On December 11, 2010 we embarked on our second journey to the top of Flat Iron. My goal was to successfully make it to the top and back down with no injuries, including the Charlie horse calf cramps that besieged me the previous year.
I also took the time to snap a few additional photos of the trail so you can see what you might be getting in to as you start this journey yourself.
The trail was heavily traveled this day in December, I believe I read somewhere that a local hiking Meetup group was hiking the trail that day. We ran into numerous traffic jams as a result.
Since the drive to the Lost Dutchman Trailhead is over an hour from our home in Peoria, AZ we were not among the first to arrive at the trail. We started our hike 11am with an expectation that it would take us until dark like it did the year before. So, lucky for us we experienced the most traffic jams (it seemed like the Meetup must have had more than 30 people!) on the way up as most of this group was descending around the time we were hitting our stride up the hardest part of the trail.
A few things that you may want to take note of. After a long drive to the trailhead your bladder might be in need of some attention. There is a bathroom at the campground, near the trailhead. You will start on the Discovery trail from the trailhead but instead of turning on the Siphon Draw trail, keep going straight to the campground. A full-on restroom facility awaits less than 1/4 of a mile from the Lost Dutchman trailhead parking lot.
Not long after you start your hike down Siphon Draw trail you'll need to pass through two sets of gates, one wooden and one metal. I usually question my direction when I have to pass through gates, but this is indeed the way!
From here the trail looks long across the desert. The incline is steady and when you turn back from time to time you'll realize just how much that steady grade adds up.
Quickly you'll realize the sides of the desert are closing in on you, you're becoming shrouded in shadows. You are now within a canyon, no longer the expansive desert.
The trail becomes increasingly narrower until you hit the slickrock basin which ends the Siphon Draw portion of the trail.
From here, to get to the top of Flat Iron you must navigate up through the boulders, engaging your entire body to determine the best route up and looking down from time to time to mark your progress.
On your way look out for markers such as blue or red dots and spray-painted arrows. They will help find the best traveled paths.
Finally you'll reach the last series of rocks you need to pass before reaching the top of Flat Iron, this one is tricky and you'll need to pay careful attention to how you choose your route. (On the way up we found using the rocks was best, on the way down we found the tree to be a great hand hold.)
Up above the rock wall you'll see a marker letting you know which way is which. This year we went towards the left so we could take picture of Flat Iron's face and experience a different view than the previous year.
On the way down we ran into a mom and daughter who were moving pretty slowly. The mom said she was "overtired" and was taking her time. We had passed these two at the top when we were going up the wall and they were coming down. Their descent had taken them much much longer due to tired muscles. The slickrock basin can be a tough one on those tired muscles that need to keep you upright as you descend the slippery slope. They made it down but keep this in mind. You can easily underestimate the time and energy this hike may take. As Ed Viesturs says "Getting up is optional, but getting down is mandatory" Make sure you have enough reserved energy to get back down from wherever you are. And take enough water, and a flashlight just in case!
Thankfully for us, we made it up and down with no problems; no calf cramps, no lack of water. And we improved on our time, making it down before 5pm in time for a beer and an artery busting snack from a local bar and grill!
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