ESCAPE • EXPLORE • EXPERIENCE 24 A RIVER SO LONG Grand Canyon National Park It’s not the longest river in the United States — it ranks sixth, behind Flagstaff Petrified the Missouri, Mississippi, Yukon, Forest Rio Grande and Arkansas — but the National Park Colorado is the only river that carved Colorado River a canyon that can be seen from outer 2018 PHOENIX May space. That’s why it attracts so many photographers. A Portfolio Edited by Jeff Kida Tucson 2 EDITOR’S LETTER 38 DEER CREEK 3 CONTRIBUTORS An Essay by Robert Stieve POINTS OF INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE 4 LETTERS 42 THIS ISN’T GOING TO BE EASY The easiest way to access the Colo- 5 THE JOURNAL rado River in Canyon country is to People, places and things from make the drive to Lees Ferry. After GET MORE ONLINE around the state, including a look that, the routes get progressively back at the Salvation Army’s humble harder — Bright Angel, Hermit, North www.arizonahighways.com beginnings in Arizona; the best Kaibab. The most difficult passage, breakfast toast in Tucson, which attempted by only the most intrepid /azhighways happens to be served with Chianti hikers, is the Nankoweap Trail. @arizonahighways jelly; and a Q&A with photographer By Steve Larese Mike Olbinski. 48 HAVASU CREEK 16 WHITE WATER ADVENTURE An Essay by Kelly Vaughn A river trip through the Grand Canyon. A story originally published 52 SCENIC DRIVE in April 1965. Petrified Forest National Park: Story and Photographs Although it’s best explored with hik- by Josef Muench ing boots and a backpack, Petrified Forest can also be seen through a car window — the 29-mile drive offers an easy introduction to Arizona’s Triassic Park. By Noah Austin 54 HIKE OF THE MONTH A round-tailed ground squirrel enjoys Winter Cabin Trail: There are several a tasty morsel. These small squirrels, found ways to explore Sycamore Canyon, in much of Arizona, weigh only 4 to 6.5 ounces including this little-used trail, which as adults. Lisa Langell features some gorgeous pano ramas, CANON EOS 7D, 1/800 SEC, F/8, ISO 400, an old homestead and a nice walk in 500 MM LENS the woods. FRONT COVER: The Colorado River rolls By Robert Stieve over North Canyon Rapids in Grand Canyon Photographs by Joel Hazelton National Park. The rapids are in Marble Canyon, about 15 miles downstream from 56 WHERE IS THIS? Navajo Bridge. Marc Muench BACK COVER: Deer Creek Falls nourishes patches of greenery before emptying into the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. David Muench 2 OCTOBER 2015 www.arizonahighways.com 1 editor’s LETTER CONTRIBUTORS STEVE LARESE When Steve Larese was pre- Susan is the CEO of the Grand Canyon Asso- paring to hike the Grand Can- MAY 2018 VOL. 94 NO. 5 ciation, which was hosting our trip. As the offi- yon’s Nankoweap Trail (see cial nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National 800-543-5432 This Isn’t Going to Be Easy, Park, GCA does all kinds of important work, www.arizonahighways.com page 42), he came across a including a project that helps Native Americans GIFT SHOP: 602-712-2200 1996 Arizona Highways story reconnect with the Canyon. One place where that about a trek on the same kirts up, zippers down.” That’s one of the occurs is Deer Creek, a narrow side canyon that’s PUBLISHER Win Holden trail. The author of that piece first things you learn on the river. Most of culturally significant and sacred to the Southern EDITOR Robert Stieve had to turn back before what you need to know is spelled out at Paiutes. We hit Deer Creek on Day 5. Most people ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, reaching the Colorado River, DIRECTOR OF “S orientation, the night before. But where to will tell you it’s one of the best stops on the river. SALES & MARKETING Kelly Mero and Larese sees this month’s pee, that’s something you learn when the time I think it’s the best. You’ll see why inside. MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Vaughn story, his first for the maga- zine, as “closing the loop” for Arizona Highways on the remote, strenuous trail. As you’ll comes. Women go upstream, men go down- Our camp that night was just above Doris ASSOCIATE EDITOR Noah Austin read, Larese, an Oklahoma native who now lives in New Mexico, has hiked many of the stream, modesty goes out the window. At first Rapid. By the time we pulled in — after so many EDITORIAL you think you’ll never get used to it. After a days on the river — we’d mastered the routine ADMINISTRATOR Nikki Kimbel Canyon’s trails, but he says this one left a notable impression on his psyche. “I can’t say few times, though, it’s just part of the routine. Everything about rafting of setting up camp, which begins the instant the PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Jeff Kida my life flashed before my eyes, but when I returned home, colors were more vibrant and the Colorado is routine. It’s a sequence of repeated actions, whether it’s raft hits the beach. The first thing that happens CREATIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Glynn Denney my kids got sick of me hugging them all the time,” he says. “I think people are drawn to standing downstream, shooting the rapids, setting up camp or sleeping is a footrace to claim the best campsites. It’s a ART DIRECTOR Keith Whitney the Grand Canyon in part because it’s so timeless and indifferent to humans. It makes you under the stars. polite free-for-all. Then it’s back to the boat, realize how precious everything in your life is.” Larese hopes to explore the Tonto Trail and MAP DESIGNER Kevin Kibsey A year ago this month, I made my first trip down the river. It was a long where an assembly line is formed and almost the Toroweap area on future adventures in the Canyon. His other work includes stories for PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Michael Bianchi time coming — I’d been to the Grand Canyon 126 times before I finally everything on board gets shifted to the sand — the Travel Channel, National Geographic Traveler and other media outlets. WEBMASTER Victoria J. Snow strapped on a life jacket. The only ratio worse than mine was that of the dry bags, sleeping bags, cots, camp chairs, pro- legendary photographer Josef Muench. He’d been to the Canyon more than pane tanks, water tanks, grills, coolers and the CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Nicole Bowman 150 times before his first river trip. I used to take some comfort in that shared groover (Google it). It’s just enough work to jus- FINANCE DIRECTOR Bob Allen futility. Until a few weeks ago, when his son, David, told me that his father tify happy hour, which is kept in a burlap sack OPERATIONS/ KAYLA IT MANAGER Cindy Bormanis was afraid of water. A legitimate excuse, I thought. Dang. So much for solidarity. that gets dragged behind the raft in the 42-degree FROST In April 1965, we published a story about Mr. Muench’s trip. The photos water. Cold is a commodity on the river. Earlier this year, CORPORATE OR were his, of course. He also got the byline, which came with a parenthetical As you might expect, the Guinness segues into TRADE SALES 602-712-2018 we welcomed Kayla Frost, our note: “By Josef Muench (as told to Joyce Rockwood Muench).” The words dinner, which is something I’ll never quite under- SPONSORSHIP SALES are unmistakably hers — Mrs. Muench is among the best writers we’ve ever stand. Somehow, every night, Somer, who looks REPRESENTATION On Media Publications former editorial Deidra Viberg featured — but he took the notes, and together they captured the essence of like a 20-year-old version of the young girl in 602-323-9701 intern, back to the running the river at a time when commercial rafting was still in its infancy. Jurassic Park, and Freddie, who’s a combination of pages of Arizona This month, we’re rerunning the piece. Although it’s more than 50 years Woody Harrelson, Jeff Bridges and Andy Rooney’s Highways, and LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [email protected] old, it’s still so good. And, in many ways, the experience is still the same. eyebrows, would roll out a feast. Somewhere 2039 W. Lewis Avenue this month, she The red Hakatai, the tall tales about the old boatmen, the thrill of running in the bottom of that raft, I guess, was a Whole Phoenix, AZ 85009 writes about the Lava Falls ... none of that has changed. The need for an enthusiastic guide is Foods. I don’t eat that well in the fifth-largest Salvation Army’s the same, too. It’s the difference between a good trip and the trip of a life- city in America. The only thing in camp that’s GOVERNOR Douglas A. Ducey history in Phoenix time. Mr. Muench had Georgie White, a colorful pioneer who was described better than mealtime is bedtime. After the sen- DIRECTOR, (see The Journal, DEPARTMENT by Life magazine as a “new kind of iron-nerve mermaid.” My guides were sory wallop of floating all day through a billion OF TRANSPORTATION John S. Halikowski page 8). It’s not the Somer Morris and Fred Thevenin. They’re colorful, too. And second to none. years of geology (see this month’s portfolio), eat- only homecom- On paper, Freddie is Somer’s boss — he owns Arizona Raft Adventures ing like an emperor and knocking back a beer or Arizona Highways® (ISSN 0004-1521) is published month- ing for Frost, who with his wife, Alexandra.