7       ARIZONA HIGHWAY 89

            (between US 93 and Prescott, AZ)

            Not recommended for trucks pulling trailers over 40' long.

            Just south of Yarnell, Arizona there is a descent for traffic going south on 89.  The descent is about 5½ miles of 5-6% grade with many 25 and 30 mph curves and a couple of 20 mph hairpin turns.  The road is four lane at the top but soon splits—northbound and southbound are at different elevations—and the downhill side becomes one lane until the bottom of the hill.

            Farther north on 89 is the town of Wilhoit, Arizona.  From Wilhoit to Prescott the road has many curves that are too tight for large trucks.  The guardrail is damaged at almost every curve (where there is a guardrail.)  The grade is up and down for the entire 15 mile stretch.  Some of the grade is in the 6% range—both up and down—but it never does last for very long.  The curves do last—all the way across there are 20 and 25 mph curves—hardly a straight stretch at all.  We are advised that the local road through Kirkland, Skull Valley, and Iron Springs is a good road with fewer curves and lighter traffic.