Mountain Men leave on annual trek

The Bill Williams Mountain Men left on their annual 200-mile trek to the Valley of the Sun Saturday and this year took a completly different route.

“We’re going to leave here and head East through the Garland Prairie area, and we’re going to end up at Turkey Butte, southwest of Flagstaff,” said Jack Myrick, this year’s trail master for the Mountain Men. “I’ve always wanted to go that way, but the weather never cooperated.”

By taking the new route, the Mountain Men will hit a familiar road.

“This is the first time we’re going down the Mountain Man Trail since we’ve started,” said Bob Dean, longtime Mountain Man member.

From there, the group will head to Sedona.

“The route we’re going takes us from Casner Mountain to the red rocks of Sedona,” Myrick said.

Once the group reaches Cottonwood, they will receive a police escort through town. Next, they’ll head to Yellow Jacket Creek, near Orme High School.

“The next day, our longest day, we’ll cut across country through Bear Springs and Cordes Junction, then across the Black Mesa and drop into Black Canyon City,” Myrick said. “This is where we’re going to have fun.”

At this stop, the Backporch Boys, a bluegrass band, will be on hand to perform. Throughout the trip, Cowboy Campfires Catering Co. will provide the grub.

“The next day we’ll finish up the ride,” Myrick said.

“That’s a short day, but there is a lot of up and downs,” said Dean.

By taking this route, the Mountain Men will arrive in the Valley of the Sun six days after leaving Williams.

It was during 1953 that a group of local businessmen gathered at Diz’s Tavern in downtown Williams and formed the illustrious Bill Williams Mountain Men. The mission of the group is to promote the town.

They adapted their name from the 1800s-era William Sherley Williams, a hunter, scout and the town’s namesake, who was known as Old Bill. The mountain that shadows this town is named after the famous mountain man.

On April 13-14, the Mountain Men will don their skins and ride in the Fiesta Days Parade and as the grand entries at the Fiesta Days Rodeo in Cave Creek.

Giving back to Williams

This year, the club decided to try something new and has initiated a food drive for the Williams Emergency Food Bank.

“The Saturday night after the ride we’re having our steak fry and food donation,” said Myrick.

The dinner/dance will be held at the Roadrunner Saloon, 47801 N. Black Canyon Freeway in New River. The steaks will be served from 4-8 p.m., and music will start at 7 p.m. and run until 11 p.m. The cost is $15 at the door and $13 in advance. All the money raised from the event will benefit mountain man charities.

“The food donated is for the food bank here in Williams to help support what we do up here in town,” said Myrick. “That was one of my brainstorms.”

The club annually donates $1,000 to the food bank and continues to give back to local youth by providing two $500 scholarships to Williams High School graduates. The Mountain Men also gather in Williams annually for their raffle dinner at Miss Kitty’s Steak House and Saloon, set for the second Saturday of October.