My group and I drove up from Phoenix early on a Saturday to hike Wilson Mountain.  As we were on our way to the TH, dark clouds surrounded us, making us (or maybe just me) doubt the weather forecast of “0% chance of rain.” Not to be deterred, we parked at the Encinoso Picnic Area and started our hike along the North Wilson Trail.  Once the trail moved away from Highway 89A, the traffic noise vanished and the views started taking our breath away.  Or maybe it was all the climbing we were doing.  Either way, we were breathless.  The sky remained overcast, which kept the temperature low enough to enjoy.  As we climbed, the view kept changing and once in a while the sun would peek out and make the red rocks glow.  I was very relieved to reach the flat mesa just before the junction with Wilson Mountain, and enjoyed the break from climbing that the mesa provided.  The ever changing views were incredible and kept things interesting.  We continued our climb, though it was a lot more gradual from the junction.  We made our way to the Sedona overlook and were in awe of the incredible sights of the Midgeley Bridge and Sedona itself.  The cloud cover remained, providing a beautiful contrast between dark clouds and Sedona red rocks.  I loved that I got to see Sedona on a cloudy day, although I'd love to return to this overlook on a sunny day sometime.

We chatted with some other hikers who were also doing the Six-Pack of Peaks before making our way back down the mountain.