2015 FYI: THERE AREN’T ANY LOUSY PHOTOS IN THIS ISSUE AUGUST APACHE ESCAPE • EXPLORE • EXPERIENCE WOLVES THEY’RE SACRED TO THE TRIBE, BUT ... — VINCENT GOGH— VAN BEST OF AZ IN PHOTOGRAPHS FEATURING THE LANDSCAPES OF EVERY COUNTY IN ARIZONA “There in the storm.” is even peace San Francisco Peaks, Coconino County plus: CALIFORNIA CONDORS • TUMACÁCORI • O’LEARY PEAK • THE KAIBAB PLATEAU MEXICAN GARTERSNAKES • ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHER ALLEN REED • ARIZONA MOUNTAIN INN Kaibab Vermilion Cliffs Plateau Grand Canyon National Park CONTENTS 08.15 Tusayan Williams O’Leary Peak Flagstaff 2 EDITOR’S LETTER 3 CONTRIBUTORS PHOENIX 4 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 56 WHERE IS THIS? Tumacácori National Historical Park 5 THE JOURNAL POINTS OF INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE People, places and things from around the state, including a look back at iconic photographer Allen Reed, Tumacácori National Historical Park and the would-be toll road to the highest point in 44 Arizona. WING COMMANDER Chris Parish is a wildlife biologist for The Peregrine Fund. He’s 16 THE BEST OF ARIZONA well versed in many species, but he’s an expert on California If we were Texas Highways, we couldn’t do this portfolio — there condors. Among other things, the Flagstaff resident oversees the are too many counties (254) in Texas. In Arizona, however, where annual release of young condors over the Vermilion Cliffs. And his there are only 15, it’s a little easier to feature one of the scenic efforts are paying off. At last count, 74 of the rare birds were living wonders of every county in the state. As you’ll see, there are in the wild in Arizona and Utah. beautiful landscapes all across Arizona. BY NOAH AUSTIN PHOTOGRAPH BY DAWN KISH A PORTFOLIO EDITED BY JEFF KIDA 46 RARE BIRDS 32 MOUNTAIN LYING DOWN Although not as uncommon as dodos and passenger pigeons, “The North Rim always teaches the same two lessons,” Charles California condors are few and far between. At last count, there Bowden wrote in 1991. “There is very little to say — witness the were only 219 in the wild, which means catching a glimpse of the silence of people clustered on the rim, staring into the chasm. largest flying land bird in North America is rare. However, for our And there is nothing to fix.” In the quarter-century since he photographer, it’s a different story. So far, he’s photographed penned that observation, the lessons have remained the same. about a third of Arizona’s wild condors, and he’s on a mission to AN ESSAY BY CHARLES BOWDEN capture the rest. A PORTFOLIO BY JOHN SHERMAN 38 BA’CHO To the White Mountain Apaches, Mexican wolves are known as 52 SCENIC DRIVE ba’cho. They’re culturally significant to the tribe, but not all tribal Grandview Loop: Taking this scenic route on the Grand Canyon’s members support the reintroduction of the endangered species. South Rim promises solitude and a journey back in time on a It’s a polarizing issue that pits elders and traditionalists against wagon road that ferried the park’s first tourists. outfitters and big-game hunters. BY ANNETTE MCGIVNEY ◗ A California condor, one of only 54 HIKE OF THE MONTH 74 in the wild in Arizona and Utah, PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRUCE D. TAUBERT rests at Navajo Bridge over Marble O’Leary Peak Trail: There’s a lot to see from the top of this trail, Canyon. | JOHN SHERMAN including the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The best view, CAMERA: NIKON D4S; however, might be the look into Sunset Crater. SHUTTER: 1/1000 SEC; APERTURE: F/8; ISO: 2500; FOCAL LENGTH: 1000 MM FRONT COVER Wildflowers blanket a hillside near the San Francisco Peaks, one of the highlights of Northern Arizona’s Coconino County. | SHANE MCDERMOTT CAMERA: NIKON D3S; SHUTTER: 6 SEC; APERTURE: F/18; www.facebook.com/azhighways ISO: 200; FOCAL LENGTH: 22 MM GET MORE ONLINE @azhighways BACK COVER Sunset illuminates Sedona’s Cathedral Rock above www.arizonahighways.com @arizonahighways the rushing water of Oak Creek. | MARK FRANK CAMERA: NIKON D200; SHUTTER: 3 SEC; APERTURE: F/10; ISO: 100; FOCAL LENGTH: 22 MM PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS AVAILABLE Prints of some photographs in this issue are available for purchase. To view options, visit www.arizona highwaysprints.com. For more information, call 866-962-1191. www.arizonahighways.com 1 editor’s letter contributors BRUCE D. TAUBERT The Land of Ahhhs The subject matter made Bruce D. Taubert (pictured in blue, with two Arizona Game and Fish AUGUST 2015 VOL. 91, NO. 8 t wasn’t a competition. “Hey, let’s see highlights in Apache When you’re working Department employees) a natural choice to pho- 800-543-5432 tograph Ba’cho (see page 38), Annette McGivney’s which county in Arizona is the most County. It’s on a list with endangered spe- www.arizonahighways.com I beautiful.” It wasn’t like that. It was that includes Canyon cies, there’s no such story on endangered Mexican wolves. But the more like: “Here’s an idea — something de Chelly, Baldy Peak, thing as nine-to-five. PUBLISHER Win Holden logistics of the assignment took Taubert, a veteran we’ve never done. Let’s do a portfolio fea- the Petrified Forest It’s true for Jeff Dol- EDITOR Robert Stieve wildlife photographer, out of his comfort zone. “I’m turing the most scenic places in the state. and several packs of phin. And it’s also true ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, used to taking my time, learning about a subject, DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING Kelly Mero And let’s map it out by counties.” Mexican wolves. for Chris Parish. selecting the time of day for the best light and MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Vaughn GEORGE ANDREJKO After 90 years, there aren’t a lot of Mexican wolves Chris is a wildlife behavior, and having more than one opportunity to ASSOCIATE EDITOR Noah Austin things we haven’t done in the magazine. are an endangered biologist for The Per- get the magic image,” Taubert says. “For this shoot, I was working with a deadline and had no EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATOR Nikki Kimbel This month’s cover story is a first. species that was elimi- egrine Fund. He covers control over those things. It was more like photographing a sporting event than the style of PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Jeff Kida In theory, it was pretty simple. There nated from the United a lot of ground, but his photography I’ve been doing for 40 years.” It was worth it, though: “Photographing biologists CREATIVE DIRECTOR Barbara Glynn Denney are only 15 counties in Arizona, compared States in the 1970s. As focus is the reintro- at work saving the remnants of a vanishing species was an honor. I also began to long for the ART DIRECTOR Keith Whitney with 254 in Texas, and zeroing in on the Annette McGivney duction of California old days when, as a research biologist, I was the one handling endangered species and trying most scenic spot in each couldn’t be that writes in Ba’cho, “the condors. Specifically, DESIGN PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Diana Benzel-Rice to make a difference.” Taubert is a frequent contributor toArizona Highways. MAP DESIGNER difficult. That’s what we thought. And wolves’ stellar hunting MARKOW PAUL he oversees the annual Kevin Kibsey then the photos started rolling in. We ability, which made them revered by the release of young condors over the Ver- PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Michael Bianchi knew there were beautiful landscapes all Apaches, made them despised by Euro- milion Cliffs. In Wing Commander by Noah WEBMASTER Victoria J. Snow JOHN BURCHAM around the state, but even those places pean ranchers and homesteaders who Austin, you’ll learn more about Chris and CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Nicole Bowman When we reached photographer John Burcham for this blurb, that are stereotyped as desolate surprised viewed the predators as a threat to their the work he’s doing. And in Rare Birds, the FINANCE DIRECTOR Bob Allen he was in Southern Mexico at the Parícutin volcano, which us: Wow. Toroweap is in Mohave County? ... livelihood.” portfolio that follows, you’ll see some of OPERATIONS/IT MANAGER Cindy Bormanis erupted for nine years in the 1940s and ’50s. It’s part of a proj- I had no idea Yuma County could be so lush. ... In 1998, the wolves, a species native the best condor images we’ve ever pub- ect that involves shooting photos and videos of the world’s How can a county as small as Santa Cruz have to Arizona, were reintroduced to the lished. The photographer is John Sherman. CORPORATE OR TRADE SALES 602-712-2019 seven natural wonders using only Nokia Lumia smartphones. such broad panoramas? There were a lot of state when 11 captive-bred animals were “I’ve photographed about a third of SPONSORSHIP SALES The project has also taken Burcham to Mount Everest and REPRESENTATION On Media Publications surprises; however, there weren’t any in released into the Blue Range Primitive the Arizona population,” he says, “which, Victoria Falls, among other places. His assignments for this Lesley Bennett 602-445-7160 Coconino County. Area. The 4.4 million-acre recovery area, at last count, numbered 74. I got rare CHRIS TATUM issue weren’t quite as challenging: He photographed Anna’s It wasn’t a competition, but no matter which initially was limited to national permission to join the biologists at the Grand Canyon Coffee & Café and Arizona Mountain Inn & where you live, you have to agree that forest land, was expanded in 2000 release site. Otherwise, it’s off-limits to LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [email protected] Cabins (see The Journal, page 5).