I am testing out sharing an "album" through Google Photos as we took many pictures on our two sunrise hikes in Sedona. Christmas Eve we hiked from Brins Mesa Trail to Soldier Pass Trail to Cibola Pass Trail. Starting before sunrise allows you to enjoy the beauty all to yourselves and engage with the wildlife that live there, too. We saw a Mule deer from a far and I spotted a beautiful coyote. The mule deer pictures are before the dead tree and "tall shadow" pictures; #35 if you count them. My coyote picture did not turn out so I added Rachel's picture in this post. Rachel and I took hundreds of pictures so the hike took us over three hours. Nathan and Brad were taught with us while Max, his mom and grandma and Art when to see Star Wars.
We were the first car in the parking lot but there were a few people on the hike that live along the trail head. Other than a couple or two with their dogs, we did not see anyone until we came back on Soldier Pass Trail. Sunrise temperature was 45F degrees and I thought I would be cold but I took off my fleece vest within 30 minutes of hiking. We started climbing on the hike but with the dry air and jeans, I was comfortable in my urban clothes until 10 am when the sun warmed the land.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PBaOfNhpNAha2YDi2
