The Bell Pass trailhead is about a half mile (1km) from our condo. From there to the pass is a bit under four miles (6km). The good news is that the first 3-ish miles climb steadily up a valley. The bad news is that one gains about 1000 feet (300 meters) in the last mile. We were happy that the temperature was just above 60f (16c).
You can see Bell Pass in the above photo. It’s the saddle just to the right of the tall Saguaro cactus on the left.

Those of you not familiar with the area might imagine a walk up a valley towards the mountains would include burbling streams, stands of tall trees, perhaps leaping trout. You would be close. Replace the tall trees with Saguaro cactus, delete the streams and trout. We did see any number of lizards and one or two snakes.


Ocotillo is more closely related to tea and blueberries than to cactuses.







That’s the summit cairn in the foreground.

I think that the settlement in the far distance at the right of the photo is Fountain Hills.




By the way, it’s pronounced “choya”.