After such a wonderful start of my hiking adventure in Sedona the previous day I decided to go with the flow and attack the highest peak - the Wilson Mountain. Rated as a hard trek this 11 mile round trip has 2500+ feet of elevation change (~770m) and presents one of the nicest challenges to hike.
It is named after an
old Arkansas bear hunter known as Richard Wilson, who was mauled by a
bear here in the 1880's. Wilson was a farm hand for the famous Thompson
Family (formerly of Indian Gardens) and was asked to watch over the
family, while the patriarch Jim Thompson, was attending court in nearby
Prescott, Arizona. When he failed to show up after 8 days, his body was
later found in a big canyon just below present day Midgley Bridge. Both
the canyon he was found in, and the mountain above, now honor his name
as Wilson Canyon and Wilson Mountain respectively.
At the top there is rewarding view that stretches over hundreds of
square miles of scenic canyon country and include Oak Creek Canyon,
Sedona, Coffee Pot Rock, Capitol Butte, Sterling Canyon and the Verde
Valley. Sounds about like something I would like to hike!
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| Red and green come hand in hand in Sedona. |
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| Sunrise over the red rocks, breathtaking and majestic red mountains. |
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| On the trail to the Mt Wilson, Steamboat Rock in the background. |
I started the day early, anxious to be at the trail head at the sunrise. It was quite beautiful to be driving out of my Sacred Rocks location while the starts were slowly disappearing, their light being overtaken by first rays of the rising sun. It was a brisk, almost frosty morning with a strong promise of a clear weather.
Midgley Bridge was very quiet and peaceful. There was no single car parked when I arrived first thing in the morning. I paid the entrance fee in the machine by picnic area and undisturbed by anyone started my hike up.
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| 11 mile round trip to Mt Wilson peak, the highest mountain top around Sedona. |
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| Soon after leaving the trail-head the trail starts climbing up. |
Hiking up, there were sections of the trail covered with opuntia cactuses,
heavy from rich purple fruits. I was not aware that the fruits of most
prickly pears are edible. They are also sold in stores under the name
"tuna". Prickly pear branches (the pads) are also cooked and eaten as a
vegetable. They, too, are sold in stores under the name "Nopalito."
Because of the glochids, great care is required when harvesting or
preparing prickly pear cactus.
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| Fruited prickly pear of the BEAVERTAIL CACTUS. |
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| Prickley pear cactus fruit. |
Glochids are often difficult to see and
more difficult to remove, once lodged in the skin. Both fruits and pads
of the prickly pear cactus are rich in slowly absorbed soluble fibers
that may help keep blood sugar stable. Now I knew I wasn't going to die of starvation on this mountain!
