How-to: Sedona's Scorpion and Pyramid
You Don't Go to Sedona for the Beer
You don’t plan to go mountain biking in Sedona looking forward to the local post-ride beer offerings. The breweries are okay, not having you leave town wishing you could get the beers where you live, if you don’t have ‘em at your beer store. Instead, you go to Sedona to ride fun and strenuous, red-rock trails in a landscape of stunning natural beauty. The beers are secondary.
It has been eight straight years that I’ve made it to the fat tire vortex in north central Arizona and every time I’ve left, I’ve plotted in my mind’s calendar for when I’ll be back. This time around, I decided to check out Scorpion and Pyramid, one of the few rides I hadn’t yet done. The airport loop is another one. Why ride that when you have the Hogs and all that goodness on the west side? Back to Scorpion and Pyramid.
Parking at the bottom where Pyramid and Scorpion come back together at the end, I pedaled away from the car and down the road a short jaunt and turned left on Old Post which merged with Herkenham. It had been a few years since I rode this spider web of trails, enjoying the meditative state and not seeing anyone else. The morning climb up to the school was highlighted by no dabs along the way, solid cross-country elevation gain in the warming air that got the sweat rolling. Up at the trailhead, I noted that to access Scorpion, you technically roll on Scheurman before making a quick left on Scorpion.
Scorpion was chunky, with rocks that weren’t red but black/grey. I like riding rocks, if there is such a thing and/or trail characteristic that puts me in my element while mountain biking. The focus that is required and the strength moves that are needed connect me to terra firma. The mental and physical states blend together. Mind, body, bike. One.
I got bounced, though, knocking me off line and balance, a quick back-to-reality moment that if I wouldn’t have been able to get a foot down, a beaver tail cactus would have been my landing pad. Back on the bike, I descended to the junction with Pyramid, staying to the right to go down Pyramid. Gathered beta meant that I knew parts of it were going to be biting off more than I could chew.
Everything was going fine until after the first big drop in; the next couple of sections had me off the bike, solo riding being a reason to not risk much, as well as the understanding that some of that in there was too big for my skills. A few more runs through, I thought, would likely help in getting it lined up. Nevertheless, the hike-a-bike didn’t discourage me. How could I be bummed when surrounded by such raw natural wonder? Then rolling along that magnificent wall and coming around it had me centered in one of the Sedona mountain biking vortices/vortexes.
When I arrived to the intersection with Scorpion, I went up it, enjoying the climb back up to where Pyramid begins. There, I chatted with a guy from Denver who was making his second attempt down Pyramid. I opted to roll down Scorpion, which was a great decision, as it was fast, easily rolled and offered a few pullouts for stopping and taking in the scenery. While pulled over, I took it all in, feeling thankful. I then clipped back in (Gasp! Not riding flats?) and rode the magic carpet ride that is Sedona back to the car.
Notes: the newer Axis trail off of Cockscomb was a blast … it’ll be my now preferred way down to Girdner; I’ll never tire of Mescal, nor Slim Shady; I parked over behind Hiline and did the short Baldwin Loop as an add on/second ride of the day … some tech gnar in there, for sure; Teacup, why do people not talk about Teacup? I try to squeeze it in every time.
Over the Edge is now Thunder Mountain Bikes. Same ownership, but now independent. Check it out: https://www.thundermountainbikes.com/
Sedona Bike and Bean down in Oak Creek: https://www.bike-bean.com/
The 2 breweries are …
Oak Creek Brewery: https://oakcreekbrew.com/
Sedona Beer Company: https://www.sedonabeerco.com/
