Bearer of Unforeseen Shadows

Please bear with me. This is the south side of Bear Mountain, as viewed from the Cockscomb Trail south of Boynton Pass. Bear Mountain was probably named for bear sightings in and around the nearby canyons by its base. The plateaus and slopes of the upper portions of the mountain are sun- baked and without any reliable sources of water, so they are unlikely residences for bears. However, bear scat is often observed along the path all the way up the trail. Bears hibernate for a couple months during the winter, so it's unlikely to find any bear signs until after their spring awakening. To locals, Bear Mountain is known as one of Sedona's best kept secrets. Although not for the faint of heart or dry of throat, the Bear Mountain Trail offers superb views of red rock country for those willing to undergo the climb, topping out at 6,500' with a gain of 1,900' from the TH near Boynton Pass. February 23, 2011