Northern Arizona's Mt Living Magazine | February 2019 by Arizona Daily Sun

NORTHERN ARIZONA'S

MAGAZINE

Magic

SEASON OF Winter at the Canyon

PLUS Tradition & Elegance at El Tovar Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie Seeking Solitude

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Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

Northern Arizona Wedding Expo Saturday, February 23, 2019 10am-3pm

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TABLEofCONTENTS

February2019 COVER STORY

SEASON OF MAGIC

Things slow down at the Grand Canyon

in winter, which is why it may be the best

time to visit. The cold brings a bit of calm and peace to the South Rim, contrary

to the buzz of hundreds of thousands of

visitors a week in warmer weather. Bundle up and take a fresh look at the canyon in the light of winter.

Photo by Nancy Wiechec

DEPARTMENTS MATTERS OF TASTE MIND & BODY With more than 100 years of service, Get out the ladle and spoons. Dishing 24 16 the El Tovar Dining Room continues to up a bowl of homemade soup can pack a captivate guests with elegance, tradition load of healthy nutrients. and tables with a grand view. OUTDOOR LIFE BY THE BOTTLE 28 Michael Engelhard takes a spring jaunt 20 There are new beers coming on tap in to Cape Solitude, where Ed Abbey and town. Find out what’s brewing and what others sought the backcountry’s balm. to look for this month DISTINCTIVE SPACES THE ARTS 32 Northern Arizona University's new recital hall is style and function built for 21 Ed Kabotie reflects on the life and work of his grandfather, Fred Kabotie, whose sound and optimal listening experience. Hopi murals are seen by massive numbers of visitors at Desert View Watchtower.

ALSO 6 EDITOR’S NOTES 7 ABOUT TOWN 34 PLAYING FAVORITES 35 SPOTLIGHT 4

Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

NORTHERN ARIZONA'S

MAGAZINE

Magic

SEASON OF Winter at the Canyon

PLUS Tradition & Elegance at El Tovar Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie Seeking Solitude

$2.95

F e b r u a r y 2 0 19

Free with Arizona Daily Sun Home Delivery

ON THE COVER Fresh snow adds winter contrast to the Grand Canyon in this view from a popular South Rim vantage point. Photo by Nancy Wiechec.

Your future self will thank you. Now is the time to take charge of your health — and your heart. About 1 in 3 Americans have cardiovascular disease. The good news is, there are many ways to treat it. Your next step? Turn to Northern Arizona Healthcare and a team of cardiovascular partners, your partners in heart health. As cardiovascular experts right here in Northern Arizona, we’ll help you become a key member of your care team. Let’s start with a heart assessment to see where you stand.

Today your heart needs answers. We can help.

Call 928-773-2150 to schedule an appointment with a heart specialist. w IIf you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

Annie, age 45

Take our free heart assessment online at NAHealth.com/heart-risk.

NORTHERN ARIZONA'S

MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER

Advertising Director

Art Director

COLLEEN BRADY

COLLEEN BRADY 928.556.2279

KEITH HICKEY

Editor

Graphic Artist

NANCY WIECHEC NWIECHEC@AZDAILYSUN.COM

Sales Contributors ZACHARY MEIER

928.913.8668

AMANDA LEONHARD

CALLIOPE LUEDEKER

LYDIA SMITH

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine is published by Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine is published monthly at 1751 S. THOMPSON ST. | Flagstaff, AZ 86001 ISSN: 1534-3804

Copyright ©2019 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations and other materials are invited, but will not be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for lost materials or the return of unsolicited materials. Publisher assumes no responsibility for any materials, solicited or unsolicited, after six months from date of publication. Cover and entire contents of this publication are fully protected. Reproduction or use without prior written permission from the editor is strictly prohibited. Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine is not responsible for scheduled event changes. Any views, opinions or suggestions contained within Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine are not necessarily those of the management or owners.

February19 namlm.com

Northern Arizona Wedding Expo Saturday, February 23, 2019 10am-3pm

Tickets are $10 pre-sale â&#x20AC;˘ $12 at the door Stop by the hotel to purchase tickets Includes 2 Mimosas or non-alcoholic beverages

Featuring Djs, Florists, Venues, Health/Beauty, Photographers and more!

Buy tickets early and receive an extra raffle ticket for prizes! 1175 W Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ â&#x20AC;˘ 928-773-8888 February19 namlm.com

TABLEofCONTENTS

February2019 COVER STORY

SEASON OF MAGIC

Things slow down at the Grand Canyon

in winter, which is why it may be the best

time to visit. The cold brings a bit of calm and peace to the South Rim, contrary

to the buzz of hundreds of thousands of

visitors a week in warmer weather. Bundle up and take a fresh look at the canyon in the light of winter.

Photo by Nancy Wiechec

ALSO 6 EDITOR’S NOTES 7 ABOUT TOWN 34 PLAYING FAVORITES 35 SPOTLIGHT 4

Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

NORTHERN ARIZONA'S

MAGAZINE

Magic

SEASON OF Winter at the Canyon

PLUS Tradition & Elegance at El Tovar Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie Seeking Solitude

$2.95

F e b r u a r y 2 0 19

Free with Arizona Daily Sun Home Delivery

ON THE COVER Fresh snow adds winter contrast to the Grand Canyon in this view from a popular South Rim vantage point. Photo by Nancy Wiechec.

Today your heart needs answers. We can help.

Call 928-773-2150 to schedule an appointment with a heart specialist. w IIf you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

Annie, age 45

Take our free heart assessment online at NAHealth.com/heart-risk.

NORTHERN ARIZONA'S

MAGAZINE

PUBLISHER

Advertising Director

Art Director

COLLEEN BRADY

COLLEEN BRADY 928.556.2279

KEITH HICKEY

Editor

Graphic Artist

NANCY WIECHEC NWIECHEC@AZDAILYSUN.COM

Sales Contributors ZACHARY MEIER

928.913.8668

AMANDA LEONHARD

CALLIOPE LUEDEKER

LYDIA SMITH

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine is published by Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine is published monthly at 1751 S. THOMPSON ST. | Flagstaff, AZ 86001 ISSN: 1534-3804

February19 namlm.com

EDITOR'S NOTES

ight and color in the Grand Canyon change endlessly from dawn to dusk, summer to winter. So even though it may be one of the most photographed places on earth, people continue to snap picture after picture of the natural wonder as it reveals its many spectacles. I can’t recall my first visit to the South Rim, but it certainly was when I was young and with my family. In fact, we made many trips to the canyon with family and other visitors. The one thing I recall was being excited about each visit and wanting to take a lot of pictures. When I was 15 years old, I hiked down South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch and up the Bright Angel Trail. At age 40, I marked my birthday with dinner at El Tovar and a night walk along the South Rim. Three years ago, I took my first rafting trip through the canyon. More recently, I’ve explored parts of the North Rim. All my experiences at the canyon have been dissimilar; each turn on a trail, on the river, or on a drive along the rim brings something new to see, hear and feel. There’s a mysterious spirit that keeps drawing me back. Winter brings slowness and peace to the South Rim, and I find it to be a great time to visit the canyon. In this issue marking the 100th anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park, we offer a glimpse of

the canyon in the off-season, when jutting rocks at the rim’s most famous overlooks are sparsely populated because of a significant drop in visitors. For nature lovers, photographers, those who shun crowds, and those who prefer a slower pace, winter at the canyon is undoubtedly an on-season. The low winter sun and snow add new contrast to the canyon’s familiar colors and shapes. A winter visit also provides a chance to warm up fireside at the historic El Tovar Hotel, Bright Angel Lodge or Hermit’s Rest. Keeping on the canyon theme this issue, we also hear from Ed Kabotie about the life of his grandfather, Fred Kabotie, whose paintings in Desert View Watchtower give millions of Grand Canyon visitors a glimpse of Hopi life and history as well as insight into the people’s relationship with the canyon. Then, in Outdoor Life, guide and author Michael Englehard chronicles a visit to a more remote part of the canyon, Cape Solitude. An alluring overhead view of the confluence of the Little Colorado and Colorado rivers has drawn outdoor enthusiasts to its brink. Consider a visit to Grand Canyon National Park this month. Flagstaff residents have what no other people in the world have—the grandest of canyons right in their front yard and opportunity to go there at a moment’s notice.

Nancy Wiechec nwiechec@azdailysun.com

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Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

February

ABOUT TOWN Favorites of the month from the area’s abundant offerings in art and entertainment

WE BANJO 3

Sinagua Middle School Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. Strings, strings, strings and an energetic vibe. That’s what this awardwinning Irish quartet brings to the stage with their eclectic blend of Celtic, bluegrass and country music. We Banjo 3 is touring with focus on their fourth studio recording, Haven. The album took No. 1 on Billboard’s bluegrass chart in August. Hear the excitement! Tickets are $25 for adults, $13 for youths 17 and under. Call (928) 606-7999 or visit livingtraditionspresentations.com.

MAN IN THE ARENA

Coconino Center for the Arts, 6:30 p.m. Aw a rd-w i n n i ng ac tor D erek Evans brings to life the 26th president of the United States, one of the most exciting and charismatic personalities in all of history. This one-man show presents Theodore Roosevelt’s lessons in patriotism, self-reliance, family values and conservation of our natural resources, plus everything you ever wanted to know about the teddy bear. Tickets: $15. Call (928) 779-2300.

Weihenmayer in Horn Creek rapid. (James Q. Martin)

14-17

MOUNTAIN FILM FEST

Various locations and times The 17th annual Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival celebrates the 10 0th year of Grand Canyon National Park with adventure productions featuring the canyon. Not-to-miss films include: “Into the Canyon,” the story of the 750-mile on-foot journey by photographer Pete McBride and writer Kevin Fedarko through the entire length of the canyon, and “The Weight of Water,” a film by Michael Brown that documents blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer as he kayaks the roaring rapids and still waters of the Colorado. General admission festival passes are $37.50. Individual screenings are $11.50. Less for students and youths. For additional information visit www.flagstaffmountainfilms.org or www.orpheumflagstaff.com.

VIOLINS OF HOPE

Congregation Lev Shalom at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 7 p.m. “Violins of Hope: Music from the Mountains” is a program about the consequences of hate crimes with presentations by Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans and local law enforcement officers. The recital features Lev Shalom cantorial soloist Lynne Nemeth accompanied by Andrew Hamby, principal cellist of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, and a professional string quartet playing Violins of Hope, instruments recovered from the Holocaust. Free. Register to attend at levshalomaz.org.

Ongoing

SPLENDOR & SPECTACLE

Cline Library, Northern Arizona University, through September NAU’s Cline Library and the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection bring “Splendor and Spectacle: the 100 Year Journey of Grand Canyon National Park” to the exhibit space in the library’s Special Collections and Archives. The show captures multiple perspectives on the park, including scientific study and discovery, exploration, river running, mining and tourism. A focal point is the display of two historic river-running boats. Open weekdays. Free admission. View the online companion to the exhibit at nau.edu/special-collections. February19 namlm.com

Winter on the South Rim

Photos & article by Nancy Wiechec

February19 namlm.com

Magic

SEASON OF

Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

inter brings the crunch and crackle of icy snow. As tourists approach the rim, they walk a bit more carefully than those who come in other seasons. The slippery mix of snow and ice, plus colder temps, slow things down at the Grand Canyon, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good thing. Winter offers an opportunity for visitors to experience the canyon in a different air. A low sun and the snow add new contrast to familiar layers of color and light. The haze that seems omnipresent in busier times fades away. In winter, the Grand Canyon has a clarity that is missing much of the year. If you time a visit between storms, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be delighted with the magic the season brings. There is sigh-producing peace that the South Rim rarely offers with its millions of annual visitors. Photographers favor this time of year at the canyon because of clear views, deep shad-

Clock wise from top: The stone arch leading to Hermit's Rest. A path of snow seen from an eastend overlook. Bright Angel Lodge. Deser t View Watchtower. Previous page: A cow elk near Pima Point overlook.

10 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

February19 namlm.com

Two cow elk look up from feeding near Pima Point. Right: Australian visitors find a perch nex t to the Bright Angel Trail tunnel. Above: Lipan Point. 12 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

ows and the possibility for low-lying clouds and unusual weather activity. For those who shun crowds, this offseason is the best time to visit. Tourists at the canyon drop dramatically in January and February, with about a quarter of the number that July and August bring. In fact, March through October can see between 500,000 and 840,000 visitors a month, while January and February average about 228,000. On winter weekdays, overlooks and trails are sparsely populated, and lodging, which must be reserved a year in advance for spring and summertime, can be available at a moment’s notice. The national park’s slow winter months offer unique views, room to move and plenty of parking. Our recent visit, which also coincided with the government shutdown, was a pleasant two-day excursion beginning at the Desert View entrance and ending at Hermit’s Rest with an overnight stop at Bright Angel Lodge. Hermit Road on the west end of the village is open to personal vehicles for just these few months of the year. March through November, the 7-mile stretch is only accessible by shuttle bus, bike or on foot. Winter can be one of the most economical times to visit the canyon with discounts on South Rim lodging. A two-person overnight jaunt midweek can cost less than $250. Save even more by bringing your own food and beverages. Recent renovations of the Bright Angel Lodge and Cabins make for a refreshing stay at the National Historic Landmark. The buildings, furnishings, rugs and sundries were all refurbished and upgraded. Designed by architect Mary Jane Colter and constructed in the mid-1930s, Bright Angel was built as a reasonably priced alternative to the stately El Tovar Hotel, which opened in 1905. The 50 cabins and 37 rooms at Bright Angel remain the best lodging bargains on the South Rim. Humans may be sparse this time of year, but animals are still around in winter. If you keep out a keen eye, you may catch mule deer or elk foraging near the rim or even bald eagles or the rare California condor flying amid the canyon’s buttes and cathedrals. Look especially for expectant cow elk bedding down in areas along Hermit Road. A visit to Grand Canyon National Park this year coincides with the celebration of its 100th year. President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation creating the park February 26, 1919, but Teddy Roosevelt is credited with February19 namlm.com

its early preservation as a game reserve and a national monument. During his first visit to the canyon in 1903, President Roosevelt called it an unparalleled natural wonder and made this observation: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it.â&#x20AC;? While visiting a national park, or for that matter any wilderness, practice the leave-notrace principles: Dispose of waste (pack it

14 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

in, pack it out), leave what you find, respect wildlife by observing from a distance and be considerate of other visitors. Visiting the canyon in winter requires appropriate wear. Dress in layers as temperatures can change quickly. Snow or waterproof boots are a must, and consider adding traction to your feet with grips or cleats. Watch the weather forecasts closely. With a little preparation, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be ready to enjoy the South Rim at its most serene time.

Visitors walk carefully at the overlook near Hopi House. A glint of sunshine hits a protrusion of rock in the canyon.

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Jonathan Cody always knew he wanted to go to college, but his diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome made that prospect a challenge. At Coconino Community College, small class sizes, the Disability Resources program and caring instructors helped him to thrive. He is now starting his second semester at NAU, in the CCC2NAU program. He is a Creative Media and Film major and hopes to work in the llmmaking world. “Just because you have a disability, it doesn’t have to limit you,” Cody said. “There are options to help you.”

CCC was a good start for me.

For more information about CCC2University programs and other course offerings, visit

coconino.edu | 1-800-350-7122

February19 namlm.com

MATTERSOFTASTE

16 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

&Elegance

Tradition

DINING ON THE RIM By Gail G. Collins

he best things in life change l it t le. Honed by t ime a nd elements, their inherent value grows dearer. This is true of the Grand Canyon’s vistas and the fare served in El Tovar’s dining room, where the panorama from a coveted table may distract you from the favored French onion soup. The signature recipe has stood for nearly four decades. Though a typical room at the lodge cost $4 per night when it opened in 1905, the standards have remained as high as the “perpendicular mile from rim to river,” as recorded in the primer on El Tovar in the Princeton University Library Collection of Western Americana. El Tovar captivates guests with a grand entry. Its dark timber, Native American rugs and art, and an array of wildlife on display

matches the natural grandeur of its perch on the canyon’s edge. “The Grand Canyon is the destination of a lifetime,” said executive chef Matthew McTigue. “El Tovar is on par with that.” McTigue interned in the kitchen before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1995, and the job hasn’t lost its allure. While it’s challenging to recruit to a remote locale, dedicated staff has built a life there with careers clocking 20 to 40 years. Thomas Ratz has served guests for 38 years. His affection for the park extended to stenciling red deer on the dining room walls, redolent of pictographs on Bright Angel Trail, and collecting Fred Harvey memorabilia. Harvey, El Tovar's founder, was a talented visionary, who fulfilled the need for quality hotels and service for weary travelers heading West.

February19 namlm.com

French Onion Gratinee Adapted from the El Tovar dining room recipe Start to finish: 1 hour Servings: 12 1 stick unsalted butter 2.5 pounds sliced white onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 6 ounces dry sherry 6 ounces white wine 6 ounces red wine 2 quarts beef stock 1 quart chicken stock Black pepper to taste Sourdough baguette slices, toasted 10 ounces Gruyere cheese, sliced or shredded In an extra-large stock pot, sauté onions in butter over medium heat until soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaves and sauté 3 more minutes. Add wines and sherry to the pot and cook until only a small amount of liquid is left. Add beef and chicken stock, season to taste with pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top each with a toasted sourdough slice and a portion of the Gruyere cheese and broil until tops are golden brown.

18 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

“We are like a family,” McTigue said. “People have raised their kids here.” This tight community inhabits homes listed on the historic register, and some walk to work. T he Gr a nd Ca ny on at t r a c t s a n international crowd, and El Tovar’s menu reflects a comparable Continental cuisine with a Southwest streak. It is classic, yet seasoned. Tamales are made in-house with tender, seasoned shreds of beef or pork chili and served with chipotle crema. Savory scallops float on mango puree with prickly pear syrup balancing a raw, lively pineapple-jicama slaw. Soup de jour invites ladling in the baconcorn chowder, hearty with chunky potato and queso fresco or the heritage onion with sweet ribbons swimming in robust broth. “It is deceptively simple,” admitted McTigue. The recipe can even be found on tea towels for sale in the gift shop. The crab stack is the chef ’s creation piling lump meat with avocado and tomato plus cumin and cilantro olive oil and topped with hand-battered onion rings. The house salad boasts shredded jicama, goat cheese, berries, tomatoes and pine nuts for a gorgeous beginning to any meal. Spinach salad with gorgonzola, bacon and fried shallots on a wheel of Granny Smith apples and endive creates a complex flavor profile. Try the lively salmon tostada, layered with mixed greens, roasted corn salsa and crema with a side of black beans and rice. The New York strip is Arizona grown and crusted in a coffee-cumin rub with a demi-glace crafted of New Belgium’s 1554 Black Lager and a side of pepper-jack potato wedges. The mixed grill includes filet

mignon, semi-boneless quail and poached shrimp with brown butter mashed potatoes to fill a belly decadently. The sea bass is moist with a roasted tomato and fennel sauce plus sprightly sweet drop peppers and bright snap peas. Cauliflower puree with saffron adds velvety appeal. An extensive list of mostly domestic wines and some local brews are available to accompany the meal. To close, seriously sweet choices, such as fruit sabayon, a chocolate mousse taco, flourless chocolate cake with crème anglaise and strawberry sauce and seasonal crème brûlée, tempt diners. “We want to serve people and make them happy,” said McTigue. “We are the entrance to the experience at the Grand Canyon.” Like the eternal canyon, meals come plated on timeless Mimbreño china. Crafted by architect Mary Colter with Native Americaninspired images in black and grey, the china mimics that used in dining cars on the Santa Fe Railway, which once brought guests to El Tovar. On a busy day, the restaurant serves 500 guests, and it’s usually busy. “The atmosphere at the Grand Canyon is something to admire every day,” said McTigue. “We see it fresh through others’ eyes.” That includes an impressive guest list, such as Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and celebrities, like Nicholas Cage, Al Pacino, Will Smith and Ron Howard. McTigue reminded, “Still, we are all made small by the Grand Canyon.” The chef ’s stellar advice: After dinner, go out and look up at the night sky, where the stars seem brighter and closer than elsewhere. “It’s the best show on the planet.”

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BYtheBOTTLE

IN O

TOWN

TAP

Centennial, hazy, helles bock and a special smoky porter By Adam Harrington

20 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

ne hundred years is just a drop in the proverbial bucket for the majestic Grand Canyon, which boasts millions of years of histor y. In only ten years, a new world of beer has been introduced to the Northern A rizona region. A nd, in the last f ive years alone, we have seen several new players enter the craft brewing scene. After celebrating its f ifth anniversar y, Historic Brewing Company takes on yet another special anniversar y, the Centennial of Grand Canyon National Park. To celebrate, Historic will be releasing f ive new beers in pa r tnership with the Grand Canyon Conser vancy, a nonprof it organization that supports the park. Each beer will represent the f ive primar y rock color layers of the canyon. The f irst beer in the Historic series will represent three top rock layers: Coconino, Toroweap and Kaibab. These layers often appear as one and are a light yellow to creamy white, hence the decision to mark this collection with a hoppy, light-bodied pale ale. This beer will be followed by another release every two months until December, when the final beer, a stout, comes out. T he stout stands for the Vishnu basement layers and the dark depths of the Colorado River. On a conne c te d note , Historic Brewing plans to s te p up it s production of canned beers. So, if you are pl a n n i n g on rafting the Colorado River, a convenient ly p a c k a g e d c a n of P ie Hol e Por te r ( H i s t o r i c ’s f l a g s h i p beer) or another f un beer ca n accompa ny you on you r journey through the canyon.

Historic Brewing Company’s special Grand Canyon Pale Ale will be available starting Feb. 21 at the Historic Barrel + Bottle House in downtown Flagstaff. The weather here in Februar y can be all over the board, from warm and sunny to fresh powder fa l l ing on the Peaks. Local breweries are brewing up some enjoyable beers for either scenario. Mot her Road Bre w i ng C ompa ny plans a wee heav y Scotch ale that should come in over 8 percent A BV and is a ma lt y, sweet beer that w il l wa rm you up f rom t he i nside. Mot her Road is a lso brew ing a haz y IPA w it h Cit ra , Motueka and Azacca hops. Lumber yard w il l have its versions of a haz y IPA, a wee heav y, a ba rley w ine (which is not made from g rapes but instead ba rley) and a refreshing lager ca l led a hel les bock w ith a lit t le more color and f lavor than your traditiona l lager. Da rk Sk y Brewer y w il l have a hel les bock on tap and is releasing several barrel-aged stouts for A riz ona Beer Week . Make sure to get over there and tr y a few before they a re gone. Wanderlust Brew ing w il l be offering up a collaboration with OHSO bre wer y of Phoen i x ; a Bel g ia n quad brewed w it h r ye. L ook for f lavors of dried, da rk stone fr uit that come from the ma lt and a complex, spic y character that is brought to the table by the addition of r ye. A rizona Beer Week begins Feb. 7, and Flagstaff ’s seven local breweries are gathering their collective sk ills to produce the fourth annual Flag 7 beer to mark the occasion. This year’s offering is an imperial oak smoked porter, which w i l l be brewed at Da rk Sk y Brewer y in downtown Flagstaff and Wanderlust Brewer y in East Flag. It will release in time for the beer week. Track it down; it will be available only while the kegs last. Most, if not all, A rizona breweries and taprooms will be hosting some special event to celebrate A rizona Beer Week. Be sure to check those out and support our state’s craft brewers. Adam Harrington owns and runs High Altitude Home Brew Supply in downtown Flagstaff. Visit www.highaltitudebrew.com.

theARTS

The

Watchtower

Murals

The Watchtower at Desert View on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon stands as a sentinel of a time-honored place. Architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter drew on the characteristics of prehistoric structures to create an observation point that would not detract from the area’s natural beauty yet rise high enough for a 360-degree view. The resulting 70-foot stone structure took its form and shape from the designs of an ancient people, whose ruins are found in the canyon and beyond. Decorating the walls of the interior of the tower are paintings and pictographs that tell the sacred stories of the Pueblo people. Hopi artist Fred Kabotie was commissioned to paint the murals adorning the first-floor Hopi Room. Colter explains why in a guide she produced for the Watchtower. “The reason a Hopi artist was chosen to decorate this room … was that the Hopi people are the most closely associated with the Grand Canyon of any Pueblo Indians. They claim that they originated in the canyon itself, their ancestors emerging through the Sipapu, the mythical small opening somewhere in the deepest depths of the canyon. … Kabotie, in his story of the paintings in the Hopi Room, tells us that Desert View point itself is a landmark for the people of the Hopi Mesas, at once marking for them what they consider a boundary to their ancestral domain and standing as their symbol for the Grand Canyon. They have a name for this point—Kawinpi. For these reasons, it seemed fit to give the prominent first floor—the introduction to the tower—to the Hopi paintings.” Kabotie’s murals have been admired by millions of visitors since the Watchtower was completed in 1933. By way of introduction, contemporary artist and singer-songwriter Ed Kabotie tells us about Qua-ah, his grandfather.

Hopi Artist Fred Kabotie By Ed Kabotie

“I’ve been brought up and raised right out here in Hopi. And then they sent me away in the foreign country and told me to forget it. How could you forget it, when it is all imprinted in your mind? … When you’re so remote from your own people you get lonesome. You don’t paint what’s around you, you paint what you have in mind.” –Fred Kabotie

Above: Visitors admire murals in the Hopi Room Below: Kabotie, circa 1932.

red Kabotie is considered the patriarch of the modern Native American Arts and Crafts Movement. Born on Second Mesa, Arizona, in 1900 to the Hopi Bluebird Clan, Kabotie was named Nakavoma (Day After Day) by his paternal aunts of the Sun Clan. His traditional upbringing was disrupted in 1906 by the arrest and imprisonment of his father, Loloma’yaoma, who along with other Hopi leaders refused to send their children to government boarding schools where the declared mission was “kill the Indian, save the man.” Nakavoma evaded school until 15. He was then sent to the Santa Fe Indian School, where his name was “officially” changed to Fred Kabotie.

At the school, Kabotie was encouraged to develop his artistic gifts by the superintendent’s wife, Elizabeth DeHuff. Later demoted for encouraging rather than discouraging Native culture at the school, the DeHuffs left the Indian school and became key supporters of Kabotie. After graduating from the Santa Fe Indian School, Kabotie went on to attend Santa Fe Public High School at the advice of his patrons. He graduated at the age of 25 and went on to work for the Museum of New Mexico. While in New Mexico, Kabotie illustrated several children’s books for Mrs. DeHuff, and he painted prolifically to fulfill commissions for the Heye Foundation. In his late 20s, Kabotie was employed by the February19 namlm.com

Fred Harvey Company at the Grand Canyon as a tour guide and later a shop manager. He returned home to the mesas around the age of 30 to marry his Second Mesa sweetheart, Alice, and undergo traditional initiations into Hopi manhood. In 1932, he was commissioned by Fred Harvey to paint murals in the Desert View Watchtower. His paintings depict Hopi mythologies related to the canyon and the Colorado River. Following his work at the tower, while he and Alice raised a young family, he served as an art instructor among his own people at the temporarily formed Hopi High School. Kabotie was both an artist and statesman. His work was shown at the U.S. Pavilion in Venice in 1932 and at the Golden Gate International Exposition in 1939. In 1940, he met first lady Eleanor Roosevelt during an exhibition of student murals at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University. He was awarded a Guggenheim fellowship in 1945 that resulted in the publishing of Designs from the Ancient Mimbrenos With a Hopi Interpretation. He painted murals at the Painted Desert Inn at Petrified Forest National Park in 1947 22 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

Photos cour tesy of National Park Ser vice, except lef t photo by Nancy Wiechec.

Above: Kabotie works on his Snake Legend mural circa 1932. Below: A por tion of one of the Twin War Gods.

Photos cour tesy of National Park Ser vice, except lef t photo by Nancy Wiechec.

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and also at Bright Angel Lodge in Grand Canyon National Park in 1958. In all, Kabotie illustrated seven books including a bilingual reader for Hopi children published by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. During President Eisenhower’s administration, Kabotie represented the United States as a good will ambassador for the World Agricultural Summit in India. In 1948, Kabotie collaborated with his brother-in-law, Paul Saufkie, to teach silversmithing techniques to Hopi veterans of World War II. At the completion of the initial class, the group formed a cooperative guild to continue their new trade. In 1963, the guild established a permanent location on top of Second Mesa. Through the diligent efforts of Kabotie and other Hopi leaders, the Hopi Cultural Center on Second Mesa was opened in 1972 to complement the guild and encourage tourism and cultural exchange on the Hopi Reservation. I was born in 1970 to Fred’s son, Michael Kabotie. Though I was vaguely aware of my grandfather’s accomplishments in the outside world as I was growing up, to me he was Qua-ah (grandfa-

ther) and one of the most important mentors of my life. Often at the dinner table, my grandfather would tell stories of his experiences in the outside world and tease us with witty expressions he learned and gleaned on his adventures: Chew your Food 32 times. Children should be seen and not heard. Speak slowly and distinctly. When you’re thirsty, drink water. Don’t be lazy. All work is honorable. Waste not, want not. He was a loving father, husband and grandfather. The impact of Fred Kabotie’s life work will be long felt in Hopi communities. During the final decades of his life in this world, I watched my grandfather model the discipline and wisdom of Hopi culture. He was a diligent farmer, tending a garden on the mesa and two corn fields below. From his home in the Hopi village of Shungopavi, Qua-ah diligently observed and charted the path of the sun on the horizon just as his forefathers had done for centuries before him. The story of Fred Kabotie is a metaphor of his Hopi name Nakavoma, for he truly demonstrates the fullness of life that one experiences when they seek to live day after day.

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All photos cor tesy of the National Park Ser vice, except the above photo by Nancy Wiechec

Above: Kabotie works on his Snake Legend mural circa 1932. Below: A por tion of one of the Twin War Gods.

All photos cor tesy of the National Park Ser vice, except the above photo by Nancy Wiechec

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MINDandBODY

24 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

SOUP

Better Health By the Bowl

By Janel States James

Be it so humble,

there’s nothing like soup. The word soup itself is derived from the Latin “suppa,” or bread soaked in broth, but the tradition of making soup is much, much older, perhaps dating back to 20,000 B.C., when making soup was likely just boiling bones in water. Over time, we’ve added other meat, vegetables and dairy products to our soup, and we’ve moved from ancient fire-scarred pottery to the InstaPot, yet soup remains with us and for good reason. From extraordinarily simple broths to soup loaded with vegetables, it’s easy to make, it’s affordable, and it’s highly nutritious. “Research shows that soups containing fibers, such as beans, veggies, and wild game meats, can be incredibly good for us,” says Shannon Heffern, a registered dietician with Flagstaff Medical Center’s Nutrition Services. “The best soups cover all our macronutrients of carbohydrate, fat, and protein and yield a wealth of vitamins and minerals.” In fact, studies have shown that eating soup is associated with improved nutrient intake and overall better health. In a study by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, participants who ate soup had a lower body weight, a smaller waist circumference, and lower total energy intake, along with improved overall diet quality, a reduction in fat intake, and increases in protein, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. What accounts for this? Soup has a relatively low energy density, the number of calories per gram of food. This means we can eat a good-sized portion with the same number of calories as a small portion of something with high energy density, like pastries or cheese. We are more likely to feel full with that larger portion and stop eating, keeping our overall caloric intake down, even as our nutrient intake February19 namlm.com

remains high. And while soup’s power lies in this combination of low energy density and high nutritional value, it also packs a punch as comfort food, if it’s done right. “When we crave comfort foods during the winter, we often desire foods that are rich, creamy, dense and filling,” says Heffern. “And these are most often full of sodium, saturated fats and perhaps unwanted chemicals if we choose processed foods, including soups.” But soups made in our own kitchens are so simple (and often so fast) that there’s good reason to skip the can. Try those made with a broth or stock, lean meat, beans, fish, and vegetables, while limiting those that are cream-based or loaded with cheese. If a creamier soup is desired, it’s easily done using an immersion blender. The blended vegetables will give a creamy quality to the soup without the addition of fats. Soup has the added bonus of high water content, which is perhaps particularly relevant for us living at 7,000 feet where the air is drier and hydration more critical. (As Heffern points out, our daily water intake should be half of our body weight in ounces.) Soup is also easy to digest, may help ease intestinal distress, and can help us feel better when we are sick since the heat and steam help relieve congestion. And one more thing—if saving money is on your list of things to do this year (maybe right alongside eating better), soup is a good choice. Many soups cost as little as 75 cents to $1 per 10-ounce serving to make and even less if we throw in a few leftovers. So, put a little soup on the table this month. It will hit the spot, in more than one way.

26 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

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OUTDOORLIFE

Seeking Solitude

Article and photos by Michael Engelhard

‘Solitude starts where the pavement ends, in this case on marvelously eroded switchbacks that drop 600 feet and tease with glimpses of the Great Abyss.’

itness is an edge all too easily blunted. Despite car camping and excursions throughout the winter my wife Melissa and I are ill prepared for our first backpacking jaunt every spring. Like rookies forgetting to bring sunscreen and lip balm, we get blitzed. We learn anew how many ibuprofen or “vitamin I” pills maintain our knees and hips. (Each passing decade requires upping the dose.) Shoulders and lower backs become chafed, heels and toes blistered, thigh muscles sore, and egos bruised. As my friend, the writer Scott Thybony says, “Muscle memory may be real, but it’s short term.” An April trek to the Grand Canyon’s Cape Solitude suits us for reasons other than relearning backpacking routines. Though arid and largely shadeless, the route drops and ascends moderately, an old jeep 28 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

track, which fades or contracts now and then to a footpath. It’s about 30 miles round trip—a Harvey Butchart-style epic day venture. However, you’d miss glorious dusk and dawn, the low raking sun at the point, and solitude best enjoyed after sightseeing flights stop in the evening. So we’ve decided to spend the night there. Like our bodies, our navigation skills have grown a bit rusty. In Melissa’s truck we orbit between the park’s Desert View entrance, the campground, and the gas station, looking for the dirt road to Cedar Mountain. Ignoring the DO NOT ENTER – RESIDENTS ONLY sign at the ranger compound we finally score. Solitude starts where the pavement ends, in this case on marvelously eroded switchbacks that drop 600 feet and tease with glimpses

Break fast at camp.

An old Navajo hogan near Cedar Mountain.

of the Great Abyss. Nothing deters Sunday strollers more than a couple of washboard miles to a trailhead. Scenic pullouts along the nearby South Rim drive boast toilets and picnic tables, as well as the under-the-rim buzz hikers feel on inner-canyon trails, but not here. It partly explains why so few visit Solitude. On this whole hike we don’t find any trash besides one crinkled Mylar balloon skin, a ubiquitous nuisance snagged on some sagebrush. We park under piñons at the top of the hairpin turns. The truck could get us to the trailhead at Cedar Mountain—a redsandstone-and-shale flattop, an altar for pagan gods—but walking the three miles is just as fast. Besides, we love finishing with a climb, truly earning that frosted brew afterward. In the off-season, even our sweat glands cease to function. Now we perspire freely beneath our loads, which include five quarts of water each, the minimum for dry camping at the cape. Around Cedar Mountain the road exits the forest, straddling blond grassy ridges, probing hardscrabble arroyos, the Navajo’s “Graylands.” The Little Colorado weaves across tawny plains, bottom concealed, joining its big namesake at our headland destination. We no longer see Desert View Watchtower, Mary Colter’s neo-Puebloan exclamation mark on the South Rim or Flagstaff’s snow-tipped Humphreys Peak peeping over a cloudless horizon. Deep in the topography’s folds, it’s difficult to envision the precipice one upslope mile to the west, Palisades of the Desert, the eastern rim’s coves and prows that plunge twice the Empire State Building’s height to the Colorado River and reminded the mapmakergeologist François Matthes of timbered defensive walls. Nea r Coma nche Point a cone-shaped hogan bakes in sage flats, its logs polished by age. Beyond hills sprawls the Painted Desert, an open book of gullies and rainbow mounds legible to those versed in Earth’s history. Cholla cacti, the odd juniper, and tall agave stalks post the route. Dark brown furry caterpillars pursue arcane business while olive pits on legs—black clown beetles—perform headstands. After

the drab months, splashes of brilliance buoy the soul: electric-red Indian paintbrush and tiny, fuchsia stork’s-bill stars thriving in sand, yellow-blossomed pincushions wedged into crevices. We lose our way where the curves skip through a gate in a fence onto Navajo land, failing to pick up faint twin ruts on the adjacent hill. Sucked down a drainage instead, we reap unexpected rewards. A cowboy’s shallow-alcove camp heralds a pictograph in burnt-orange pigment, crisp, as if drawn decades not centuries ago. An even-sided cross, twice outlined and taken to represent our sister planet Venus emblazons the shelter’s ceiling. Zunis and related Pueblo dwellers link single and double spirals like those daubed on the wall with water, emergence and quests in search of the Center. Watched over by celestial bodies personified, the ancient ones, migrating as clans, working the fields in family groups, and appeasing the spirits communally, may not have known solitude even outdoors at night. Following the fence, we reenter the park, and the double-track soon doglegs toward the rim. The route’s crowning mile skirts the abrasive-limestone lip 3,000 feet above the Beamer Trail and the Hopi salt mines. The cape’s fauna greets us airborne, with exuberance. White-throated swifts chitter and dive-bomb, scythe-wings swishing, slicing space. Soaring overhead, a peregrine and later a turkey vulture survey the void. Two ravens tail a third with corpse limp in its bill. Chipmunk? Lizard? I cannot tell as it speeds by. The gang wheels about vertical bays in a dogfight, cawing, clucking Mustangs and Messerschmitts. Who needs skywalks or cable tramways? Mentally trading places with the rascals thrills me as much as the out-of-body levitation practiced in dreams. Before the light wanes I peer down from the peninsula, on submerged golden sand bars, on the blending of liquid milky-turquoise—a hue unlike any other in nature—and bottleglass green. Half a dozen rafts bob downstream, colored beads threading to camp at Carbon, Lava or Tanner beach. Pea-green, freshly leafed cottonwoods in upper Lava Creek catch my eye, or it could be the rill glinting there. We hear soughing like wind in pines at the rim, the coursing of water against boulders. This junction is sacred to Zunis and Hopis, to the Havasupai and the Navajos, and even to a bilagáana such as myself. The Hopis’ ancestors, clans that created the pictographs, shimmied up a reed to this presFebruary19 namlm.com

Little Colorado River above the confluence.

Pre - Columbian pictographs on Navajo land.

30 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

ent world from a previous one the gods had destroyed. They exited a whale-size domed mineral four miles from here. The canyons’ Y spelled the final leg of their salt pilgrimage. During that rite of passage for boys, men gathered healing stalactites exuded by Tapeats Sandstone cliffs, those cemented beaches of a Cambrian sea. In this sere quarter, the Little Colorado, let alone the main stream, channeled more water than a Hopi raised on the mesas would encounter in a lifetime. Upon arrival, one who journeyed there as a boy recalled that pilgrims sipped of the brine and left prayer feathers on shore. I next scan the plateau of the Little Colorado River Gorge opposite the dirt patch where we’ve pitched our tent. In 2009 an Arizona developer promoted a resort that would perch on the caprock upstream, an amphitheater below the rim and a gondola lift and boardwalk to the confluence. Up to 10,000 visitors per day, the capacity of two large cruise ships, would shuttle to the holy place. Sounder minds prevailed, swayed perhaps by aquatic spirits. Activists and traditional Navajos fought the Escalade project, and it was shelved. The developer argued the usual. Jobs for the locals. Quick, easy access to first-rate scenery for many as opposed to its jealous safeguarding by an elitist minority—kayakers, hikers and assorted wilderness nuts. I’ll stop rafting this river section if that atrocity is ever built. The defilement would be too painful to witness. It could happen if resolve on the reservation were to weaken. On August 10, 1869, John Wesley Powell and his crew huddled under a rock ledge by the Colorado, with a view of the promontory, because the afternoon had been drizzly. They stayed two days to repair boats, dry out rations, and most importantly, fix their position. They craved decent drinking water as cloudbursts had silted both rivers. Powell’s head boatman Jack Sumner considered the Colorado Chiquito “as disgusting a stream as there is on the continent,” estimating half its volume to be solids. He thought the confluence “a miserably lonely place indeed, with no signs of life but lizards, bats, and scorpions,” on a level with hell’s first gates. After 10 weeks of travel, grumpy from lack of whiskey, sound footwear, and sleep, tired of weevils in the flour, grit in the coffee, and bacon green with mold, constantly haunted by weather, by carries that bruised ribs and ankles, by rumors that somewhere the Colorado dips underground, and harried, too, by gantlets of rapids (the major refusing to run several of these), and by comrades equally fractious—after all that, the men either had had enough of solitude or else not enough, cooped up in boats together in the echoing depths. Yet little could darken their leader’s mood. Forever intrigued by geography, John Wesley gushed about his “Flax River” christened for flowers on its banks, “a marvelous river,” a “broad but shallow torrent of mud.” The next morning, his brother Walter grabbed a barometer and scaled the north side of the tributary gorge at its mouth, summiting near the site generations later earmarked for defilement. “We could see him as he reached the top. He looked like a mote in a sunbeam,” Jack Sumner wrote in his journal, quite smitten for a mountain man-trading post owner. In dusk’s peach-blossom light the swifts, unbothered by human affairs, make room for the insectivore graveyard shift, bats. The last chopper has landed at Tusayan. Quiet settles in, almost a physical thing. The ribbon below Nankoweap briefly mirrors Redwall cliffs before it turns gunmetal blue and then dulls. Shadows mantle both arms, snuffing out distance and their arteries’ glow. The Kolb brothers, running a photography studio on the South Rim and probing much of the canyon, called this empty grandstand at the brink “Cape Desolation.” What were they thinking?

We’ve waited to cook dinner until sundown. Venus meanwhile has risen, bright as a small moon. Satellites and furiously blinking jets transect the Milky Way’s arced diamond dust. Flashes streak the Desert View neighborhood—did they remodel the watchtower into a lighthouse? Luminous smears on the skyline betray Grand Canyon Village, Flagstaff and Page. Clusters like distant campfires or crashed constellations show that Tuba City and the Hopi mesas share our cities’ megawatt blight. This shine might be cozy to some people, a beacon of home, hearths and TV screens. Curmudgeonly, I take the hermit’s stance. Sardined in an airliner I often imagine a lucky soul bedded down in darkness expanding below the plane’s wings. I envy him, and the change of perspective helps me endure endless flights. As the Zen-recluse poet Ryōkan allegedly said, “It is not that I dislike people. It is just that I am so very tired of them.” Seeking the backcountry’s balm, Edward Abbey recuperated from a year of book tours and speaking engagements at this roost. Weary, discouraged, “still smelling of nervous sweat,” he tried to mend, to live sanely for a time. He played his flute butt naked because in this high lonesome he could do so without repercussions. A fellow desert-wandering scribe, the late Ellen Meloy of Bluff, Utah, believed that, “In solitude you strip yourself bare, you rest your mind on what is essential and true.” (She meant nudity as a metaphor, surely.) Apart from society’s trappings we draw on inner resources or confront a lack of such. Mystics and dropouts discovered a flip side, alas. In prolonged solitude we court annihilation. We defied short-faced bears and saber-toothed cats by roaming in bands. Language was the bonding agent. It binds us to each other, to the world of things, to ideas. Deprived of human company without the promise of relief castaways become mutes or mutterers, solipsist, slobbering idiots. Homeward-bound the next morning we cross paths with a Japanese hiker. Doublepoled, fanny-packed, he zips past us and Cedar Mountain. Then, at the blasted switchbacks, we meet a rosy-cheeked, otherwise pallid couple. She leads a black Cerberus that eagerly eyes me; he piggybacks the millennials’ cradleboard, a canopied baby carrier. “You’re not supposed to bring dogs into the park,” I growl short of breath. “An employee told us it’s OK if we keep him on a leash,” she replies. Solitude starts where the pavement ends. Except sometimes, when it doesn’t.

The author 's wife above the confluence.

February19 namlm.com

DISTINCTIVESPACES

BUILT FOR

SOUND The New Kitt Recital Hall By Nancy Wiechec

rch itect u ra l acoust ics, t he relationship bet ween sound produced in a space and its listeners, was the primary focus in constructing Kitt Recital Hall, Northern Arizona University’s latest addition to campus. From the planning stages to the construction punch list, job number one was dealing with sound, said Todd E. Sullivan, director of the university’s School of Music. Everyone involved was concerned with how to disperse it and how to contain it. “In the recital hall, sound has to move,” he said. “In the rest of the rooms, we want to contain sound, so it doesn’t bleed from room to room.” The facility, which couples with Ardrey Memorial Auditorium and the Performing 32 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

and Fine Arts Center, features a main recital theater plus practice and rehearsal rooms. Outside, the building gleams with metal and glass. Inside the hall, walnut wood paneling and overhead “sound clouds” disperse and direct sound toward the audience. Along with a silent airflow system, the design elements are there to deliver an optimal listening experience. “The configuration of the wood is designed to send the sound all around the room, creating a giant matrix of sound waves,” said Sullivan. “This hall will move sound in complex and rich ways.” Even as the flow of music was the top consideration for the $15-million, 255-seat recital hall, there was no lack of attention to style and function throughout the building. The hall’s vestibules and open, light-filled

atrium will also function as entrances for Ardrey events, and a new box office will serve both venues. With multifaceted LED lighting, a large visual media display and top-end sound controls, the recital hall is set for multimedia staging. Light maple flooring on stage lifts the performance space and keeps attention where it belongs. The new facility has been a long-awaited addition to the College of Arts and Letters and the School of Music. For the last century, the university has used Ashurst Hall for recital purposes, and it was far from ideal, Sullivan said. Ashurst Hall, located inside Old Main, was constructed around 1918 as a multiuse space. Its stage is high above the main floor, which is not conducive to musical performance. Also, Ashurst has no fixed

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seating and the HVAC system is noisy. In the new recital hall, mechanical systems are located outside the building and interior airflow is virtually silent. The fixed theater seats are roomy and comfortable, and their sky-blue color offers a nice contrast to the hall’s natural wood. The stage is level with the first several rows of seating. Kitt’s north and south vestibules and east-facing atrium feature floor to ceiling filtered glass panels that bring in light and warmth while subduing outside noise and morning sunlight. The two-story panels give concertgoers and students views of the University Union and beyond. Sullivan hopes such open views can refresh student musicians who often spend a lot of time in enclosed space. Aside from the grand foyer and the hall itself, the new construction includes a backstage and performers’ green room, new restroom facilities, soundproof percussion practice rooms an instrumental rehearsal room and storage space. A long-time choral rehearsal room was updated with acoustic paneling, new lighting, a music library and an entry hall. An elevator with space enough for large instruments leads from the atrium to the second-floor practice and rehearsal room, and a grand staircase ushers patrons and students to the hall, Ardrey and to second-floor practice spaces. Space is devoted to a future recording studio at the top of the recital hall. The new building is equipped with modern safety features, such as doors that can be locked down from inside practice rooms and video feeds to display goings-on in the halls and outside the building. Although all community music lovers are sure to benefit from the new recital hall, Sullivan said student musicians will be the main users of the space. “Students are developing musicians, and the Kitt Recital Hall is very conducive to learning and healthy music production.”

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February19 namlm.com

PlayingFAVORITES

The Human Element of Live Music By Sean Golightly

he Infamous Stringdusters started 2018 with a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Rather than resting on their laurels, they released a live album by year’s end. Live From Telluride is a 20-song snapshot of Stringduster stuff. Live performance is nothing new for the Stringdusters. Yet, even for a band that has clocked thousands of shows, there was something special about this particular Telluride night. “Everybody was in rare form,” says Andy Falco, guitarist for the ‘Dusters. “It just had this sort of spark to it that was unique.” For Falco, “rare form” is a transcendent experience. “The best nights are the nights where I feel like I’m hovering four or five feet above myself and looking in,” he reports. “Similar to what runners might describe as a runner’s high. All of the sudden you’re focused in … you’re just an observer rather than an operator.” In ideal cases, this sublimity extends to the group as a whole. “In the jam, the band collectively can become one,” Falco describes. “It’s a musical conversation that starts to happen.” Improvisation “is everything … it’s the foundation,” says Falco. But getting to that place of comfortability with a band takes time. “The first time you go on a date with somebody, you have an awkward conversation,” he relates. “Then you’re married for six years, and it’s just a natural sort of thing that happens. I think it’s the same thing with music. When you’re in tune with your band, and everybody is in tune together, those conversations happen easier.” Such easy conversation is a healing, “euphoric state” for Falco. As illustration, he turns to rivers. “We used to do these river trips … down the middle fork of the Salmon River. There’s no cell 34 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine

service. … It’s really a remote wilderness,” he recalls. “In that state, it’s the same thing. I get that same sort of cleansing. All of the noise that happens around you is quiet.” Laughing, he adds “[It’s] ironic because you’re playing music—it’s a meditation and an expression all at the same time.” Naturally, live performance is subject to mistake. Falco worries not. “Years ago, it would be this thing where I would get more anxiety when we would release some music that was live,” Falco admits. Now, he’s got advice for perfectionists. “Get over it,” he directs. “I’ll save you the suspense. It won’t be [perfect].” That’s a good thing, says Falco. “Nowadays in the studio you have the ability to go and manipulate everything so that it is perfect, and you know what happens to music when you do that? It sucks … Because it’s sterile.” He compares live recording to a group-selfie. “It’s just like a photograph with your friends, where you’re like ‘AAAH! That’s us!’ … Then you’re like, ‘That was really fun. … Look at me! I look like a crazy person. … What am I doing there?!’” Create with abandon, and “the music ends up with these little blemishes here and there,” Falco concedes. But that’s necessary. “I realized that music needs that,” he says. Imperfection makes music accessible via a “human element that translates to emotion and connection,” he adds. Connection is key. “We try to take that approach when we make records … we’re not trying to over-fix things. We’re trying to maintain that human connection.” Bridging the gaps is what matters. “I

think that’s why people go to shows, why people play shows, and why people work on shows,” Falco hypothesizes. “We live in crazy times. More and more it becomes a moment of solace to go to a show and be in a place where people are all together, taking this journey.” Now touring, the Infamous Stringdusters will release another studio album in April. Falco describes Rise Sun as cohesive and a “true Stringduster experience.” The band was keeping most of the fresh tracks under wraps, although Billboard did premiere the title track online in mid-January. We may get lucky hearing them at the Orpheum. “I think by February some of the new material will be played live,” Falco discloses. Until then, you’ll find a friend in Live From Telluride. The Infamous Stringdusters perform Feb. 19 at the Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff, 15 W. Aspen Ave. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $24.50 and up.

SPOTLIGHT

Annette McGivney Author & Journalist Tell us a little about yourself. I have been the Southwest editor for Backpacker Magazine since 1996, and I moved [to Flagstaff ] in the early ‘90s just so I could be close to the Grand Canyon because I like hiking in the canyon so much. In addition to that, back in 2004, I started teaching full time in the journalism program at Northern Arizona University. I also am a regular freelance writer for other outdoor-oriented publications like Arizona Highways, Outside Magazine, and I’ve been doing work recently for The Guardian. My most recent book is Pure Land, which is about the murder of Tomomi Hanamure in the Grand Canyon in 2006. I’m very Grand Canyon focused, and I use it to talk about a lot of different things—environmental issues, cultural issues with indigenous people, and also just human connections to amazing places like the canyon. What do you remember about your first visit to the Grand Canyon? I was young, and I was stupid. I was very physically fit, I was an avid runner, and thought of myself as very physically strong. I had a very heavy pack, and I just bounded down the Hermit Trail. By the time I got to just below the red wall, I could not stand. I totally blew out my knee, and I basically had to crawl out. … It was beautiful, but I was definitely distracted by the physical pain I was experiencing. Most people have their own unique connection to the canyon. What’s yours? When I talk about the Grand Canyon, I always kind of visualize it in my mind as this place that’s so much bigger than any problem or any day-to-day situation that I have. When I’m out of the Grand Canyon I get consumed with the busyness of life, but when I go into the Grand Canyon, especially when I’m at the bottom of it, I’m like, ‘Oh, wow, all that other stuff is not that big of a deal.’ It just puts the rest of life in context for me. In Pure Land, you investigate the murder of Tomomi Hanamure, and in doing so, it revealed trauma from your own past. What was it like to experience the Grand Canyon as both a crime scene and a place of catharsis? It was weird because I had always experienced the canyon as a tourist destination. The crime scene was on the reservation of the indigenous people of the Grand Canyon. ... It was sort of a wakeup call for me to pay closer attention to the indigenous history of the canyon, but it also made me aware of Tomomi’s connection to the canyon, which was very similar to what I’d always had myself as a non-indigenous person.

Do you think indigenous history and perspective gets lost? It definitely does. It’s literally being lost in the centennial celebration of the park. I mean, the National Park Service has got these T-shirts that are celebrating 100 years of the park, and it’s like, well, actually it’s been 100 years since the land was stolen from the Havasupai. That history does get lost. And it’s not just the history of the indigenous people in relation to the national parks, it’s the fact that indigenous people are on the sidelines in pretty much every way. Te l l u s a b o u t t h e H e a l i n g Lands Project. I started the Healing Lands Project when I was writing Pure Land because I was kind of dredging up my own trauma story and looking at the history of Randy’s (the Havasupai young man who killed Tomomi) connection to family trauma and how that impacted him. Healing Lands Project is a partnership between profits from Pure Land and the Family Violence Institute at NAU, as well as Grand Canyon Youth. The goal is to take kids from the FVI that have been removed from homes for family violence and have experienced extreme cases of it and get them on an extended river trip where they’re able to experience the natural world, usually for the first time in their lives. It’s not just anecdotal evidence that shows that being in wild places for an extended period of time can heal the central nervous system and also bring your emotions back into balance when you’re suffering from symptoms of trauma, but there have been quite a few scientific studies on military veterans that proves it. What are your thoughts on the future of the canyon? Without a doubt, it’s amazing and wonder. It was such a smart decision that was made to protect the Grand Canyon by establishing it as a national park. It protected it from mining. It protected it from commercial development. It later protected it from being damned and turned in to a reservoir. So the national park is a wonderful thing, but I think we need to maybe broaden our view of what a national park should be and get away from that original vision, which was almost a military type of takeover where the cavalry literally went into Yellowstone and Yosemite to get rid of squatters on the land, and make it more of an inclusive situation that embraces the indigenous history of the Grand Canyon and allows indigenous people to participate in the national park in a way they haven’t been able to so far. … They should be financially benefitting from the 6 million tourists that come and have high-level management positions. … That would not only benefit the tribes but also make the park a richer place to be in terms of experiencing all the culture and all the ways humans can be connected to the environment there. February19 namlm.com

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