The Brins Mesa Trail

During our 3-day visit to the Flagstaff area we made the short drive down to Sedona. Based on a little bit of research I did beforehand, we settled on hiking the Brins Mesa Trail. This spectacular trail passes through magnificent red rock country as it makes its way to the top of Brins Mesa. With two trailheads, hikers have the option of starting from either end of the trail, or doing a one-way hike if you have multiple cars. We chose to begin our hike from the Jim Thompson Trailhead, which is accessed from Jordan Road in the heart of the town of Sedona.

The first mile travels over some fairly easy terrain that includes sweeping views of Mormon Canyon, The Mitten and several other red rock formations. Over the next four-tenths of a mile, however, the trail climbs roughly 320 feet as it marches to the top of Brins Mesa. Although we started the hike relatively early in the morning, it was already scorching hot by the time we reached the top. I definitely recommend starting early and bringing lots of water as you will be exposed to the sun for most of the route.

In addition to beautiful red rock country, the trail features a wide variety of desert plant life, including agave, banana yucca, prickly pear, juniper and pinyon pines.

Expecting a desert landscape at the top of the mesa, we were both surprised to see more of a prairie environment. Either way, the views were quite stunning.

Once you arrive at the top of the mesa look for an unmarked side trail that leads to the right. After an easy walk of about one-third of a mile on flat terrain you’ll reach a spectacular overlook of Mormon Canyon. Beyond the overlook the side trail continues for another half-mile or so to a view overlooking Angel Falls.

Back on the main trail, look almost straight ahead and you should notice what looks like a small cream colored butte off in the distance. After walking a short distance the trail will pass-by this rock out-cropping. As you approach it, look for a side trail that leads towards the eastern end of the rock. Don’t pass this up! A short easy climb to the top of the butte provides the best views along the entire trail. You’ll have panoramic, 360-degree views of the entire canyon from this vantage point.

From this out-cropping the trail begins to descend a little more rapidly. Roughly 2.1 miles from the trailhead you’ll reach the Soldier Pass Trail junction. This trail can be used in conjunction with the Jordan Trail to create a loop back to the trailhead. Your total mileage for this loop hike would be roughly 5.2 miles.

From the junction the trail continues its descent past the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness boundary, roughly 2.4 miles from the trailhead. As it continues the trail passes through a forested area of large pine trees, before ending at its northern terminus off FR 152.

Back in Sedona we paid a visit to the Oak Creek Brewing Company where we had a chance to try some fairly exotic beers, including a banana and clove beer, a combo Belgian Abby Ale/Oktoberfest, and a dessert beer made with vanilla and mandarin orange – one of the smoothest tasting beers I’ve ever had. Afterwards we had some great enchiladas from the Oaxaca Restaurant.

Trail: Brins Mesa Trail #119
Roundtrip Distance: 7.2 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 980 feet
Max Elevation: 5080 Feet
Red Tape: A fee is required to enter the Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness.

Great Sedona Hikes contains detailed information on 55 of Sedona's greatest hikes. It includes updated trail descriptions, detailed maps, specific directions to the trailheads, GPS waypoints, and several trails not found in any other hiking guides.

Jeff
Trails in Glacier National Park

Devil Creek Trailhead Area Closed of the Flathead National Forest

To provide for public safety the Devil Creek Trailhead Road #10185A of the Flathead National Forest will be closed to all vehicle traffic from now until November 25, 2012.

Logging equipment and trucks are operating on this stretch of road during those days as part of the Nyack-Fielding Stewardship project.

The section of road affected is Forest Road #10185A (Devil Creek Trailhead).

For more information about area road access, contact the Hungry Horse/Glacier View Ranger District at 406/387-3800.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

The American Camper Report

The Outdoor Foundation recently published the American Camper Report, a detailed analysis on camping trends throughout the United States. The report presents information on overall participation, preferences, buying behavior and the future of camping.

The chief takeaway, if we are to believe the headline intro, is that camping participation is growing: "Camping is a true American tradition, and it is gaining in popularity.". The Outdoor Foundation cites that 42.5 million Americans — or 14.9% of the US population over age six — went camping in 2011. This participation rate is up from 39.9 million, or 14.1% of the population, in 2010. However, when viewing participation data over the last several years, based on a graph included with the report, participation has clearly flat-lined since 2006 (the first year data is available). By insinuating a growing trend, I think the Outdoor Foundation has jumped the gun with their overall conclusion. As an indication that the flat-line trend will likely remain in place, the report cites that the average camper went on 4.97 camping trips last year. However, campers are planning an average of only 4.33 camping trips next year, an indication that participation rates may show a decline in the next report.

The American Camper Report does show some pretty interesting trends, however. While conventional tents are still available to traditional campers, many campsites are evolving to more modern tastes, providing amenities such as indoor bathrooms, washers and driers and free Wi-Fi. Others have gone a step further by offering heated pools, waterslides, zip lines, golf carts and a calendar full of activities. KOA Campgrounds provides deluxe cabin rentals with flat screen TVs and air conditioning for customers who want to experience the outdoors with all the conveniences of home.

But is this really camping?

Some of the other key findings from the report that I found interesting, include:

• In 2011, campers spent an impressive 534.9 million days camping, an average of 12.6 days per person.

• Almost all age brackets added participants, except the adolescent group.

• The Mountain Region has the highest camping participation rate, while the South has the lowest.

• State parks are by far the most popular camping destinations.

• Hiking is the most popular activity to participate in while camping.

To read the entire report, please click here.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park

Cape Final

The other day I posted a trip report that highlighted our visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I mentioned that Kathy and I hiked a couple of short trails that day, including Bright Angel Point and Cape Royal. Not mentioned in that post was our hike out to Cape Final on the Walhalla Plateau.

The Cape Final Trail is an easy 4-mile round trip hike to a limestone outcropping that provides stunning views into the eastern portions of the Grand Canyon. The trailhead is located just off Cape Royal Road, roughly 2.5 miles north of Cape Royal. If you’re seeking a little bit of solitude in the Grand Canyon, this is a great opportunity to get away from the crowds.

Most of the trail travels through an open forest of large Ponderosa Pine, with many wildflowers along the way. Expecting the entire area to be desert, I found this aspect of the Grand Canyon to be quite surprising. Another surprise were the large aspen groves in the North Rim area. Also, as you drive into the park, there’s a very long stretch of road, several miles long, that passes through an incredibly beautiful meadow. It reminded me of South Park in Colorado.

There is a little bit of elevation gain on this hike, mostly during the first three-quarters of a mile, but nothing that would be considered strenuous. Prior to reaching Cape Final you’ll pass two short side trails that lead to additional vantage points. If you have the time you should stop and check them out.

Just before arriving at your destination you’ll notice an abrupt change in the vegetation. Much of the route passes through a montane forest zone, but just yards from the canyon rim you’ll notice a stark transition to the Sonoran desert environment.

At Cape Final you’ll have outstanding views of the eastern side of the Grand Canyon, as well as Marble Canyon and the Painted Desert in the far off distance. Look closely and you’ll see two short sections of the Colorado River, as well as Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona. I would have to say that the views from Cape Final are far more scenic than those found at Bright Angel Point and the area around the Grand Canyon Lodge.

Since the best views look towards the east, I highly recommend hiking this trail during the mid-to-late afternoon so that you won’t be looking into the sun. Since most of the trail travels under the canopy of a pine forest you’ll have a fair amount of shade along the way, which will help keep the temperatures down.

After the hike we drove out of the park and on towards our next destination in Flagstaff. Along the way we stopped at the Jacob Lake Inn for dinner. The historic lodge/restaurant/bakery is located roughly 44 miles north of the Grand Canyon Lodge. Both Kathy and I had their signature sandwich, known as the Grand Bull, a burger with green chilies, caramelized onions and bacon. It was quite tasty! For dessert we tried a couple of German chocolate cake cookies. All in all, well worth the stop!

Trail: Cape Final
Roundtrip Distance: 4.0 Miles
Total Elevation Gain: 400 feet
Max Elevation: 8050 Feet

Hiking Grand Canyon National Park provides firsthand descriptions and detailed maps for all of the developed trails in the park—from easy day hikes suitable for novices and children to extended backpack trips geared for intrepid wilderness travelers. The guide covers 15 hikes on the South Rim and 13 hikes on the North Rim. Also included are tips on safety, hiking with children, access, and services, as well as indispensable information about backcountry regulations, permits, and water sources.

Jeff
Trails in Glacier National Park

Sperry Chalet to begin accepting 2013 reservations on Monday, October 29

Earlier this week the Sperry Chalet announced on their website that they will begin accepting reservations for the 2013 season on Monday, October 29th.

The best ways to make chalet reservations will be through their website, or by telephone at 1-888-345-2649.

From past experience they are expecting hundreds of people trying to contact them on Monday. You should be prepared for busy signals on the phone line, and be patient with any online communication.

Sperry recommends using the online reservation request form. Online requests will wait in queue for them to review, so you can send it in and get on with your day. They handle all requests in the order submitted, and we will E-mail you back as soon as possible. They can also handle online requests more quickly than phoned requests, so they tend to make more reservations online than any other way.

Phoning for a reservation is suggested for people with large or complicated reservations. The phone does have the advantage of a friendly voice and instant feedback on your questions. The disadvantage is that our phone line gets overwhelmed with a large volume of calls. Be prepared for busy signals and to spend some time hitting the re-dial button. The phone will be staffed from 8:00 to 2:00, Monday through Friday. They will not be able to take messages or return your call.

The chalet asks that you don't call the Park Service or other area hotels. There is nothing they can do to help you with chalet reservations.

For more information on the hike up to the Sperry Chalet, please click here.


Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park