White Canyon Adventure

In fact, any time is, except during the hot summer months. A covey of quail ahead of us was already out looking for breakfast, so we followed their chirping sounds up White Canyon.

At the trail register, we stopped to read the comments of past hikers. One was signed “Four Wild Western Women.” An entry made a couple of weeks later by a man indicated his reason for hiking: “Pursuing Four Wild Western Women.” He didn't stop on the way out to note whether he'd [FAR LEFT] Water gathers in flood-scoured slick-rock along a Wilderness wash.

[ABOVE] A cottonwood's changing color brightens a side canyon below Battle Ax Butte.

found them, and I wondered if he remained upcanyon somewhere on his search.

Comments like "Saw a Gila monster" and "Watch out for the rattlesnake" made me nervous. I added those creatures to my list of bears, lions and who knows what else that could lurk in this rugged canyon. Comforting to read, most thoughts recorded in the trailhead book expressed sentiments like: "Peaceful, silent, beautiful, a great place to think out your problems."

I soon forgot to worry about the critters as I became enthralled by the beauty of the place. There is no marked trail, so you simply wander over the smaller and around the larger boulders that litter the canyon floor. At first, the fairly easy hike seemed perfect for winter walking.

Boulders, fallen from the canyon walls, lay jumbled together in the dry bed. Intrigued by the variety of colors and textures of stones, I wished for the thousandth time I knew more about rocks and minerals. I remembered from a geology class, the rock formation of these light-colored canyon walls is called volcanic tuff, ash from an ancient eruption turned to stone. Limestone comprised some of the outcroppings and many boulders looked like conglomerates, a mish-mash of different rocks welded into one large stone.

As to the identity of the rest of the rocks, I didn't have a clue, but a rockhound would love this canyon. The southeastern portion of Mineral Mountain sits within the White Canyon Wilderness, and occasional claim markers and signs of old diggings reveal that prospectors roamed these canyons studying the rocks for more than their aesthetic appeal.

In some places clumps of mesquite, cat-claw, willow and prickly pear slowed us, but added to the beauty. Occasionally, a penstemon, a flower I always knew as red bell, waved on a tall stalk, offering a startling spot of color. Saguaros grew down the canyon wall right to the dry streambed and catclaw dotted the hillside.

The cliffs, striated in repeating bands of brown and white, lit dramatically when the rising sun found the western wall of the canyon. The sun brought out more of the wildlife and I heard scurrying under the bushes and birds screeching at each other. I hoped those unknown noises came from rabbits and lizards, and tried to remember how warm it has to get to bring out that rattlesnake and Gila monster mentioned in the trail register.

My worrying changed from creatures to rock slides. Sometime in White Canyon's history, massive rocks crashed down these steep slopes and blocked the water channel, forming a curving, wandering streambed. I looked warily up at the cliffs. Some of those rocks seemed to have tenuous holds at best, and it wasn't hard to imagine one tumbling down.

One immense conglomerate sprouted a prickly pear and two barrel cacti growing in an eroded niche about 10 feet off the ground. They looked as if they'd been planted there and seemed strangely formal in this wild place. Several room-size boulders had large dead tree trunks balanced on top of them, mute evidence of the floods that can careen through this gorge.

The ravine narrowed where the streambed cut through solid white rock, worn and shaped by centuries of erosion until it resembled giant dinosaur bones. I followed a narrow channel to a shallow pocket with green, mossy water and enjoyed the tranquility of this desert retreat.

The once-easy hike grew more difficult as we climbed up ledges or circumvented great boulders, and I watched for smooth water-worn troughs to follow. Around a bend, I discovered a miniature slot canyon complete with a pool of water at its mouth. The canyon, delicate and finely carved, seemed out of place in this craggy environment.

When the trail turned to more of a hike than we wanted, we started back toward Battle Ax, the dominant topographical feature at the mouth of White Canyon. We'd decided to explore only this one area of the Wilderness, but, fascinated by the natural terrain, we made plans for another trip.

At the end of January, we returned to White Canyon Wilderness to explore an unnamed canyon. I could understand why so many people visit Arizona in the winter. Perfect for desert hiking, the sun shone while a slight breeze blew cool enough for us to wear light jackets.

Bernadette and my 11-year-old daughter, Jessica, who joined us on this trip, took on the task of determining an appropriate name for this rugged crack in Mineral Mountain.

As in nearby White Canyon, huge colorful boulders cluttered this canyon floor. It had rained since our last visit and potholes of water remained. A small waterfall still trickled over a ledge. The grass, starting to green, and a few wildflowers heralded the arrival of spring.

This nameless canyon offered easier walking, and we enjoyed the scenery until we came to a fresh landslide. Large boulders, recently cracked from the canyon wall, had brought paloverde trees, cacti and rocks crashing to the bottom. I could easily tell where the slide started high on the wall. The neighboring rocks looked loose, as if barely hanging on, so we hurried on up the canyon.

GETTING THERE: To reach White Canyon Wilderness from Superior, follow State Route 177 south for almost 10 miles to Battle Ax Road and turn west. Go right at all forks for approximately 4 miles. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Bureau of Land Management, 12661 E. Broadway Road, Tucson, AZ 85748; (520) 722-4289.

Oddly eroded pinnacles decorated the multicolored walls, and, on the east side, a formation resembled a large cave with a collapsed roof. Instead of narrowing toward the head like White Canyon, this gorge gradually widened. As the canyon walls receded, we were left with an easy walk up a U-shaped ravine. There, magnificent saguaros took over. Apparently fire, disease and man have missed this section, and the saguaros stood tall and ancient.

We spotted two immense, multiarmed saguaros high on a ledge and guessed them to be 200 years old, but then, we don't qualify as cactus experts. Saguaros grow down near the bottom, and Jessica stood at the base of one giant, tilting her head far back to gaze at the top of its perfect arms.

Bernadette and Jessica agreed the canyon's name should honor those saguaros. After much discussion, they settled on the partly Spanish name “Canyon Saguaros Grande,” which roughly translates as “canyon of the great saguaros.” I agreed the name fit.

By watching closely, we located an old mining road on the east hillside and followed it out of Canyon Saguaros Grande. We couldn't begin to guess the age of the eroded route, but a paloverde tree in the middle of the road had grown to 10 feet high since someone drove through there. The climb out, although steep and steady, rewarded us with a view from the top saddle that made the hike worthwhile.

We kept on the old mining track until it circled back to our main dirt road, then headed west back to our vehicles. Along the road, a metal pipe sticking out of the ground flowed with a small amount of water. We stopped to wash up and found a pleasant surprise warm water. Several warm springs exist in the area, and on cold morn-ings, fog gathers in the canyon bottoms, adding a mysterious aura to a spot so close to civilization, yet seeming so remote.

The warm water flows down Walnut Canyon, which begs to be explored, but we hadn't the time. White Canyon may be a small Wilderness area, but it is big in visual delights. Walking these canyons proves enjoyable, but you can enjoy much of the scenery from the comfort of your vehicle driving along the boundary line.

Preparing to leave, I looked up at Battle Ax, the majestic peak that guards White Canyon Wilderness. Just like the craggy mountain, this area's beauty comes from its rough and rugged scenery. But if you want to see White Canyon itself, remember: It's the one with the white walls. AH

humor

"There's nothing wrong with needing reading glasses to read. You need a drinking glass to drink, don't you?"

From the Arizona Highways humor book Growing Older is So Much Fun EVERYBODY'S Doing It, by Gene Perret, who writes our "Wit Stop" column. To order, call toll-free (800) 543-5432. The cost is $6.95 plus shipping and handling.

A DEFINING MOMENT

I had just spent a week-long vacation at a working cattle and horse ranch. On the last day, my fellow guest-ranchers and I were headed to the airport in the ranch van. Shortly after turning onto an honest-togoodness paved road, after about 20 miles of dirt roads, we spotted a tiny cluster of buildings in the distance signaling a small settlement. At about the same time, we noticed a sign on the shoulder of the road warning us that we were entering a "congested area." Woody, the driver, with the subtle humor so typical of the West, quipped, "Oh, that just means all the folks who live around here have allergies." WILLIAM COOLIDGE III, Altona, NY

A PROPER NAME

While visiting an Arizona dude ranch, two middleaged widows went on a trail ride. Going down a steep descent, one of the women asked the wrangler her "horsey's" name. He replied that her "hoss"

TO SUBMIT HUMOR Send us an original short story, no more than 200 words, about your humorous experiences, and we'll pay $75 for each one we publish. Send them to Humor, Arizona Highways, 2039 W. Lewis Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85009. Please enclose your name, address and telephone number with each submission. We'll notify those whose stories we intend to publish, but we cannot acknowledge or return unused submissions.

was named London Bridge. "Well, that's a funny name," the woman said. "Why do you call him that?" "Because, ma'am, he's always falling down." LELAND BARKER, Kingman

DIVIDED EQUALLY

We hosted some German tourists who looked forward to their visit to the Grand Canyon. After returning from the Canyon and a number of other sites along the way, we were curious to learn what had impressed them most. To our surprise, they said the most impressive sight was seeing two parts of a house being moved down the highway. They'd heard of American-style divorce in which everything is divided in half. Now they'd actually seen a house that had been cut in two! WALLACE O. KLANDRUD, Glendale

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

My husband and I decided to retire in Arizona, so we came looking for a house. We searched in Surprise, Sun City, and Glendale. Not finding what we wanted, we scoured Tucson and Green Valley. Nothing appealed there either, so we took a back road, seeking a place to eat lunch. We spotted a rustic gray building with a big sign that included the word "RESTAURANTE" and stopped, jot down the name so we could try it again later. As I was writing, a man came out the door. "Can I help you?" he inquired. "I'm writing down the name of your restaurant for future use," I explained. Glancing at what I'd written, he replied, "That's not the name of the restaurant. That says, 'Closed on Mondays.'" BETTIE WRIGHT, Glendale

EXPERT GUIDE

A visitor, unfamiliar with the Prescott area, agreed to go hunting one day with a local resident. On their trip, the visitor was impressed by the tales and the knowledge of his new friend. As they walked through the grass, the guide suddenly stopped, looked at the ground and said, "Another hunter just came through here. He was six feet tall, had blond hair and blue eyes and weighed 200 pounds." "You can tell all that just bylooking at some footprints in the grass?" the newcomer asked in amazement. "No," replied the other, bending over to pick up something. "He dropped his hunting license here." ARNOLD F. ULMA, Prescott looking at some footprints in the grass?" the newcomer asked in amazement. "No," replied the other, bending over to pick up something. "He dropped his hunting license here." ARNOLD F. ULMA, Prescott

BUSY HOMEFRONT

When our boys were small, we took a week's vacation to visit some of the tourist spots in Arizona. Often our stops included such famous Indian ruins as Montezuma Castle, Wupatki, Walnut Canyon and Tuzigoot. At each site, many others joined us in contemplating the history and mystery of the ancient Anasazi and Sinagua cultures.

One tourist remarked, "You know, they aren't sure why the Anasazi moved away or just seemed to disappear." "Well, I know," piped up our 5-year-old son. "They got tired of having so many visitors." JULIANNA FLUEGGE, Lake Havasu City

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America's premier landscape photographer, David Muench was honored in 1997 with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association. The book won two Benjamin Franklin awards for its content and design.

DAVID MUENCH'S ARIZONA

DAVID MUENCH'S ARIZONA: CHERISH THE LAND, WALK IN BEAUTY 144 pages. Softcover. 120 full-color photographs #ADMSO $27.95 (plus shipping and handling) TO ORDER: Use the attached card or call toll-free nationwide, 1-800-543-5432. In the Phoenix area or outside the U.S., call 602-712-2000. Or fax to 602-254-4505. Visit us at www.arizonahighways.com to order online.

Cowboy Grub and Caviar Meet in Desert Towns of CAVE CREEK and CAREFREE

Escape the stress of the city and experience our combination of rural relaxation and urban sophistication, Old West and new, cowboys and caviar . . ."

A CAREFREE/CAVE CREEK CHAMBER OF Commerce brochure beckons visitors with a promise of two distinct experiences: Cave Creek and Carefree true West and tres West; adjacent communities that have made a fine, fun business out of showing out-of-towners Arizona's grit and glitter.

The two incorporated towns sit only 30 miles northeast of downtown Phoenix, fanning out from the foot of Black Mountain, a once-active volcano that's now covered with the lush greenery of the Sonoran Desert, including hundreds maybe even thousands of straight-standing saguaros. In the moonlight, you'd mistake them for at-attention, rifled sentries keeping watch over the towns.

My husband and I arrived in Cave Creek about 11:40 A.M. and knew what we wanted to see first Carefree's sundial. Heading east from Cave Creek, we got to Carefree in a matter of minutes just in time to watch the sundial register high noon.

One of the largest in the Western Hemisphere, the sundial built in 1959 with a steel frame covered by anodized copper measures 90 feet in diameter. The metal gnomon of the dial, the shadowing extension, looms 35 feet above the ground, measures 4 feet wide and extends 75 feet. Exactly at noon, we watched the gnomon shadow slice directly into the middle of a reflecting pool and fountain, and onto a big yellow "12" painted on the circular ground dial.

We headed back west to Cave Creek. Settled in the 1870s, Cave Creek bustled as a gold mining town until the early 1920s. Incorporated as a bona fide town in 1986, it spans 27 square miles and has a population of 3,470.

Cave Creek offers a taste of the cowboy's Arizona. And, with restaurants and shops named The Town Dump, the Jackalope, the Horny Toad and Crazy Ed's Satisfied Frog, the town has a sense of humor.