Boynton Canyon and South

On our first day we were up bright and early. Our first hike, located in Boynton Canyon, was to Doe Mountain. A short hike with minimum change in elevation; it was a great start for us east coasters. The morning started out bright and sunny but as we walked, the monsoon clouds started to move in. 

In the summer months, the Southwest experiences a monsoon season which when hiking should be taken seriously. Thunder storms with lightning, hail and flash floods can make life on the mountain or trail more than you bargained for. Another thing to note, don't be fooled by the distance of those ominous clouds, lightning strikes can happen miles away and where the sun is shining. Given my experience hiking in the southwest in the summer, I have spent many of my hikes looking over my shoulder keeping an eye on the weather. The catch-22 is that you don't want to be caught on a mesa with lightning or in a canyon with the potential for flash floods, so hiking in the summer always keeps the senses alert and the adrenaline going.

 We were able to complete our hike and the skies cleared so we could view the amazing landscape.

Our reward for a great hike was a great breakfast. We ate at Kaiser's West on 89A in Sedona. They not only serve a great breakfast all day but lunch and dinner--solid place that has been there for years and really appreciated when one is very hungry!

A great start to a wonderful getaway!