Defining anything as winter in the desert can be a bit of a stretch. We do have the occasional freeze, and yes, we have had snow. But this is Arizona’s time to revel—after baking in a convection oven for over five months.

With temps still in the mid-80s in Phoenix, Dave and I decided to travel to colder climes (hahaha). A hike through a forest was well overdue. We settled on Woodchute trail #102, one of only two trails located in the Woodchute Wilderness of Prescott National Forest.

The history of Woodchute Mountain is pretty clear cut (bad pun intended). In the early 1900s, a wood chute was built on the north side of the mountain to deliver wood to the booming mining town of Jerome.

Dave and I wove our way up through a mountain pass of pine and juniper. The well-maintained narrow highway was a veritable maze of hairpin curves and hidden corners.

Trail #102 was located just off of an unmarked forest road across from the Mingus Recreation area. A fellow with a couple of burros and a car from California helped flag the trailhead.

Our hike was a gradual incline that provided expansive panoramas in every direction. The only mishap of note was my inadvertent detour up a large hill, which I had mistaken for a scenic viewpoint. The actual turnoff was about 50 yards further. Whoops.

A steep incline to a mesa loomed. That was not to be. Unfortunately, upon arrival we discovered that the camelback (my primary water source) seeped all over the back of the Jeep. Short on water, the dog ate my homework, whatever. We headed back when we reached the creek, about two miles in.

There is something to be said about the mountains in Arizona. Desert gives way to forest, and forest to desert, providing unique landscapes that seem to go on and on.