Left to right: Lynn Warren (photographer), Vicki Carter, Mark Gruca, Kris Raczkiewicz, Eileen Lords-Mosse, Dave Ausman (“Ausy”), Julie Walmsley, Clare Bangs, Neal Wring, and Susan and Tom Bernt with Vultee Arch in the background.
Lynn Warren
The Hiking Club normally goes on two overnight trips each season and on Nov. 12, more than 40 hikers and non-hikers headed north to Sedona for three days of red rock hiking.
On the first day, Julie Walmsley along with more than 40 friends celebrated her reaching 1,000 miles with the club. On the second day, the “B” group headed to a remote natural arch named for an aviation pioneer. Devil’s Bridge is a well-known but crowded Sedona arch but an equally impressive but more remote and less crowded arch is Vultee Arch (named for Jerry Vultee and his wife who crashed in the area in 1938). The hikers started at an obscure trailhead in Oak Creek Canyon and hiked up to Sterling Pass, down the other side, and then over to Vultee Arch. Getting on the arch was a bit intimidating but most of the group scrambled down to walk on the arch, and enjoyed some thrilling views.
The club hikes extensively around the valley, with occasional overnight adventures such as this in other interesting areas. Visit the club’s website at pchikers.org for more information and pictures.