- Month ten of the Do It for the Vert challenge was spent entirely in Arizona. While Arizona lacks the variety and elevation gain options the White Mountains have, miles are easy to pile up and much more forgiving on the joints. For October, I tallied 84,364' over 308 miles in the sun with rewarding views seemingly around every corner.
- Sarge and I started off the month with a bang, heading to Sedona's high point, Mount Wilson, and then hiking the Dood's favorite hike, Munds Wagon - Hangover - Cow Pies Loop.
- I was able to get to the canyon three times during the first ten days of the month, once with Ashley, then a solo adventure where I connected all the currently open trails along the main corridor, and finally a quick run down and across the Tonto before severe weather came rolling in, creating more trail closures from rock slides.
- The highlight of the week was hiking Humphreys Peak via the Weatherford and Humphreys Peak Trail with Cory and Ashley. We spotted a car at the Snow Bowl before driving to the Weatherford trailhead on Schultz Pass Road. I had been looking to hike this trail for over a decade and cursed myself for not doing it before the 2022 Pipeline Fire, which more or less burned down the whole forest on the south side of the range, including what was once a beautiful aspen glade that blanketed a majority of the terrain. What was left was a sad sight, total destruction of the forest over the first six miles through the burn area to Freemont Saddle. The good news is the Aspens are slowly making a comeback as new growth is starting to populate along some sections of the trail.
- Between Freemont Saddle, Doyle Saddle, and the Humphreys Trail junction, we were above the burn area, hiking mostly above treeline with breathtaking views. Once we reached the junction, we easily made our way to the summit and back before bushwhacking to the ski trails of the Arizona Snow Bowl. It was a long but rewarding day hiking to the top of Arizona. Even with the burn area being so vast, I highly recommend giving this route a try.
- Sarge and I wrapped up this stretch of hiking with a spectacular sunrise on Mount Elden.
Sarge on Mount Wilson, the high point of Sedona
Sarge's favorite hike in Sedona, the Munds Wagon - Hangover - Cow Pies Loop
Nifty looking clouds floating above us all morning
South Kaibab Trail through the switchbacks below Skeleton Point. This is the halfway point between the rim and river
Short flat section below O'Neill Butte on South Kaibab Trail that resembles a backcountry desert road
Views along the Tonto platform. Always a quiet stretch, I'm usually on here an hour after sunrise and only saw one person the three times I traveled the 4 miles between South Kaibab and Old Bright Angel Trail
Views along the Bright Angel and Plateau Point trails
Leaving Havasupai Gardens. From here it is 4.5 miles to the south rim
Ashley heads up the Weatherford Trail through the 2022 burn area. New growth Aspen about ten feet high in places
Agassiz and Humphreys Peak from Freemont Saddle
Passing by Doyle Saddle and skirting around Agassiz Peak
Great views from the Weatherford Trail
Looking down into the Inner Basin
Ashley making her way to the Humphreys Peak Trail. Snow Bowl ski area comes into view just before reaching the junction
Looking back over to Agassiz, Doyle, and Freemont peaks. What a view!!
Top of Arizona and descending the ski trails of the Arizona Snow Bowl
Cruising down to the Tipoff
Sun slowly overtaking the Grand Canyon
Looking down upon the Bright Angel Trail from the last few feet of an abandoned section of the Bright Angel Trail
Phantom Ranch and the Devil's Corkscrew
Bright Angel Trail between 3 mile and 1.5 mile resthouses
Sunrise on Mount Elden!
- There were about 48 hours of rain before it cleared out just in time for Ashley and Cory to get in one last hike before heading back east. The weather south of us was a little more promising, so we made the drive to Sedona for an afternoon on Bear and Doe Mountains. About five minutes into the hike the last of the rain found us, downpours for five minutes before quickly letting up, and soon after conditions became quite pleasant, ending with a double rainbow above Doe Mountain.
- The rest of the week was more of the same for Sarge and I. I took him to Bear and Doe Mountain, as he missed out on going with us earlier in the week, I got in a great morning in the Canyon with some breathtaking early sun-filled views, and finally, I was able to check out a new trail in the Canyon over the weekend, the New Hance Trail (Trip Report).
- My final week in Flagstaff before heading to Sedona was not too exciting; we did catch some sweet undercast on Mount Elden, and I was able to check out two more mountains in the area, Kendrick and Bill-Williams. Both have easy grades with fire towers on their summits. I enjoyed Kendrick Mountain and will definitely head back; Bill-Williams Mountain is a one-and-done for me!
From high up along the Bright Angel Trail, Plateau Point is a few thousand feet below
Hiking up Bear Mountain after a rainstorm
Sedona clearing up while Flagstaff is in the clouds and storming
Beautiful red rock formations as seen from Bear Mountain
Rainbow from Doe Mountain, so close you can almost reach out and touch it
Double rainbow!
Sarge making his way along the Doe Mountain Mesa Loop
Early morning sun shining over the dozen + switchbacks below Skeleton Point.
O'Neill Butte
Small shallow cave along the South Kaibab Trail. Perfect timing as the sun quickly creeps into the cave making for a great pic!
Morning on the open sections of South Kaibab (Tipoff) and Bright Angel (1.5 mile resthouse) trails
Undercast on Elden!
Ranger cabin on Kendrick Peak and hiking through an Aspen grove on Bill-Williams Mountain
- On Friday the 23rd, Sarge and I picked up Todd from the airport and headed to Sedona, where we will be staying until November 12th. We hit the ground running and did not stop over the final week of the month, getting in four two-a-days in Sedona and three Canyon days.
- Todd spent June and July of 2025 in Sedona, so he became my tour guide over the week, taking both Sarge and I to several new places. Morning hikes with Sarge before work and afternoon trail runs after work.
- Sarge highlights include: Airport loop, Submarine - Chicken Point - Chapel loop, Soldiers Pass and cave, Mescal - Boynton Vortex - Birthing Cave Loop, and Chimney - Sugarloaf - Amitabha Stupa Loop. All of these hikes had stunning views along gentle grades, perfect early morning outings for Sarge
- Afternoons were filled with trail runs through the trail system in town, you can connect trails and herd paths to create unique routes all over Sedona. I was blown away by how awesome the trails are in Sedona, I thought I knew the hot spots of where to go, but I really only ever scratched the surface of what the town has to offer. Todd took me on the Pyramid - Sheurmann Loop, Cathedral Loop, and we also hit up the classic Bear-Doe and Hangover Loop to round out the week.
- The two days we headed to the Canyon were off the charts as well. As luck would have it, South Kaibab, Bright Angel, and the River Trail were finally reopened top to bottom, and we were able to get in a classic Rim to River + Plateau Point to Rim. Both bridges are still closed, so there is no access across the river to Phantom Ranch, rumor has it they are hoping to reopen by Thanksgiving, but with
2+ inches of rain as I'm writing this, November 1st, who knows what will happen.- Last but not least, we checked out some new trails from Grandview Point. I had been to Horseshoe Mesa but never below it to the Tonto, and Todd had never been on any of these trails. Our route was Grandview Trail to the Mesa, down Cottonwood Creek Trail to the Tonto, circumventing Horseshoe Mesa beneath it along the Tonto to Hance Creek, where we made the steep ascent up to the Mesa and back up to Grandview Point.
- This route is rich in mining history, as there are caves and old equipment to check out along the trail, along with radiation warning signs to stay on trail. More info on the history of the mining operations can be found here. This is another route I highly recommend to seasoned Canyon hikers/runners/backpackers
- Looking to November, hopefully get in as much running and hiking as possible in Sedona with Sarge and Todd, along with a few more trips to the Canyon before the Dood and I make the four day drive back to our home in the White Mountains.
East Twin Butte from Submarine Rock
The Chapel
Submarine Rock and Chicken Point in the morning and heading to Scheuermann Mountain Vista in the afternoon
Cathedral Rock from Scheurmann Vista
Hance rapid
Todd takes on the New Hance Trail
Soldiers Pass and Birthing caves
A couple takes in the view of Cathedral Rock
A spire at Cathedral Rock and ascending a steep drainage from below the formation
Sweet trail running along the Hiline Trail
Sarge poses for a picture in front of Little Sugarloaf Mountain
Visiting Boynton Canyon vortex
Sunrise at Ooh Aah Point
Todd running along South Kaibab Trail
Colorado River
Views from Bright Angel and Plateau Point trails
Sarge takes in the hot air balloon show!
Air balloons floating above the Cockscomb
Coffeepot Rock behind Sarge from the Sugarloaf Loop / Coffeepot Trail junction
Amitabha Stupa and Shakyamuni Buddha
Grandview Trail out to Horseshoe Mesa
Semi steep but picturesque descent on the Cottonwood Creek Trail
Cottonwood Creek Canyon
Running along the Tonto, Hance Creek drainage on the left
The steep and rugged ascent back to Horseshoe Mesa along the Hance Creek Trail
Remnants of the Last Chance Mine, in operation from 1892-1907
Horseshoe Mesa from the upper end of the Grandview Trail, what a view!
Jan: 100K / Feb 125K / March 120K / April 114K / May 117K / June 162K / July 138K / August 141K / September 47K / October 84K. Amber took advantage of the crisp fall weather and had her biggest month to date with over 350K!
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