WINTER WANDERINGS IN ARIZONA

Dear Reader-Welcome to some more meanderings along the highways and byways of Arizona! I assume that by now you have equipped yourself with a good color camera outfit and have taken my advice to explore some Arizona trails in springtime and autumn. (See "Rx for Contentment," ARIZONA HIGHWAYS for February, 1957.) With that background, then, here are some ideas on things to do while your less fortunate friends back East are shoveling coal into their furnaces and snow from their sidewalks.

It is a little difficult to get into the mood for winter travels, for it is springtime at Remuda Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona as these words are written. A few hundred feet away the Hassayampa River rolls smoothly byabout three hundred feet west, that is, and one hundred feet below the surface of its sandy stream bed. The Hassayampa looks dry, but I know that the river must be there, for it has a playful quality of popping out at odd places along its course, and then sinking back into the sands again for a spell. I have come back to Remuda with my family to enjoy the friendliness and relaxation that have been its hallmark for several decades. I have also come here in the hope that I may gain some of the feeling for the desert lands that J. B. Priestly captured so admirably on this very spot as he wrote his famed book, "Midnight on the Desert."

The winter rains have been good this year in the Wickenburg area, and the hillsides in back of the ranch are carpeted with bright new grass and yellow flowers. The ranch guests exclaim over the wild flowers and take the grass for granted, but the natives hardly even see the flowers in their excitement over the grass, for grass means feed in this part of the country. So, in the midst of these evidences of spring, including its sights, smells, and that general breakdown of willpower and determination known since ancient times as "spring fever," I face the task of projecting my thoughts ahead to the arrival of winter on our desert.

The enjoyment of either winter or summer in Arizona is pretty much a matter of altitude. Therefore, for the start of a most enjoyable winter tour of our state, Mr. Reader, I would place you at an altitude of 643 feet above sea level. Well 644 feet above sea level, to be really exact, for you will be sitting about one foot above water in a boat on Lake Mohave, in northwestern Arizona's Mohave County. You are fishing, Mr. Reader, and you are catching largemouth bass from one side of your boat and rainbow trout from the other.

TRIP NUMBER 3 AN ARIZONA WINTER

Start: Lake Mohave End: Yuma Distance: 512 miles Time: 4 days Season: Winter (January) FIRST DAY: That seat in a boat on Lake Mohave is a mighty nice place to start a winter tour of Arizona. Even if you're not a fisherman, there is a lot of marvelous scenery to be seen that way, for Lake Mohave winds along for better than fifty miles behind Davis Dam until the current of the Colorado River is reached again not far below Hoover Dam. This large expanse of blue lake and assorted real estate accounts for what I call the difference between fishing and FISHING. In many lakes around our fair nation the opening of fishing season finds the water so tightly packed with boats that a person in a hurry to get from one side to the other could walk across. It's probably a nice way to meet fellow fishermen, but I can do no more than label it merely "fishing." Now, at Lake Mohave, if that other boat about two miles away is too close for comfort, just mosey up the lake a ways and take over another ten square miles or so of water! And don't worry about showing up for the opening of trout season, for every day is fishing season on Lake Mohave! This adds up to what I term "FISHING."

If the Missus doesn't feel like taking a boat trip this morning, she will enjoy just sitting in the sun on the boat dock at Katherine Landing to watch the other fishermen come and go. This spot is named for the famous Katherine gold mine, which used to flourish a few miles from here in the good old days when gold mining was a profitable occupation. It was one of our family's favorite Sunday drives during wintertime to go from Kingman down the winding sandy road to the Colorado River near the Katherine Mine for a picnic. After lunch, some enterprising soul would cut a pole, attach a string and a hook, and try to catch a carp or catfish from the warm, muddy river waters.

How times have changed! The sight of paved highways, elegant motel and restaurant, trailer park, boat dock, private air strip, and strings of rainbow trout taken from the cold, clear waters of a broad lake prove that Katherine certainly isn't the gal she used to be! Only the brown desert hills, the warm, balmy air, and the bright sun remain unchanged.

Well, Mrs. Reader, if you can drag the fisherman away after lunch, I suggest that you go south four miles to Davis Dam and spend a few minutes looking at this latest addition to the string of dams that has controlled a large portion of the once-wild Colorado River. Davis isn't as well-known as its upstream neighbor, Hoover Dam, but it is big and impressive, nevertheless.

After inspecting Davis Dam, your road then goes downstream on the Arizona side past the government town of Davis Dam, which houses the dam's operating personnel, and passes through Bullhead City, Arizona. Bullhead was a boom town during the dam's construction days, and some folks thought it would just dry up and blow away after the dam was built. They were mistaken, however, for Bullhead City has continued to develop into a pleasant, permanent community whose motels, restaurants, and stores serve as another mecca for fishermen and sun lovers in general. There isn't much Colorado

OPPOSITE PAGE

"WILLOW BEACH-LAKE MOHAVE" BY CARLOS ELMER. 4x5 Burke & James Press camera; Ektachrome; f.18 at 1/25th sec.; 90mm. Schneider Angulon lens; bright sun on water; meter reading 400; ASA Rating 12. The Willow Beach fishing camp on Lake Mohave is reached by good paved road that leaves U.S. 93 fifteen miles southeast of Hoover Dam. These are the upper reaches of Lake Mohave-a short distance upstream is river current, ending at the vast bulk of Hoover Dam. This is one of America's classic fishing spots, a big uncrowded expanse of calm lake that is filled with rainbow trout, here in the cold upper waters, and with large mouth bass further south near Davis Dam.

"COLORADO RIVER CROSSING-PARKER" BY CARLOS ELMER. 4x5 Burke & James Press camera; Ektachrome; f.16 at 1/10th sec.; 90mm Schneider Angulon lens; early January; afternoon sun; meter reading 200; ASA Rating 12. Scene on the Colorado River at Parker, Arizona. Last New Year's Day on the Colorado River at Parker when photograph was taken, was warm and balmy. Autumn's color had just touched the trees and bushes in this low-lying winter haven. River left on the western side of Arizona since all the lakes have been formed, but the area around Bullhead has one of the nicest stretches of clear, cold, trout-filled water to be found anywhere along the river.

Just a mile below Bullhead a side road branches left towards the Black Mountains and the town of Oatman. The fifteen miles traveled on this winding, but good, desert road leads through a forest of cholla cactus and then into the foothills of the Black Mountains. It has always seemed to me that the Black Mountains display just about every color but black, and the afternoon sun brings out some remarkable shadings of red, yellow, green, and you name it. This was once one of America's rich mining areas, and the rough and jumbled hills are pockmarked with tunnels and shafts. Some prospectors still roam these hills, convinced that the Big Bonanza is just around the corner.

As you reach the pavement, you are on old U.S. 66, which was a major transcontinental travel route until it was replaced by the new routing of U.S. 66. As you travel the narrow, winding route with its dizzy views you can easily understand the feeling of relief shared by drivers of all vehicles, from family jalopies to huge trucktrailers, when the new, level, high-speed highway through Yucca was opened. Today, you might travel from Kingman to Oatman on the old road without meeting another car. It is a more enjoyable trip because of this, since you won't have to worry about finding a truck or bus bearing down on you from around every turn. Turn right on this paved road, and after traveling a mile you will find yourself in the famous gold mining town of Oatman.

You may have the strange feeling that you have been in Oatman before, even though this is your first visit to this part of the country. This feeling of recognition might be due to the fact that a few years ago Oatman served as the setting for the motion picture "Foxfire." I'm sure no more spectacular setting for a film about a western mine could be ferreted out by the most imaginative Hollywood location scout. You won't find Jane Russell or Jeff Chandler strolling down the street of Oatman now, but you will find a number of very nice people who wouldn't like to have you refer to their city as a ghost town. They prefer to say that Oatman is just lying low for a while, until new mineral discoveries or the application of new technology to the processing of known ore bodies brings another boom. Meanwhile, a warm winter sun shines down on the rugged mountains surrounding the town, and glints on the dozens of old mines and mills which dot those mountains. Right in town are the mills and huge tailings mounds of the Tom Reed and the United Eastern-the biggest of them all. The wealth taken from this region was not measured in millions, but in hundreds of millions of dollars. As you take a parting look at those hills on leaving Oatman, you can't help thinking "there must be a lot more gold where that came from."

The road to Kingman heads east from Oatman, through the remains of the neighboring town of Goldroad, and then over lofty Sitgreaves Pass into the broadand then heads into the montsinous country around Barro Creek, a small streme that has carved ont quite an isapersive ostryon for itself. The Barro Creek Gorge is no Grand Canyon, but I think it would share the Grand Canyon's distinction as boing "a heck of a place to Joss a cow." The rocky moustakas, sandy washes, and profuse displays of cactus reske this region an ideal spot for a picnic lench sod a stroll slong desert tralis. Beyond Barr Barro Check the road climbs into a region of fricabled rock masses that resembles the famous Granite Dells area nortis of Prescott. Strange balanusi rocks and meep canyons make this spot one of the most romarkable of the trip. Here is a place for your wido-angle leus, Mr. Photographer, for there is far too much scenery for the normal lens to encompas. The highway than passes over the Sarts. Maria Kiver and enters the northern end of the Valley of the Sue ot Congress Junction. A few miles farther, and you are "Ont Wickeabag Way," in the dusde ranch capital of the world. If your schedule is sufficiently flodbls, why not spend a few days st a gost zanch, and soak up some soshine? You will will love the leisurely horsebar horseback rides slong sundy texils through the untouched desert. You will relish, too, the casual and uncomplicated nature of sanch lifs, and will moet some awfully nice people in the proces. If you car's spend more tisan four days on this tip, then I suggest you stop at one of Wickaborg's large group of maxlen motels. My invazits has always been La Siesta Motel, for it is owned by Bili Bass, a fellow photographer of scenes in AREA HIGHWAYA. BR is one of the beat nature sad wildlife photographers in tilber coworry, and he delights in giving color slide or zmotion plorare showe for his guests cach night. Even if you sren't staying with Bill, drop wound for the show, snyhow. You cua be awared of 's warm welcome and a most delightful picture tour of Arizona. A big barbecue dinaor at nearby Frontier Ina and a show in front of Bill Bas flickering fireplace add up to my idea of the end of a mighty nice day spout exploring, Arizona Sun. Trails. Distance awweled-137 miles.

and then heads into the montsinous country around Barro Creek, a small streme that has carved ont quite an isapersive ostryon for itself. The Barro Creek Gorge is no Grand Canyon, but I think it would share the Grand Canyon's distinction as boing "a heck of a place to Joss a cow." The rocky moustakas, sandy washes, and profuse displays of cactus reske this region an ideal spot for a picnic lench sod a stroll slong desert tralis. Beyond Barr Barro Check the road climbs into a region of fricabled rock masses that resembles the famous Granite Dells area nortis of Prescott. Strange balanusi rocks and meep canyons make this spot one of the most romarkable of the trip. Here is a place for your wido-angle leus, Mr. Photographer, for there is far too much scenery for the normal lens to encompas. The highway than passes over the Sarts. Maria Kiver and enters the northern end of the Valley of the Sue ot Congress Junction. A few miles farther, and you are "Ont Wickeabag Way," in the dusde ranch capital of the world. If your schedule is sufficiently flodbls, why not spend a few days st a gost zanch, and soak up some soshine? You will will love the leisurely horsebar horseback rides slong sundy texils through the untouched desert. You will relish, too, the casual and uncomplicated nature of sanch lifs, and will moet some awfully nice people in the proces. If you car's spend more tisan four days on this tip, then I suggest you stop at one of Wickaborg's large group of maxlen motels. My invazits has always been La Siesta Motel, for it is owned by Bili Bass, a fellow photographer of scenes in AREA HIGHWAYA. BR is one of the beat nature sad wildlife photographers in tilber coworry, and he delights in giving color slide or zmotion plorare showe for his guests cach night. Even if you sren't staying with Bill, drop wound for the show, snyhow. You cua be awared of 's warm welcome and a most delightful picture tour of Arizona. A big barbecue dinaor at nearby Frontier Ina and a show in front of Bill Bas flickering fireplace add up to my idea of the end of a mighty nice day spout exploring, Arizona Sun. Trails. Distance awweled-137 miles.

THIRD DAY: Since your winter tour is to be combination of brown desert and blue lakes, today's route heads west from Wichanbury on US. 60-70 toward the clear waters of Lake Havasu, above Parker Dam. The large piles of dark dirt seen just east of Wenden are manganese ore, part of the nation's stockpile of strategic materials. Then a few miles further west is the town of Salome, made famous by the "Saturday Evening Post" stories of Dick Wick Hall, who founded Salome and dispensed "laughing gas" to the tourists who braved the rusted roads of those days. Dick Wick Hall is gone now, but his frog, "Salome," can be seen sitting near his serv-ice station, still wearing a canteen on her back to keep her back watered and green. At Hope, State Route 95 turns northwest towards Parker and the Colorado River. Parker, on the river bottomland at an elevation of only 420 feet, is a favorite center for visitors who bring their trailers and just sit in the sun for the winter. As you travel north on the California side of the river towards Parker Dam, you will see dozens of little settlements on both sides of the river. No blizzards down here! Parker Dam, an interesting concrete arch structure, is bigger than it seems at first glance. The road leads

across its curving top to the Arizona side, and then winds for a few miles through the hills bordering Lake Havasu until Havasu Springs Resort is reached. Like Katherine Landing, this spot features a good motel, restaurant, and trailer accommodations. The broad waters of Lake Havasu provide outstanding warm-water fishing sport, topped off by some special Lake Havasu sunsets. Distance traveled-133 miles.

FOURTH DAY: You're going to see a real ghost town as a windup to your Arizona winter tour, Mr. Reader. This town, the King of Arizona Mine, nestles in the midst of the jagged Kofa Mountains, which derive their name from the mine's initials. This area is south of Parker Dam, toward Yuma, so you retrace your steps back toward Hope until you turn south on State Highway 95. At the junction of Highways 95 and 60-70 at Quartzsite is another monument associated with the almost-forgotten era of camels in Arizona. Here is the Hi Jolly Monument, dedicated to Hadji Ali, a Syrian camel driver who worked with those strange beasts of burden until the project was abandoned by the U.S. Army. As one looks south from this point, the Kofa Mountains loom in the distance, looking more like a whole platoon of storybook castles than anything else I can think of. I have always considered the Kofas as seen from this angle to be the most mysterious looking mountains in these-here parts, and I include famed Superstition Mountain in this comparison.

The turnoff to King of Arizona from Highway 95 is shown at 28 miles south of Quartzsite on most road maps. The desert road heads east for 14 miles and then north for 8 miles, where the North Star Mine is reached. Before arriving at the North Star you will see some rusted machinery and a large birdhouse on top of a post. The birdhouse is a pigeon room, a reminder of the days when carrier pigeons served as the local air mail system.

The North Star Mine flourished for a brief period after the King of Arizona had passed its peak almost a half-century ago. There is usually a caretaker on duty at the North Star to explain some of the history of the region, and to point out the road that leads to the "King," just a couple of miles to the southeast.

As you round the bend and come upon the King of Arizona, it almost looks as though it is a live, flourishing town. Not until you walk up to the buildings do you notice that they are empty shells that sag a bit and flap in the breeze. The feeling of life is heightened by the well kept appearance of a cactus garden that was planted in front of the bunkhouse building, and which still looks neat after decades of neglect. The large, round tanks up the wash served as leaching tanks for the ore produced by the mines, and some parts of the old mill still remain in place. It's quiet at Kofa now, but if you listen closely the creaking of a board or the scraping of a shoe may mark the passage of a ghost of the Kofas.

Retrace your steps to Highway 95, and then proceed to its terminus at Yuma. This is the end of your trip through Arizona's winter sun land, and now we've gotten you down to only 196 feet above sea level! There's plenty of fishing and loafing to do in the sun around Yuma if you want to stick around for a while. Distance traveled-185 miles.

It's been fun having you with us, and I hope your color slides turn out well!

RECEPTION IN EAST CAROLINE ISLANDS:

My husband and I want to express how much we like ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. Being a Tucsonian, I have read it for many years, and now my husband is a convert to the beauties of and the pleasant living to be found in Arizona, so much so that we will be leaving Ponape to reside in Tucson and to attend the University of Arizona. While still in Arizona, I took ARIZONA HIGHWAYS for granted-it was just another of the good things offered. But to a couple of Arizona lovers and supporters far from their beloved land, it's an anticipated pleasure, a look-forwarded to bright spot serving to keep memories alive and to remind how nice life can be. Living on this remote island of merely ten miles across (even at that, it's one of the larger islands out "this-a-way"), it's hard to recall such facets of civilization as supermarkets, drive-ins, highways, hustling, and hurrying. (If you think Arizona has a slow, relaxed, easy style of living, boy, you ought to take a trip out here! People practically go backwards here from simply moving so slowly.) We're looking forward to Arizona's daily sunshine and to getting dried out again, Ponape being one of the wetter spots of the world with some parts of the island getting over three hundred inches of rain per year.Some people call me a walking Arizona Chamber of Commerce. I use ARIZONA HIGHWAYS as my main propaganda instrument; but during our regular several inches per hour deluges, most of the Americans here start thinking of that dry desert air and sigh a sigh of open envy. The natives really become pop-eyed upon looking at ARIZONA HIGHWAYS Magazine. Anything American fascinates them; they love pretty colors; they love bright flowers. But when all three are combined in one picture, they're really "gone." Without exception, they all ask whether there really is such a place with all those pretty flowers, and when I say there is, they shake their Beholds in wonder and express desire to see that place someday. Truly, ARIZONA HIGHWAYS is one of the most effective beneficial propaganda items and good-will producers America has. It's also a most enjoyable pastime. Mrs. Neil J. Sullivan Ponape Eastern Carolines Island... I teach the second grade and in one of our readers, Friendly Village, published by Row-Peterson, there is a chapter about a little boy going west to visit his uncle's ranch. These children here have never had the great experience of seeing distances such as described and no illustrations can do the West the justice that your photographers do in ARIZONA HIGHWAYS. Especially helpful in this story were your copies telling and showing about the Indians and showing what real hogans looked like. I tried my best to describe a turquoise stone but it meant nothing until they saw one of your pictures. Thus, you can imagine how helpful your magazine has been in showing these children just exactly what it is they are reading about. I find them rummaging in my stack of old ARIZONA HIGHWAYS on their own, much of the time, and hear them ooh! and aah! at the pictures. Sometimes it has been a hindrance because they just have to jump up and share with me the things they find. They even discover they can read some of the picture headings and become very interested in reading. As you probably know, that is half the battle in teaching, just making it interesting enough so the children want to learn.

SCHOOL AIDE:

Lois Newark Amerson Jacksonville, Florida

OPPOSITE PAGE

"APACHE LAKE PANORAMA" BY CLETIS B. REAVES. 4x5 Linhof camera; Ektachrome; f.11 at 1/10th sec.; 150mm Schneider lens; May; cloudy, dull day with an occasional light spot; 200 Meter reading; ASA Rating 12. This view of Apache Lake was taken fifteen miles from Roosevelt Dam on the Apache Trail. The photographer says: "I like some subjects under conditions like this. It sets a mood that is pleasing and gives depth to the scene."

BACK COVER

"LAKE MOHAVE AT FOOT OF ELDORADO CANYON" BY ED REGALADO. Yashica Twin lens reflex camera; Ektachrome 120 daylight; Yashicor 3.5 80mm lens; April; clear, sunny day. This view of Lake Mohave was taken from viewpoint near Nelson Landing at foot of Eldorado Canyon, Clark County, Nevada, looking southeast towards Arizona. The photographer explains: "After shooting more than 2200 35mm slides since the late 40's this was my eighth picture in the 24" format on my first attempt with a newly acquired used reflex camera. Since this first roll of 120 Ektachrome was more or less experimental, I did not keep any record of lens opening and shutter speed, which I usually do. I did, however, and always do use a tripod for this type of shot. The exposure was probably 1/10th second at f.22 or the equivalent and quite possibly I used a polascreen. The film was processed by myself in my wife's kitchen."

Opening the vista, Superstition Mountain, stands like a Cathedral. The spirit of Saints, etched In its lofty edifice. At the foot of the Hill, Cardinal like figures face The Trail, seeming to say: "Approach with awe and reverence."

Do not stray, take your fill, Then leave. There is fascination, Compulsion, to wander into maze Of abyss and cliff, to follow Twist and turn, that leads Deep down to the Lake. Curiosity, delusion, mirage Obsesses, draws down Into the chasm, to wrest the Secret of God's creation.

Keep your path, admonishes The Voice, and you will be Wiser for having traversed The Apache Trail.

Out of the well of night Freshets of silver Fill desert arroyos With rivers of light.

Beside a shallow wash this ironwood tree Sent down its roots to probe the granite sand For food and drink. By Nature's alchemy It grew and flourished in the arid land. Today it casts a friendly filtered shade For small wild denizens of earth and sky; The lizards seek its cool retreat; a parade Of busy ants is always marching by. Here quail find refuge from the noonday sun, And from its boughs birds greet both dawn and dark; The spiders cling to frail webs they have spun, And insects hide beneath its stringy bark. In this grim land where life is hard to live, The ironwood tree has learned to take and give.

The houses have gathered their families in; Along the street where silence blends With dusk enveiling bordering trees. Peace rules the world to both street-ends. And friendliness, housed up and down, Pervades this street in a friendly town.

The desert is a mosaic of jewels, when opaline flowers blend together. Lupin clusters in spirals of lapis lazuli. Verbena glows like mauve tourmaline, clasped tightly in shimmering leaves of green jade.