By Ted Grussing
… less flown and the sights less seen … this is a shot taken roughly over the north end of the Chapel area and looking to the ENE. Just to the right of the horizon there is a kind of loaf shape object rising from the plateau and this is Mormon Mountain. It is good to remember that, at least here in the Sedona area, many mountains are not peaks, but are flat tops. This includes Casner Mountain from last night and several here in tonight’s photo.
On the extreme right of the photo about half the way up the side of the photo, you see a flat dark green top with a lighter color area behind it. The dark green area is Munds Mountain and the lighter are behind it is the rim of the plateau a few miles further east. The gap is Jacks Canyon which when traveling from SR 179 is running to the east. Around Pine Valley, Jacks Canyon cuts back to the north and connects with the canyon just above the Sedona Mittens which are the red rock formation higher in the photo.
Moving to the left side of the image you can see two roads entering the photo. The lower one is Schnebly Hill Road, and you can follow it up to where the parking area and trailhead are located. There is a very faint light line going up the side of the rim just right of center and this is Schnebly Hill Road taking you up to the overlook area and beyond.
The upper road coming in from the left side is SR 89A, and Midgley Bridge is right there on the left side. The road turns left and heads up Oak Creek Canyon … one of the most scenic roads in the country. The canyon that heads up to the right just beyond where the road turns left, is Munds Canyon and it goes about nine miles up to Munds Park … the drive as you may know is a whole lot longer than that … and you have the dance of clouds and shadows moving across the plateau.
This afternoon, One and I sat out on the deck for an hour or so, and it was wonderful. She curled up on my lap, a House Finch perched on the top of the Pinyon Pine, a Coopers Hawk perched on the top of my neighbors tree … the breeze was soughing in the pine trees and I reflected on just how fortunate I am … and all of us! It costs nothing to sit by a creek or lake and we can immerse ourselves in the beauty of nature which is there for us every single day.
Smile, keep breathing and live every moment you are granted. Some day there is an end for each of us, but until then we can choose to live life.
Cheers,
Ted
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
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