Wilson Mountain - 4.3.2013
Directions from Sedona to the Encinoso Picnic Area... the starting point for the N. Wilson Mountain Trail.
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A google earth look at the terrain around Wilson Mountain... ~9 miles roundtrip, gaining 2512 feet of elevation... if you skip doing the Sedona Overlook, subtract 150 feet of elevation and .8 miles.
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Parking at the north end of the Encinoso Picnic Area... you can see the trailhead sign 30 feet in front of the car.
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The N. Wilson Mountain Trailhead... we had already dropped off one car at the S. Wilson Mountain Trail just north of Midgley Bridge.
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Wilson Mountain above... a huge mountain more than two miles long and one mile wide... the trail will take us into the canyon above.
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Wilson Mountain is the highest point in the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness.
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Cliffs on the east side of Wilson Mountain.
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A closer look at the cliffs on the east side of Wilson Mountain.
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larman switchbacking up the side of a canyon that will take us up to the 'First Bench' of Wilson Mountain.
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Gaining elevation and almost to the 'First Bench'.
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Improving views as we gain elevation.
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Out in the open now... just below the 'First Bench'... Wilson Mountain summit area on the right.
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The 'First Bench' is a huge plateau on the east side of Wilson Mountain... the summit is somewhere on the right but not obvious.
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Didn't expect to see spring beauties on this hike... but there were a lot of them.
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We are on the 'First Bench'... looking for the junction with the S. Wilson Mountain Trail... the red volcanic tuft on the skyline is very near the summit.
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We have reached the junction where the south and north Wilson Mountain trails meet... and will now switchback up to a saddle between the Sedona Overlook and the summit.
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larman switchbacking through a gnarly looking burn area on the east side of Wilson Mountain.
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The saddle... go south to the Sedona Overlook... or north to the Wilson Mountain summit.
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Looking south to the Sedona Overlook.
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From the saddle we are looking north to the Wilson Mountain summit... we will follow the trail for a short distance, then leave it and head for the summit.
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larman on the Wilson Mountain summit (7122')... with the red volcanic tuft behind.
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ragman was also there... the snow-capped mountain in the distance is the 12,637 foot Humphreys Peak located near Flagstaff... the highest point in Arizona.
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After leaving the summit we decide to head over to the Sedona Overlook.
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Looking down Wilson Canyon to Midgley Bridge from the Sedona Overlook... our other car is down there.
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Wilson Canyon from the Sedona Overlook.
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Back down on the 'First Bench'... looking up toward the Sedona Overlook.
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larman looking into Wilson Canyon.
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Leaving the 'First Bench' and starting to switchback down into Wilson Canyon... the Sedona Overlook is above.
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Still switchbacking down into Wilson Canyon... the line of red rock formations above larman's head is Mitten Ridge... Steamboat Rock is on the far right of the photo.
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Almost back to Midgley Bridge and our car... looking back up Wilson Canyon to the Sedona Overlook.
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