Places

Grant Details – 10/13/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Looking across the Pusch Ridge Wilderness towards Charouleau Gap from near the Linda Vista Trails. September 2016.
Looking across the Pusch Ridge Wilderness towards Charouleau Gap from near the Linda Vista Trails. September 2016.

Last month in Bears, Steward, Grants, 2006 – 9/10/2016 I included basic information from Arizona State Parks Approves 29 Grants to Enhance Trails throughout AZ about a number of local organizations that received grants – a quick/friendly email to the Grant Program Leader for Arizona State Parks was all that was needed to get a few more details – it is great to see these organizations applying for, and receiving, grant money to help improve outdoor recreation in Southern Arizona! 

 

Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park is located within Coronado National Forest and is managed by Arizona State Parks in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service.

The Bridle Trail is a heavily used trail with a trailhead and approximately 1.4 miles long beginning in Catalina State Park and extending into the Coronado National Forest. The Bridle Trail is a relatively flat, slightly curved trail. The trail surface is predominantly a compacted sand substrate, although rocky protrusions exist in a few areas. Maintenance is needed to prevent resources damage and provide for public safety.

This project will add approximately 6″ of base rock as well as 3″ decomposed granite (DG) to Bridle Trail in Catalina State Park. The trail affected is 1.4 miles long and 10 feet wide. Material haulers, compacting equipment, a water truck, and a vibratory roller designed for trail work (narrow base) will be used to spread and compact the surface. Other hand tools will be used to clear brush, prune encroaching vegetation and further manicure the trailhead.

The improvements will provide a quality and safe recreation experience.

 

Coronado NF—Santa Catalina Mountains

As the US Forest Service continues to experience a decline in a located funding, the dispersed recreation program on the Santa Catalina Ranger District has been unable to secure the resources needed to adequately maintain and ensure the safe conditions of its many multiple-use trail ls. The District has approximately 245 miles of multiple-use, National Forest System trails which receive 1 .5 to 2 million visitors each year, according to National Visitor Use Monitoring data. Over the past 14 years, the Santa Catalina Ranger District has experienced several above-averge flood events and two catastrophic wildfires that have exacerbated the need for trail maintenance to sustain the desired recreational opportunities for the annual visitor base.

While the popularity of recreation continues to increase exponentially, the District does not have a trail crew or the personnel required to keep these multiple-use trails maintained within the required specifications and standards, including those criteria that must be met for public safety. The District trails listed in this application have had minimal cyclic maintenance in recent years and are currently in desperate need of corridor expansion, brushing, logging and tread work to mitigate public health and safety concerns, and to provide a better recreation experience for the increasing visitor population. If awarded, these funds will benefit millions of visitors by improving their safety and enhancing their experience on the Santa Catalina Ranger District. These funds will also help to provide training opportunities for our volunteers as they work together with the conservation crews to accomplish these projects.

 

Oro Valley

The Honey Bee Canyon Park Trail Rehabilitation Project will include routine trail maintenance on the existing 2.03 miles of trails within the park.  Honey Bee Canyon Park is a 62-acre natural passive park within the Rancho Vistoso  master planned community.  It features a trail system, two ramadas, and a restroom facility.  The Honey Bee Canyon Park trail system connects to other Oro Valley and Pima County trails.  The park is heavily used on a local and regional basis by residents and visitors.   It was operated by Pima County  until2012, when it was transferred  to the Town of Oro Valley.

The scope of work for this project will include:

l.        Trail clearing – in areas where trail is impassable/difficult (i.e. very rocky)

2.         Re-delineation of trails using available rock where trail tread direction is not evident

3.          Repair of trail where necessary (i.e. in areas where erosion  creates big gullies in trail)

4.         Replacement and/or repair of areas with steps using railroad ties or similar

5.         Repair of natural trail from parking area – making switchbacks easier/safer

A materials storage/staging area will be located in an already cleared area close to the first Ramada.  It is anticipated that a Bobcat might be needed, and will be provided.

The goal of this project  is to enable visitors to have a better travel experience within the park by providing them with safer and better delineated  trails, without losing the appreciation of the natural environment.

 

Climbing Association of Southern Arizona

The Santa Catalina Trails Project will provide maintenance and restoration on heavily used Santa Catalina Ranger District Forest

Service trails that are used by rock climbers, hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers.

21.5 miles of trails will be targeted, which will include the following trails: Bellota, Trail #39, Bug Springs, Incinerator Ridge, Aspen Trail, Marshal Gulch, Meadow, Trail #5, and Finger Rock.

The project will accomplish the following goals:

x    Utilize the local Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), with crews composed of up to 50% local youth, to perform maintenance and restoration work.

x    Develop and implement, in partnership with the Santa Catalina Ranger District, a training program to teach all trail users (rock climbers, hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers) how to perform basic trail maintenance to Forest Service standards.

x    Coordinate and deploy AZCC crews and volunteers sanctioned by the Santa Catalina Trails Project training program (above) to perform maintenance and restoration work as needed by the Santa Catalina Ranger District.

x    Integrate targeted trail maintenance with CASA’s (Climbing Association of Southern Arizona) existing volunteer Adopt a Crag program through joint events with AZCC and other user groups such as the Arizona Trail Association.

 

Association of 4WD Clubs

The purpose of this grant is to create a pilot program that would enhance partnerships between public land managers, motorized recreational users and the general public.  The main focus of this grant is to visit schools, dealerships, organized motorized groups and attend community events to provide Off-Highway information to the general public and listen to concerns and issues related to the Off-Highway Vehicle Program.  The project will work closely with Arizona State Parks and Trails, OHV Ambassadors, and Arizona Game and Fish to provide information related to the program and develop programs that can be used in schools.

Honey Bee Canyon Trail Access Issue – 9/4/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Pusch Peak from Honeybee Canyon Park in Oro Valley. August 2016.
Pusch Peak from Honeybee Canyon Park in Oro Valley. August 2016.

Bicycle Tucson recently made two posts – Honeybee neighborhood to attempt bike ban Oct. 1 and Show your support for trail access at OV town council – that you should read about an access issue in the Honeybee Canyon/Rancho Vistoso/Oro Valley area.

Access has been an issue in this area before – see After 30 years of fighting and compromise, Rancho Vistoso nearly complete for some details back into the 1990s and HONEYBEE CANYON/TORTOLITA MOUNTAIN ACCESS UPDATE for more recent history – and it appears that there may be an upcoming chance to influence future access – posted to Facebook by The Damion Alexander Team:

The Home Owner Association at Honeybee Ridge has put up a sign saying that trail access via the easement off of Quiet Rain Dr. will be closed as of October 1, 2016.

There are differences of legal opinion as to if the HOA has the authority to do this. Regardless of if they have the law on their side, what is clear is the community needs to create a permanent access to these trails.

We need the elected officials to know how important this for the kids and families, businesses, tourism, health and vitality of Oro Valley and the region. HoneyBee/Rail X Ranch Trails offer some of the best beginner trails in the region and are often used in the National promotion of our region.

At the city council meeting on September 7th at the call to the audience the cycling community and other trail users need to show up and tell the mayor and council how important this access point is. We also need to make them aware of other options (AND THE CURRENT LACK THERE OF) for accessing Honeybee trail.

With the current election many in candidates are calling for a new and improved Oro Valley. One that is not known as just a retirement community. Because of this our voice will resonate louder. Please take your time and show up for this meeting. If you can’t make this one, show up at the next one. We are going to need to keep a constant vigil to save our trails.

The meeting is at 6:00 PM on September 7th. at the Oro Valley Town Hall. 11000 N La Canada Drive Oro Valley, AZ 85737

Sunset and Storms, The Cordones – 8/13/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
A beautiful Santa Catalina sunset from the The Cordones north of Catalina. August 2016.
A beautiful Santa Catalina sunset from the The Cordones north of Catalina. August 2016.
Sunset from The Cordones north of Catalina. August 2016.
Sunset from The Cordones north of Catalina. August 2016.

It took many years for me to realize that Arizona State Trust Land is an important portion of the lands that give Southern Arizona its character and feel – a glance at the Arizona State Trust Land Parcel Viewer shows (in blue) the large amount of Arizona State Trust Land around, at the border of and between Southern Arizona’s Sky Islands. The east side of the Santa Catalina Mountains would be a very different place without public access (for a fee) to the land that is currently owned by the State Trust.

A screen shot from the Arizona State Land Trust Parcel Viewer - the colored areas are Arizona State Trust Land. August 2016.
A screen shot from the Arizona State Land Trust Parcel Viewer – the colored areas are Arizona State Trust Land. August 2016.

North of Catalina, just past E. Saddlebrooke Blvd, a section of State Trust land covers an area labeled ‘The Cordones’. Several roads lead out into the area and in some spots the combinations of ridges, washes and hills conspire to hide many of the nearby roads and homes – occasionally making the area feel a bit more remote than it really is. I intended to catch the sunset – but being there for a storm was just good luck…

Lightning and storm over the Santa Catalina Mountains. August 2016.
Lightning and storm over the Santa Catalina Mountains. August 2016.
Lightning over the Santa Catalina Mountains. August 2016.
Lightning over the Santa Catalina Mountains. August 2016.

Headless Windmill in Geesaman Wash – 8/5/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
Headless Windmill in Geesaman Wash at 'Deep Well'. August 2016.
Headless Windmill in Geesaman Wash at ‘Deep Well’. August 2016.

As a result of the mining and ranching history on the east side of the Santa Catalina Mountains there are a seemingly infinite number of dirt roads criss-crossing the landscape. One of these roads splits off from the Black Hills Mine road and works along the ridge between the Geesaman and Stratton Washes. Below the road, in Geesaman Wash, at a site labeled ‘Deep Well’ a headless windmill stands near a large, impressively full, water tank – the solar panels that replaced the windmill sit below the old tower.

Finley Geesaman, 1830-1917, staked a number of claims in the Old Hat Mining district and this wash and a mine group higher on the mountain bear his name. A short obituary appeared in the Arizona Daily Star on December 18, 1917:

Finley Geesaman.

Up to 9 o’clock last night, pioneers of Tucson visited the Reilly Undertaking parolrs [sic] to take a last look at the long familiar features of Finley Gessaman [sic], who died Saturday night at a local hospital after a brief illness, at the age of 87. The remains will be shipped this morning to his boyhood home, Quincy, Ill., to rest beside the graves of his father and mother. Mr. Gessaman is survived by a number of nephews and nieces, beneficiaries under his will of an estate estimated at about $60,000. His holdings include a number of claims in the Catalina mountains. Once the owner of the old Condon mines, he sold them to the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining company.

There are two photos of F. Geesaman in the Geesaman Family Newsletter #11 (Volume III, July, 1977, No. 3) – a portrait and a photo of Geesaman in the door of a cabin in the Santa Catalina Mountains. These photos accompany a letter written by Geo. P. Myers to Miss Amanda F. Geesaman of Rouzerville, Pa. after Geesaman’s death.

A horseshoe in the Deep Well area of Geesaman Wash. August 2016.
A horseshoe in the Deep Well area of Geesaman Wash. August 2016.
A flower surviving in the middle of Black Hills Mine Road. August 2016.
A flower surviving in the middle of Black Hills Mine Road. August 2016.
Marked on the map as 'Drill Hole' this small site sits on the slope of Alder Canyon below Black Hills Mine Road. August 2016.
Marked on the map as ‘Drill Hole’ this small site sits on the slope of Alder Canyon below Black Hills Mine Road. August 2016.

Phone with Windmill, Redington – 7/16/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
The payphone in Redington. July 2016.
The phone in Redington. July 2016.

Near the San Pedro River, between Redington and Cascabel Road, at the edge of Redfield Canyon, across from the Carlink Ranch, in the ‘town’ of Redington, with the top of a windmill visible over the trees and protected by a cholla stands a lonely phone. There are roads, homes and ranches  along the San Pedro River so I suppose the phone makes a certain kind of sense – but mostly it just seems strange.

Crossing the San Pedro River on the way from Redington Road to the town of Redington and the Carlink Ranch. July 2016.
Crossing the San Pedro River on the way from Redington Road to the town of Redington and the Carlink Ranch – cows in the distance. July 2016.

The Redfields settled in the San Pedro River Valley in the 1870s when Apache Raids were a concern and soldiers traveled from Fort Lowell over Redington Pass to protect residents. In 1879 the Redfields petitioned for a post office to be established, but the site could not be named after a living person so the name ‘Redington’ was used instead of Redfield. In the late 1880s Henry Redfield sold his ranch and moved to Benson – the ranch was eventually acquired by the Bayless family who had established the Carlink Ranch 1884. The Carlink Ranch is still operating today, run by descendants of William Bayless. The Post Office operated until 1940 and at one time the town had both a school and a general store.