The “mountains” in Phoenix don’t really feel like mountains to me (Northern Arizona native perspective) (Tucson: ski resorts, live)

[I Love Arizona .]

I’m from Flagstaff and never visited Phoenix until last week for the holidays. For some reason i was expecting mountains like Colorado but without the lushness. I was very wrong. The mountains in the Phoenix metro look like giant rocks piled ontop of eachother sprinkled with sand on top. Kinda like Riverside County in California but uglier and more barren. Even after a good rain fall i hear they still stay arid brown.

I’m not dissing the area because i still prefer it over a flat city like Houston or Dallas, but i guess the mountains are still small lumpy hills in my standard. My cousin who lives in Phoenix recommends me to hike around the Fountain Hills (suburb) mountains.

[KurtAZ]

They are still Mountains but not in the "Rocky Mountain" variety...it is a desert. Even Humphreys in Flag is small by Colorado standards (12,633'). The tallest peak in the McDowells is East End at a little over 4000'. Camelback is only 2700'.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by I Love Arizona .

I’m from Flagstaff and never visited Phoenix until last week for the holidays. For some reason i was expecting mountains like Colorado but without the lushness. I was very wrong. The mountains in the Phoenix metro look like giant rocks piled ontop of eachother sprinkled with sand on top. Kinda like Riverside County in California but uglier and more barren. Even after a good rain fall i hear they still stay arid brown.

I’m not dissing the area because i still prefer it over a flat city like Houston or Dallas, but i guess the mountains are still small lumpy hills in my standard. My cousin who lives in Phoenix recommends me to hike around the Fountain Hills (suburb) mountains.

Cool story. Do tell us more.

Maybe you should have gone by the Superstition Mountains near the EV.

[Hschlick84]

Hate to break it to you, but this state is mostly known for the Grand Canyon, sunny weather and desert landscape, not mountains. They're just oversize hills in my opinion.

[new2colo]

Originally Posted by I Love Arizona .

I’m from Flagstaff and never visited Phoenix until last week for the holidays. For some reason i was expecting mountains like Colorado but without the lushness. I was very wrong. The mountains in the Phoenix metro look like giant rocks piled ontop of eachother sprinkled with sand on top. Kinda like Riverside County in California but uglier and more barren. Even after a good rain fall i hear they still stay arid brown.

I’m not dissing the area because i still prefer it over a flat city like Houston or Dallas, but i guess the mountains are still small lumpy hills in my standard. My cousin who lives in Phoenix recommends me to hike around the Fountain Hills (suburb) mountains.

I find it hard to believe that someone from Flagstaff would be so unfamiliar with Phoenix as to believe that there are 10,000 foot mountains surrounding the city. The tallest mountains that are visible from the city are the Four Peaks, which are almost 8,000 feet. On a clear day from Camelback or South Mountain, you can see the Catalinas outside of Tucson, which top out around 9,200 feet, but are definitely not in the Phoenix area.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

They are still Mountains but not in the "Rocky Mountain" variety...it is a desert. Even Humphreys in Flag is small by Colorado standards (12,633'). The tallest peak in the McDowells is East End at a little over 4000'. Camelback is only 2700'.

Pretty sure the Estrellas are taller anyway.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by I Love Arizona .

I’m from Flagstaff and never visited Phoenix until last week for the holidays. For some reason i was expecting mountains like Colorado but without the lushness. I was very wrong. The mountains in the Phoenix metro look like giant rocks piled ontop of eachother sprinkled with sand on top. Kinda like Riverside County in California but uglier and more barren. Even after a good rain fall i hear they still stay arid brown.

I’m not dissing the area because i still prefer it over a flat city like Houston or Dallas, but i guess the mountains are still small lumpy hills in my standard.

I agree, we have hills in Phoenix not mountains. Like you said, though, definitely beats flat like Houston and Dallas!

[locolife]

Originally Posted by yukon

I agree, we have hills in Phoenix not mountains. Like you said, though, definitely beats flat like Houston and Dallas!

They are minor mountain ranges if you want to get super technical but they blow what most cities have out of the water. A hill does not have the geographic connectivity of a south mountain or McDowell mountain range. I lived out East for a while, you should see what they qualify as mountains....

[locolife]

Originally Posted by KurtAZ

They are still Mountains but not in the "Rocky Mountain" variety...it is a desert. Even Humphreys in Flag is small by Colorado standards (12,633'). The tallest peak in the McDowells is East End at a little over 4000'. Camelback is only 2700'.

I don’t think Flag is small by CO standards, sure they have the 14ers but nearly 13 is big pretty high up and tops all but 1 or 2 of the max lift served elevation at ski resorts in Colorado.

[Burning Madolf]

For some reason i was expecting mountains like Colorado but without the lushness. I was very wrong.