Road Trip!

Today's weather came up windy, grey and unsettled so we decided it was not a good day for hiking and biking but a good time to revisit the scenic mountain areas east of Apache Junction.

We drove east to Superior on Hwy 60, south to Winkelman on 177, north to Globe on 77, an out'n'back route from Globe on 188 to the Roosevelt Dam, and then back home on 60 west. Our weather judgement was correct as it was cool (50sF/ low teens C), very breezy and then it rained on our return between Superior and home. It poured heavily again later in the evening.

The Theodore Roosevelt Dam, begun in 1903 was once the world's tallest masonry dam; it was constructed northeast of Phoenix, AZ to prevent flooding and control the raging waters of the Salt River, provide water for irrigation, and generate hydroelectric power.The dam was completed in 1911 and was subsequently modified between 1989 and 1996. The modification raised the dam 77 feet in elevation, increasing its water conservation storage capacity by 20 percent, adding flood control space to the reservoir, and addressing concerns about its safety as well as the safety of downstream dams. 

Historic/active open pit copper mining operations, the "Telegraph Fire"* of June, 2021, and erosion from extra heavy seasonal monsoon rains this past fall, have all disfigured the rugged landscape along our route. Sadly, the few trees and cactus that call this area home were charred or burned - even wooden guard rail posts have had to be replaced in many locations. As few folks live in these wild areas we saw little evidence of lost homes or ranches.

You may recognize some of the huge mining conglomerates active in the region - Freeport McMoRan, Capstone, BHP, ASARCO, Resolution Copper and Capstone?

The mountain groups in this area have interesting names - Pinal, Dripping Springs, Mescal, Apache, Sierra Ancho.

*The 2021 Telegraph Fire, one of the state's largest wildfires last year, burned 180,757 acres alone in the Tonto forest before being fully contained. The fire originated near Superior on June 4 and its cause is still under investigation.