getting high all the time PART II

the climbing continues:  Bear mountain- WHOA.  Sterling pass- kicked our ass.
more canyons, caves, amazing views...  click the trail name to see all the pics.

with Cam and Veronika

Bear Mountain  Overlooks EVERYTHING around!  it's one of the highest summits in the Sedona area, and let's you see well-beyond it.  once you experience the top, you can pick it out from wherever you are on ground.  We'll be well-across town and one of us will point it out miles away.  "We were all the way up THERE?!"  i still ask, in a bit of awe.  the trail is crazy; not just switchbacky to the top, but it goes UP and DOWN about 50 (i'm guessing) different times, ACROSS an interesting variety of rugged terrain, leading one to tap into their spider-manny skills up steeply sloped red rock, and finally it brings you to MORE climbing up, to what you think is finally the top!
but it's not!  you still have to hike down some more, and then up again, and then down, and then...  it ends eventually.  One of the most strenuous ones we've done, with Joel's cousin Veronika, and our buddy Cam.  need i say it was EPIC?  with snow at the trail end.  I was so thirsty!  i munched to my heart's content.  and caught an amazing view of the mountain to the north- in Flagstaff- where we were snowboarding only a few days previous. I didn't know that was up there waiting for us 😄 it made my day!!  what a sight.  we ate celebratory sourdough cookies at the top.

Jack's Canyon   was just a short jaunt the day after we got here.  Walking the whole thing would bring us down into Jack's canyon and we weren't prepared for that, so we only went a couple of miles.  We were elated just to be out.  Passed thru a bunch of cows to get to it.  Great views of the village of Oak Creek.

Sycamore Canyon  is a bumpy, rocky, crazy-dirt-road-ride 25 minutes away from the tourists, with wilderness beyond it for many miles.  the canyon itself is 21 miles long and reaches 7 miles wide.  Ever since i've been with Joel he has shown me on maps, and talked about wanting to hike deeper into this area than he has been before.  so this one was really special- now we were here together.  we went as far as he'd been before then had to head back.  we will return with our tent and spend some nights out here after it warms up a bit.  lots of new, weird rock spires and formations to oogle at.

Cam and Joel

Sterling Pass   lots of elevation in a short amount of time-- HOLY CATS.  another epic, and strenuous hike.  starts out with BANG- steep climbing up, Up, UP from the get-go, into tall, towering Ponderosa pines, some fallen.  little cave-type forms eroded away in the limestone rock that the boys climbed in and out.  tall, strange pillars standing at random along our way.  We essentially climbed up from the bottom of one canyon, crossed over a gap at the top, and descended into another.  From here we pressed on in search of the Vultee Arch- a natural red rock bridge formation hiding further down the white, grassy canyon floor.  this was a long and tiring hike with almost 1200 ft elevation change.  fantastic views of forest and red rock structures in the distance within the Secret Mountain Wilderness.

Fay Canyon  is really neat- full of carved-out structures from the weather, small ruins crumbling, and crevices to run off and get into.  I brought my singing bowl this day.  the trail end sign stops just before the real fun begins!  a short canyon chock full of stuff to discover and fantastic views from climbing.

Turkey Creek  a less popular trail located out of town with rewarding views.  easy walking for a couple miles, crosses over a (mostly) dry riverbed, then ascends up the north side of a once active shield volcano, known around here as House Mountain.  We didn't take a lot of pics on this one but it was a great hike, and we did captured of few unique views of the red rocks in this area.

Baby bell   a busy spot, but fun walking- flat, easy trail around a few of the various popular red rock structures around town: Bell rock and the Courthouse.  we climbed up on "Baby bell" rock and got pictures of the other 2, and the surrounding red rock walls.

there ya have it- a good taste of what we we're up to most days.  
it's sweet to hear how much some of you are enjoying our pictures.  thanks for letting us know.  i'll post more here and there, but with part I and II, you get the idea  😉

Tally Ho!