AZ2004 -- Yarnell Hill

When i was 15 and only had a learner's permit, coming up over the hill down US-89A and not seeing where the road went through the switchbacks nearly made me crap my pants. Fifteensomeodd years later, still the same impact. Going down 2500 feet in only 4 miles, its like driving a rollercoaster and worth turning around and doing it again 5 or so times before leaving the park.

View of the US-89A from the top. . .

. . .about halfway down. . .

. . .the lower valley fromn the hill. . .

. . . random hawk on the desert updrafts. . .

. . .random desert cactus. . .

. . .more local rocks. . .

. . .almost down. . .

. . .looking back at Yarnell Hill from the bottom. . .

. . .the valley floor.

AZ2004 -- Mingus Mountain

Coming down 89A just past Cottonwood, I revisited the Mingus Mountain overlooks. Ive been here twice before, both with the Grandparents and them trying to get their caddy up the dirt roads -- , but this was the first on my own. No time to hike, will have to do that next time around.

89A at the turn in. . .

. . . couple of miles into the park, at the top of the hill -- an overlook of the forest service dirt roads leading in. It's about 1000 +/- down to the bottom from the ledge. . .

. . .the road itself was just barely 2 car lanes wide and mud/dirt every step of the way. . .

. . . with major drop offs. . .

. . .overhanging walls around the forest service dirt roads leading in. . .

. . .at the top, shot of the spruce trees with a contrail above. . .

. . .the moon was still out. . .

. . .road to camping and hiking sites. it was closed just down the way. . .

. . . back down the hill and to the next stop.

AZ2004 -- Jerome Area

Jerome used to be a silver and copper mining town back in the day. Those mines have long since been closed -- and the town has turned into a arts an tourist town of sorts. Much of US89A weaves through it as it switchbacks up the north side of Mingus Mountain, and its minor miracle that the town just doesnt slide down the side.

This piece of mining equipment is on display near the museum area. . .

. . .view of the old mining district up the side of the mountain. The white building on the side is the Arizona Mining Museum. . .

. . . an old abandoned building from Jerome's mining days. . .

. . .view of the town from the Mining Museum. . .

. . .the town from US-89A. The 'J' on the side of Cleopatra Hill stands for the obvious. . .

. . . .i wish i could remember what this buliding was. . .

. . .a bad picture of Humprhies Peak from the Jerome Area (about 100 miles +/- away). . .

. . .view of the valley from Jerome. . .

. . .red rocks everywhere. . .

. . .old mining tracks. . .

. . .looking back at Jerome from US-89A on the way south out of town. . .

. . . US89-A heading out south towards Prescott.