On 9/21 the carcass of Bighorn ewe ID 37442 was found in the Santa Catalina Mountains – a field necropsy showed signs of pneumonia. This is the 5th recent death – none of which have been attributed to predators – 3 of which have been linked to pneumonia in laboratory tests. While earlier deaths prompted AZGF to take a “take a wait and see attitude” about a November release of Bighorn in the Santa Catalina Mountains (source) it now appears that the pneumonia has been assessed as “limited” and the November release is still planned. AZGF is “looking at bringing animals from a herd with prior exposure to pneumonia.” The latest updates from the project are available here – also see Another bighorn dies in Catalinas — apparently of pneumonia – Arizona Daily Star.
Storms result in rescue, outages, closures, evacuation – Tucson News Now: The article mentions rocks on the highway up the mountain in the recent storms – note that in almost every wet storm some rocks – perhaps small – will be on the highway, they are usually cleared remarkably quickly but in wet weather some extra caution is advised.
Tucson’s UFO Mystery Revealed – Huffpost Weird News: The recent UFO Videos shot from the Sabino Canyon area have been debunked – the lights appear to have been from human activity on the mountain…
Hittin’ the Trails 4 You: National Public Lands Day on September 26th – KVOA.com: Every year National Public Lands Day often features waived fees and good opportunities to volunteer!
Congress must renew the Land & Water Conservation Fund – Arizona Daily Star: A letter about the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Established in 1965 and primarily funded by royalties on offshore oil and gas drilling the fund provides money for the acquisition of land for recreation and protection. Unfortunately this fund was not reauthorized (as of 10/6/2015) (The Land and Water Conservation Fund Coalition and Congress Lets Sun Set on Land and Water Conservation Fund) – while it is possible it will be reauthorized it seems like it will be more difficult now…
Cloud Road named for family with long Tucson history – Arizona Daily Star: Some great historic details about the Cloud Family who purchased property along Sabino Canyon in 1910.
Hittin’ the Trails 4 You: Mount Lemmon’s Wilderness of Rock Trail – KVOA.com: Video and commentary on the Wilderness of Rocks Trail.
Monsoon brings greenery, flowing streams, wildflowers – Arizona Daily Star: A great quote from Frank Rose – “This has been one of the best monsoons I have seen in 33 years of hiking the Catalinas — bringing a great variety and quantity of flowers, some into their second bloom of the year”.
Highway up Mt Lemmon back open following crash – Tucson News Now: A vehicle/motorcycle crash.
Canyon View Elementary placed on brief lockdown due to mountain lion sighting – KVOA.com: the school across from the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center has a mountain lion sighting.
Four figures in the fog — hiking Arizona’s Mt. Lemmon – The Spectrum: A nice write up of a hike on the Marshall Gulch Trail and Aspen Trail on a stormy day.
AZ Game and Fish: Reward offered in poaching of two javelinas – Tucson News Now: Two javelina were found in Tucson – NW of Grant and Swan and near Cloud and Sabino – both shot by an arrow. AZGF said: “There is no archery javelina hunt open at this time, so we are investigating these incidents as illegal take of wildlife.”
Rescues/Accidents/Incidents including information from the SARCI Newsletter:
- Hiker recovering after fall in Catalina State Park – Fall on the trail
- Authorities search for hiker in Catalina State Park – Lost and out of water on the Sutherland Trail
- Romero Canyon – 9/7, 9/13: Hikers carried out
- Bear Canyon Trail – 9/7: Feeling poorly
- Rattlesnake Trail – 9/2: Knee Injury
- Sabino Dam – 9/1: Inebriated male near the dam
- Seven Falls Trail – 8/8: Exhaustion
- Mount Lemmon Trail – 8/9: Exhaustion
- Sabino Canyon (off-trail) – 8/11: Ankle Injury