About the Author
Dennis Andres is a writer, speaker and adventure guide living in Sedona, Arizona. His love and extensive knowledge of Sedona has earned him the title Mr. Sedona with both locals and clients alike. His passion for sharing what he knows has inspired the writing of his Mr. Sedona Series books on Sedona, which have become the best selling titles on Sedona. He has been interviewed by many sources of media both local and national and featured in Arizona Highways Magazine. Media sources such as the BBC and National Geographic have referred their audiences to Mr. Sedona s company: Sedona Private Guides, which specializes in custom tours off the beaten path to little known secret places. He has hiked more than 5,000 miles and counting in Red Rock Country. He has interviewed nearly that many travelers about their preferences in order to offer fulfilling guided adventures in the American Southwest, Nepal, Hawaii, Tibet, Italy and Peru. His career as an outdoor guide leading clients to some of the world s most spectacular places gives him the perfect perspective on what a visitor to Sedona will want to know. He is also the author of the award winning hike book; Sedona's Top 10 Hikes and the best guidebook on Sedona; Sedona: The Essential Guidebook
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Introduction A Wish For Your Visit Welcome to Sedona! Over a decade ago, I drove into Sedona for the first time.Winding through Oak Creek Canyon in my car, I was stunned by the scenery.Towering limestone cliffs and ponderosa pine trees gave way to red rock layers, protecting a clear and gentle stream. Though I had been fortunate to visit more than forty countries in my life, I had never seen a place with natural beauty such as this. In a way that made no logical sense, I felt at home in a place, I had never been to before. Nonetheless, I was skeptical when I first heard the curious word "vortex," used as an explanation fro this feeling.I had little clue then that I would someday move to Sedona and take up the challenge of answering the area’s most often asked question for myself. Returning to America after several more years abroad, I moved to Sedona to begin a new career as am adventure guide. Not content to settle for either scientific uncertainty or spiritual clichés, I took up the question,"What is a vortex? So what makes me qualified to answer the questions you may have about Sedona’s energy? It is neither an expertise in science nor in metaphysics,though I have studied both seriously. What qualifies me is that I am a good guide and a close observer. I am able to bring people to places where they can have their own experience, and available to see what happens. Now, having escorted nearly one thousand visitors throughout red rock country, I am ready to share what has been learned.The experiences of these people provide us with a pool of knowledge which helps to answer the most commonly asked questions about Sedona’s vortexes. In a small book the idea is not to exhaust your curiosity, but to provoke it. Likewise, I hope this will lead you to create your own Sedona adventure, as a way to explore these questions for yourself. The more you develop your relationship with this land, the more it will reward you with special moments and magical experiences. Here’s to your adventure!
DENNIS ANDRES
Sedona, Arizona
