Saturday morning dawns refreshingly cool and clear at Rainbow Campground, the largest of four campgrounds nestled along the southeastern corner of Big Lake, one of the largest and most prolific trout lakes in the beautiful White Mountains of eastern Arizona.

Fourteen Arizona Trailblazers, along with two playful canine companions, enjoy a leisurely breakfast under a forest canopy of pine, fir, and aspen, before preparing to set out on our grand hiking adventure of the day. This is our first morning at camp, and we enjoy the intoxicatingly cool and clean mountain air at an elevation of 9,200 feet – the temperature just cool enough in the lower fifties to justify flannel shirts and light jackets in the early morning hours.

Does it get any better than this for desert dwellers during the blistering June heat of an Arizona summer?

On a picture perfect morning for hiking the high country of the White Mountains, fourteen intrepid Arizona Trailblazers and two energetic canine hiking companions gather around the trailhead sign for the West Fork Trail.

From a starting elevation of 8,925 feet, we will climb for a short distance and then gradually drop about 400 feet over the next three miles, before trail’s end at the West Fork of the Black River, where we then connect with the Thompson Trail.

OK, Trailblazers — time to move out and start exploring.

Chuck, Michael, Jessi, Cyndi, Caleb, and David pause in a lush grassy clearing in the forest, as Sidni captures the moment forever with her new digital camera.

The sapphire blue skies over the White Mountains are crystal clear, with scattered cumulus clouds in the distance, and the air temperature stands at a perfect 70° on this spectacular Saturday morning in mid-June. We can’t help but compare this environment to the hot, dusty desert we left behind only yesterday, where the daily highs are a scorching 110°.

What a difference a few hours of driving time can make in this amazing place called Arizona!

Large fields of alpine iris grace the open meadows along the West Fork Trail. Much of the trail passes through thick stands of Douglas fir, blue spruce, ponderosa pine, and quacking aspen, interspersed with these lush, expansive meadows along the way.

The West Fork and the connecting Thompson Trail together offer some of the most spectacular scenery to be found in the White Mountains of eastern Arizona.

These mountains are nothing short of paradise, especially to first-time visitors and heat weary desert dwellers seeking temporary relief from the summer heat.

Once you have hiked or visited this area, you are forever addicted to returning again and again to some of the very best that Arizona has to offer.

Mike and his faithful black lab companion, Zeke, pause for a Kodak moment on a rustic and slowly disintegrating foot bridge that spans across a massive drainage, formed from an ancient basalt rock slide running for thousands of feet down the mountain side.

This huge rock slide would have totally obliterated everything in its path, as it roared down the mountain in a deafening thunder many thousands of years ago, smashing its way through anything that stood in its unstoppable path.

From this vantage point about 2.5 miles from the West Fork Trailhead, a slender silver ribbon far below the trail can be seen snaking its way through a thick forest of Douglas fir, Colorado blue spruce, and ponderosa pine.

The West Fork is working its way through rugged mountain terrain, as it continues on its journey to the confluence with the Black River, north of Hannigan Meadow.

The Black River and White River eventually merge to form the mighty Salt River, at one time one of Arizona’s largest free-flowing rivers, now tamed and held in check by four major dams along its course. The White Mountains are the major watershed for this river system, which supplies over one third of the metro Phoenix area’s water supply.

After descending through a relatively steep series of switchbacks on the last quarter-mile section of the West Fork Trail, we finally reach the West Fork of the Black River, where the West Fork Trail connects with the Thompson Trail.

What the heck is Rudy up to now? Just what is he pointing at, anyway? A big bird? A big fish? A big bear? Omigosh! – is it Bigfoot? Reported sightings of a distant Arizona cousin to the original Pacific Northwest Bigfoot have been floating around these parts for years now. Who knows?

As it turns out, nothing quite that exotic is taking place after all.

Instead, our friend Rudy is preparing to do a little trout fishing with his makeshift stick pole and a piece of monofilament line he always carries around with him on hiking and camping trips for just such occasions. Here is a man who has never met a promising fishing hole that he could pass up.

“How’s the fishing, Rudy?” That story to come later on the 10:00 PM edition.

C’mon, Debbie, you can make it – only a few more boulders to go!

Just watch your footing on those slippery rocks. Oops – watch your balance now, just a tad to your right. Hang on girl – don’t lose it now!

Easier said than done for some, but everyone makes it safely across the West Fork crossing without mishap.

The West Fork Trail comes to an abrupt end here, and you must navigate across the water somewhere to continue the hike on the Thompson Trail.

Under wetter conditions and a higher water level, it could be a real challenge to navigate this crossing, but fortunately for us the water level is low enough this time to make it safely across and continue on our way.

Winding a sinuous path through high alpine meadows, deep valleys, and thick, old-growth forests, the West Fork drops over a thousand feet in elevation before merging with the East Fork to form the Black River.

Dropping another 2,000 feet and running for over fifty miles through the White Mountains before merging with the White River, the Black River forms the boundary between the White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Apache Indian reservations.

One of many idyllic scenes along the picturesque West Fork of the Black River, as it continues on its journey through the White Mountains.

The Thompson Trail rides shotgun alongside the West Fork all the way back to the trailhead, providing the quintessential riparian hiking experience in these mountains.

Taking a rest break at the Thompson Trailhead exit point, Aaron, Michael, Lynda, and Mike (hidden from view), with Chloe and Zeke in tow, enjoy a good laugh after the day’s hike.

From here it’s back to the West Fork Trailhead to pick up our other three vehicles and then a short trip back to the campsite for a little R & R before tonight’s potluck surprise.

You sure you’re going to be able to fit in that thing, Rudy? How are you going to sleep all scrunched up like that?

Rudy tries out his brand new bivouac tent for size, while waiting for the potluck preparations to begin. This will be his new home away from home for an upcoming Havasupai backpacking trip. Weighing in at a little over two pounds, this compact shelter is about as lightweight as they come. Equipment review to follow later.

Let the serious eating begin. Praise the Lord and pass the Stinking Bean Dip. Both Cyd and Lynda have brought along their own versions of The Amazing Stinking Bean Dip (we didn’t let the name scare us away and dove in to a very tasty dip).

Among other delicacies and delights of the evening are grilled ribeye steaks and veggies, cold spaghetti salad, home made chili, Debbie’s Chicken Surprise, World’s Greatest BBQ Beans, fruit and veggie plates, and all kinds of assorted munchies, all downed with ice cold beer and crisp white wine.

If there’s one thing we do right on these camping trips, it’s the potluck dinners.

Not one single camper has ever gone to bed hungry.

“I don’t know, Cyd. Are you sure all of this is going to fit on the stove?”

Jessi looks on anxiously, wondering when she is finally going to be able to sit down and eat.

Obviously not hot enough, Mike is thinking.

Lynda and Chuck look on, wondering just how long he is going to keep his hand in harm’s way.

Hey guys – just when does the sun set around here anyway??

Michael, Rudy, Cyd, Debbie, Lynda and Chloe all cast their eyes to the west, anxiously waiting for the sun to sink below the far western horizon and hopefully create another magical Arizona sunset.

No one is disappointed this evening. I will let this picture stand on its own merit, needing no explanation from anyone.

Several of us take one last walk down to the shore of Big Lake after breakfast on Sunday morning. This view looks across the lake to the Big Lake General Store and boat dock.

Several hopeful anglers on the left side of the picture try their luck in waters noted for producing some of the best trout fishing to be found anywhere in Arizona, with lunker rainbow, brook, brown, and cutthroat trout caught every year.

Houston — we have a problem. Reporting a pint-sized stowaway in the back of our mission vehicle, apparently trying to sneak an unauthorized ride back to base with her friend and accomplice, Mr. Zeke.

Over the course of the past two days Jessi has indeed found a new friend and companion in Zeke the Lab and simply cannot bear to part company with her new pal.

In the final moments before departing the campground, she crawls into the cramped rear quarters of my Dodge Dakota pickup to spend some quality time with Zeke, offer a quick hug, and say one last goodbye to her new friend.