On soft gray mornings widows cry -

The wise men share a joke;

I run to grasp divining signs,

To satisfy the hoax.

The yellow jester does not play,

But gently pulls the strings -

And smiles as the puppets dance,

In the Court of the Crimson King ...

(King Crimson - 1969)

Looking up at the east towers of Cathedral Rock from the Templeton Trail, one sees the infamous "club-shaped" formation known as The Mace.

The Mace (tallest tower on far left) is well-covered on SP. From the eastern approach, it's height of 450 feet - (with the 2nd pitch covering 85 feet) - is particularly striking to rock climbers and hikers alike.

The Mace was the first formation in Sedona to see technical climbing, with
the FA of the Original Route coming in 1957, the year I was born.

September 16, 2009