Writing another guidebook: Sedona and Flagstaff

[tonyp]

Because I am a slow learner,I have signed up to do another hiking guide for Menasha Ridge Press, this time covering Sedona and Flagstaff. (A couple of years ago I did one on the Tonto National Forest and the HAZsters were extremely helpful!)

The rough itinerary is
May/June : Sedona (except for Oak Creek hikes)
June - August : Flagstaff
September: Sedona - Oak Creek Hikes (and whatever else in tha area I couldn't get to).

What I'd appreciate from you fine folks is suggestions for non-obvious hikes that you would like to see included.
My Sedona hikelist goes like this (more or less by priority):

Sedona area:
Brin Mesa/Soldier Pass
Cathedral Rock (& Templeton trail)
Bell Rock loop (I haven't really narrowed this down)
Turkey Creek
Airport Loop
Munds Wagon Trail
Red Rock State Park
Cockscomb
Caroll Canyon Loop

Red Rock/Secret Mountain
Bear Sign/Secret canyon
Bear Mountain
Boynton Canyon
Long Canyon
Sterling

Oak Creek Area
West Fork (publisher mandates!)
Huckaby
Wilson Mountain
AB Young
Harding / Cookstove

In the Area
Bell trail (done!)
Parson Trail
Woods canyon Trail
Dogie Trail
Verde River Trail
Woodchute Trail (on Mingus Mtn)

That's 25 hikes, if you're counting. If I get 18 of them, then I am in good shape (so to speak).
I'll noodle out a Flag list y the end of the month, but we're getting Sedona trails before they start to cook.

Couple rules:
Need t eb able to reach the TH in a passenger vehicle.
The format is aimed at half-day hikers. Some of the adventure loops we did for the Tonto guide would be right out.

Any input s appreciated.

Soldier Pass/Brin Mesa is happening tomorrow.

Thanks

Tony Padegimas

http://hikearizona.com/books.php?REV=1&ID=121

[joebartels]

Airport & Caroll aren't worthy IMO...

You have Bear Mountain, it's the best.

Sterling is cool mid Oct, but the best part is on the flip side going down to Vultee http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=48941
Everyone is focused on West Fork so you generally have the place to yourself too

The hands down absolute best views of Sedona are atop Munds Mountain http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=80
It can be done car-accessible you just have to piece the trails together.

You'll be sweating in Long Canyon as there's little shade. It's a better March hike. The Coconino doesn't get better unless you go off trail in Upper Woods Canyon.

Wilson Mountain North is preferred over the main trail.

Secret Mountain can be fabulous in Autumn. If you turn at Bear Sign you will miss it all though. You also need to continue up canyon a ways for the best stuff. If you can make it to Secret Canyon in a car then I'd scratch the typical Sterling pass as most books suggest and combine Vultee/Sterling Pass.

Cockscomb is just okay now, it used to be cool when there wasn't an actual trail.

Doe Mountain is the best "anybody can do it" Sedona hike as is the case with Cathedral. Both are good summer sunset hikes. Phenomenal photo ops with the puffy clouds during monsoon season.

Good luck with your next book! I still can't get over that Chillicut Shuttle we did late May a couple years ago and there was snow on the east side of the Four Peaks.

[JimmyLyding]

I think that Wilson Mountain is just as cool as Wilson Mountain North. North is better when it's warm, but Wilson Mountain is more scenic. Wilson Mountain North trail was in pretty bad shape (steep and loose) up to First Bench when I did it last year. A good portion of the timber along Wilson Mtn North was burned to a crisp when I did it, and a lot of those trees may have fallen down by now.
If you're going as far away as Woodchute then I'd recommend checking out the stuff on Mingus Mtn. as well.

[tonyp]

Thanks guys. I'm planning on slotting a whole day and doing both of the Wilson Mtn routes. I'll let you know.

I'll look into Munds Mtn. As I recall the main attraction to Long Canyon was its' proximity to Boynton. I may reconsider.

Anyway, thanks again. I gotta get. Brin Mesa and Soldier Pass and Caroll Canyon by the end of the day.

Tony

[DarthStiller]

5 years ago I did a shuttle hike going up Wilson Mt. Trail, out to the north (?) end of it where the trail ended on top and you could see Mt. Humprey's and Oak Creek Canyon below, and then went done the Wilson Mt. North Trail. We also hiked out to the lookout over sedona while on top of the mountain. Best way to include all the scenery in one hike.

[tonyp]

Update:

Hikes DONE so far:
Airport Loop
Brin's Mesa/ Soldier Pass
Bell Trail (including Weir)
Woods Canyon Trail (first serious blister; first time returning to the TH after dark)
Lime Kiln Trail (15 mile car shuttle between Dead Horse Ranch and Red Rock SP's)
Verde River Greenbelt "trail" (more of a route).

I can safely say that I know more about Lime Kiln and the Verde River Greenbelt than anyone at the Dead Horse Ranch SP Ranger Station, and both hikes originate from that park.

One more weekend in Sedona before I move north to Flag. I don't think there's any way around it, I'll have to do cathedral Rock and something else TBD.

Tony

[te_wa]

pumphouse wash may make the cut, check into it.

[azbackpackr]

I am awaiting your Tonto guidebook in the mail. Ordered it off the Menasha website!

[tonyp]

Done! I have my author's copies, so it should be in stores by the end of the month. It would be remedial for many of you, but it has maps and pictures and directions to trailheads and such. You can order it online now, if'n you're inclined.

5 Star Trails: Flagstaff and Sedona by Tony Padegimas

This link goes to the Barnes & Noble site: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/five-st ... 1101347766
But I get paid anywhere you (legally) buy it.

I documented 36 hikes (out of the 40 I really wanted to do).
Didn't get Bear Mountain because my day job screwed me. Didn't get Inner Basin because of the Schultz Fire. Also really wanted to include Harding/Cookstove and Kendrick Mountain, but the deadline came and went and losses had to be cut.

Many (ok - most) of these hikes were arranged with only a few days notice, so no-one from here participated (unlike the last book) but much of the preliminary research was done on this site.

I hiked through the snow on Anderson Mesa in April and through Secret Canyon in October. I was driving up to Lockett Meadow when the Schultz Fire started. I hiked down Elden Lookout and Humpreys Peak trails in the dark. I circled Bell Rock during a heat advisory and forded Oak Creek during a monsoon. And I got lost - a lot.

None of that is in the book. The book is all second person descriptions of what the hike should be if all goes well. And for all the troubles I went through (most of it self-inflicted), I think the book came out pretty well.

And the continued existence of this site, and the people who make it happen, made it that much better.

Thanks!

[te_wa]

I saw your first book at Barnes&Noble. I did not purchase it. (since i already have an original autographed print)

thank you Tony for your continual contributions. -Mike

[tonyp]

If anyone is interested, I will be doing a hiking presentations and workshop (which is likely a bit remedial to members of this group) at the Paradise Valley REI this wednesday (9/14). More to the point, I will have (autographed) copies of the new book for sale.

http://www.rei.com/event/28991/session/35915

Come on out if'n yer interested!

Tony