A Happy New Year to all of my readers.
Today, we will go for a jaunt on the Hassayampa River, upstream from Wickenburg. It’s an unusual name for a river, and it truly is an unusual river.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about Willow Lake and some of its surrounding history. Well, with all of my helpers, I found a lot more interesting history that I will share with you in a future article. Today, we are going back to an even earlier time, to where the local Indians settled in prehistory.
Prescott’s Willow Lake is a celebrated place with many trails for hiking, running and mountain biking.
Back in July my article was about a hiking trail (Granite Gardens) that many of you enjoyed, so here is another trail you’ll probably enjoy also. With the virus still lurking, it’s good to have an excuse to get out into the fresh air.
This is probably the first time I have written three articles that have a common sequence — in this instance all related to the Agua Fria River.
Instead of reading the pipeline article, you will have to wait another fortnight because I will be writing this cautionary tale instead. I hope this will help you better prepare for any hikes you choose to do.
Happy Grandparents Day! Let’s start with some basic Spanish — Agua Fria means “cold water.” That river will be known to almost everyone who lives here. Fewer people know that it rises about five miles to the northeast of downtown Prescott in the Granite Dells.
My last article was about the first Anglo arrivals in the Prescott area in 1863 – the Walker Party and the Weaver Party. Today, I’m going talk more about the Walker Party – where they built their cabins and their search for gold.
Who were the first arrivals in Prescott and when? There were two Anglo groups — the first was led by Joseph Walker, and the second by Pauline Weaver; each came in 1863.
I have been on vacation for the past month with no columns on June 21 or July 5. I hope you all had a good Independence Day weekend, celebrating your rebellion against King George.
Today, we are back in Utah for our second visit to Hole-in-the-Rock Road (HitRR), southeast of Escalante. I gave you some of the history of this road in my last column but I didn’t tell you how it got its interesting name.
A fortnight ago, we were hiking in the Dells. Today, we are up in Utah near Escalante, over 400 miles from Prescott — drivable in a day if you are energetic.
This week, we are going hiking on a local trail that was completed less than a year ago (September 2019). It is the Ecosa trail, or maybe the ECOSA trail.
We visited Sedona about 6 weeks ago (Devil’s Kitchen and Seven Sacred Pools), and also in February (Hangover Trail).
Today, I am going to take you to the Promised Land. This is a trip you’ll remember and I promise to bring you safely back home again. I realize the coronavirus is depressing and an ever-present risk, but chill out and get out into the wilds.
This Sunday I’m going to talk about the Southwest, starting before Arizona and Prescott existed. These decades were tumultuous times in American history.
Today we are back in Sedona. There are many Amazing Places there, but the driving in the Sedona area traffic can be frustrating especially at weekends.
My article today about is quite different from previous articles. Read on, and you’ll soon see why.
Two weeks ago, I described a hike in Sedona.
We spent January in Utah but this week we are back in Arizona – not Prescott, but nearby Sedona.
We are back in Utah today exploring Calf Creek. Last week we visited the Lower Falls, so now we will enjoy the Upper Falls.
In thinking about my first column for 2020, the idea I came up with could be considered a New Year’s Resolution, but I only realized that later.
I’m going to start by wishing all of my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
My last two articles have been about sheep – today we will visit two antiquities just north of town, to the west of Williamson Valley Road.
Here is my third article about sheep, featuring a rock corral built by sheepherders over a century ago near Sunset Point rest stop on Interstate 17.
My first article on sheep was on Sept. 1, 2019. Here is my second – about Sheep Bridge, which has an interesting history.
Two weeks ago, we tried to solve the mystery of the Graves by Mescal Gulch.
This week we’re going to investigate a century-old cold case!
Today we are going back to the Agua Fria National Monument (AFNM) – to Copper Creek Cabin.
Today I’ll take you out to Hyde Mountain, an obscure but historic location, and introduce you to an interesting lady, Happy Oasis.
This Sunday I’m going to talk about Amazing Animals, not an Amazing Place.
Two weeks ago, I was planning to tell you about some interesting petroglyphs but something else came up instead. So, today it’s back to those petroglyphs.
I was going to tell you about some Amazing Petroglyphs today, but something came up that I felt was more important.
There have been a number of public meetings recently with the four candidates running for City Council — the primary election is Aug. 27. Their differing responses to the question about saving the Dells were revealing.
Mining has been a major source of revenue for Arizona, especially copper, gold and silver — and still is to this day.
I have a correction on my last article, Jagged Tooth. Beth B, a geology professor at Yavapai College, tells me the rock formation there is a “Banded Iron Formation” (BIF) not a dyke.
Today I’m going to tell you about a place called “Jagged Tooth”.
Like most lakes in Arizona, Sullivan Lake is really a reservoir with a man-made dam. Back east, the Great Lakes are natural lakes, but most other American “lakes” are not — the ones on the Columbia, the Colorado, and more locally on the Salt and the Verde.
This is my second article about the Granite Dells, but it won’t be the last.
The Amazing Place for this fortnight is one that everyone has heard of — the GRAND CANYON.
Today’s article is about the Spirit Hunter Petroglyphs, but it will be a meandering journey before we get there. Two weeks ago, I spent a weekend volunteering at Montezuma Well, as I had done in 2017 and 2018.
This week my Amazing Place is actually an Amazing Insect, the second insect I’ve written about (the first was the bagworm on April 1, 2018).
With all the rain and snow we’ve had recently, many of the area waterfalls are flowing heavily and well worth a visit, but don’t wait.
Today we’ll take a hike, the Copper Falls hike.
The Daily Courier’s article (Feb. 15) on the Dells and annexation plans by Arizona Eco Development (AED) raised several interesting issues.
Unlike a fortnight ago, today’s Amazing Place is easy for everyone to get to.
Today’s article is about the grave of Isaac Bradshaw. Some of you may have heard about this grave, and a few may have visited it.
I’m not going to tell you how to find this week’s Amazing Place, even though it’s not far from Prescott.
My last article was about an Amazing Road, here in Prescott.
