Stories

July 2024

A Wilderness Canyon

After a rocky, twisting drive through a Ponderosa and Alligator Juniper forest, I stumbled upon the rim of a wilderness canyon in North Central Arizona.  It was the late 1980’s.  I descended a steep route and went for a swim.

Upon returning home, I studied my maps and came back to explore this Wilderness over the next few years.

In 1994 I read a story in Arizona Highways Magazine by Nick Berezenko.  He was an accomplished landscape photographer whose images of Arizona and the Mogollon Rim often appeared in the magazine.  Nick’s images and prose drew me into this amazing wilderness.  I wanted to see more of this canyon.  I was able to contact Nick and he invited me to visit him at his cabin in Pine, AZ to discuss my forays.

We spent a couple of hours talking and examining topographic maps of the canyon.  I took notes.  His excitement was infectious and I now determined to travel the length of the canyon.

Two friends and I strapped one man inflatable rafts to our packs and walked, hopped, climbed, stumbled, fished, floated, and swam down canyon for three days.  The scenery, isolation and difficulty of travel in this wilderness was incredible.  Waterfalls, cascades, deep and dark pools of 100 meters or more in length were around each bend.

It was everything Nick had promised.

I’ve gone back into the canyon day hiking this summer.  After an internet search, I found that Nick had passed a few years ago.  I wanted to thank him again for his story, his images, his knowledge, his time, and his love for Arizona.

Quoting Nick, this wilderness canyon is: “one of the most primal experiences available anywhere in the world.”

I agree.