Bear Mountain lives up to it’s name

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the shortest hike in the challenge and there was no disappointment.  Definitely a challenge with the amount of incline and shortest distance to summit I believe.  I started at 6a to get a jump on the hard part in the cool of the morning which was great.  There was some shade on the way down but not a lot.  You do want to be sure your shoes have as much grip as possible, there are slick areas, smooth and steep areas that would be risky in a tennis shoe or anything else not suitable for this terrain.  I am convinced there are no bad views around Sedona and this confirms it.  Very peaceful, no parking issues, great workout and lovely morning.