(chime echoing) Ready.

Follow me.

(rock music) Flagstaff, home to Arizona's highest trails and some of the most unique landscapes in the southwest.

At elevation, everything changes.

The air gets cooler, the trees give way to alpine meadows, and the views stretch for a hundred miles.

These mountain ecosystems are rare and fragile, yet full of life, from wildflowers to elk to ancient volcanic rock that tells the story of how this land was formed.

Up here, hiking isn't just about reaching the summit.

It's about experiencing beauty that can only be found where the earth meets the sky.

(upbeat guitar music) Trail Mixd is made possible in part through support from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

And also by.

Whitfill Nursery.

Proud to support Arizona PBS.

A valley tradition since 1946.

Over 200 acres of Arizona grown citrus trees and palms.

Complete custom design and installation.

And Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

Whitfillnursery.com.

I'm Susan Linkous of the Linkous Group.

A fee based registered investment advisor specializing in financial planning, investment management, insurance strategies and more.

LinkousGroup.com.

Investing for life.

SRP is staying ahead of the Valley's growing energy needs.

We're investing in one of the country's largest solar battery storage projects to deliver power thats as reliable as it is sustainable.

Banner Sports Medicine the same expert care trusted by the Suns, Mercury and Diamondbacks is available to everyone.

Academic level care from fellowship trained specialists.

Proud sponsor of Arizona PBS.

(Birds chirping) The San Francisco Peaks are remnants of an ancient stratovolcano that erupted about 400,000 years ago.

The highest of these peaks is Humphreys Peak.

(pin pop) On this 9.6 mile out and back trail Well gain 3,346ft of elevation.

This is the start and it looks so mild right here.

But we know this trail is going to get intense.

Do you see those clouds?

We're going to be keeping a close eye on the skies because there could be storms.

If we make it to the top, we'll be standing at Arizona's highest point, 12,633ft.

(inspiring music) The ponderosa pines tower above, filling the forest with their sweet scent.

And as you climb higher, the landscape transforms.

(calm music) Look at these beautiful aspen trees.

One of the best parts of hiking Humphreys, is that you get to experience so much different plant life.

So for now, we have the aspens, and you'll see the foliage change as we climb.

Andrew Richardson, an ecosystem ecologist, sat down with us to chat about Humphreys Peak and the plants that thrive here, high in the mountains.

Andrew, can you take us through the different biomes that we're going to experience as we hike up Humphreys Peak?

Yeah.

Yeah, so as you start at the bottom, you're in a kind of Ponderosa forest.

And then, as you get up higher in elevation, you get to a mix conifer zone, which is things like Douglas fir and western white pine.

There's also some aspen in that.

And then above the mixed conifer, you get a spruce fir zone, and above that you get an alpine tundra zone, and then you get the barren summits.

And, a lot of rocks.

Yeah, a lot of rocks.

So why is it that at the tree line, there's, it ends.

You get to the saddle.

Why is it that after the saddle, you start to see less and less foliage?

Yeah, well, the main reason across all mountains is temperature.

And as you go up in elevation, that temperature cools in a very predictable way.

And that is one factor driving the zonation on mountains.

Below a certain temperature, trees just can't reproduce.

They cannot form wood.

They can still photosynthesize.

Which is their process of making food from sunlight and carbon dioxide?

But they can't turn that food into wood.

And seeds, if they do produce seeds, the seeds don't germinate and survive just because it's too cold, too extreme a climate.

As a tree researcher, is there anything that stands out to you about the plant life on Humphreys Peak?

I mean, it's just fascinating to me that you get so many, biomes and such a wide latitudinal range compressed into just an elevational range.

And so it really is like going from Mexico to northern Canada.

Here at sort of mid elevation on Humphreys, where we're in a mixed conifer aspen forest.

This is more similar to what you might see, in the northern Rockies, in the, in the boreal forest where you get aspen and spruce, mixing together.

So that's thousands of miles to the north.

And here we are just outside of Flagstaff.

We are about halfway up at this point, and that elevation its getting us.

I might be a little out of breath as I take you to the top.

(calm guitar music) Hiking in Flagstaff is unlike anywhere else in Arizona.

At elevation, everything shifts.

The air is cooler, cleaner, and a little thinner, which makes each step more intentional.

All these beautiful trees mean lots and lots of roots.

And on the way down, you have to be so aware of every step you're taking because look how massive these roots are.

If you're not watching your step carefully, you can snag your toe in there.

And trust me, it'll take you down.

I've seen it happen many times.

(upbeat music) I want to show you something that can save the day when you're hiking, especially if you are doing a long trek.

No one likes getting blisters.

It can just ruin the adventure so moleskin can save the day.

This is just a soft, cushioned, adhesive material that you can stick right on a blister that's forming.

So as soon as you feel rubbing on your foot while you're walking, don't try to be a hero.

There's no need to push through.

You can just get your moleskin out and prevent the blister.

So they make these premade.

Or you can cut your own before you head out on a hike.

Now, if you already have a blister, you can put a circle in the center around the blister, and that way you are getting protection around the blister that's already formed and it won't get worse.

You can even put some more moleskin on the top.

So I always keep a little bit of this in my backpack, and I recommend that you do the same, because a blister can make it so you want to turn around, or you just don't have a good memory on the hike.

So we don't want that.

(upbeat music) Up here, you're reminded that elevation isn't just about altitude.

It's about rising above the everyday, slowing down and finding beauty in every step closer to the clouds.

I have hiked Humphreys numerous times, and I can tell you this to me is the hardest part.

When you're approaching the tree line.

Thank goodness we are almost to the saddle.

We are keeping a close eye on the weather.

We know that there are some storm chances in the forecast.

So as the skies get a little darker, we're paying close attention.

And we will call it quits if we have to.

(upbeat music) We are so close to the saddle.

But we've got caught in a storm, and there is hail.

You guys see this?

Its like pea sized.

(thunder) We made it through some intense weather.

And that's one of the things that you always have to take into consideration on Humphreys Peak.

But we did make it to the saddle.

To me, this is where the most beautiful views on this hike are anyway.

So because of the weather, we're going to call this our stopping point before the final mile.

But it's still a beautiful hike and well worth it.

(thunder) (dramatic music) On our way down, we met a hiker who got caught in that storm at the top of Humphreys Peak.

This is Shane.

Shane, I'm so glad you're okay first of all.

I am.

What was it like up there?

It was scary.

It was hailing.

It was cold.

Windy.

My legs got beat up by the hail.

Yeah, it was really, really scary.

What were you thinking when you were up there?

So I was close to the peak, And then there was this hiker coming back, and was like, you probably have, like, maybe, like 20 minutes before the, storm really get there.

So I just like, run like the last stretch of the hike.

How close was the lightning to you?

It was like there's one on the side.

It was scary.

Yes.

Does it change your feelings about hiking or would you have?

Would you have still done it knowing that it was going to be stormy?

Yeah, I would, I would.

When the sun started shining.

Like when I got out of the peak.

And then I looked and I thought of coming back because I didn't get a picture.

(Laughing) Well, I'm sure that will happen for you.

Another time when it's safer to do so.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

(calm music) We made it to safety.

And you know what?

This is part of being at elevation on an adventure.

And it's part of going in the outdoors in general.

You always need to be prepared to put your safety first in case you run into inclement weather.

And that's exactly what we did today.

Never feel badly about cutting a hike short to make sure you get off the trail okay And the point of this is to spend quality time out in nature.

You have nothing to prove.

And today we got a lot of quality time in nature.

Look at the views that we still got to take in.

(calm music) (pop) The National Weather Service provides important information to keep you safe.

But do you know the difference between a watch and a warning?

A warning is the most urgent alert the National Weather Service issues.

It means a hazardous weather event is happening right now, or will be happening very soon, and it poses a threat to life or property.

If a warning is issued for your area, you need to take immediate action to protect yourself.

A watch, on the other hand, means the risk of hazardous weather has increased, but it's not clear when or precisely where it's going to happen.

A watch gives you time to alter your plans, which is important, especially if those plans are outdoors.

During a watch, you should stay alert.

Have a plan ready and listen for updates because conditions could become dangerous.

Now, in my opinion, as both a hiker and a former Phoenix weather forecaster, if you have a hike planned and a watch is issued in the area, you should postpone.

I want you to think about it like this.

Say we're thinking about having tacos for dinner.

If we have some meat, spices, veggies and cheese, maybe some sour cream.

We have the ingredients to make tacos.

That's like a weather watch.

Now, if we have seasoned the meat, cooked it, placed it in a tortilla, added our toppings.

Now we're eating tacos.

That's like a weather warning.

A warning means you need to act now.

A watch means to be on alert.

I hope that helps.

And that you're not too hungry now.

(pin pop) The Kendrick Peak Trail is an 8.8 out and back trail, with an elevation gain of 2,657ft.

It's a difficult trail that follows switchbacks most of the way up, and it includes a fire tower at the top.

As soon as we start this trail, we see a sign warning us that we're entering a burned area.

And even though the Pumpkin Fire happened here 25 years ago, we do see signs of the devastation it caused on these ponderosa pine.

But we also see lots of new growth.

Let's go see what else we find.

(calm piano music) In the heart of our forest, fire has been a constant companion.

For centuries, it has shaped the land, renewing what has withered and clearing space for what will come.

Forest fires are both destroyer and creator, borne of lightning strikes or sparked by human hands.

They sweep through woodlands with a force that can devastate homes and habitats.

Yet in their wake, they also bring renewal, releasing seeds, clearing undergrowth and restoring balance to ecosystems that depend on fire to thrive.

(calm piano music) We are seeing wildflowers all along this trail.

It's interesting because when we began, we saw all the devastation, the charred trees and now we're seeing the signs of new growth.

It is so peaceful walking on this trail.

But remember that 25 years ago, flames tore this area apart.

And you see the signs of the devastation paired with all of this new life, all these small trees, wildflowers.

But the devastation is easy to see when you look at it on these ponderosa pines.

And we wanted to learn more about that relationship between humans and fire, and how the devastation also leads to that new growth.

We're here with Victor Morfin, who actually fought the Pumpkin Fire.

He was a full time wildland firefighter for 35 years, now, continues to fight wildland fires in the summer, and is an assistant professor of practice at Northern Arizona University's School of Forestry.

Quite the history you have with wildfires.

I want to know what it was like for you to fight the Pumpkin Fire.

The Pumpkin Fire was really unique.

It was, it was neat.

I just came from northern New Mexico, where I was based out of Santa Fe.

I moved to Williams, Arizona, in the Kaibab National Forest.

In a drought year 2000.

It was very dry conditions and the Pumpkin Fire started by lightning, and it was my first major fire in my new job here in the southwest area, in northern Arizona.

Tell me about what you saw and what it was like seeing the forest torn apart by that fire.

The Pumpkin Fire was semi unique.

It was one of the more rare fires, I guess I would say, because most of the fires we go on, we tend to attack initial attack, extended attack, and we tend to catch that fire, so to speak.

The Pumpkin Fire escaped initial attack.

It was moving very well to the north and east with southwest winds.

And once it got up on Kendrick Mountain, that steep, rugged terrain really, made the job more difficult, made it a lot more of a challenging fire.

And that's what I remember about it is, the sinking feeling as the fire was approaching from the southwest end of that mountain, and as it got established up on the slope that basically we were in for a long haul, that now we involved the whole mountain and it wasn't going to be easy or a short term deal.

It was about ten days.

Two weeks.

And honestly, what took so long is once the fire got established on the mountain, the incident management team came in and had to light the entire mountain.

That was that was what had to happen in order to secure it down below in the, using the existing road system.

And so when you have a mountain that big and that much fuel, it takes time to bring fire down off the hill and not do damage.

And so it would do damage because it would consume a lot of trees, make a lot of black sticks and put too much heat into the soil.

And so it would do damage from that perspective versus what we did and was try to bring fire off the top, light the top of the mountain and bring it down in phases, gentle so to speak, so that we didn't have those large flames that took out the trees and impacted the soil negatively.

Could you explain a little bit more about why we need fire?

These forests.

Ponderosa pine, southwestern ponderosa pine is not the forest that we see behind us.

It has become that.

But if we went back 200 years ago, before Euro-American settlement, these forests were wide open.

They call them open and park like.

Big trees spread out on the landscape, grass belly high to a horse is what the early settlers said.

And now we look at these forests, and it's dense, it's dark, it's small trees.

So they don't have that ecological force of fire to maintain them.

These forests burned every 2 to 12 years historically.

And so those frequent low intensity fires would thin out smaller trees and keep the big trees healthy, so to speak.

They would maintain that tall grass.

So fire did a lot of things that we still don't understand, including nitrification, turn over soil nutrients, etc., that is positive for the environment, but since we've eliminated fire from the system, we no longer have that fire to maintain the system.

I think it's neat to see how resilient our forests are and the power of Mother Nature to heal itself.

And so it's pretty refreshing because sometimes when you respond to a fire and what you see in front of you seems real negative, it can be gut wrenching.

When we're up on Dragon Bravo and we saw those forests burn with high severity.

That's hard to see, but sometimes you know, it's part of a natural process, depending on how it burned, depending on a lot of factors.

So it can be kind of refreshing to know that it's not the end.

The forest isn't necessarily being destroyed.

It's really a beautiful way to think about it.

When we're along the trail, sometimes we see trees with like a big line in them, like a scar, I would say.

Is that a lightning strike?

Indeed, indeed.

You'll usually see a vertical fissure crack in the tree.

That's a lightning strike.

half of the fires on the Coconino National Forest, our local forest, start by lightning.

The other half are human starts.

And so, it's super common to have those lightning strikes on the Mogollon Rim up here.

And we get, about 200 of those fires a year just on the Coconino.

So, yes, it's lightning and it's really common.

And it starts a lot of fires.

So in America, lightning cause fires can be managed for resource objectives.

They can be allowed to burn.

Human caused fires cannot.

So just from that perspective, I see them different because I have to because of federal fire policy here in America.

That's so interesting.

I learned so much from you.

Vic, thank you so much for all that you've done in fighting fires.

And we really appreciate everything you shared with us.

Thank you.

Youre welcome.

Nice to be here, thanks.

This trail is so peaceful when you're walking here, taking in the expansive views, it's hard to imagine that 25 years ago, flames ripped through this area.

When you see a charred tree like this paired with fresh wildflowers along the trail, it does make you think about how necessary wildfire is.

And here's something I want you to think about.

Without humans, there is no hazard.

These are just the Earths processes.

So how should we be thinking about our urge to manage these processes?

(calm music) We are about halfway to the summit, two and a half miles in, and I have to show you what we're seeing along the trail.

There are young aspen trees everywhere, and we see some changing leaves in the distance because we're hiking in the fall.

(upbeat music) We found those beautiful colors.

And despite the fire 25 years ago, these aspens thrive and put on a show featuring an explosion of color every fall.

(upbeat music) We just hit the four mile mark, and I can really feel that elevation taking a toll on my body.

But we can see the fire tower from here, so we know we're getting close.

Wow.

You know, we head out on these trails not knowing exactly what we're going to find, but what an amazing surprise to see such vibrant fall foliage in September.

This is really what fall in Flagstaff is all about.

And when you look at this, isn't it amazing to think about all of the devastation that was once here?

And now, you see so much beautiful life surrounding us.

Look, there's a little house.

(upbeat music) We made it to the top.

You immediately notice the fire tower.

It's right there.

And look at this perfect 360 view.

It is so stunning.

I have done a lot of hiking in Arizona, and I got to say, this is one of the most impressive views I have seen.

I'm definitely not going to forget this hike.

(upbeat music) When you hike this high up in the mountains of Flagstaff, you're exposing yourself to incredible scenery, but also to risk.

Between the lightning we experienced on Humphreys Peak to seeing the effects of the lightning caused fire on Kendrick Peak.

We truly experience the beauty and danger of when the earth meets the sky.

We'll see you when our paths cross again.

Trail Mixd is supported in part by.

There are so many reasons to love the play with the Arizona Lottery, because every time you play, you're giving back to your community.

A portion of each lottery ticket helps to protect and conserve Arizona wildlife, preserve their habitats and reintroduce critical species through the Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Fund.

When you play, you're playing for our environment, for our wildlife and to better our state.

Now that's a lot to play for.

Arizona Lottery.

Love the play Banner Sports Medicine.

The same expert care trusted by the Suns, Mercury and Diamondbacks is available to everyone.

Academic level care from fellowship trained specialists.

Proud sponsor of Arizona PBS.

(upbeat music)