HIGH ON SEDONA
Spend some time with your head in the clouds! Come fly with us as we board a helicopter, hot air balloon and biplane to discover a new perspective of Red Rock Country. Think flying is for the birds? We have you covered: Check out our favorite spots to see Sedona from above while keeping your feet on the ground. Also, an airport history lesson and the lowdown on the airport’s Family Fun Day.
By Erika Ayn Finch
Arizona Helicopter Adventures
Flying in a helicopter is a sensation quite different from flying in a plane or a hot air balloon. There’s a level of finesse and agility we’ve never experienced in any other aircraft, which makes a helicopter tour ideal for exploring narrow red rock canyons and cliff dwellings. Arizona Helicopter Adventures has been operating out of the Sedona Airport for 26 years, and the tour outfitter offers a 25-minute Famous Ancient Ruins Tour – the company’s most popular of its three tours – that traverses Secret Mountain Wilderness.
We gently lifted off from the helipad in a JetRanger helicopter that seats four passengers plus one pilot. (At press time, the company was purchasing a doorless Hughes 500 aircraft, making future tours even more adventurous.) Everyone wears headphones and microphones, so you can hear your pilot and communicate with other passengers. We were quickly flying over the Cockscomb formation, Doe and Bear mountains, and the Palatki ruins. Our pilot, Rod Green, who has been flying helicopters for 19 years, deftly maneuvered into Loy Canyon. We’ve backpacked Loy Canyon, but we found it to be completely unrecognizable from the air. Not long after entering the canyon, we came upon our first ruin, nestled high in the sheer sandstone cliff face. The dwelling was built by the Sinagua people 800 to 900 years ago. From there we flew through Hartwell Canyon and then shot through the Gun Sight formation and into picture-perfect Boynton and Long canyons. Rod pointed out red rock formations we’d never heard of, including the Three Sisters and the Sentinel. We passed another series of cliff dwellings before smoothly returning to the airport.
The helicopters only fly about 300 to 500 feet above the ground in the canyons (they are required to fly at 1,000 feet or higher over town), and even flying in an aircraft with doors, we still were able to see the red rocks from a different perspective. “Helicopters can practically stand still, and we pass by the ruins slowly, so you get a great view,” says Joe Jones, the company’s safety officer. “We fly in places were there is no motor vehicle access. Even hikers have a hard time seeing what we see because the ruins are up so high.”
Joe says there are two types of people who book helicopter tours: those who just want the helicopter ride and those who want to see the red rocks from the air. The company flies just about every day of the year, sometimes going out as many as 23 times a day during the busy season. “This isn’t a thrill ride,” Joe says. “It’s smooth, which is good for photographers, especially when the doors are off.”
Arizona Helicopter Adventures
Rates: $119 per adult and $59.50 for children younger than 12 (children younger than 2 fly free) for the 25-minute Famous Ancient Ruins Tour. 928-282-0904; www.azheli.com.
Tips: Bring your cameras for this one! Someone from the company will take a photo of your party in front of the helicopter with your own camera prior to takeoff. While it’s hard to capture photos if you’re in the middle seat, at least one person in your party will be seated next to a window and able to snap some impressive red rock photos.
Northern Light Balloon Expeditions
The only people driving Sedona’s state routes at 4:45 a.m. are garbage collectors and those bleary-eyed souls preparing for hot air balloon tours. The latter group gathered in a West Sedona parking lot as guides from Northern Light Balloon Expeditions, which has been in business in Sedona for more than 35 years, collected passengers for the quick drive to the launch site on Lower Red Rock Loop Road. We gathered around as crews stretched out five enormous green-and-yellow balloons and used gas-powered fans to inflate each one. When the balloons, or envelopes, have enough air inside, giant burners are lit, forcing the balloons into vertical positions. In the soft dawn light, the balloons glow beautifully thanks to the blue-and-orange flames. Finally, it’s time to board. Six of us plus our pilot, Blair Preston, (each balloon has a maximum capacity of seven) hop into the wicker basket, and we gently lift off the ground.
Ever so slowly, we float above prickly pear cactuses and juniper trees. Rabbits scurry below. Soon we are climbing at 700 feet per minute with all of Sedona, most of its residents still fast asleep, stretched out in front of us. When we reach an altitude of 2,000 feet, Oak Creek and then the San Francisco Peaks come into view. For the next 90 minutes, we drift with the air currents, the only sound coming from the occasional burst of flame into the envelope. The ride is – surprisingly – peaceful and smooth. Once Blair learned he was piloting a balloon full of wildlife enthusiasts, he sought out a herd of elk grazing in a rocky wash. We also spotted mule deer, an owl and even a wide-eyed black cat that quickly slinked into a storm drain. The spotty traffic along SR 89A honked and waved as we drifted above their morning commutes. From the air, we were able to explore Dry Creek Canyon, a beautiful red rock amphitheater that seemed to be accessibly via balloon only.
So, why the early morning wakeup call for balloon tours? Blair explains that the winds at sunrise in Sedona are generally calm, and it’s the coolest part of the day. Our flight ended when we gently landed among the cactuses and lava rock west of Sedona and just south of SR 89A, and our chase crew was waiting to help us out of the gondola and pack the balloon. It took only minutes, and then we drove a short distance down a dirt road to meet the morning’s other balloonists. Everyone gathered around for a Champagne toast and a picnic breakfast of sweet rolls and strawberries. We were back at our cars by 8 a.m. It would be difficult to think of a more pleasant way to begin the day.
Northern Light Balloon Expeditions
Rates: $195 per person
928-282-2274; www.northernlightballoons.com.
Tips: Year-round, you will need to wear long pants and sturdy shoes (no sandals or flip-flops). Layer your clothing on top and wear a hat to protect your head from radiant heat from the balloon’s burners. You might also want to bring a bottle of water.
Red Rock Biplane
In all honesty, my stomach was in knots as I boarded a biplane for the second time in my life, contorting my body to squeeze under the wing and sit inside the tiny cockpit. My first flight several years ago was full of turbulence, and I was dizzy for hours after it was finished. But I soon found out what a difference a wind-free day makes.
Red Rock Biplane has been giving adventure seekers the flight of a lifetime for 17 years, says James Barron (yes, that’s his real last name), our pilot. The company flies WACO (Weaver Aircraft Company) planes that were originally designed in the mid-1930s. Our plane was built in 1997 to the same type of certifications as the originals. While the plane is equipped to perform aerobatics, the pilots at Red Rock Biplane aren’t likely to do any 360-degree turns in midair. “This is about pleasant sightseeing,” James says.
In a biplane, two passengers sit up front while the pilot sits in the back. Passengers are outfitted with cloth flying helmets (think skullcaps) that include headsets so they can hear the pilot as he points out red rock formations and area landmarks. The company offers tours that range from 20 to 60 minutes, though the 30-minute Mystic Canyon tour is the most popular, and it’s the one we experienced. It’s definitely loud in the cockpit, so don’t expect to spend much time conversing with your fellow passenger. A windscreen does its best to shield you from the noise of the engine and the wind. During our morning flight in the late spring, it was warm enough that we didn’t need jackets, but we do recommend sunglasses.
As we took off from Airport Mesa, we were immediately flying over our favorite rock formation: Cathedral Rock. If you think Cathedral is impressive from the ground, just wait until you fly above it and look down on the top of the spires and domes. Next we were flying over the Village of Oak Creek and Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte. We flew close to Lee Mountain, looked down on the pine trees along the edge of the Mogollon Rim, and soared across colorful Munds Canyon and lush Oak Creek Canyon. Aside from seeing Cathedral Rock from above, exploring the rugged terrain of the Seven Canyons region was truly breathtaking – either that or it was the fumes from the biplane that was making it hard to breathe. We made a pass around Capitol Butte before landing at the airport 30 minutes after takeoff.
“There aren’t many places where you can pay your money and get to ride in a biplane,” says James. “And there’s nothing like flying over the red rocks of Sedona. It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Based on this most recent flight, we couldn’t agree more.
Red Rock Biplane
Rates: $149 per person for the 30-minute Mystic Canyon Tour
928-204-5939; www.sedonaairtours.com.
Tips: Taking photos from the cockpit of the biplane is difficult because you always have the wing of the plane in your frame, so we recommend you leave the camera behind and just enjoy the scenery. A representative with the company will take your photo in front of the biplane and inside the cockpit before you take off.
Sedona Airport’s 2011 Family Fun Day
If you aren’t familiar with the Sedona Airport or if you’ve never seen Sedona from an aircraft, Sedona Airport’s 2011 Family Fun Day is the time to do it. The event takes place Sept. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the airport. More than 20 aircraft from all over the Southwest will be on display including “experimental” planes built by their owners, World War II-era aircraft, antique planes and new, state-of-the-art aircraft.
The festival will also feature the Sedona Car Club’s car show with more than 100 cars and trucks competing for trophies. In between the cars and planes, Camp Soaring Eagle, a local nonprofit for seriously ill children and their families, will host a kids’ zone filled with activities, a climbing wall, crafts and entertainment. And for kids of all ages, kettle corn, ice cream and food will be sold. Festival admission is free.
One of the highlights of the day will be the opportunity to see Sedona from the air thanks to discounted (and abbreviated) helicopter and airplane rides. Sign up for a flight early in the day because the event is expected to attract a crowd.
“In the past, we’ve attracted several thousand people,” says Al Comello, who’s been helping to organize the festival since 1999. “Because of its capacity to park hundreds of cars, the airport has become a fairgrounds of sorts for Sedona.”
The airport definitely seems like September’s hot spot. The new airport restaurant, Mesa Grill, is also scheduled to open this month – it boasts a glass enclosure overlooking the runway and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. And Sedona Winefest, which features wines from more than a dozen Arizona wineries, returns to the airport on Sept. 24 and 25. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. For details, visit www.sedonawinefest.com. For everything you need to know about Family Fun Day, visit www.sedonaairport.org.
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