THE GIANTS AMONG US A Journey through the White Mountains
BY ANNE GROEBNER
When the Spanish and Hispanic explorers reached the southern section of Apache County, it is said that they “christened the expanse of snow-covered mountains before them ‘Sierra Blanca’ — White Mountains.” In his book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Aldo Leopold, one of Apache- Sitgreaves National Forest’s first forest assistants and a nationally, well regarded conservationist, refers to Mount Baldy as “White Mountain.” Possibly derived from a translation of the Apache’s name for it “Dził Łigai Sí’án" (“white mountain”). I write about this because there has always been the resounding question of whether it’s “White Mountains” or “White Mountain.” “Is there a White Mountain?” I am asked on many occasions…Regardless of its humble but wild beginnings, the stretch of landscape -- in an area we now affectionately call “The White Mountains” -- along Arizona Route 260, harbors some pretty amazing and gigantic hidden wonders.
If you head south on AZ Route 260 toward Greer, the first town you come to after passing Hon- Dah Resort Casino is McNary. This town was once one of the largest logging towns in this area. It was named after James G. McNary, a banker from El Paso, who moved his logging business to the northeastern mountains of Arizona. The town of McNary, leased from the White Mountain Apache Tribe, was the center of everything in the White Mountains. Everyone came there for doctor visits because there wasn’t a hospital back then. They came there to bowl, to watch movies at Art Crozier’s movie theatre and to buy groceries. “The McNary General Store was an amazing, incredible place to be,” Diana Butler (James G. McNary’s granddaughter) told me. “It had three stories: a basement, the main floor and the upstairs mezzanine. Upstairs there were women’s clothing, dry goods, material and sewing and kids’ things. The grocery store, drug store (with fountain), men’s clothing and saddlery were located on the main floor and the wide cement steps led down to the basement where there were household goods, pots and pans, hardware and sporting goods.” It was a general store but followed the blueprint for a department store. It was huge!
As you drive further south, you will see Horseshoe Lake and then A-1 Lake, which are closed to visitors because of the pandemic right now, and then you will reach the turn off (AZ Route 273) to Sunrise Park Resort, which is also closed — so we will revisit them in a later issue.
A few miles past the Sunrise Convenience Store on AZ Route 273, you will see the turn off to the West Baldy Wilderness Trail. You can’t miss it because -- on any given weekend or even some weekdays (this summer) -- the parking lot is full. A few miles further down from the West Fork Trail is the East Baldy Trail with a full parking lot as well. I have never witnessed this before this summer. We always had a lot of visitors to these Trails but never in these large numbers. So, I thought I would write about Mount Baldy, “Dził Łigai Sí’án” or “White Mountain” as the Apaches call it.
At 11,400 feet, Mount Baldy is the second highest mountain is Arizona and is located on the eastern edge of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation (White Mountain Apache Tribe). It runs parallel to the Little Colorado River — named “To Chaco” by the Navajos. Although the Baldy Trails ascend the eastern portion of the mountain, the Reservation boundary line is about seven miles nearer the top and is restricted to non-natives. The reason for this is that the Apaches and other Tribes believe this mountain “holds spiritual, cultural and historical significance as their sacred mountain.”
I spoke with Ramone Riley, Cultural Resource Director for the White Mountain Apache Tribe, a few years ago and he was working on gathering some of the cultural artifacts that were taken from his people over the past hundred years. Mount Baldy is an area where they are working to “gather data from archeological surveys and oral stories of tribal elders to document the cultural and historical significance of Dził Łigai Sí’án as a traditional cultural property (TCP). They are worried about hikers trespassing and the lack of respect shown to their holy site.
“White Mountain Apaches still travel to the top of their sacred mountain for prayers and rituals. The development of documentation and codes to preserve heritage resources for the future for their descendants is an important goal for White Mountain Apaches. The need to protect one of their most important heritage resources includes their namesake mountain, Dził Łigai Sí'án, to preserve it in pristine condition in perpetuity with its sacred significance and spiritual presence to Ndee (“Apache People”).” Go to this link to read more…. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/learning/history-culture/? cid=fsbdev7_012567
Mount Baldy is also a wilderness trail. No motorized vehicles, mountain bikes or power equipment are allowed in the wilderness. Please pack out what you pack in.
There are several other trails along the AZ Route 260 area such as the Railroad Grade Trail which runs about 21 miles and is great for biking. It is built on the old Apache Railroad berms that still exist from the train that ran from McNary to Maverick, both former logging towns. The train and its rails were removed and now the “Rails to Trails” path runs along the berms from the Trailhead located a few miles past the Sunrise turn off at the old “Big Cienega” ski hill area (best known for its great sledding hill in the winter) through beautiful mountain scenery past Sheeps Crossing and all the way to the back side of Big Lake — or vice-versa. There is plenty of parking and a restroom.
While hiking with TRACKS hiking group this month, I discovered a different trail from the same parking lot as the Railroad Grade Trailhead. They call it “Land of the Giants” and, once you take the hike, you will understand why.
“Trees never die from old age,” Tom Jernigan, author of “Silent Witness; The Untold Story of Arizona’s White Mountains -- and our leader for this hike -- told us. “They always die from something else, like disease, fire or infestation.” I believe it because the trees on this hike must have lived thousands of years — they are giants.
The Trail bypasses the Railroad Grade Trail and heads to the right, up the hill and along an old forest road. There are a few giants along the way — a Douglas fir and a huge old aspen. About a mile into the hike, Jernigan diverted us into the woods where he showed us an elderly Engleman spruce, a Ponderosa pine that measured 10.5 feet in diameter, huge white pine and more gigantic Douglas firs.
The Trail took us past a meadow and Sunrise Lake – which divided us from the White Mountain Apache Reservation -- with a view of Sunrise Mountain and the Sunrise Hotel located on the west side of the Lake. As we approached the meadow, a large herd of elk (cows) scurried through. We stopped at the Reservation boundary fence and ate lunch and then turned around and headed back. The hike was an easy 4.5 miles with much of it through the welcomed shade of some of the largest trees I have ever seen in the White Mountains. I am told that it is a great place to cross-country ski in the winter. I can’t wait to find out.
As we approach the monsoon season, make sure you leave in plenty of time to complete your hike and check the weather forecast first. Take rain ponchos and something warm in case temperatures drop suddenly as they often do in our beautiful White Mountains area. For more information about hiking in monsoons -- and for more articles about many, many other hikes -- go to https://www.outdoorssw.com/hiking.