EDITOR'S LETTER

Pumas Don't Like to Share
I’ve never seen any pumas in the wild, but I’m pretty sure they’ve seen me. They hunt where I hike, including the Kaibab Plateau. That’s where I had my closest encounter. Coincidentally, I’d just been at a lecture about the feeding habits of big cats on the North Rim. And that’s what I was thinking about when I hit the trail.

It was late afternoon, almost dusk, and I was hiking alone on the Rainbow Rim Trail. It’s never a good idea to hike alone. Nevertheless, I was out there by myself, and about 2 miles in, I saw the mutilated remains of a mule deer. It wasn’t completely devoured, and it was still a little bloody. Oh, $#^%, I thought. Whatever was pigging out on that deer — probably a puma — is probably watching me, and it probably thinks I’m going to help myself to what’s left of the hindquarter. I don’t think pumas like to share.

Of course, all I wanted to do was get out of there. The scenario in my head was unnerving, or worse, but it was exciting, too. The thought of being that close to the king of the forest ... it was a rush, and I’ll never forget it. I can’t imagine what Janay Brun was thinking when she glimpsed a jaguar in the Baboquivari Mountains.

It happened in 1999, while she was hiking with her dogs. “Sensing something,” Ruth Rudner writes in Spotted in Southern Arizona, “the dogs suddenly raised their noses. Janay became equally alert. There, a hundred feet ahead on a granite boulder, was a large cat. Although everything was shrouded in shadow, she could see the cat look at them. Her dogs took off after it, then quickly came running back, not stopping until they were home.”

There’s a reason the dogs were terrified. Jaguars are the third-largest cats in the world — after tigers and lions. They weigh in at around 220 pounds, which is about 40 more than a puma. They’re big, and they’re native to Arizona. As unlikely as that might seem, they’ve been here for more than 12,000 years. Although their numbers have dwindled in the last two centuries, there’s hope. As Ruth points out in her essay, conventional wisdom suggests that today’s environment might actually be more conducive to their survival.

Still, seeing a jag is extremely rare, and capturing one on film is even more so. Landscapes are a little easier. The trick is trying to get the kinds of images you’ll see in this month’s portfolio. If you’re a frequent reader of Arizona Highways, you know what our photographers are capable of. If you’re new to the magazine, this collection is quite an introduction. Jack Dykinga, Shane McDermott, Tim Fitzharris, George Stocking ... there are a lot of familiar names inside, along with one you haven’t seen before: Enio Lanaro.

Enio lives in Italy, and like so many Europeans, he found his way to Monument Valley. In his suitcase was a Canon EOS 600D. I don’t know how many photos he made while he was up there, but he made at least a few of the Mittens and Merrick Butte. On a whim, he shared one of them with Jeff Kida. It takes a lot to get the attention of our photo editor, but Jeff was impressed. I think you’ll be impressed, too. You might even be inspired to visit Monument Valley. If you do, make sure you detour through Winslow and check out a place called Brown Mug Café. James Hernandez says “the food tastes fantastic.”

You can trust what Mr. Hernandez has to say. He’s the fire chief for the Winslow Fire Department. Firefighters know food — it’s part of their culture — and they usually have a pretty good sense of where to eat in their hometowns. That’s why we enlisted their help for our seventh annual “best restaurants” feature. Among other things, the fire crew in Winslow goes to the Brown Mug for its Navajo tacos, enchiladas and sopapillas.

About 90 miles west, their colleagues in Williams like to eat at Grand Canyon Coffee & Café. And 110 miles west of there, the Kingman Fire Department eats at El Palacio. One reason, according to writer Nikki Buchanan, is the El Bandido burrito, “a 28-inch colossus enfolding cubed sirloin, chicken tenders, a tamale, a chile relleno, rice, beans, onions, avocados and tomatoes.” On top of that is a glaze of cheese and a drizzle of chile verde. If you’re into pigging out, that thing could feed an elephant. Or maybe a puma. But not both. I don’t think pumas like to share their food. Not on the Kaibab, anyway.
 

COMING IN MAY ...
A salute to Prescott, which celebrates its sesquicentennial next month; a portfolio of summer wildflowers; and a firsthand look at what it was like to be in a darkroom with Ansel Adams.