{"id":6212,"date":"2022-01-11T22:59:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T14:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/?p=6212"},"modified":"2022-03-12T10:34:47","modified_gmt":"2022-03-12T02:34:47","slug":"20220111sedona1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/2022\/01\/11\/20220111sedona1\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 3 of 2022 Arizona Trip, Sedona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Third day of my 2021 Arizona trip. My friend and I would spend the day hiking among Sedona\u2019s buttes and canyons, among its red rocks that had been a defining character of America\u2019s west.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0291Q11.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0291Q11.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Devils Bridge<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>After leaving the warmth of Tucson, we arrived in Sedona last night, and would spend the next two days exploring places around it.<br \/>\nSedona was a popular tourist destination, known for its arrays of red sandstones and the many outdoor activities it afforded.  In particular, it was known for its mystical vortexes <span style=\"font-size: small;\">(they believe it\u2019s so unique that they didn\u2019t use the conventional plural of \u201cvortices\u201d)<\/span> that were believed to be centers of energies for meditation, enlightenment and healing. Despite there were no scientific explanations for the vortexes, which was a big red flag that they were between a lie perpetrated by the local tourism board and an outright cult, enough followers of the vortexes flocked to Sedona every year to experience their spiritual powers.<br \/>\nApart from its eluding vortexes power, Sedona\u2019s popularity could also be attributed to its higher elevation and relatively cooler climate, making it a great summer escape for people from Phoenix just over an hour\u2019s drive away. In this aspect summer was its peak season for tourism. But for nonlocals like us, winter turned out to be a great time to visit Sedona. The weather\u2019s perfectly mild, not too cold that we were wearing single-layers on the hiking trails, also not too hot that we didn\u2019t sweat at all. The trees didn\u2019t seem to shed leaves in winter so the scenery was as spectacular. Adding that to the rather cheap hotels, it was just perfect except for the limited daylight hours.<\/p>\n<p><script src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/splide.min.2.4.21.js\"><\/script>\n<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/splide-skyblue.min.css\">\n<script>\ndocument.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function () {\n\tvar secondarySlider1 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-1', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider1 = new Splide( '#splide-major-1', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider1.sync( secondarySlider1 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider2 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-2', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider2 = new Splide( '#splide-major-2', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider2.sync( secondarySlider2 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider3 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-3', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:75,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:56,height:42,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider3 = new Splide( '#splide-major-3', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider3.sync( secondarySlider3 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider4 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-4', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider4 = new Splide( '#splide-major-4', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider4.sync( secondarySlider4 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider5 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-5', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider5 = new Splide( '#splide-major-5', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider5.sync( secondarySlider5 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider6 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-6', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:150,gap:9,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:42,height:63,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider6 = new Splide( '#splide-major-6', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider6.sync( secondarySlider6 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider7 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-7', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider7 = new Splide( '#splide-major-7', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider7.sync( secondarySlider7 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider8 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-8', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider8 = new Splide( '#splide-major-8', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider8.sync( secondarySlider8 ).mount();\n\tvar secondarySlider9 = new Splide( '#splide-thumb-9', {\n\t\tfixedWidth:100,height:67,gap:10,\n\t\tfocus:'center',keyboard:'focused',\n\t\tcover:true,isNavigation:true,\n\t\tbreakpoints :{'600':{fixedWidth:57,height:38,pagination:false,arrows:false,gap:5,}},\n\t} ).mount();\n\tvar primarySlider9 = new Splide( '#splide-major-9', {\n\t\ttype:'fade',pagination:false,arrows:false,\n\t} );\n\tprimarySlider9.sync( secondarySlider9 ).mount();\n} );\n<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A dashcam video clip of our drive from the Village of Oak Creek to Sedona.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GXpxT8Q37BI\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Devils_Bridge\">Devils Bridge<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Speaking of red rocks, Arizona\u2019s northern neighbor of Utah was synonymous with this impressive landscape that it boasted about its \u201cMighty Five\u201d, the five national parks in its borders (three of which I visited two years ago). While only one of those five was called \u201cArches\u201d, each of them contained at least one iconic arch. Following that convention, it seemed only appropriate for Sedona to have one too, and that turned out to be Devils Bridge, which my friend and I picked for our first stop in Sedona. <span style=\"font-size: small;\">It turned out that Devils Bridge was the second most popular trail on AllTrails, next to Angels Landing.<\/span><br \/>\nAfter some teleconference in the morning, we only made it to the trailhead of Devils Bridge at 10:50am. The small \u201cDry Creek Trailhead\u201d didn\u2019t have enough space for the popularity of Devils Bridge (luckily we pulled into a space just as another vehicle left), so a few people parallel parked along the nearby Boynton Pass Road as overflow parking.<br \/>\nThe trail was 6.3km out-and-back with not much elevation change, with about half the distance along a dirt road that could be traveled by high clearance vehicles. There wasn\u2019t much view along the way, except for the constant sight of Soldier Heights and distant Maroon Mountain in the sun.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s GPS tracking:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wikiloc.com\/wikiloc\/spatialArtifacts.do?event=view&#038;id=97313620&#038;measures=on&#038;title=off&#038;near=off&#038;images=off&#038;maptype=H\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-1\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0340.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0340.jpg\" alt=\"Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Butte<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Devils Bridge was located on the back side of it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0263.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0263.jpg\" alt=\"Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Butte<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Devils Bridge was located on the back side of it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/IMG_20220111_105814.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/IMG_20220111_105814.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek Road\" \/><\/a><\/br>Dry Creek Road<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">The first and last 1.8km of the trail was along this Dry Creek Road. With an offroad vehicle, one may opt to drive instead of hike through this part. During our trip we encountered a few ATV\u2019s, and from time to time we had to wait along the trail for their dusts to settle.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0264.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0264.jpg\" alt=\"Maroon Mountain\" \/><\/a><\/br>Maroon Mountain<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0269.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0269.jpg\" alt=\"Maroon Mountain\" \/><\/a><\/br>Maroon Mountain<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0266.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0266.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">A constant sight opposite of Devils Bridge, in the sun.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/IMG_20220111_114724.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/IMG_20220111_114724.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">A constant sight opposite of Devils Bridge, in the sun.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0267.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0267.jpg\" alt=\"Looking up towards Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Looking up towards Devils Bridge<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0268.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0268.jpg\" alt=\"Looking up towards Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Looking up towards Devils Bridge<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0270.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0270.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0271.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0271.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Bear Mountain<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-1\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0340.jpg\" alt=\"Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0263.jpg\" alt=\"Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/IMG_20220111_105814.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek Road\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0264.jpg\" alt=\"Maroon Mountain\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0269.jpg\" alt=\"Maroon Mountain\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0266.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/IMG_20220111_114724.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0267.jpg\" alt=\"Looking up towards Devils Bridge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0268.jpg\" alt=\"Looking up towards Devils Bridge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0270.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0271.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-1, #splide-thumb-1 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0340.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0340.jpg\" alt=\"Butte\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0263.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0263.jpg\" alt=\"Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Butte<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Devils Bridge was located on the back side of it.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/IMG_20220111_105814.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/IMG_20220111_105814.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek Road\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Dry Creek Road<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">The first and last 1.8km of the trail was along this Dry Creek Road. With an offroad vehicle, one may opt to drive instead of hike through this part. During our trip we encountered a few ATV\u2019s, and from time to time we had to wait along the trail for their dusts to settle.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0264.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0264.jpg\" alt=\"Maroon Mountain\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0269.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0269.jpg\" alt=\"Maroon Mountain\" \/><\/a><\/br>Maroon Mountain<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0266.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0266.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">A constant sight opposite of Devils Bridge, in the sun.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/IMG_20220111_114724.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/IMG_20220111_114724.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">A constant sight opposite of Devils Bridge, in the sun.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0267.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0267.jpg\" alt=\"Looking up towards Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Looking up towards Devils Bridge<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0268.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0268.jpg\" alt=\"Looking up towards Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Looking up towards Devils Bridge<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0270.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0270.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0271.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0271.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Bear Mountain<\/span><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>Devils Bridge was on the northern slope of a mountain. As the trail approached it from the north, we crossed from the sun into the shade, and immediately felt the difference in ambient temperature. I put on my coat, and with the trail going uphill, it wasn\u2019t that much an issue.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0277_DSC_0289-13.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0277_DSC_0289-13.jpg\" alt=\"View near Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>View near Devils Bridge<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Close to Devils Bridge there was an open platform for people to enjoy the views without the exposure at Devils Bridge.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/IMG_20220111_120333.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/IMG_20220111_120333.jpg\" width=\"51.85%\" alt=\"Surface of Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0326.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0326.jpg\" width=\"46.15%\" alt=\"Side of Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Devils Bridge<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">The surface of Devils Bridge was pretty wide and flat (left), that didn\u2019t post any dangers to photo posers. The bridge was most accessed from the east side (left). Adventurous souls may opt to access the bridge through the west side (right), which required a leap between two giant slabs of boulders.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<p>We got to Devils Bridge at around 11:50am. Typically, some people would step onto the bridge and pose for photos, with their photographers back away from the bridge. Not everyone was brave enough to do so, but with its popularity, there was always a line.<br \/>\nUnfortunately, with Devils Bridge on the northern slope of a mountain, the background contrast between areas of light and shade was demanding on a camera\u2019s dynamic range, so I did my best post-processing to make them look natural.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-2\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0324Q11.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0324Q11.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Devils Bridge<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0301Q10.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0301Q10.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Devils Bridge<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">I was among the most mischievous that decided to sit on the edge of the bridge.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-2\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0324Q11.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0301Q10.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-2, #splide-thumb-2 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the Devils Bridge.<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0324Q11.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0324Q11.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Devils Bridge<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0301Q10.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0301Q10.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Bridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Devils Bridge<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">I was among the most mischievous that decided to sit on the edge of the bridge.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>Between waiting in line, posing for photos, resting and eating snacks, we weren\u2019t moving a lot near Devils Bridge. It was a bit cold in the shade, so after less than 30 minutes, we felt we had to get going before the bitterness would overwhelm us, and thus we started to head back to the trailhead.<\/p>\n<p>We got back to the trailhead at 1:15pm. But before we left, I thought the open valley around us was a great place for an aerial tour from my drone.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-3\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0093.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0093.jpg\" alt=\"Valley\" \/><\/a><\/br>Valley<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Where Dry Creek flew through. Capitol Butte and Solder Heights towards the right, Bear Mountain and Maroon Mountain towards the left.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0062.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0062.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0063.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0063.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0079.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0079.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek\" \/><\/a><\/br>Dry Creek<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The first part of the trail towards Devils Bridge followed a nearby road named after this creek.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0080.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0080.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek\" \/><\/a><\/br>Dry Creek<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The first part of the trail towards Devils Bridge followed a nearby road named after this creek.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0045.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0045.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Mescal Mountain in the foreground.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0089.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0089.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Mescal Mountain in the foreground.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0088.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0088.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Mescal Mountain in the foreground.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0081.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0081.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mescal Mountain<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0085.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0085.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mescal Mountain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-3\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0093.jpg\" alt=\"Valley\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0062.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0063.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0079.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0080.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0045.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0089.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0088.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0081.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DJI_0085.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-3, #splide-thumb-3 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0093.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0093.jpg\" alt=\"Valley\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Valley<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Where Dry Creek flew through. Capitol Butte and Solder Heights towards the right, Bear Mountain and Maroon Mountain towards the left.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0062.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0062.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0063.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0063.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0079.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0079.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0080.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0080.jpg\" alt=\"Dry Creek\" \/><\/a><\/br>Dry Creek<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The first part of the trail towards Devils Bridge followed a nearby road named after this creek.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0045.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0045.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0089.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0089.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0088.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0088.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Mescal Mountain in the foreground.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0081.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0081.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mescal Mountain<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0085.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0085.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mescal Mountain<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>And here\u2019s a video:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DxQm1Yfq6NA\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0048_DJI_0061-14.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0048_DJI_0061-14.jpg\" alt=\"Rocks of Sedona\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DJI_0065_DJI_0078-14.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DJI_0065_DJI_0078-14.jpg\" alt=\"Rocks of Sedona\" \/><\/a><\/br>Rocks of Sedona<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Taken south (top) and north (bottom) of Soldier Heights, over the valley where Dry Creek flew through.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span id=\"Soldier_Pass\">Soldier Pass<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>We left the trailhead of Devils Bridge at around 2pm. There was still time left in the day, so my friend and I opted for some more hiking, and we decided on Soldier\u2019s Pass Trail.<br \/>\nFor Soldier\u2019s Pass, its official parking lot was in a residential neighborhood and had space for 15 or so cars, and the gate closed at 6pm daily. There was no obvious overflow parking in the nearby residential neighborhood, so we ended up queuing for about 25 minutes for other vehicles to leave, quite a turn of fortune as earlier today we pulled right into an available spot at Devils Bridge\u2019s trailhead. While doing so, I guessed the property owner nearby mustn\u2019t be happy with us waiting in front of his\/her driveway. There were proposals of running a shuttle bus to the trailhead from downtown Sedona, hopefully that will address this issue in the future.<br \/>\nAn alternative was to use Jordan Road Trailhead <span style=\"font-size: small;\">(required Red Rock Pass or parking permit)<\/span>, about 2km away on foot. That\u2019s certainly a better idea if one wanted to hike the loop trail circumventing Brins Butte.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s GPS tracking:<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameBorder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wikiloc.com\/wikiloc\/spatialArtifacts.do?event=view&#038;id=97313627&#038;measures=on&#038;title=off&#038;near=off&#038;images=off&#038;maptype=H\" width=\"600\" height=\"500\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In the end, it\u2019s almost 3pm by the time we set off from the parking lot. Following the trail for a few minutes, we were at Devils Kitchen.<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Devils_Kitchen\">Devils Kitchen<\/span><\/h4>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0344.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0344.jpg\" width=\"49%\" alt=\"Devils Kitchen\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0345.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0345.jpg\" width=\"49%\" alt=\"Devils Kitchen\" \/><\/a><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0346.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0346.jpg\" alt=\"Devils Kitchen\" \/><\/a><\/br>Devils Kitchen<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">A giant opening in the ground, created by erosion. It\u2019s named \u201ckitchen\u201d probably due to the piles of crumbling rocks in the opening, resembling different food ingredients being cooked together (for that I thought \u201ccookpot\u201d was a more appropriate name). From a distance, I was having a hard time associating it with \u201cdevil\u201d, and I took it coming from the local people\u2019s obsession with mystical things (like the vortexes).<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<p>After that, the trail wound its way on the side of a valley, with sights of various hills and boulders around us, some in rather interesting shapes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-4\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0343.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0343.jpg\" alt=\"Morning Glory Spire\" \/><\/a><\/br>Morning Glory Spire<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0349.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0349.jpg\" alt=\"Morning Glory Spire\" \/><\/a><\/br>Morning Glory Spire<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looked pretty narrow from this angle.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0355.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0355.jpg\" alt=\"Cibola Mitten\" \/><\/a><\/br>Cibola Mitten<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Another spire to the east of Morning Glory Spire.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0352.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0352.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Ridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Ridge<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0354.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0354.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Ridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Ridge<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0347.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0347.jpg\" alt=\"Hills to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Hills to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Coffeepot Rock on the left.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0425.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0425.jpg\" alt=\"Hills to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Hills to the West<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0348.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0348.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The top white part didn\u2019t look that lofty from Devils Bridge earlier today.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0357.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0357.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-4\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0343.jpg\" alt=\"Morning Glory Spire\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0349.jpg\" alt=\"Morning Glory Spire\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0355.jpg\" alt=\"Cibola Mitten\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0352.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Ridge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0354.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Ridge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0347.jpg\" alt=\"Hills to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0425.jpg\" alt=\"Hills to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0348.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0357.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-4, #splide-thumb-4 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0343.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0343.jpg\" alt=\"Morning Glory Spire\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Morning Glory Spire<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0349.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0349.jpg\" alt=\"Morning Glory Spire\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Morning Glory Spire<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looked pretty narrow from this angle.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0355.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0355.jpg\" alt=\"Cibola Mitten\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Cibola Mitten<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Another spire to the east of Morning Glory Spire.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0352.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0352.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Ridge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0354.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0354.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Ridge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Ridge<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0347.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0347.jpg\" alt=\"Hills to the West\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Hills to the West<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Coffeepot Rock on the left.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0425.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0425.jpg\" alt=\"Hills to the West\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Hills to the West<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0348.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0348.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The top white part didn\u2019t look that lofty from Devils Bridge earlier today.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0357.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0357.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Heights\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Heights<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>About 2km from trailhead, the trail would reach an intersection, a right turn would lead onto a spur trail to Soldier Pass Cave, while continuing forward would lead to Soldier Pass (and the Brins Butte loop). The AllTrail map we relied on visited both branches, but we were pressed on time and picked Soldier Pass Cave over Soldier Pass.<br \/>\nThat meant after leaving the intersection, the trail started to gain elevation. But Soldier Pass Cave was only about 400m from the intersection, and we reached it at 3:45pm.<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Soldier_Pass_Cave\">Soldier Pass Cave<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Soldier Pass Cave was an interesting cave on the side of Brins Butte. Despite its name, it\u2019s more like a crack that opened up in the rocks, as one could still see the sky from inside. My friend and I took some time to find its proper entrance (see photos below), which required some scrambling. But it\u2019s well worth the effort as the cave\u2019s interior was just too fascinating to miss.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-5\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0424.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0424.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0360.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0360.jpg\" alt=\"Benches at Entrance\" \/><\/a><\/br>Benches at Entrance<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">For those not in shape to climb through a narrow and steep set of rocks into the cave. The entrance to the cave was towards the right of this set of benches.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0363.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0363.jpg\" alt=\"Opening above Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Opening above Soldier Pass Cave<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">At first my friend and I didn\u2019t find the entrance to the cave. Instead, we were attempting to enter the cave through an opening from a ledge towards its right.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0362.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0362.jpg\" alt=\"Narrow Ledge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Narrow Ledge<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">However, the ledge (photo\u2019d here) was narrow and cramped at places, we didn\u2019t feel comfortable about this path and backed off. That\u2019s when we found the proper entrance underneath.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0361.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0361.jpg\" alt=\"Narrow Ledge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Narrow Ledge<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">However, the ledge (photo\u2019d here) was narrow and cramped at places, we didn\u2019t feel comfortable about this path and backed off. That\u2019s when we found the proper entrance underneath.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0422.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0422.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">A popular photography site inside the cave was the aforementioned opening, in the left of this photo. The access to that opening was safer inside the cave.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0421.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0421.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">A popular photography site inside the cave was the aforementioned opening, in the left of this photo. The access to that opening was safer inside the cave.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0420Q10.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0420Q10.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Like how I posed for my photo here.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0403.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0403.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking south.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-5\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0424.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0360.jpg\" alt=\"Benches at Entrance\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0363.jpg\" alt=\"Opening above Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0362.jpg\" alt=\"Narrow Ledge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0361.jpg\" alt=\"Narrow Ledge\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0422.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0421.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0420Q10.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0403.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-5, #splide-thumb-5 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of Soldier Pass Cave.<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0424.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0424.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0360.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0360.jpg\" alt=\"Benches at Entrance\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Benches at Entrance<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">For those not in shape to climb through a narrow and steep set of rocks into the cave. The entrance to the cave was towards the right of this set of benches.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0363.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0363.jpg\" alt=\"Opening above Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Opening above Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">At first my friend and I didn\u2019t find the entrance to the cave. Instead, we were attempting to enter the cave through an opening from a ledge towards its right.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0362.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0362.jpg\" alt=\"Narrow Ledge\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0361.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0361.jpg\" alt=\"Narrow Ledge\" \/><\/a><\/br>Narrow Ledge<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">However, the ledge (photo\u2019d here) was narrow and cramped at places, we didn\u2019t feel comfortable about this path and backed off. That\u2019s when we found the proper entrance underneath.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0422.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0422.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0421.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0421.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">A popular photography site inside the cave was the aforementioned opening, in the left of this photo. The access to that opening was safer inside the cave.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0420Q10.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0420Q10.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Like how I posed for my photo here.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0403.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0403.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking south.<\/span><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>The crack\/slit that made up Soldier Pass Cave ran throughout the entire length of the cave. Once inside, there was a ledge on the eastern side of the slit that\u2019s barely wide enough for passage. A popular posture for photos was to straddle between the slit, near the northern end of the cave (photos below).<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-6\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0364.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0364.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking north from the southern end.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0423.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0423.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking north from the southern end.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0404.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0404.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking south. This was a popular place to people to straddle across and pose for photos.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0400.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0400.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Looking north. One may opt to carefully traverse the narrow ledge on the right of this photo and climb over the rocks at the end of it to ascend onto Brins Butte.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0366.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0366.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">A few rock climbers. I wasn\u2019t dressed in climbing gear so I opted to stay back.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-6\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0364.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0423.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0404.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0400.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0366.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-6, #splide-thumb-6 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos inside Soldier Pass Cave.<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0364.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0364.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0423.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0423.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking north from the southern end.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0404.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0404.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Looking south. This was a popular place to people to straddle across and pose for photos.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0400.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0400.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">Looking north. One may opt to carefully traverse the narrow ledge on the right of this photo and climb over the rocks at the end of it to ascend onto Brins Butte.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0366.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0366.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Cave\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Cave<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">A few rock climbers. I wasn\u2019t dressed in climbing gear so I opted to stay back.<\/span><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>During our visit we shared the cave (and the many photography ideas it offered) with a few other groups of visitors, and we spent about 45 minutes at the cave for all its fascinations before we started to head back. We wanted to catch sunset later at Sedona Airport vista, so we didn&#8217;t have time for Soldier Pass farther north, as indicated by AllTrails map.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-7\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0358.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0358.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">The trail would find its way through these woods onto the plateau in front. We were pressed on time so we didn\u2019t continue beyond the spur towards Soldier Pass Cave.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0350.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0350.jpg\" alt=\"Pools\" \/><\/a><\/br>Pools<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">In addition to Seven Sacred Pools, this was another set of fewer pools along the trail.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0351.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0351.jpg\" alt=\"Cascade\" \/><\/a><\/br>Cascade<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Only that it&#8217;s dry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0341.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0341.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Wash\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Wash<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Riverbed that\u2019s dry. The trail crossed Soldier Wash multiple times.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0342.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0342.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Wash\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Wash<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Riverbed that\u2019s dry. The trail crossed Soldier Wash multiple times.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0426.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0426.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Road\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Pass Road<\/br>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">A road for high clearance vehicles that could shave 1.6km (one-way) of hiking towards Soldier Pass. We spent more time at Soldier Pass Cave than expected, thus in order to catch sunset, we followed this dirt road (instead of trail) back to parking lot.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-7\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0358.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0350.jpg\" alt=\"Pools\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0351.jpg\" alt=\"Cascade\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0341.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Wash\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0342.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Wash\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0426.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Road\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-7, #splide-thumb-7 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0358.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0358.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">The trail would find its way through these woods onto the plateau in front. We were pressed on time so we didn\u2019t continue beyond the spur towards Soldier Pass Cave.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0350.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0350.jpg\" alt=\"Pools\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Pools<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">In addition to Seven Sacred Pools, this was another set of fewer pools along the trail.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0351.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0351.jpg\" alt=\"Cascade\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Cascade<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Only that it&#8217;s dry.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0341.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0341.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Wash\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0342.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0342.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Wash\" \/><\/a><\/br>Soldier Wash<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Riverbed that\u2019s dry. The trail crossed Soldier Wash multiple times.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0426.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0426.jpg\" alt=\"Soldier Pass Road\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Soldier Pass Road<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">A road for high clearance vehicles that could shave 1.6km (one-way) of hiking towards Soldier Pass. We spent more time at Soldier Pass Cave than expected, thus in order to catch sunset, we followed this dirt road (instead of trail) back to parking lot.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>Then we found out that for most of the main trail towards Soldiers Pass, a dirt road ran in parallel with it. The dirt road was in thicker forest and didn\u2019t offer much view, but since it\u2019s late in the day and most of the surrounding rocks were in shades, that\u2019s not a problem for us. The dirt road had fewer curves and less elevation change, which helped us hurry back towards the trailhead.<\/p>\n<h4><span id=\"Seven_Sacred_Pools\">Seven Sacred Pools<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>About 900m from trailhead, there was another attraction called \u201cSeven Sacred Pools\u201d. They were seven cascading pools naturally carved by a seasonal stream.  <\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0430.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0430.jpg\" width=\"49%\" alt=\"Seven Sacred Pools\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0431.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0431.jpg\" width=\"49%\" alt=\"Seven Sacred Pools\" \/><\/a><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0427.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0427.jpg\" width=\"49%\" alt=\"Seven Sacred Pools\" \/><\/a>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0434.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-m\/DSC_0434.jpg\" width=\"49%\" alt=\"Seven Sacred Pools\" \/><\/a><\/br>Seven Sacred Pools<\/br><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: smaller;text-align: left\">The pools were right along the main Soldier Pass Trail (lower-left). To view them in one frame, I thought the best place was across the riverbed from the western side (lower-right), a small detour away from the dirt road.<\/div>\n<p><\/p><\/div>\n<p>It was just past 5pm by the time we got back to the parking lot, about half hour before sunset. After that, we headed towards Sedona Airport Vista, a great place to view sunset.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Sunset_at_Sedona_Airport_Vista\">Sunset at Sedona Airport Vista<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Given its mountainous landscape, Sedona built its airport on top of a long and narrow mesa (now called \u201cAirport Mesa\u201d). Near the airport\u2019s entrance was a vista directly overlooking the town of Sedona, backdropped by various buttes and mountains.<br \/>\nThe airport offered convenient parking ($3 per day) to the vista. We arrived at 5:20pm to join throngs of spectators for sunset.<\/p>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-8\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0439.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0439.jpg\" alt=\"Capitol Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Capitol Butte<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0440.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0440.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Butte<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0441.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0441.jpg\" alt=\"Valley\" \/><\/a><\/br>Valley<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Between Capitol Butte and Brins Butte, where Soldier Wash flew through and we hiked just hours ago.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0438.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0438.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mescal Mountain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-8\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0439.jpg\" alt=\"Capitol Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0440.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0441.jpg\" alt=\"Valley\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0438.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-8, #splide-thumb-8 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0439.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0439.jpg\" alt=\"Capitol Butte\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Capitol Butte<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0440.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0440.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Brins Butte<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0441.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0441.jpg\" alt=\"Valley\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Valley<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Between Capitol Butte and Brins Butte, where Soldier Wash flew through and we hiked just hours ago.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0438.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0438.jpg\" alt=\"Mescal Mountain\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mescal Mountain<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s winter so the sun set at a southernly angle, from airport vista it\u2019s obstructed by some trees. But on a different angle, the sight of Capitol Butte and Brins Butte in front of us bathing in the soft and vibrant twilight colors was sure a spectacular way to end the day. <\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0454_DSC_0468-15.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0454_DSC_0468-15.jpg\" alt=\"Red Rocks of Sedona from Airport Overlook\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Red Rocks of Sedona from Airport Overlook<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-major-9\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0490.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0490.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains under Sunset Glow\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains under Sunset Glow<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Capitol Butte and Brins Butte<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0470.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0470.jpg\" alt=\"Capitol Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Capitol Butte<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0486.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0486.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Butte<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0474.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0474.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Butte<\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0469.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0469.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"splide\" id=\"splide-thumb-9\">\n<div class=\"splide__track\">\n<ul class=\"splide__list\">\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0490.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains under Sunset Glow\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0470.jpg\" alt=\"Capitol Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0486.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0474.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/li>\n<li class=\"splide__slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails-s\/DSC_0469.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><noscript><br \/>\nJavascript not enabled, unable to display slideshow.<\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\n#splide-major-9, #splide-thumb-9 { display:none; }\n<\/style>\n<details>\n<summary>Click here to display photos of the slideshow<\/summary>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0490.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0490.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains under Sunset Glow\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mountains under Sunset Glow<\/br><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Capitol Butte and Brins Butte<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0470.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0470.jpg\" alt=\"Capitol Butte\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Capitol Butte<\/p><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0486.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0486.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0474.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0474.jpg\" alt=\"Brins Butte\" \/><\/a><\/br>Brins Butte<\/p><\/div>\n<p><div style=\"width: 615px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/DSC_0469.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/huangyizhou.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/2022\/01\/11\/thumbnails\/DSC_0469.jpg\" alt=\"Mountains to the West\" \/><\/a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/br>Mountains to the West<\/p><\/div><br \/>\n<\/details>\n<p><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>Only that without obstacles, wind was strong at airport vista, and temperature was plummeting once the sun set below the horizon, and we weren\u2019t dressed for that. So not long after sunset, we packed up and headed back to our hotel, concluding the day. <\/p>\n<p>END<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Third day of my 2021 Arizona trip. My friend and I would spend the day hiking among Sedona\u2019s buttes and canyons, among its red rocks that had been a defining character of America\u2019s west.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[427,563,2],"tags":[566,567,568],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6212"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6212"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6280,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6212\/revisions\/6280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}