BACK ROAD ADVENTURE

back adventure Catch a Glimpse, While You Still Can, of PRONGHORNS Grazing Between PRESCOTT VALLEY and MINGUS MOUNTAIN

PICTURE A PEACEFUL VALLEY OF BRAMBLES and tall prairie grass, surrounded by khaki-colored hills rolling out to the base of a mountain range shadowed by a bank of clouds. The road, a curling stretch of fine Arizona dirt, billows in the rearview mirror as though you're being pursued by General Crook's cavalry. What sounds like a beautiful day in the backcountry is exactly that. And what's unusual about the first leg of this trip is its proximity to civilization. Fain Road, also known as State Route 179, runs only a few miles from the courthouse square in downtown Prescott. As you pass through Prescott Valley on the drive toward Phoenix on State Route 69, watch for a right-hand turn into the Prescott Country Club. Fain Road is to the left. Along here, one can still see pronghorn antelope

WARNING: Back road travel can be hazardous if you are not prepared for the unexpected.

Whether traveling in the desert or in the high country, be aware of weather and road conditions, and make sure you and your vehicle are in top shape. Carry plenty of water. Don't travel alone, and let someone at home know where you are going and when you plan to return. Odometer readings may vary by vehicle.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Prescott National Forest, Verde Ranger District, (928) 567-4121.

grazing the roadside grasslands, a sight made peculiar by the ever-increasing number of new homes dotting the hills behind the herd. How long before the development pushes the herd into less-accessible terrain remains unknown. But it's bound to happen, so this easy opportunity to see animals in the wild shouldn't be missed. Luck plays a role in how good a look you'll get. Some days the pronghorns graze so close to the barbed-wire fence that passersby can see them clearly without binoculars. On my first pass along the road, the herd lolled a good distance off. I saw maybe 25 of them munching on grass as crows soared overhead. One pronghorn tried to scare up trouble among his friends by getting a running start and bumping into them as they ate. Something surprised me: The pronghorns (relatives of a goat, not the African antelope) are smaller than I'd thought, standing about 5 feet tall and weighing about 125 pounds. They have brown backs, white bellies and behinds, and pipe-stem legs.I wished I'd brought binoculars for a close-up look. It's also a good idea to bring a camera, and even a picnic lunch to enjoy on the hood as you watch these beautiful animals.

Fain Road runs for about 7 miles before con-necting to State Route 89A, where I turned right. The two-lane highway begins amid a woodland of oak, and paper-clips up the Black Hills toward Jerome.

Driving another 6 miles takes you to Potato Patch Campground on the left at the intersection of State 89A and Forest Service Road 104. The latter remains unpaved but in good enough condition for an ordinary passenger car, as long as it's dry. Turning right onto this unmarked road also leads to one of the state's best-kept secrets. Arizona is renowned for its extraordinary vistas, as it's dry. Turning right onto this unmarked road also leads to one of the state's best-kept secrets. Arizona is renowned for its extraordinary vistas, but the views at the top of FR 104 rival any for sheer grandeur.

The drive to the summit of Mingus Mountain is guardrail-free and a bit hair-raising. I was accompanied by Catherine Sampson, then-recreation foreman for the Verde Ranger District of Prescott National Forest. Near tiny Mingus Lake and a private church camp 2 miles up, we saw a family of white-tailed deer trotting across the road in front of our truck.

But that's not unusual, according to Sampson, who says travelers should be on the lookout for black bears, elk, mountain lions and coyotes, too. About 3 miles up the mountain, the unusual look of the alligator juniper tree, with its scaly bark and twisting limbs, drew my attention, and I spotted a pretty sight just outside the passenger side window: a robin posing on the fence.

You'll come to the first overlook at Mingus Campground. A small retaining wall gives those who fearheights some comFort, but not much, especially on a day with wind so strong it bends the pines.

But if that ledge gets the knees wobbly, another, just .6 of a mile higher, at 7,734 feet, will leave you breathless. The view encompasses 3,000 square miles of Arizona, and on a clear day includes the San Francisco Peaks and Flagstaff, Baker Butte above Strawberry on the Mogollon Rim, and the Mazatzal Mountain range north of Scottsdale. The nearby towns of Clarkdale and Cottonwood can be spotted, as well as the red cliffs of Sedona.

Even on this dark morning, the sky filled with bleak, gothic-looking clouds, the sight made our hearts pound.

"What I like about this view is you don't expect it," said Sampson. "Most of the way up there's no view and all of a sudden here it is. It's so surprising, and you can see so far and at such a wide angle."

I stayed a good distance back from the lip, paved with a down-sloping concrete slab, which is used by hang gliders as an off-ramp. All I could think of was that a gust of wind could well have made me a human hang glider, at least until I splatted onto the ground.

Sampson pointed out a heart-shaped dirt patch near the Cottonwood airport where the gliders land, and noted that one such adventurer was killed there not long before our visit.

I'm astounded at the view, with its layers of purple and brown and silver along the winding river, but even more so that anyone would leap off this ledge.

"You mean people just run down that ramp and jump?" I asked.

"You don't have to run," Sampson said.

"And they land on that tiny dirt patch?"

"Hopefully."

For the less brave, including me, a nice hiking trail skirts along the rim, away from the Mingus Mountain Overlook.

On my way back to Prescott, I drove Fain Road again, hoping to get a better look at the pronghorns. This time they were much closer to the fence no more than 50 feet, I'd guess and with lunch over, they were all lying down. It made an interesting sight: All I could see above the grass was their heads. They had jackrabbit ears and quizzical expressions. I got out of the car and watched them as they watched me. And I stayed a long time, too, reminding myself that it won't be long before such an unusual opportunity disappears forever. AH On a warm summer day, the town of Cottonwood seems to be receiving a communique from above.