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Published: November 7th 2018
I consider the Sedona Vortex is a very real natural geo-physical force located in the red rock formations around Sedona, Arizona. I get a good feeling inside me every time I visited Sedona since my first time in 1984. The Native Americans considered this sacred ground for thousands of years. Later a number of internet sites appeared dealing with their interpretation of the Sedona Vortex. I do not agree 100% with the internet sites, but they appear to know that a natural force exists in the Sedona redrocks Vortex.
This series I am working on is my 2017 September camping and survival trip. I added some older pics to complete my story, and dated the older stock pics.
Not everything goes like planned when you drive through the back-country and some problems came up on my Sedona visit. I drive South from Flagstaff on the paved US Hwy 89A. I like to take this route to the very large scenic overlook on top of the Mogollon Rim at the overlook. The rim is covered with basalt lava cuz of a major geological event that cuts Arizona in half, East to West, that caused the Grand Canyon to exist.
The scenic overlook has bathrooms, Native American Navajo vendors, and a Coconino N Forest outpost where I get road conditions and purchase the $5 red rock fee. From this overlook you can see the basalt top of the Mogollon Rim. In the early 1990s they started the red rock fee and banned all camping in the red rocks. (Ratz!)
This time when I left Flagstaff there was a big sign saying US 89A is not open to through traffic for constructrion. I took the Interstate Hwy 17 South for a convenient exit to reach my main destination at Schnebly Hill (dirt) Road. There was a good short road to a Forest Service maintenance center with road graders and other road maintenance equipment there. Just before the service area is a small road, FS 153 on left (North) I drove that was Schnebly Hill road. In 2016 this dirt road was well maintained. What could go wrong?
Now in 2017, it appears that they did no maintenance on Schnebly Hill Road that was washed out badly in places and was in horrible shape. From Interstate Hwy 17 the road was in fair shape across Schnebly Hill unto you get
to Schnebly Hill Vista. This vista is on top of the Mogollon rim complete with a fair sized layer of basalt on top. At Schnebly Hill Vista you enter Casner Canyon with views of Oak Creek Canyon.
I started down the first switchback and the road got very very bad and by time I reached the junction of the next switchback, I had enough space to turn around; but I could not drive back uphill to the vista cuz of the very bad trail conditions. So my only option was to drive downhill about twelve miles to the pavement with unknown road hazards. (There was zero traffic on Schnebly Hill Road except me and Old Blue.) When I got to the spots requiring four wheel drive I would stop and study each non-passable area. Then I would drive slow into the area and give it full power and smash and bounce my way through using gravity to assist man and machine (Old Blue).
I got to one of my old legal (then) camps on a big ridge; so I call it "Ridge Camp". I slowly made it downhill to Schnebly Hill Butte, that separates Casner Canyon with the
neat redrocks of Bear Wallow Canyon.
At Schnebly Hill Butte I usually take the walking trail for its good views; but not today. (Years ago I had a great time walking around Schnebly Hill Butte with my young daughter.) I was hoping the road would improve in Bear Wallow Canyon, but not true. The road just got worse and I wondered if I could clear this wonderful place with a nearly non-passable road.
The road in Bear Wallow Canyon was very bad to four wheel drive until I got near the end of the dirt road where they sold the red rock passes (to bad, so sad). I was very happy to see the paved Schnebly Hill Road in a nice Sedona neighborhood. I give the Coconino N Forest five big demerits for not doing regular maintenance on their most beautiful area. This feat of clearing the four wheel drive road with only two wheel drive was done with good performance and teamwork between man and machine.
I by-passed the main part of Sedona by turning left (South) on Arizona Hwy 179. I wanted to stop at the North Bell Rock parking; but they had no remaining
places to park. Then I did a short drive to South Bell Rock parking and they had a few parking spaces there. I did my short walk to get my Bell Rock pics.
Now it was time to find my legal camp for the night. AZ 179 ended at Interstate Hwy 17 and I drove straight across to get on FS 618 near the defunked Rimrock, Arizona. In about a KM I turned left (North) on FS 645A called the Blue Grade road. Then I quickly found my legal secluded camp, about a mile (as the crow flies) from the interchange of Interstate 17 and AZ 179.
I as wound up tight after the very bad driving on Schnebly Hill road and did not have any dinner. I had some very strong rum drinks and felt much better. I enjoyed the evening solitude in the warm air with some wind. I could hear no man made noises. I walked up a forty foot hill and was surprised to see the Interstate Hwy interchange, about a mile away as the crow flies, with so many cars going to Sedona. After dark I quickly went to sleep for the night.
In the morning I had my coffee with some trail mix. Then I drove Interstate Hwy 17 back to Flagstaff where I would later figure out my next destination.
Completed
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