BACK ROAD ADVENTURE

Service. Years before his name became synonymous with wilderness preservation, he was cocky and trigger-happy. One day in 1909, he and a co-worker were having lunch on a rock overlooking the Blue River when they saw something move in the brush near the water. Leopold stood up and fired into a pack of cavorting juvenile wolves. When he went down to see his handiwork, he found an older wolf among the pups had been badly wounded but was not yet dead. Leopold extended his rifle toward the injured animal. Suddenly, in a last instinctive rush, the old wolf lunged and dug its teeth into the rifle butt, giving Leopold an emotional jolt he would never forget. The wolf died, but left a legacy. Years later, lamenting the eradication of wolves in the Blue area, Leopold wrote about the “fierce green fire” in the eyes of that dying animal. Clearly the defiance in those eyes had transformed him. Maybe, in an indirect way, the incident made him famous.

I couldn't stop thinking about that wolf. In the first half-mile of the drive, we passed a large meadow partially obscured by healthy stands of ponderosa pines. On most mornings in late spring, elk graze within several feet of the cattle in the field. That kind of competition for precious grass disturbs ranchers, but until wolves were reintroduced into the area, there weren't enough predators to thin out the elk herds. Maybe that will change. The Red Hill Road, Forest Service Road 567, made the shortest route to the Blue River. It also is the steepest and, if the road is wet, can be slippery.

Memorize the word “slow” and respect it when driving there. You won't find guardrails, gas stations or restaurants in the densely timbered area - one of the most isolated parts of Arizona. You don't need four-wheel drive, but a high-clearance vehicle seems essential.

After a few miles, the road led out of the forest and presented a panoramic view to the east of the haze-shrouded Gila National Forest of New Mexico and the southern reaches of the Blue River. After 13 miles, we reached the river. It had been a drought year and the forest was dry and brittle, yet the stream tumbled along with a decent flow enjoyed by a small group of turkey vultures.

Before crossing the river, we ducked into the Blue Crossing campground on our left. In the northwestern corner of the small campground, a gate led to a petroglyph site where prehistoric Indians etched pictures into the copper-colored rock. No one knows precisely when these symbols were scraped into the rock wall or what they mean.

As you cross the river and turn right, some homes can be seen through the trees, a clear indication that you've reached Blue, a settlement of widely scattered ranches, a one-room school-house, a fish hatchery and a post office. It isn't a town but a “community” in the true sense of the word, where people are joined by mutual need and shared concerns.

About 2 miles south of Blue Crossing, Pueblo Park Road (FR 232) turned left. The road climbed steeply along switchbacks as it headed away from the river. Five miles later, we were back among ponderosa pine trees at a cutoff for the Bonanza Bill Trail, which meanders south along the Arizona-New Mexico border. All trails in the area had been closed because of extreme fire danger, so we couldn't investigate, though this one certainly looked inviting.

Less than a mile beyond the trail cutoff, a road on the left headed up to a point below the fire lookout station on Saddle Mountain, the most prominent peak at this end of New Mexico's Blue Range Wilderness.

A few miles later, we reached what appeared to be the highest point along our route, a spot where the road zigzags alongside deep and rugged Chimney Rock Canyon. Rocky spires rose to our left; an apron of isolated cottonwood trees and staghorn cholla covered the lower hills.

As we dropped off the top, we found ourselves back among oak and juniper trees, and gradually re-entered a ponderosa forest just before crossing the bridge over Pueblo Creek. We could see evidence of a wild and turbulent history in that creek - large rocks, huge tree limbs but on this day it was bone-dry, as was everything in the area. A thousand years earlier, give or take, Indians had lived in what is now the Pueblo Park campground. Archaeologists located the scant remnants of their homes and kivas (underground ceremonial chambers) and cleared a 1.5-mile trail that loops between the campsites to the crumbled walls of pithouses and other structures. The ruins are evocative but not dramatic, and it takes some imagination to picture the former Indian pueblo. Looking at that desiccated creek, it wasn't hard to imagine why they might have moved on.

In our case, moving on was easy. From Pueblo Park, it is 6 miles on a good dirt road to the pavement of U.S. Route 180. When you reach the blacktop, turn left onto Route 180 and, in approximately a half-hour, you'll be back in the pines and green meadows at Alpine. AH Festivals, powwows and get-togethers / by CARRIE M. MINER

experience. arizona SPIRITS OF THE NAVAJO

Join the Friends of Arizona Highways on September 7 through 11 for a visual treat at the 55th Annual Navajo Nation Fair. Hundreds of Native American dancers from throughout the United States and Canada will dance in the powwow arena. Your special passes will position you for "the action shot of a lifetime" at the all-Indian rodeo. Navajo photographer LeRoy DeJolie will lend his cultural understanding to this experience. We will continue on to the dramatic pre-Columbian cliff dwellings sheltered within the sandstone alcoves of Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Registration deadline is August 3.

For more information and a complete schedule of the Friends of Arizona Highways workshops, call (602) 7122004 or toll-free (888) 790-7042 or visit the Web site: friendsofazhighways.com.

OTHER WORKSHOPS

Sept. 22-26 Slot Canyons with Jerry Sieve Sept. 29-0ct. 3 Autumn at the North Rim with Peter Ensenberger Sept. 29-0ct. 6 Footprints of the Anasazi with Jerry Sieve

Arizona Highways Photography Exhibits

CELEBRATING THE GRAND CANYON Photographs by Gary Ladd Through May 27 Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott (520) 445-3122 CELEBRATING NATIVE CULTURES The Photography of Jerry Jacka June 16 through October 5 Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff (520) 774-5213

photo work shop SHOOT-OUT CELEBRATION

May 26-28; Tombstone Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp, American frontiersman and law enforcement officer, settled in Tombstone in 1879. During his stay in this rowdy town, Earp furthered his reputation as a gunfighter - first as a deputy sheriff of Pima County and later as a deputy U.S. marshal of Territorial Arizona. In 1881, Earp, three of his brothers and gunman Doc Holliday shot it out with the Clanton gang at the famous O.K. Corral and earned a permanent place in the chronicles of the Old West. Tombstone, known as the "town too tough to die," celebrates the time when the Earp brothers roamed the dusty streets during the 23rd annual Wyatt Earp Days with mock gunfights and a period fashion show. Other highlights include the state chili cook-off finals, a parade and dancing in the streets. Information: (520) 457-9317.

GHOSTLY HOME TOUR

May 19-20; Jerome In 1882 the United Verde Copper Company began operation in Jerome, and through the ensuing years, the town's economy remained linked with fluctuating copper prices. Houses were built haphazardly as the town sprung up along the steep slopes of Cleopatra Hill. The mines closed for good in 1953, and Jerome was well on its way to becoming a ghost town until artisans rediscovered it.

The Paseo de Casas began during Jerome's ghost town years and now, celebrating its 36th year, the event ranks as the oldest home tour in Arizona. Each year, six to eight private homes are opened to the public, including everything from Victorian-style houses on Company Hill to renovated miners' shacks. The tour ends at the old J.C. Penney building, which closed in 1953 and was renovated into a community hall. Area artisans display their work at Lawrence Memorial Hall. Information: (520) 634-2900 or (520) 634-5477.

GETTING KICKS ON ROUTE 66

May 4-6; Seligman-Topock Seventy-five years ago, a stretch of road was commissioned - a road that reached across the country and into the pop culture of America. Route 66, known by many names including "The Mother Road," "The Main Street of America" and "The Will Rogers Highway,"

started in Chicago and ended in Los Angeles. Winding its way to the West Coast, this romanticized stretch of highway crossed eight states and three time zones as it traversed 2,448 miles. The 14th Annual Route 66 Fun Run celebrates Arizona's portion of this nostalgic highway with a road rally of all types of classic cars, military vehicles, RVs and motorcycles. Information: (520) 753-5001.

RIDING, ROPING AND SORTING

May 26-27; Globe The term rodeo comes from the Spanish word rodear, which translates as "to surround" or "roundup." This competitive sport originated from Western ranch life as a means to keep cowboys' skills in shape during the summer slow times. Riders would come to town from the surrounding ranches and display their prowess in riding, roping and sorting. Although Globe was known more in its glory days for its world-famous copper deposits, this rough and tumble town served as a place for ranchers to congregate. The 33rd annual Copper Dust Stampede Rodeo and Parade celebrates Globe's rich history with a rodeo, parade and a dance. Information: toll-free (800) 804-5623.

Other Events

Verde Valley Fair; May 2-6; Cottonwood; (520) 634-3290. Carnival, arts and crafts and a livestock show.

Greater Cottonwood Antique Aeroplane and Auto Show; May 5; Cottonwood; (520) 634-7593. Street rods, kit cars and vintage and experimental aircraft.

Cinco de Mayo Parade and Celebration; May 5; Yuma; (520) 783-2423. Parade, ethnic food and live entertainment.

Bisbee Spring Arts Celebration; May 12-13; Bisbee; (520) 432-5421. Walks through art studios and galleries.

Fiesta de la Primavera; May 12-13; St. David; (520) 720-4642. Arts and crafts, ethnic food and live entertainment at the Holy Trinity Monastery.

Gila Valley Family Festival; May 25-28; Safford; toll-free (888) 837-1841. A street fair, classic car show and continuous live entertainment.

Young's Farm Memorial Weekend Pie Festival and Antique Tractor Pull; May 26-28; Dewey; (520) 632-7272. A tractor pull and engine exhibit, pie walk, pony and wagon rides.

Rendezvous Days; May 26-28; Williams; (520) 635-4061. Re-enactment of the springtime mountain men gathering with a black-powder shoot, carnival and street dances.

Note: Dates and activities could change. Before planning to attend events, phone for fees and to confirm days and times.

54 MAY 2001