After a somewhat less than ideal mid-February weather day for the 2019 Chimney Mocha hike in approximately the same location, although a couple weeks later I was somewhat hesitant to schedule another in the same month. Fortunately, as my eleven hiking companions arrived, sunny skies and comfortably cool conditions awaited. After vehicles were shuttled to the terminus of this one-way hike, my lovely wife Sheila took a group photo from my driveway and we departed.

As we have an entry trail to USFS land just a block away, I have been blessed with the opportunity to explore a number of trails, mapped and otherwise, along with some bushwhacks onto more exotic destinations. Our first stop, only one mile in, was to climb several hundred feet to a saddle which is most frequented by cliff climbers and rappellers as where we were headed farther, means of ascent was straight up! Since we were now at a slightly higher elevations than the Airport Mesa, unobstructed views of the famous landmarks Courthouse, Bell Rock, and Cathedral were available.

From there we descended, and as we approached the second mile we finally reached the first official USFS trail of the trek—Thunder Mountain. Then, for roughly the next 1.5 miles, the group hiked first over the leisurely Andante Trail before a more rigorous ascent of the Chimney Rock Trail. However, instead of taking a left with farther ascent to Chimney Rock, we traversed a bit farther on its trail to take a right at the Lizard Head intersection.

As you enter Sedona from the south and look to your left, Lizard Head Rock is easily identifiable at the edge of the Thunder Mountain/Coffee Pot geological complex. Although climbing to the “head” was not on the agenda, Lizard Head Trail presents akin to the “tail” of its namesake as it snakes to the very edge of the sheer face and teases its way to a brief but steep turn, and for some, butt scraping to a more sane descent to Dry Creek Road.

Cafe Jose [photo by Mark]

Although another hike in 2019 becarme acquainted with approximately eleven miles of this, for the most part, newly constructed or rerouted complex, our experience would repeat none of that. Somewhat more sedate than the first half, we still found ourselves going down then up washes quite frequently with, at gentle summits, periodic glimpses of the magnificence of several canyons in the vicinity, Doe and Bear Mountains, and the terrain towards Sycamore Canyon.

As we reached the end of the hike at the Girdner trailhead, my GPS read 9.6 miles and 1100 foot elevation change.

What a great group of hiking companions! All of us enjoyed a post-hike meal at perennial favorite Cafe Jose.