Ewe #39555 was killed by a mountain lion 2/14 or 2/15 – the lion was pursued but not found/killed.
44 collared sheep are known to be alive – with a number of collars out of battery life and continued breeding in the range this count is less relevant than it was 12+ months ago – although the information from this subset of the population is still very interesting.
Hiker injured, rescued from Seven Falls on horseback – Tucson News Now: A leg injury left a hiker unable to walk in the Seven Falls Area – the hiker was taken out on horse by the Southern Arizona Mounted Search and Rescue.
Rescues/Accidents/Incidents including information from the SARCI Newsletter:
Sutherland Trail 2/12/2016 – A hiker intended to go up Sutherland and then come back down via the Mount Lemmon Trail and Romero Canyon Trail but lost the Sutherland Trail in the snow and was not prepared for night hiking – the hiker was able to hike out with an escort.
Romero Canyon Trail 2/21/2016 – A hiker called saying he was ill and in Romero Pass – the hiker was able to hike down and refused help other than gatorade.
Power poles along the Soldier Trail – at one time these provided power to the Prison Camp. February 2016.
We started at the Lower Green Mountain Trailhead in Bear Canyon – dirty snow was piled near the start of the Bug Spring Trail and there was occasional snow on/near the trail for the first few miles – but it disappeared too quickly, as we ran thru the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site and on to the Soldier Trail the temperature seemed oppressively hot for February – we were grateful for the wind and occasional shade as we made our way down to the Soldier Trail Trailhead.
Grassy hillsides above Soldier Canyon on the Soldier Trail. February 2016.
Balloon – trash on a hillside above La Milagrosa Canyon – there was a 2nd balloon below… February 2016.
Balloons floating up into the sky can seem beautiful and symbolic – but after picking up balloons from an astounding number of places in the mountains – including many off-trail destinations with no sign of people/trash for miles – I cringe when I see a piece of floating trash ascending into the sky… For more sad pictures of balloons and a bit more information see Balloons in the Backcountry.
The comment period for the Catalina-Rincon FireScape Project is open and the Forest Service is holding several open houses about this project:
Saturday, February 20, 2016 – 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Chuck Bowden Mt. Lemmon Community Center, 12949 N. Sabino Canyon Parkway., Mt. Lemmon, AZ
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Oracle Fire Department, 1475 W. American Ave., Oracle, AZ
Thursday, February 25 – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Morris K. Udall Regional Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd., Tucson, AZ
The press release from the Forest Service provides this quick summary of the project – “The CRFS is a landscape-scale restoration project that focuses on promoting resilient ecosystems; protecting life, property, and natural resources; and encouraging natural wildland fire to function as a healthy process in the ecosystem” – and the Scoping Notice provides background including:
The fire history recorded by tree rings indicates that, since the beginning of the early 20th century, the frequency of natural fire has decreased dramatically. Tree-ring research has shown that for many centuries, the Santa Catalina and Rincon mountains shared broadly similar fire regimes and ecosystem properties. However, since the early 20th century, natural fire regimes have been significantly altered because of grazing (which removes the fine fuels that carry surface fire) and continued fire suppression.
Ewe #39540 died in the first part of February – “she had suffered a severe injury to her left front leg in addition to a superficial wound on her chest, both injuries likely sustained in a fall” – samples have been sent for disease testing.
Test results from Ewe #39554 who died in December indicate that she did not have pneumonia and that injuries sustained in a fall were the likely cause of death.
Coronado National Forest waives fees in honor of Presidents Day – Coronado National Forest: Coronado National Forest will waive fees at most of its day-use recreation sites Monday, February 15, in honor of Presidents Day – Fees are waived generally for day-use areas, such as picnic grounds, developed trailheads and destination visitor centers!
Recreation projects completed on Mt. Lemmon – Coronado National Forest: A recent press release from the Coronado National forest notes several recently complete projects include 22 new interpretive signs along/near the highway and new restrooms at the Cypress Picnic Area and Showers Point Campground.
Rescues/Accidents/Incidents including information from the SARCI Newsletter:
Finger Rock Trail 1/16/2016 – Hikers descending from Mount Kimball ran out of daylight on the way down the Finger Rock Trail, ended up at Linda Vista Saddle and couldn’t find the way down.
Alamo Canyon 1/18/2016 – Hikers returning from Romero Pools ended up in on the slopes of Alamo Canyon.
Blackett’s Ridge 1/20/2016 – A fall results in ankle, knee and face injuries – injured hiker was flown out by helicopter.
The La Milagrosa and Agua Caliente Canyon Trail Loop is not a pristine wilderness experience – the walk thru the neighborhood at the beginning and end, old fence line, tanks, views of the city – but don’t be be fooled, the saguaros, flowers, water, big canyon walls and fun trails are too good resist…
Falling water in La Milagrosa Canyon. February 2016.Saguaro and Sun from the La Milagrosa Trail. February 2016.
Blackett’s Ridge under the stars. February 2016.A tree above the Sabino Canyon ‘lake’. February 2016.Clouds and Stars above the Santa Catalina Mountains. February 2016.
We hiked, slowly and with pauses for pictures, out passed the dam and to the lake, under the stars and clouds – it was a beautiful night and as our friend Mindi wrote “I can’t even describe how much fun it is to go sit in the dark with your camera!”
