The red and the white

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Today provided some stark contrasts in colour - the deep vibrant red of the rocks surrounding Sedona against the bright clean white of the foot of snow just up the road at Oak Creek.

First stop was Fay Canyon, a short walk through the forest, punctuated by small patches of snow and ice crystals on surrounding rocks, while being overshadowed by enormous sheer cliffs of red and cream on either side. A short scramble up some rocks (five wheel drive required on descent) into the guts of the canyon to overlook the valley below.

Next stop Boynton Canyon - we’d been warned that the canyon walk itself was impassable due to snow and ice (and possibly our laziness) so we opted for the shorter steeper overlook trail. And we were not disappointed! A beautiful climb to an outcrop overlooking the canyon gave lots of photo opportunities (panorama function of camera in overdrive), lots of opportunities for children to jump around madly on high rocks and lots of corresponding opportunities for parental figures to whimper not so silently in abject terror that children were going to plunge to their deaths.

In celebration of everyone still being alive, we retraced our drive upwards from Sedona towards Oak Creek where we were hoping to find some suitable unattended snow. And we scored! A magnificent stretch of snow, between one and two feet deep, absolutely perfect for snowball fights and snowman building. And not another soul in sight!! We had so much fun!

Last night in beautiful Sedona tonight, with a Pink Jeep ride in the morning and then the journey to Grand Canyon.

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