Camelback's Cholla Trail just reopened on September 30, 2022, after it had been closed for trail remediation during the pandemic. I wrote a story about it in The Arcadia News in early 2020. A boulder fell and killed a hiker before that.

I had done Cholla to Echo and back again in 2018, when I wasn't as fit as I am now, but still managed to avoid being crushed by a stray boulder.

Sandy, Ruth, and I began when the Cholla trail gates opened at sunrise on a Thursday, 2 days before the Phoenix Summit Challenge. It was the perfect training hike: tough! I did Cholla out and back 6 weeks before; it was warmer then.

The first half – or maybe 2/3rds – of the trail is a pleasant climb. You're on the sunny side if you hike up Cholla in the morning. The final third is a bit like Flatiron – smooth rock that demands your focus and stability. Make sure you're hydrated, and if you have a fear of heights, or have vertigo, be careful. I'd recommend some sticky, Spiderman soles. I wore trail runners.

We made it to the top in about an hour, then started our descent after some obligatory photos.

Going down Echo was in the shade, which felt good after sweating up Cholla in the sun. Echo is full of boulders. There are a few “bat poles” which come in handy. I ran the last 1/4 mile down to catch up with Sandy, the fastest hiker in our trio.

We paused at the bottom of Echo, availed ourselves of the restrooms, and ate our power bars while we stretched our quads, calves, and hips.

Sandy took off before us – she'd been 12 minutes ahead of us at the top and the bottom. Going up Echo was easier than going up Cholla. But none of this hike is easy.

Ruth and I paused for some more photos at the top, and she took a group photo of some visitors from Minnesota. You'll see plenty of tourists on Camelback.

Going back down Cholla, we felt strong, knowing we'd already hiked it up. I ran part of the way down in my sticky trail runners, finishing my hike in 4 hours. It was almost noon when Ruth finished, about 4 1/2 hours after we started. Sandy was the fastest by far, finishing in just over 3 hours!

We chose to go up Cholla to see the sunrise. You need to park on Invergorden. There's no parking lot like Echo's. Echo is much more popular, and if you choose to start there, go early. There are bike racks and restrooms at both trailheads. The renovated trail and trailhead were worth the wait, especially if it means hikers will be safer.