Captivated Me

I wake up after the sun this morning, heart feeling the ache of having to leave this natural wonder that has felt so much like home the past few days. But before I check out, I go fill my old thermos with hot water at the lodge, mix in my instant coffee, and take a final walk along the rim.

It is a gorgeous, sun-drenched morning. Cool temperatures in the 40s, a person here and there walking casually to and fro, and the north face of the canyon looking ever-so-fetching as the sunrays paint the walls. I am grateful. A year ago, I’d have never imagined I’d be here.

Life changed in a way I hoped it never would a few years ago, a very painful way. But the path since has brought deeper healing, release, adventure, hope, relationship, and joy than I ever knew before. It brought new hobbies like backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail and taking dance classes and canoeing and portaging with friends through the Boundary Waters. It built courage and faith in the face of threat and brokenness. And it brought me here, checking off one of my highest bucket list items, filled with glee and peace beyond measure. And I am grateful.

I see deer and mules along my walk through Grand Canyon Village, and I take my time admiring the dense woods and the rustic buildings dotted throughout the grounds. One final look out over the rim, and I return to my room to turn to the next page of this trip. Belongings packed, I then load up the car and plug Doe Mountain into Google Maps. I spend the drive reflecting, humbled, thankful as I make my way back through Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona.

Doe Mountain boasts a short, ascending hike with a flat, expansive summit and incredible 360-degree views of the surroundings. It shares its trailhead with many other famed hikes in the area, and it shares a road with more hikes still. This particular climb is quick, and I encounter several friendly fellow hikers along the way. But on arriving at the top, there is ample space to chart your own path and enjoy the many vistas that await you!

I meander along the cacti and other flora, taking plenty of photos, impressed at the balanced rock piles that others have stacked high, and delighting in brief visits with other hikers along the way. One couple also hails from Minnesota, and we exchange stories of home. After about 45 minutes of exploring the summit, I tag along with a group of four sweet co-hikers – all local to Arizona – who quickly feel like friends. We talk about Coronavirus and careers, hobbies and other nice hikes in the area (which they blessedly share recommendations for). They most highly recommend Brins Mesa trail – an out-and-back trail with less foot traffic but with spectacular views and short mileage; a perfect distance for the remaining daylight. They mention that if I hike swiftly, I could also extend the hike to include Soldier Pass and Cibola Trail as a loop back to the trailhead. They caution that I might run out of sun if I choose that route, but that the views are matchless. We say our goodbyes after a lovely conversation, and I thank God for their kindness.

I set my GPS toward Brins Mesa Trailhead. Excited by the challenge of completing the loop, I quicken my steps, in perpetual wonder of the sights all around me. Canyons and trees and mesas and clear skies for days. The sun is falling in the sky, and I feel a tickle of fear at the thought of not completing the trail before sundown. I keep steady pace and decide for good to try the full loop – When in Rome, I suppose. I fork left at the junction for Soldier Pass Trail and hike on.

There are caves somewhere along Soldier Pass, I learn from two fellow hikers as they head toward the direction that I came from. They were just exploring the caves and elatedly share that they could not recommend them more highly. But they say the caves a) are a fairly challenging upward climb, and b) would add another 25 minutes or so to the hike. I do some mental math – If I hurry, I can make it and still finish the hike in time. The spur trail upward is hard to find, but myself and two other hikers locate it together. And we climb. And scramble. And climb some more. Over trees and up slippery, rocky slants. And then alas – We made it! And oh. my. word. I cannot believe my eyes.

The caves are lit up in golden orange as the setting sun shines on them. They frame a view of trees and mesas, like looking out a rocky window. Vertically upward, they create a slot canyon toward the light blue sky. We stand in awe.

I explore and breathe in the views, then with an eye on the time, I realize it is important to start making my way down-trail. Fast. I carefully descend the slippery slopes, then once back on the trail, I start to run. My aching, injured knee holds up well to the task, and I am grateful. I lose my way for about 1/4 mile, but re-route and find the trail again, running past the Seven Sacred Pools and the Devil’s Kitchen – two iconic stops along Soldier Pass. I gaze with eyes wide – Somehow, the golden mesas continue to increase in golden-ness the closer the sun draws to the horizon. The trees appear lined with similar gilded flecks as the sun shines through them. I find the junction for Cibola Trail, and I feel like I’m rounding third base headed for home. At last, as the sun disappears and the rocky structures around me start to fade to a pretty grey-purple, I get back to my car and ready for my final night in Arizona.

A local pizza joint called Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen stood out to me on my drive to Brins Mesa. I place an order online and go to pick up my order, and I find that it is open for socially-distanced dining. I ask if I may sit and eat my meal, and the host graciously accepts. I find my place at the bar and joke back and forth with the bartender who kindly offers coffee after hearing that I have a long night of driving ahead. I thank him. The pizza is amazing, and not just because I am ravenous from the day of hiking. And the staff are so friendly and welcoming! I would 100% recommend this place to anyone visiting Sedona and looking for a unique slice.

Around 8:30 PM, I leave the restaurant and type in the address for my final activity of the night – A stargazing tour! Sedona Stargazing is a company of knowledgeable astronomers who lead telescopic stargazing nights just outside of town. This works well given Sedona’s designation as an International Dark Sky Community, meaning there are policies surrounding the timing and type of lighting used in homes and businesses so as to avoid ambient light radiating to the sky at night. This means optimal stargazing conditions!

I arrive and meet the other six guests in attendance for the event, and we all get situated with our telescopes. The next 90 minutes are filled with stars and constellations and nebulae and meteors and moons and planets, and I am in heaven. There is something about the night sky that reminds me how wonderfully small I am and how beautifully vast God is.

The night comes to a close, and I drive the remaining two hours to Phoenix where I will nap before my early morning flight home. More meteors traverse the sky overhead as I drive. And again and again, I am grateful.