The crown jewel of northern Arizona, Humphreys Peak is in the upper echelon of great hikes, and a difficult one nonetheless. This dormant volcano in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness in Coconino National Forest, known you the Hopi as Aaloosaktukwi, and to the Navajo as Dookʼoʼoosłííd, is the tallest point in Arizona, and the 64th most prominent peak in the United States. This trail will eat you up with its elevation and it’s persistence of false summits after you pass the tree line. The thick forest of Ponderosa and Aspen through most of it is a shaded, rocky, and steady climb to reach the 11k foot mark where it starts to open up, and upon reaching the Snowbowl crest, the winds start to bellow through you as if the mountain was showing it’s power by standing still. The last mile is a rocky tundra climb upwards with the thinnest air in Arizona, and the sun pounding you onwards with the high winds. The summit is a priceless reward. Views as far as the Grand Canyon and Prescott. A ledger with names and stories, words of wisdom and sarcasm, gives light to the people that make the climb, and allows you to make your mark as well. As you make your way downward your head is filled with gratitude, a slight high from the elevation, and the desire to finish strong so you can take your boots off to massage your tired feet. Humphreys is just one of those trails you tell people you’ve accomplished, a behemoth of beauty. It is one of the peaks that make this challenge so rewarding and worthwhile, and something not easily forgotten.