled after the paved trail decent?...Cooked disc brakes! My LBS is starting to love me.

 

[Casual Observer]

Does anyone happen to know when they are going to open the 7th St. building/access to the preserve? It will be nice when it's open because I won't go through the mess I went through today. I'm new to this part of the preserve and was trying something other than Dreamy Draw. After seeing 7th St. closed, I continued south to a small trailhead that had a paved trail leading straight up. It sucked but after going about half way up, there was a trail that led north down to 100 and the 7th St. tunnel. Now granted, this a blast to go down to get to 100, but returning to the car sucked. The climb back up and then the slow decent on the paved trail doesn't make this trailhead worth it, and what's that I smelled after the paved trail decent?...Cooked disc brakes! My LBS is starting to love me.

No idea, but you can park at the AJ's parking lot and ride from there.

 

[tamen00]

parking

Go South on 8th ave from Thunderbird and park by the church at the top of the hill. That is the end of the trail on the north side of Shaw Butte.

 

[sean34]

Any ideas what that eye-sore is anyway?

That area used to be nice before they (city of phx) laid down parking spots for all the urban hikers/bikers to arrive comfortably at the trail-head in their suvs, now they obstruct (lame play of words) a freaking office building in the "perserve." Also, what's up with the houses continually encroaching the trail...there's a house like 15 feet away from the trail in the shadow mountian area. When's it going to stop? I also noticed some double track plowed near that wicked hill just east of cave creek. Great...T100 is turning into a steaming choss pile...rant over

 

[Casual Observer]

Any ideas what that eye-sore is anyway?

That area used to be nice before they (city of phx) laid down parking spots for all the urban hikers/bikers to arrive comfortably at the trail-head in their suvs, now they obstruct (lame play of words) a freaking office building in the "perserve." Also, what's up with the houses continually encroaching the trail...there's a house like 15 feet away from the trail in the shadow mountian area. When's it going to stop? I also noticed some double track plowed near that wicked hill just east of cave creek. Great...T100 is turning into a steaming choss pile...rant over

Good question. I had the very same conversation today with a couple other bikers today.

 

[Umbrous]

West Nile Breeding Ground

Any ideas what that eye-sore is anyway?

That area used to be nice before they (city of phx) laid down parking spots for all the urban hikers/bikers to arrive comfortably at the trail-head in their suvs, now they obstruct (lame play of words) a freaking office building in the "perserve." Also, what's up with the houses continually encroaching the trail...there's a house like 15 feet away from the trail in the shadow mountian area. When's it going to stop? I also noticed some double track plowed near that wicked hill just east of cave creek. Great...T100 is turning into a steaming choss pile...rant over

This might add some fire to your rant:

What's with the West Nile breeding ground coming from that resort right next to the Sheriff's stables? I couldn't help but notice the black murky water. Nice! I didn't know there was a stream that followed along T100.

 

[Umbrous]

Good idea

Go South on 8th ave from Thunderbird and park by the church at the top of the hill. That is the end of the trail on the north side of Shaw Butte.

That sounds like a plan if all the parking lots on this side of the preserve (north end) are as small as the one I parked at today. Luckily someone was pulling out as I pulled in, otherwise I would have been SOL.

 

[dgangi]

Encroachment on T100

Any ideas what that eye-sore is anyway?

That area used to be nice before they (city of phx) laid down parking spots for all the urban hikers/bikers to arrive comfortably at the trail-head in their suvs, now they obstruct (lame play of words) a freaking office building in the "perserve." Also, what's up with the houses continually encroaching the trail...there's a house like 15 feet away from the trail in the shadow mountian area. When's it going to stop? I also noticed some double track plowed near that wicked hill just east of cave creek. Great...T100 is turning into a steaming choss pile...rant over

The house you are speaking of is up the street from me - right near Cheryl and 23rd. It's a cinder-block monster and definitely an eye sore...and really close to the trail.

However, that being said, the lot the house is is being built on has been private for a long time - as long as I have lived in the neighborhood (9 yrs) and probably longer. There has always been a driveway paved to the lot, but no house -- so my guess is that the lot has been private since the surrounding development (10 Cliffs) went in (mid 80's). This is not one of those situations where reserve land suddenly fell into the hands of a developer.

Unfortunately there are more of those lots still left undeveloped in various places around the Phx Mtn Preserve, and now that the land values have skyrocketed, you are going to see more of them built on. I just hope the owners of these houses understand the value the T100 brings them (not only in lifestyle, but in real $$) and work at protecting its use rather than restricting it.

Lastly, the "double-track" near CC Road you speak of was all a result of construction. The old wooden power poles that ran through the area were dug up and replaced with large steel poles. The city (or contractor) brought some huge machines in to dig the holes, and the result of those huge monsters driving on the terrain caused what now appear to be "roads". If I were you I would call the city and complain about the situation and ask that they fix the situation to prevent erosion.

Thx...Doug

 

[YuriB]

I went thru there on Sat and it lookes like they are on the cusp of opening the lot up. The "interprative" center looks almost done.
At least the bldg has some decent architecture for the local kids to tag

 

[sean34]

The house you are speaking of is up the street from me - right near Cheryl and 23rd. It's a cinder-block monster and definitely an eye sore...and really close to the trail.

However, that being said, the lot the house is is being built on has been private for a long time - as long as I have lived in the neighborhood (9 yrs) and probably longer. There has always been a driveway paved to the lot, but no house -- so my guess is that the lot has been private since the surrounding development (10 Cliffs) went in (mid 80's). This is not one of those situations where reserve land suddenly fell into the hands of a developer.

Unfortunately there are more of those lots still left undeveloped in various places around the Phx Mtn Preserve, and now that the land values have skyrocketed, you are going to see more of them built on. I just hope the owners of these houses understand the value the T100 brings them (not only in lifestyle, but in real $$) and work at protecting its use rather than restricting it.

Lastly, the "double-track" near CC Road you speak of was all a result of construction. The old wooden power poles that ran through the area were dug up and replaced with large steel poles. The city (or contractor) brought some huge machines in to dig the holes, and the result of those huge monsters driving on the terrain caused what now appear to be "roads". If I were you I would call the city and complain about the situation and ask that they fix the situation to prevent erosion.

Thx...Doug

Doug,

Thanks for clarifying those points. I think I've just lived in the area too long and I can't take any more housing development, streets that resemble highways, single occupant suvs (w/drivers on their cellies), and the like. We are pretty lucky though because there is some good riding in phx which not every big city can claim.

I did do a little research on the new building at 7th Street. Here are the specs on the new addition to the perserve:

http://www.phoenix.gov/PRL/projects.html

North Mountain Environmental Education Center
Location: 7th Street, south of Thunderbird Road
Construction of 10,000 square foot environmental education center.
Construction timeline: 2005
Funding: $3,767,000 from 2001 bonds.

It's supposed to be like the SM vistors center:
http://www.phoenix.gov/PARKS/smeec.html