In support of Scottsdale (Phoenix, Chandler: apartments, townhomes, unemployment)

[Steerpike]

As the OP, I'd like to add another reason to like Scottsdale - the TRAIL SYSTEM! I have recently started exploring the various trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. I mainly hit the trails starting at the 'Gateway' trailhead on Thompson Peak Parkway (great parking, clean restrooms, etc), the "Lost Dog" Trailhead near Via Linda, (ditto parking/restrooms), and Sunrise Trail at the end of Via Linda (no restroom, but the best trail for afternoon shade hiking).

Before this I tried 'South Mountain', the Phoenix Mountain preserve system (off of 51 at Squaw Peak / Piestewa Peak), Camelback, and others - all having their attractions, but non matching the McDowell Sonoran Preserve trails from a perspective of diversity, difficulty level, range of environments, etc. And uncrowded!

I think it is great that these trails have been established. I imagine the city extracted a huge 'fee' from all the developers to fund this, and I'm incredibly grateful. But they can be enjoyed by everyone ...

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by azdr0710

in my experience, only tourists, recent transplants, and the visitors' bureau use the term "Old Town Scottsdale"....the phrase has a more quaint aspect than "downtown" and sounds like the Western kitsch many visitors are seeking....marketing, public relations, and convention promotion play in there somewhere, too....

and I never heard the term "Old Town" used for downtown Scottsdale at all more than about 15 or 20 years ago...

it's true that the corner of Main and Brown is the traditional birthplace of Scottsdale and the map linked above IDs this very small part of downtown as "Old Town"....however, many seem to regard all of downtown as "Old Town" because it's where the visitors think they are supposed to go.....

yup, feeling a little cynical today............

When I lived in Scottsdale in the early 80s, everyone I knew referred to the area as "Old Town".

[arizona stallion]

Originally Posted by Steerpike

As the OP, I'd like to add another reason to like Scottsdale - the TRAIL SYSTEM! I have recently started exploring the various trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. I mainly hit the trails starting at the 'Gateway' trailhead on Thompson Peak Parkway (great parking, clean restrooms, etc), the "Lost Dog" Trailhead near Via Linda, (ditto parking/restrooms), and Sunrise Trail at the end of Via Linda (no restroom, but the best trail for afternoon shade hiking).

Before this I tried 'South Mountain', the Phoenix Mountain preserve system (off of 51 at Squaw Peak / Piestewa Peak), Camelback, and others - all having their attractions, but non matching the McDowell Sonoran Preserve trails from a perspective of diversity, difficulty level, range of environments, etc. And uncrowded!

I think it is great that these trails have been established. I imagine the city extracted a huge 'fee' from all the developers to fund this, and I'm incredibly grateful. But they can be enjoyed by everyone ...

Steerpike,

I'm moving into this part of town later this month, and I can't wait to try out some of the trails. Do you know of any good resources to find the best ones? Do you have any particular recommendations from your experience? Thanks,

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by Olive2Bgeeky

Four years as a 'bird' and now have lived here for over a year. Honest to goodness, I have yet to meet one snob and I'm in N. Scottsdale. I'm very middle-class, if there is a need to classify people by income. I have met more snobs in my lifetime that are middle-class as they try to 'up' their status if even only in their own mind. I'm not sure why there is this need to keep defending Scottsdale? I guess I do so because it is an awesome place to live and it's sad when people misrepresent it.

That's why Scottsdale has the reputation of being snobby.

Middle-class people trying to up their status and appearing to be upper-crust.

They don't call it the home of the $30-$40,000.00 millionaire for nothing.

[HonestOne1]

Originally Posted by SpeedyAZ

in fact, Captain Bill's area of Val Vista Lakes in Gilbert is probably one of my first choices if I ever decided to move from Scottsdale.

Yeah, but when Bill wants to see hot women he drives to Scottsdale.

[Noscut]

Hmmm being from the Phoenix area and living there for 18 years (gladly gone!), I would say Scottsdale is an attractive place to live. However, when I worked there two summers ago the people were really rude and snobby IMO. I didn't get into any "verbal" confrontations but I got a lot of noses in the air and eye rolls. I would defiantly live there if it weren't for the feel I got from the people.

[PlainWhite]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

That's why Scottsdale has the reputation of being snobby.

Middle-class people trying to up their status and appearing to be upper-crust.

They don't call it the home of the $30-$40,000.00 millionaire for nothing.

Umm, yeah they do. "They" being people who try to feel better about themselves by putting down affluent towns in their area, and feeling they're above all that. Scarsdale, Beverly Hills, Turtle Creek, Coral Gables, etc all have similar detractors. It's pathetic, really. We get it JJ, you hate Scottsdale.

[kremit]

Originally Posted by PlainWhite

Umm, yeah they do. "They" being people who try to feel better about themselves by putting down affluent towns in their area, and feeling they're above all that. Scarsdale, Beverly Hills, Turtle Creek, Coral Gables, etc all have similar detractors. It's pathetic, really. We get it JJ, you hate Scottsdale.

I don't think he is too far off from the truth. Maybe he is referring to the club scene in Scottsdale, where there are posers playing off like they have a lot of money. I know someone like that, but he is in his own world...

[Steerpike]

Originally Posted by arizona stallion

Steerpike,

I'm moving into this part of town later this month, and I can't wait to try out some of the trails. Do you know of any good resources to find the best ones? Do you have any particular recommendations from your experience? Thanks,

This is the main page for the preserve. This page has maps. The 'non-interactive Trail Maps' tab has maps you can download and print. But most of the 'trailheads' have the same map in folded form that you can pick up. In addition to the Sonoran preserve, you can also hike 'Pinacle Peak' - a relatively easy and popular trail (not as rugged as many of the trails, but a nice intro). Quite a drive to get to, though, compared to the others. I think the best overall spot to start from is the "Gateway" trailhead on Thompson Peak Parkway. From there, you can do short or long loops.

[Steerpike]

Originally Posted by Noscut

Hmmm being from the Phoenix area and living there for 18 years (gladly gone!), I would say Scottsdale is an attractive place to live. However, when I worked there two summers ago the people were really rude and snobby IMO. I didn't get into any "verbal" confrontations but I got a lot of noses in the air and eye rolls. I would defiantly live there if it weren't for the feel I got from the people.

Where did you experience this? In stores, from workers? In restaurants, from servers? In the street, from passersby? I've been here 3 years now and I don't notice these things ... I drive a pretty boring 2007 car and dress ... shall we say ... boring ... (costco Jeans in winter, dockers, $20 shorts in summer ... nothing 'designer'). I can imagine getting 'eye rolls' if I drove a jacked up truck, or a 'ricer' car with loud exhaust ...

Originally Posted by kremit

I don't think he is too far off from the truth. Maybe he is referring to the club scene in Scottsdale, where there are posers playing off like they have a lot of money. I know someone like that, but he is in his own world...

It seems like Scottsdale is one of the few places in the valley that has an active 'night scene'. I suspect people come from all over and are certainly not representative of the average resident.