Long Canyon Starts the Hiking Year for the Rustlers

October 04, 2024

                                                Long Canyon Starts the Hiking Year for the Rustlers

By Mark Antin

The Sedona Westerners new 2024-25 hiking season began in early September and the Rustlers’ first hike of the season was Long Canyon. At a bit over five miles out and back and relatively flat, it was a nice way to ease back into hiking for those - like me - who mostly took the summer off. And it seemed to be a popular choice for the group who joined the carpool to the trailhead. Jon Petrescu and Lisa Critchlow, the Rustlers Hike Boss, led the hikers in two groups to avoid overcrowding the trail – a route that follows an old jeep trail along a dry streambed.

The sandy soil and modest elevation changes allowed us to take it easy, and to catch up with what was happening in the lives of our fellow hikers. Summers in distant places and here at home were discussed as we rustled along the trail. A few new hikers, including a couple from Wisconsin who now call Sedona home, joined us. It is always a particular pleasure to introduce new folks to the beauty along Sedona’s trails, and especially Long Canyon.

One of those beauties was the orange-like swirl of the Ice Cream Cone, a stone monument to that dessert frozen in time. We looked at it from a distance but did not go off trail to get some. I once represented the owner of ice cream shops located on several connected board walks along the Jersey shore near Atlantic City. His orange swirl softie was the most popular confection around. An electrical fire that started under the timbers of his shop put a stop to that pleasure when about a half mile of old wood structures went up in flames. Thankfully we still have the Ice Cream Cone rock formation above the Long Canyon trail to tempt us.

On a more serious note. A debate had developed on a previous hike over which of two certain-shaped rocks was properly referred to as, well let’s just say for the sake of this publication, “an intergluteal cleft.” The anatomically specific shape does bring a different word to mind, but we won’t use it here.

The debate ended on our September hike when a veteran hiker informed us that a certain pitifully small stone (with a crack) was in fact the cleft rock that was awarded the nickname. I could not argue with “history” - though in my mind that small stone hardly warranted that special designation. However, my selection for the cleft rock is much more appropriate in size and in its features. My rock is further up the trail just before the trail crosses the wash about 2.5 miles in from the trailhead. Notwithstanding “history”, that one will always be my crack! Hmm.

Another more subtle pleasure on the Long Canyon trail is the Arizona Cyprus found along the way. For those like our Wisconsinites, the multicolored smooth bark of these beauties is most distinctive and not to be forgotten. It is one of our favorite natural flora. Many of these distinctive trees are found in the forested part of the trail along the way to the “real” cracked rock.

A less subtle experience, not to be forgotten on this hike, was the Mohave rattler that crossed the trail right in front of the tailgater for our group. Most of us had missed seeing the snake. Fortunately, paying us no mind, the impressive snake simply slithered into the brush, not to be seen again - although we did take a good look for it on the way back.

A hiker could not be blamed for simply enjoying the surrounding scenery but then that hiker might fail to notice certain obstructions in our path. A rattlesnake, for instance. Or, for reasons a scatologist can probably explain, a segment of the trail that was littered with mounds of bear scat. On either side of the trail there are acres of wooded land where a bear might have a bit of privacy. This bear (or bears) seemed to have found our trail a convenient location. It is always good hiking etiquette for observant hikers to note obstructions on the trail, lest inattentive hikers encounter them unaware.

As we returned to the trailhead, the number of hikers joining the trail increased despite the fact the temperature was rising into the 90s. At an offshoot of the Long Canyon trail - a spot popular with out-of-towners - we imagined that a lemonade stand would do brisk business there. But alas, there was no lemonade or ice cream to be found and our fantasy bubble burst as we completed the last mile of our first hike of the season.

As always, we invite anyone who would like to join us on our hikes to become a member of the Sedona Westerners. Upcoming hikes led by our experienced hike leaders this week include the Drovers, Rustlers, and Dogies exploring Rattlesnake Canyon, Jim Thompson Trail, and Airport and Ridge Trails. The Mustangs and Rough Riders will venture into Oak Creek Canyon taking on the Sterling Pass and AB Young trails. For more information about the Sedona Westerners, go to www.SedonaWesterners.org. And if you join now, you can attend the Fall Cookout on October 17th – the burgers and brats are included in the $30 membership for the 2024-2025 Season.