I took a one-day road trip to Central Arizona College for a half-day ATF (Articulation Task Force) Meeting. Prior to the meeting I visited the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. After the meeting, I drove 20 miles south and took the Hunter Trail to the top of Picacho Peak.
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I think Picacho Peak is a tough hike. The first part of the hike is on developed trail that takes you to a rock wall that goes straight up [the peak is still far away]. When you hit this rock wall, the trail turns flat and you hike along the wall to an opening (called a saddle) that exists between two peaks. Stepping into the saddle presents the land on the west-side of the peak. [Many people turn around at this point.] You immediately start heading down realizing that every step down is an additional two steps up (one step up when the ascent resumes, and another step up when you are going down). The peak is reached by using on backside of the peak. Much of the trail is rocky and guide wires are provided to aid the hiker.
When descending Picacho Peak, it is easy to lose the trail. On this descent, I probably lost the trail a handful of times.
The hike took me two hours and ten minutes. [2:00pm to 4:10pm]. It was sunny and probably around 90 degrees. I hiked alone and encountered a total of six people. [4 who were going down while I was going, and 2 whom I passed while going up]
I took US-60 east from Tempe to Mesa. Drove Arizona Hwy-87 south from Mesa to Coolidge. Continued Hwy-87 south from Coolidge to Picacho Peak. I-10 north was used to get home. Near Casa Grande I had a tire go bad.