Just One Day: Sedona

A few hours spent in the red rocks of Arizona, documented on 35mm and 120 film.

Words and photos: Trevor Anderson

Sometimes we need a day with the camera(s) out in nature. That is exactly what I planned for on this early January day. While the red rocks of Sedona can get crowded, often to the point where it is frustrating to try and ride a bike or hike down a trail, I've found January and February to be somewhat a dead season. During our day spent on one of the more popular trails in the area we only saw about six people. 

The Trail

I've biked a decent amount of miles, and most of the big name trails in the Sedona area but for whatever reason I had never ridden the 'Hangover Trail.' Because we'd be bringing the dog along for our trip, and a couple of cameras, I opted to hike instead of bike for my first time on Hangover. This turned out to be an interesting way to experience this trail. Previously, when riding other technical trails in the area like Hiline and the Hogs, I've always just ridden them blind. 

Our route began along Munds Wagon, which follows a shallow canyon eastward, and parallels Schnebly Hill Road — a well trafficked high-clearance/4wd road. This section of the hike is also the only portion that you will also come back on. Once you get up higher, the trail loops back and you meet back onto Munds Wagon. 

As you head further up Munds Wagon, gaining elevation and crossing over Schnebly Hill Road a few times, you come to Cow Pies. It is here along this trail where you really begin to hike across the red rock slabs this area is known for. This short connector trail takes you up to the Hangover Trail.

Hangover trail is exactly what it sounds like. The landscape this trail slices through is incredible. As you hike west along the rock slab you eventually crest over to the north as you reach the highest point of the loop at around 5200'. You then wrap around the north side of 'The Teapot,' a 5653' rock formation. This section is where the trail gets its name as you hike through the rock slab that resembles a hollow, barreling wave. Finally, you make your way around the 'Painted Done,' another large rock formation, and back down to Munds Wagon.

The Gear

I loaded up my pack with two film cameras and left all my digital gear at home, as I often do these days. For 35mm, I of course brought my beloved Leica M6 paired with the 35mm Voigtlander Nokton. I put two rolls through the M6 on this day, one roll of Kodak Portra 400 and the other Ilford HP5+. Because I really felt like weighing myself down for the hike, I packed my hefty, yet beautiful Mamiya RB67 with its 50mm lens. I also shot two rolls through this system, one Kodak Porta 400 and one Kodak Tri-X 400.

This combo has worked well for me, and I will use the M6 for most shots, but when I feel like I need that 'medium format look,' I'll pull out the RB67, because it will typically stay in the pack for most of the day, shooting a few frames at a time at limited spots along a trail. 

Living in Flagstaff, we get a decent amount of snow, and where we are, a bit out of town, the snow sticks around longer. But having somewhere to escape to with lower elevation has made it much more manageable for me during the winter months — this is something I could not do while living in Telluride. At only 40 minutes away, Sedona makes a great spot to spend a day in the sun. 

And for myself, I've found I need this during the winter months. As someone who doesn't have much motivation for skiing/snowboarding, I tend to feel a bit lost when I am forced to keep from doing the things I love to do during the rest of the year (i.e. hiking, biking, camping, etc). Being able to flee from the snow has proved to be immensely beneficial for my mental health. I'm fine with the cold, just not one to favor the snow, which is why we've got plans to build out a new camper setup in my truck which will allow us to travel more months out of the year. The custom cab-over camper should be ready for us to pickup in California in a few weeks and I've got plans to document the build and our travels in it right here on Rangefinder. Hope to see y'all in the coming weeks as we plan for more work published here!