Love Sedona

Nature’s Neighborhoods, Part 3

 Sedona’s third major eco-zone is the tall forest that lines the Oak Creek Canyon and extends atop the highest formations. Sedona comprises the southern portion of the world’s largest ponderosa pine forest. These towering conifers can reach over 200 hundred feet.

 My favorite part of the ponderosa is their bark. Stick your nose in between the splits of it and you’ll get a delicious scent, somewhere between vanilla and praline pecan. Long needles come from the branches, which are a good source of vitamin c in a survival situation.

 These forests were threatened by Sedona’s eight year drought that ended in 2008. That dry period led to major forest fires in 2006, one in the Village of Oak Creek and the other in west Sedona. The latter, did not reach any homes, but spread across the top of Wilson Mountain. Once it crossed the top of the formation, it threatened Oak Creek Canyon.

In spite of hundreds of drops of water and retardant by planes and helicopters, the fire continued for days. The canyon was evacuated, and hundreds of fire fighters waited below, as the flames approached. To fight it, they used what I would call, “The worst method of all…except for all the others.” They set the west wall of the canyon ablaze, creating a backfire which ended the conflagration. These actions burned the trees of the high canyon wall to a crisp, but they saved famous places such as Slide Rock State Park, Garland’s Lodge and private homes.

  For more information on ecology, check out the award-winning Sedona's Top Ten Hikes.

 

Wildlife: Mountain Lions

In over 5,000 miles on the trails, I still haven’t seen a mountain lion in Sedona, but I hope someday I will.

 

First, they are powerful, beautiful animals. Adults weigh 70 to 165 pounds; stand 2 1/2 feet tall at the shoulder, and measure 6 feet long, plus a few more feet for a tail. Females are smaller than males, and both range in color from gray to tawny. Kittens have spots.

 

Mountain lions are at the top of the food chain, preying on deer, among other small to medium-size mammals. Their teeth have developed to make them remarkably successful hunters and carnivores. Although they could be about at any time of day, most hunting is done at night, and alone. A large kill will be covered over by the cat, who will return several more times to feed.

 

The range of this incredible feline, elsewhere called "cougars," can be over 100 square miles, although it may share this terrain with others. In Arizona, it is estimated that around 3,000 exist. We find mountain lions from southern Canada through southern South America.

 

While they are worthy of respect, your fear is unwarranted. In over a century of recorded history together, there have been fewer than a dozen human fatalities in North America due to mountain lions. In Sedona, the number of sightings is very few and far between.

 

I have seen mountain lions in the wild and in captivity are they are amazing to behold. In Sedona, I’ve only found their scat and their footprints, but they are surely out there, somewhere.

 

Best Sedona Sunset Spots

I’ve been looking for the best sunset spots lately. I’m getting out almost every day in the early evening as Helios rides his sun chariot into his red rock fortress for the night. Finding the best path at the foot of that fortress and the best vantage point to watch the sun dive into its underground journey back to the east is not easy.  That’s because I’m always trying to find the most quiet, uninhabited spot and there are so bloody many spots!

So here’s a couple of special places where you can see the gods light the rocks on fire and burn off the negative energy of the day, transforming it to a positive reflection of yourself that you can carry back down the trail, into your car and out to a great dinner in Sedona.

1.  Sedona Middle School – park at the dark green fence, walk along the ridge to the handrail, keep going past the handrail until you climb up the ridge rocks. You’ll see a veranda with picnic table to the left, but keep walking on the ridge until you find the perfect spot with an open view of Coffee Pot to the left, Steamboat straight ahead, and Schnebly to the right. This is a short easy walk.

2.  Go sit at the trailhead junction of Brin’s Mesa and Jim Thompson trails. You can also take a short easy walk a little ways up Brin’s or along Jim Thompson, both provide awesome views.

3. Mini-Bell Rock (or Cowpie) – Park at the North parking lot. Walk up to Bell and take the Bell path around to the left, over to that little Bell rock just to the north. Take the trail to the mini-Bell and when it splits, take the right. It’ll split again, this time go left so you are walking around the west side of the rock. Go around it to the north side and there’s an easy path up to the top. The view is 360 degrees and fabulous. This one is great for getting to a little early as Bell goes into shadows about a half hour before the sunset.  Bring wine, cheese, and a partner.  Dogs are good too, make them lie down to warm your feet or howl at the rising moon with them.  Don’t worry about what everybody else thinks, because you’ll probably be all alone for a sunset here, so nobody will know. It’s good to play coyote.

Maybe you want to join me to find a new spot. My old dog is having a hard time walking these days and Helios has an open invitation for a place in his sun chariot.

This post contributed by Eric Johnson Wildbear.

 

Thanksgiving for Sedona Visitors

It’s November, which means it is time to focus on Thanksgiving.

Here are some tips for Turkey Day in Red Rock Country.

First, beware of weather changes. Late November is typically pleasant (sunny & dry, with temps in the 60’s), but an early winter storm can change things dramatically. To get the best forecast, avoid national weather websites and the Weather Channel on TV if you’ve already arrived. These offer data from Flagstaff, Prescott or Phoenix, all of which are tremendously different. Instead, we recommend www.sedonaweather.net

Second, beware of crowds. Thanksgiving Weekend visitors come as overnight visitors but also as day-trippers from the Valley of the Sun. This means that things go from quiet to busy around 11am. Our advice: Get outside before that. 

Third, make a restaurant reservation. Fortunately, the day-trippers tend to leave around 3pm, so restaurants are crowded, but not mobbed. Nonetheless, call ahead or your chances will shrink to get into Sedona’s best spots.

Fourth, think carefully before considering a Grand Canyon visit. The year’s longest lines can be found at the entry gate, full of cars from Phoenix and Las Vegas. Nothing is more discouraging than driving for hours only to sit and wait for hours. However, you do have an advantage if you’re headed there from Sedona, which is only 2 hrs, 15 minutes away (as opposed to Phoenix and Las Vegas, which are 4 hours away).  Still, plan to leave early, or the sun may go down before you ever see the canyon.

As for activities, most jeep tours will be available, but exclusive, private outings such as those of Sedona Private Guides require advance reservations. Check the website for details. www.SedonaPrivateGuides.com

 

Resolved: Sedona is America’s Sacred Site

The time has come to recognize that Sedona is “America’s Sacred Site.”

Here’s my argument. Each year, tens of thousands of people experience a physical or emotional reaction to being here. Those reactions were once the stuff of denial, later of conjecture, but now it is becoming clear that people are responding to the subtle energy of the land. Not unlike what people experience at other sites of stunning natural beauty or spiritual presence. Sedona is a place many are drawn to, and a place many feel in their heart as much as they experience it with any other sense.

Not all are moved by such feelings in Sedona, not even most. Yet neither is there universal opinion or feeling about any other holy place on the planet.

There are skeptics. Some say that people’s experiences here are just made up, self-fulfilling prophecies and the like. Others acknowledge Sedona’s uniqueness, but hesitate at the exclusivity of the phrase. After all, couldn’t there be other sacred sites in the nation?

I acknowledge the arguments, but stick with my claim. It’s not only that at least once a week the team at Sedona Private Guides has to break out the tissues for a client suddenly and unexpectedly gripped with emotion. It’s that it happens just as often for those who’ve never heard of Sedona’s mystical energy, dispelling the self-fulfilling prophecy idea.

Yes, there are many other such wondrous places around the nation that qualify as holy sites. Mount  Shasta, for example, is just one of many places of natural beauty or ancient tradition in this land. Still, Sedona stands out. Where else do we find as many potent reactions from unsuspecting visitors? Even the Grand Canyon, which I myself guide to, cannot compare. And just as the Dallas Cowboys are sometimes called “America’s Team,” the slogan doesn’t mean there’s only one sacred site.

Since we’re talking about America’s sacred site – rather than Peru’s, England’s or Bulgaria’s – it should be accessible to all. Sedona is, if you’ve got enough time and four wheels. It is democratic, available to those who prefer their pilgrimages to be rugged, or those who need something gentle. It is egalitarian, making no distinctions as to class, scholarship or wealth. Finally, the place is welcoming, offering pleasant weather and pleasant people who fell in love with it for the same reasons you may.

Stand up Sedona, and prepare to be crowned.

 

How many vortexes are there in Sedona?

There are a number of favored spots in Sedona to connect with the energy here. Traditionally, most people agree to four major points: Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, and Airport Mesa.

What does the human evidence suggest? It is clear that people are having energetic experiences in places throughout Sedona. In addition to the “Big Four,” for example, people often report sensing energy near the Chapel of the Holy Cross and also in the Schnebly Hill area. Because these two are so often mentioned, you may hear people say that there are six or even more vortexes. Beyond this, locals and frequent visitors have their own special places in nature where they can feel the energy tangibly.

This suggests that Sedona as a whole is a vortex, with the energy spread throughout it like a bowl. For this reason, I recommend going to whichever sites you feel drawn. Which strikes you as more interesting or more beautiful? Make an effort to go deeper into nature than you have before, feeling a sense of gratitude and appreciation wherever you end up.

For more tips on Sedona vortexes, check out the best-seller, What is a Vortex? Sedona’s Vortex Sites A Practical Guide.

 

How to Speak Sedonan

   Want to blend in more with the locals? Here's a primer on the local dialect.

 

First, use the word energy as often as possible. As in, "Wow, your energy is great today," and "Hmm, the energy seems to have changed since my last visit." In fact, whenever you're uncertain how to review food, music, living quarters or nature spots, draw on the "e" word.

 

Note local vocabulary. The word money is far too droll. We prefer "abundance" or "prosperity." When a New Age event requests a "love energy donation," don't worry, it's not sexual.

 

 Know which topics to discuss. Popular chit-chats cover how lucky we are to live here, the joy of precipitation in any form, and the loveliness of last night's sunset. Sound hip by examining whether Sedona is "the next Aspen," and intellectual by analyzing whether or not that's a good thing. Meanwhile, stay away from "the alternate route," and other topics on the trade-off of a pretty nature spot for a new road. A fist fight could ensue.

 

 Finally, know your pronunciations. The shopping galleria, Tlaquepaque, sounds like t1ah-keh-pah-keh, although t1ah-keh-pah-kee is acceptable. Palatki is the ancient ruin, not a New York governor, and is pronounced pa-LAHT-kee. Soften the "g" when naming the ancient peoples of the area, the Sinagua (sin-a-wa), but harden your consonants for the Mediterranean restaurant Cucina Rustica (koo-chee-na ROO-stee-ka).

 

  Good luck, and by the way, your energy looks great!

 

    Note: This essay is an excerpt from Sedona: The Essential Guidebook.

 

 

The Unsung Month: November

What’s the best month to visit Sedona that people haven’t heard about? November!

 Oh sure, April, May and October get lots of publicity. Pleasant weather, cultural events, spring wildflowers and early autumn foliage make these months great. Visit Sedona in these months, however, and you won’t be alone.

 So let me instead sing the praises of November.

 First the weather is wonderful in November. Any unspent heat of the unending Arizona summer is gone, meaning all the days are pleasant for being outside. At the same time, nights are cooler, which most Sedonans enjoy.

 November often begins with a sharp drop in temperature, from steamy to warm. We may also get a cold front, or a week that elsewhere would be called “Indian Summer.” This change is another reason to like November: After all, the steady sunshine gets boring after a while. It’s nice to have some surprises, and yet still be able to go outside and enjoy nature.

 Tourist crowds are thinner, at least in comparison to October. There’s a lull after Halloween and before the Thanksgiving holiday. I still consider it high season, though, and holiday shopping begins to kick in on weekends.

 In November the foliage that we hear about up in the Oak Creek Canyon descends closer to town. The giant cottonwoods and Arizona sycamores give us golden leaves, spectacular with the red rocks behind them.

 Many years ago, I moved here in November, on my birthday. I remember it as a month when I could walk the trails on any day, for as long as the light lasted.

 It still is.

 

Sedona’s Favorite Holiday: Halloween!

 Sign #7 that You Might Be a Sedona New Ager is this:

When you go to your kid’s Halloween costume contest, you come home with first prize.

 Here’s the skinny of Sedona’s favorite holiday.

First, we must face the fact that many Sedonans dress creatively and use alternative identities all year round. Nobody needs to wait for Halloween. You can color your hair, paint your face, dress up funny and change your name whenever you choose, and you’ll fit right in.

Nonetheless, having an official holiday still adds a certain air of respect to our extravagance. Since an awful lot of locals moved here to get away from the family they grew up with, the end-of-year family holidays are less popular.

Locals will most definitely get into the act. Sedona’s New Age community sees the almost-All Saints Day as an ancient festival, while the Hispanic community celebrates Dia de los Muertos.

Festivities begin as the sun sets in Uptown. Now that door-to-door trick-or-treating seems to be fading across the nation, the main strip has stepped up. In Uptown the treat-givers are the retailers of the many stores, and the people-watching is great.

For grownups, that’s just the start. Parties will be held privately, as well as at the Oak Creek Brewery, Relics, Olde Sedona, the Martini Bar and other night-time venues.

Of course, we can’t forget our neighbor, the old mining town of Jerome. Located west of Sedona, the world’s wealthiest copper mine of a bygone era is full of spirits, and I mean both kinds. The Saloon and The Spirit Room offer the alcohol, and the ghosts come from the tormented souls of miners, prostitutes and others seeking fortune.

 If you’re coming to Sedona this Halloween, take my advice: Bring a costume! Or at least, bring a camera.

 

Adventures in Pole Dancing

This post contributed by Corinne Casazza.

I’ve always wanted to pole dance, so when a dear friend invited me to go, I couldn’t say no. I enlisted one more friend and our trio headed off to Priya Pilates in West Sedona.

Owner/instructor Heidi Benson informed us we didn’t need to be Barbie-doll-like size 2s to wrap ourselves around a pole. “Men like all shapes and sizes,” she said. “When I realized that it was very empowering for me.”

Looking down at her generous cleavage, Heidi said, “Puberty came late.”  Then added with a smile, “Okay, plastic surgery came late.”

Heidi gave us a demo of what can be done on the pole. Her skills are impressive; wrapping herself up and around the pole, sliding down head first, doing a handstand and walking around the pole etc.

She started us off with a 30 minute warm-up that included lots of struts, pivots and hair tossing. It was WAY fun doing moves you’ve seen in every seedy club you’ve ever been to (oh, c’mon, you’ve been; everyone had a life before Sedona). Then onto the pole.

Let me tell you, this is not as easy as it looks. Shoulder strength and fearlessness are needed to do the swings, wraps and slides that Heidi taught us. To say I was not a natural would be an understatement!

However, there were several women in the room who looked like they’d been sliding around a pole their whole lives. It was amazing to watch.

So, if you’ve ever dreamed of pole dancing, I urge you to go Priya Pilates and check it out. Tell Heidi Corinne sent you. And enjoy!