Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2009
Partners: Walt Hutton & Allison from Flagstaff
The big objective for this season's visit to Sedona was an attempt at The Acropolis. We'd gotten beta claiming that the route was "mostly class 4...with one or two 5.7 moves." Okay, then!
Heading out early one morning, I reached the base of our route 1 hour and 10 minutes after leaving the car. Scoping around for our route while waiting for my partners to catch up, I found something resembling a class 4 start that offered promise. It had to be the spot, as nothing else looked reasonable.
When the others arrived, Walt, feeling tired, beat up, physically ill and largely uninspired, was coaxed into leading the first pitch. Starting up, he climbed through a brushy class 4 ramp of sorts, flailed through a short and unprotectable 5.6 face, and found himself at the base of a bulging 5.7 chimney with no protection whatsoever. Hmmm, he looked around for a bypass, and we did the same from the bottom of the pitch - nothing!
With our spirits already humbled by successive days of failure in the mountains, it didn't take much for us to call it yet another day of fun and filth...and we waltzed on back to the cars. Crap.
Walt's photos:
Third Time's Not A Charm
Amitabha Stupa
Where: Sedona, Arizona
Sedona's a wonderful place. It's littered with red rock towers and yellow, pyramidal mountains, freaky hippy types and plenty of pompousness. I love the place. And what better spot to find serenity, seek answers, search inwardly, and simply breathe than Amitabha Stupa. 
Quality Time With Chimney Rock
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2009
Partners: Walt Hutton & Allison from Flagstaff
If you want to climb something, it's often helpful to have beta. But for clueless softmen like we are (or at least I am), why bother? So we ignorantly set out to climb Chimney Rock, the aesthetic desert tower below Capitol Butte and above Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, Arizona.
In order to save ourselves some embarassment, I'll offer the short version of what transpired: We didn't get to the top.
Three Sisters
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2009
Partners: DB & Walt Hutton
DB, Walt and I set out to climb Three Sisters. With a short trail approach, a touch of unpleasant bushwhacking, and some fun scrambling near the top, we found the summit sublime and its views highly rewarding. Not only that, but we found a pictograph along the way! 
Photos from Walt:
Bad Rock Peak or Rattlesnake Peak?
Where: near Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2009
Partners: Walt Hutton
Walt asked me to join him in his third attempt of an unclimbed peak near Sedona, Arizona. With little (read: no) knowledge of what to expect, I agreed to be his partner and set out to tackle this bad boy.
Nearly stepping on a rattlesnake on the hike in, we soon reached the base of the first "weakness". Studying it, we both chickened out without effort. We moved on around the base of this thing in hope of another (easier) way.
Eventually reaching a dirty face above a loose, brushy seam, Walt agreed to lead up. Half a rope length up, he bailed - too nasty, he said.
Taking the sharp end, I started up an adjacent chimney. With easy climbing, I was soon at a point that required me to climb around a bulge via an easy but unprotectable face. It appeared that easy climbing was above. But it wasn't worth the risk...so I downclimbed to Walt.
Walt again took the sharp end, hoping to push through where I'd bailed. Reaching the same point, he agreed that it was too spicy without the pro, and so we unroped and continued around in hope of yet another way.
Before long, I spotted an arete that looked mostly easy (with a short, questionable face near the top). Again, I agreed to lead out over stair-steppy terrain to gain the arete. After about three moves, the loose and dirty, down-sloping terrain was too much for me. Like the loser some might argue I am, I headed back down. 'Here, Walt. Your turn (again).'
Walt tried my way, but didn't like it either. Instead, he popped around a corner, then did a committing move or two around another corner over big exposure in order to gain easy terrain leading to a belay. He brought me up.
From the belay, we eye-balled the questionable face I'd spotted from below. Questionable, alright. No more than 5.7-8 but with little/no protection...and brush in your face to make things more interesting.
For looks, I agreed to lead, knowing full well that the gnarly, unprotectable moves to get through to easier terrain didn't interest me. Scampering up a short bit of class 3-4 terrain, I stared face-to-face with the upper face - and it was awful. I headed back down.
Walt then took over, giving it a valiant effort...before also agreeing that it wan't meant to be. And so we set up a rappel station and bailed off this thing.
Walt's third failure on the peak he was ready to dub "Bad Rock Peak". The worse rock in Sedona, he said.
A photo from Walt:
Who's Ever Heard of Loy Butte?
I know I hadn't, but Walt Hutton suggested we do it one morning. Having already successfully climbed about 30 summits around Sedona, Loy Butte was one of another thirty or so Walt hadn't yet gotten to. Why not, let's do it?!?
Every seasoned backcountry explorer must one day find himself wandering in the scrub of Sedona. Heralded for its stunning red rocks, folks don't often mention its almost-legendary (well, in some circles) brush and awful rock; rock that does, thankfully, take a distant second to the lousiness of Zion's.
Walt once again demonstrated himself to be a man of his word when we found ourselves immersed in thick scrub oak and acacia. Great stuff! But before long, we broke out of it, scaled a couple of cliffbands via convenient weaknesses, and blindly walked right past some Sinagua ruins on the way to the summit.
The summit was sublime. We signed the register, which had only been signed by one prior party, and all-to-soon headed down. Fortunately, we discovered the ruins we'd nearly tripped over before on our way down. Great stuff!
Man, a weekend of ruins! Ruins abound in Sedona!
TOPO
Wilson Mountain, Sedona's Highest
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: May 2008
Partners: DB & Harlan Stockman
Route: Wilson Mountain Trail (Class 2)
Elevation/Gain: 11/2,400
I've been meaning to get to Wilson Mountain for years. It's the highest around Sedona, and why not?
Despite two or three attempts, going as far as driving to the trailhead, donning a pack and walking 50 yards toward the actual trail, only to find it closed for whatever reason. It's never seemed to work out for me.
But in May 2008, it all came together. DB, Harlan and I assembled in Sedona for a multi-peak weekend that finale'd with a hike up the highest peak this Red Rock region has to offer.
What we found was a beautiful trail system abuzz with wildflowers and scenery. The Wilson Mountain Trail worked its way up to a couple of shelves before dumping one off at a junction of viewpoints just below the actual summit.
An easy romp up to the top landed us at the base of a cluster of exposed crags with awesome views out to the north, including the San Francisco Peaks and Humphreys Peak.
With the prospect of a longish drive home, with much regret we signed the register (placed by John Vitz, of course, in 2006) and headed down.
Ruins of the Sinagua
Driving over to Sedona one morning from a roadside camp outside of Ash Fork, we were stunned by the green and white beauty of fresh snow on evergreens as we rolled through Flagstaff. Aaah, but what that dusting must look like in red and orange Sedona!
As luck would have it, Sedona was actually snow-free, though heavy, gray clouds threatened to dump rain upon us. So after a quick hike up The Cockscomb, me, DB and Harlan Stockman met up with my boy Walt Hutton and his friend Brad for an exploratory adventure up one of the fine unnamed peaks on the outskirts of town. We began the hike in as a gentle but soaking rain greeted us.
Eventually leaving the trail on our approach, Walt, who'd found a particularly nice set of Sinagua ruins up in the canyon below the peak before, led us off-trail to a rough route that worked cliffs and other obstacles to the first set. Pottery shards, a couple low walls, even a window!
Hesitant to leave the shelter of the ruin's alcove, we set back out into the rain and wandered up steeper terrain to what Walt promised us was an even better ruin. Wow! Indeed it was!
Situated in a rather large alcove above a huge drop-off, this ruin had several crumbling walls, a window or two, pottery shards everywhere you stepped, and dozens of corn cobs. And to make access more challenging, an exposed traverse on narrow ledges led into the alcove. Sweet!
Enjoying a lunch and quite a few pictures, we soon decided the rain was a bit much to be scrambling and climbing around on steep slabs in hopes of finding an uncertain way up the improbable peak above us. It was time to hike out. A beautiful hike to a very special place. 
Thanks for the lead on this one, Walt!
The Fine & Tiny Summit of Battlement Mesa
In May 2007, I climbed West Twin Butte in Sedona, Arizona. Hiking up to a minor saddle on the way to the peak, I was inspired by a fin of rock jutting out from the low mesa to the north. I'd later be told this fin of rock is known as 'Battlement Mesa.'
Not to take away from its appeal, but Battlement Mesa is a small enough peak that it hardly qualifies as a day's objective. But after a fun day of bagging Scheurman Mountain and Loy Butte, we had a late lunch, then DB, Harlan and I headed to Battlement Mesa in search of a late afternoon scramble. We were not to be disappointed.
With a very short approach, we worked through a few short cliff bands to gain a final ridge leading to the base of the aesthetic, narrow summit fin. Class 3 scrambling got us on it, then a final walk out the narrow ridge to a highest block, which required a couple class 2-3 moves to surmount. A stunning summit! One of the best (that can be accessed by hikers/scramblers) around.
The Cockscomb
Nestled in the stunning pinyon-juniper/Red Rock neighborhood of Doe Mountain and Bear Mountain, The Cockscomb is a small mountain with stunning cliffs, great views, and even some Sinagua ruins near the top.
Starting early one morning in a gentle rain, Harlan Stockman and I wandered up the trail to the cliffs just below the top. Although a class 2-3 break presents itself, we wandered a bit further along the base of the cliffs to a class 4-easy 5 slab problem that was an enjoyable (albeit damp) way to the great views on the summit.
On the descent, we sniffed around a bit until we were able to find a ruinous wall that appears to be of Sinagua origin. Later, my boy Walt Hutton, veteran of more than 30 Sedona summits, expressed his concerns as to its validity.
*Bottom two photos courtesy of Harlan Stockman
Bear Mountain
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2007
Partners: DB
Route: Bear Mountain Trail (Class 2)
Mileage/Gain: 10/2,000
Bear Mountain offers up an easy trail hike with astounding views of the Red Rock country that is Sedona. Starting from the Doe Mountain trailhead, the trail ascends up and over a couple of benches as it meanders its way to the lofty, er, near-summit of this bulky mountain.
The true summit, which is not much higher than the end of the trail, is actually a further 3 hours' worth of bushwhacking to the north. Ugh, ugh.
Mescal Mountain
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2007
Partners: DB
Route: South Face (5.3)
Enjoying a long weekend in Sedona, Arizona, DB and I were looking to climb something one morning but weren't sure what. Taking a gander at Mescal Mountain, we simply parked in the nearest spot we could find and went for it!
With an aesthetic approach through light, low forest, we picked up a spur ridge that offered us easy 5th class scrambling up a face, stepping left to gain a chimney. Above the chimney, we walked left over slabs then climbed a short face that led us toward the top.
The views from the slabby, rounded summit were fine, and on our decent, we took a slightly different route that was perhaps even more interesting, in that it took us by some alcoves that I might dream Indians once slept in.
Capitol Butte (aka Thunder Mountain)
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2007
Partners: Solo
Route: South Face (Class 4)
Mileage/Gain: 3/1,800
Capitol Butte used to be known as Thunder Mountain...and I like that better. This is the mountain that Walt Disney, who once lived in Sedona, named his theme park ride after.
Setting out alone early one morning from our Sedona hotel, I drove over to the south side of Capitol Butte to head up this marvelous mountain. Missing the suggested starting point, I picked a line on the south face that looked good, worked through a bit of sketchy class 4 climbing, and soon picked up the easy trail that leads up to the summit.
Making a short call to DB from the top, I told her I'd be right down so that we could go to breakfast. And head right down, I did. One hour 53 minutes, car-to-car. Not bad, I think.
Morning Glory Spire
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2007 & November 2007
Partners: DB & Walt Hutton (04/07) & Melanie Burnett (11/07)
Route: NW Ridge (Class 4)
I had the pleasure of climbing this terrific little Sedona spire twice in 2007. The first time was with Walt Hutton, the veteran world explorer, adventurer, and more recently, Sedona temple-bagger. Walt's not only climbed a number of chossy desert classics, but in the process has found untouched Indian cliff dwellings, corn cobs and the like.
Anyway, Walt led DB and I up Morning Glory Spire one afternoon (or was it morning?). Though only 4th class (or perhaps easy 5th in a spot), the route was great fun, nicely exposed, absolutely aesthetic, and the tiny summit block offered far-ranging views of the entire area. A climb to repeat...
And so I did.
In November 2007, I took Melanie Burnett, DB's daughter, on her first climb. Fitting her to DB's harness and tying her into a rope, I led her up this masterpiece of Sedona architecture. With a smile on her face, we soon gained the summit and waved down on DB and her mother watching us from the large sinkhole below us.
Top photo courtesy of Walt Hutton
West Twin Butte
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: April 2007
Partners: DB
Route: East Ridge (Class 3)
After getting to the Wilson Mountain trailhead and finding the trail closed, we wandered over to Twin Buttes, virtually beta-less, and decided to explore a way up the easier west butte. Stumbling across a trail, DB and I soon found out way to the saddle between the two buttes. Heading up and right, we struck a steep and exposed, loose 3rd class wall that DB and I felt uncomfortable putting her on unroped. She stayed behind while I soloed up and wandered to the summit. She was disappointed to wait below, but safer that way.
A Sedona Classic, The Fin (5.7)
Where: Sedona, Arizona
When: November 2007
Partners: Walt Hutton
Route: West Arete (5.7)
Next to Morning Glory Spire, The Fin could be my favorite (as of yet) summit in the Sedona area. I’ve actually done quite a few by now.
With Walt, I started from the close trailhead about 10:30 AM. We walked easy to the southwestern base of the feature. It looks like nothing more than a face on lower Mount Wilson as you approach. We got up on the feature, traversing slickrock to the east and north and reached the base of an obvious ramp near the middle of the south face. We followed the ramp up and left (mostly easy, though some class 4-easy 5 sections and plenty of tedious and troublesome cactus, particularly at the top of the ramp’s crux, a 5.2 or so band.
From the top of the ramp, we sorted our gear in a notch. Walt led the first pitch, which we deemed 5.4 via the feature’s west arête. A tough move near the top of the pitch, so Walt led left around a corner, causing some rope drag, but finished well. Belayed from a new bolt and old piton on flat spot at the top of the pitch.
I led the second and final pitch, moving easily up stair-steppy terrain to the base of a steep and hugely exposed, mostly unprotectable slab. I girth hitched a young tree, then put a micronut and a small cam into a crack below the slab – none of them comforting. I then essentially soloed the slab, no pro for about 20 feet or more, then belayed Walt up from a dead tree. 
Scrambled class 4 to the summit along the aesthetic narrow summit ridge. Walt left a register.
On the descent, we rappelled from dead tree (and a piton we discovered up there) 30 feet to near the top of first pitch. Then rappelled 50 feet to near top of ramp below. Scrambled aways down ramp, then rappelled about 90 feet from tree at top of cactus headwall to slickrock below ramp. Easy hike out. Great day! Picazzo’s pizza for dinner.
Photos courtesy of Walt Hutton
