Central arizona vacation in December - Advice

It looks like i'm going to be spending a week in a half in Arizona in early December visiting some family a bit north of Phoenix. I posted a while back about heading from there up thru Colorado in September, unfortunately that fell thru and I think we'll be staying in Arizona. I'll have access to a car and don't mind driving a few hours for a worthwhile destination. I'd like to get on some long moderate trad routes with my wife. Any suggestions as to where I should look to go and what guidebooks I should consider purchasing?

Thanks - Larry

To clarify a bit - I can find a ton of information on here, but it looks like there's a lifetime of climbing out there and I'll only have a few days, so I'd like to get on something memorable. I've also never been out here and have a bit of concern as to what sort of temps to be expecting throught the day and night, wondering if we should seek out climbs with a sourthern exposure this time of year, venture south or maybe head up to Flag, etc. I assume cold nights and cool days, looks like avg high of 68 and low of 38 that time of year.

Thanks again;

Crickets so it seems...

Here's a few ideas...

McDowell Mtns-Hanging Gardens, Renaissance Direct...

Lower Mt. Lemmon-get Squeezing the Lemmon... go to Chimney Rock.

Queen Creek-Lower Devils East for trad... The Refuge for a good mix...

Courthouse rock... Trad and bolted multi-pitch

Sedona-Queen Victoria (new Sedona guidebook at the Hiking Shack)

Isolation Canyon-north of Payson (new guidebook for whole area of Iso also at Hiking Shack)

If you can make it to Cochise Stronghold, DEFINITELY DO IT... 3 hours south from Phoenix

so, for a lot of these, there are either .pdf guides online here on MP or you can get the info you need here. oh and if you come in to the Arizona Hiking Shack, there are a bunch of various Marty Karabin fold-out topos for nearby areas/areas in the state...

That's my .02

The Homestead is a favorite area for many locals that time of year. It's limestone sport climbing with a couple of super classic lines and perfect weather in December, but probably not mentioned by the previous poster because generally you want a 4-wheel drive high clearance vehicle. But if you have a couple days, you could just walk in, instead, and camp; or hitch a ride in.

I recommend Sedona, especially if you've never been here. The views are worth it. Really it depends on the weather that time of year.

Flagstaff in early Nov is a crap shoot. You could luck out but there is a reasonable chance you could get snowed out... Also if you are visiting, I'd want to do a destination spot and not recommend strictly cragging unless that is specifically what you are looking for.

I'd recommend Sedona. The views are good, as is the climbing. Mars Attacks, The Mace, Dr. Rubo's, Sedona Scenic Cruise are all worthwhile in the range you are asking.

Also check Amazon.com for David Blooms book, Sedona Rocks, a climbers guide.