Take away the golf courses and the boutique stores.  Take away the stuccoed houses with the Spanish tile roofs and the pool in every other yard.  Take away the roads, the freeways and the office complexes.  Take it all away, and listen.

Can you hear it?

Arizona is speaking. 

The mountains have a direct line to even the most hardened soul.  Running unabated across the desert floor, over creosote bushes and around noble Saguaro cacti, the call of the McDowell Mountains is languid and inexorable. 

Nestled at the base of the McDowells, sits the planned community of McDowell Mountain Ranch.  Residents of this thriving development have heard the call.  With this backdrop, how could they not?

A little further north, and you reach the once sleepy retirement haven of Pinnacle Peak.  It's namesake has become a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.  Far from its sleepy origins, very high end development has taken place in its shadow.  Troon, Troon North and the ultra exclusive Silverleaf community with its multi-million dollar homes are nestled in the vicinity. 

  The famous Pinnacle Peak Patio steakhouse.  Fair warning:  Wear a tie, and it will be hanging from the ceiling by the time you leave!

  Pinnacle Peak

Countless residents and hikers hear the call of Pinnacle Peak. 

Not surprising, considering the vistas that greet them for the daily commute.

Head 10 minutes west of Scottsdale into Phoenix, and it is Piestewa Peak(formerly Squaw Peak) in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve that beckons.  Whether hiking to the summit, stomping around the foothills or just stopping in the middle of your day to admire the majestic beauty of the eruption of rock that dots the middle of our Valley, The Preserves call to us all.

  Can you see the ants marching?

And then there is the crown jewel of them all: Camelback Mountain.

Rising from the Paradise Valley floor, Camelback is the penultimate destination for Valley tourists, residents and weekend warriors alike.  Offering a workout as nature lovers slog their way up its rocky spine, Camelback yields perhaps the best view of the Valley to be found in the metro Phoenix area.  The 360 degree panorama provides an unrivaled vantage point for the downtown Phoenix skyline, along with its suburbs.  I never tire of trying to locate my home in Scottsdale from atop the Camel's back.

If you want to hear the camel's whisper in your ear, it will cost you a fair penny.  Homes located on the slopes of this treasured mountain are among the most exclusive in the Valley.  But no matter how near or far, the call of this special mountain is always audible. 

When you move to Scottsdale, Arizona, it's about more than a house and a job.  You move here for the lifestyle.  Once the desert vistas and mountain expanses have gotten into your soul, they never leave.  Take it from this native son.  No matter where I go on this earth, I am only home when I see the Praying Monk atop Camelback Mountain.

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For your move to Scottsdale, Arizona, look no further than Paul Slaybaugh with Realty Executives.  A 2nd generation Scottsdale Realtor, Paul has been selling Scottsdale AZ Real Estate since 1999.  He has been riveted by these mountains much, much longer.  For an agent who is in tune with every facet of your relocation, give Paul a call today at (480) 948-9450!