Bear Mountain with a Bouldering Horny Toad

Headed to the red rocks of Sedona from Phoenix with my Sister Golden Hair (aka – SGH), Jan, to log our first hike for the Summer Six Pack of Peaks Challenge at Bear Mountain. Arrived at the trailhead by 7:00 a.m. and was able to grab a parking spot before the lot got full. Being a desert dweller from Phoenix, the cooler 64 degree air was much welcomed.  I felt the elevation as soon as we hit the trail and began the first bit of climbing. Not gonna lie, this trail was steeper and more rocky than anticipated but oh so worth the effort for the gorgeous 360 degree view at the top – or should I say “END” of the trail.  Stopping to snap photos (and to let the heart rate recover) just a handful of times on the way up,  we made it to the summit in just under an hour and 30 minutes.  Took a short snack break before beginning the trek back down to the start, and met several other six pack challengers along the way as they were going up. Total time for us was approximately 3 1/2 hours. Definitely recommend getting an early start to beat the heat & catch a few shady spots along the ascent before the sun pops over the side on the mountain and heats things up. Also recommend at least 2l of water & snacks.  Great work out with unbeatable views, and a bouldering horny toad to show us how it’s done on our way down. 🙂 I wonder if his glutes were burning as much as mine were on the way up? Lol! Awesome Hike!