hiking

Fire, Rain, Rescues, Camping, Trails, Steampump, Buffelgrass, Sheep – 6/29/2015

Posted - Charles Miles

Forest Service monitoring four small fires – Tucson News Now: “The U.S. Forest Service is watching four lightning-caused fires in the Coronado National Forest” including the Romero Canyon Fire which began on Saturday near the Sutherland Trail. At the time the article was written the fire was being monitored, not actively managed. 

Mount Lemmon gets ‘heavy dose’ of rain – Carmen Duarte – Arizona Daily Star: Beautiful summer storms have started to form over the mountain and there has already been rain!

Elderly hiker awaiting rescue from Finger Rock Trail – Carmen Duarte – Arizona Daily Star: “The 72-year-old hiker began hiking the trail at 6 a.m., but by the afternoon on his way back down from the trail he became tired and ran out of water”, while far from impossible this time of year the heat certainly makes the Finger Rock Trail worthy of caution and careful planning.

The Spencer Canyon Campground was closed for several days while reports of a mountain lion in the area were investigated – after nothing conclusive was found the campground re-opened. The last article linked below mentions that “Arizona Game and Fish estimates about 600 mountain lions live in southeast Arizona”. Spencer Canyon Campground closed after possible mountain lion sighting – Cynthia Washington – Tucson News Now, Mountain lion sighting reports close Mt. Lemmon campground – Anthony Victor Reyes and Matt Fernandez – Tucson News Now, Spencer Canyon Campground re-opens after no cougar found – Curt Prendergast – Arizona Daily Star.

Blackett’s Ridge Trail, Aspen Draw Trail, Bug Spring Trail – Doug Kreutz – Arizona Daily Star: Three great hikes, three great workouts – a nice bit of inspiration now that the summer heat is here.

OV budget passes after criticisms – Hillary Davis – The Explorer, Steam Pump funds OK’d – Hillary Davis – The Explorer: After budget wrangling “the Oro Valley Town Council voted June 17 to allocate $425,000 for the stabilization of the historic property”.

Camping: Roughing it made easier for families – Angela Pittenger – Arizona Daily Star: A write up about a Family Campout event at Catalina State Park – for a fee tents and equipment are provided, a great way to experience camping for the first time or just an easy way to get outside!

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY MOONLIGHT HIKE: “Join the Town of Oro Valley Parks and Recreation Department for our annual nighttime, flashlight hike, held in partnership with Catalina State Park.” – if you haven’t gotten to hike at night in the desert a hike like this is a great opportunity to see a very beautiful part of the summer.

Sabino Creek dwindles, but tranquil pools remain – Douglas Kreutz – Arizona Daily Star: Lovely pools remain in Sabino but with the flow almost at zero more water will depend on the summer rains…

Forest returning — ever so slowly — after Aspen Fire – Douglas Kreutz – Arizona Daily Star: “Twelve years after the Aspen Fire roared over the Catalina Mountains, once-blackened slopes are showing expanses of bright green new growth.”

Preserving Sabino Canyon means defending against invaders – Mark Hengesbaugh – Arizona Daily Star, Funding boosts battle against buffelgrass – Douglas Kreutz – Arizona Daily Star: Articles about invasive species including buffelgrass and fountain grass in Sabino Canyon – and the great news that the Department of the Interior will provide $150,750 to help with buffelgrass removal in Southern Arizona. Coronado National Forest, Saguaro National Park and the Southern Arizona Buffelgrass Coordination Center (a fantastic resource if you have questions about buffelgrass!) will all receive funds.

Mt. Lemmon a training ground for visiting military – Craig Reck – Tucson News Now: Military High Angle rescue training on Mt. Lemmon.

From the Santa Catalina Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction Project – May 21 – June 3, 2015:

“From June 2-4, a research biologist recorded visual observations of 22 of the 40 collared sheep in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Three notable groups were observed in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area. The first group included 7 ewes and 7 lambs; the second group was composed of 1 ram, 8 ewes, and 5 lambs; the third group included 5 ewes and 1 lamb. All observed lambs appeared to be between 3-5 months old, with the exception of one lamb that looked to be about 1 month old. Some of these lambs were observed nursing, while the larger lambs in the groups were seen feeding alongside adult sheep. All observed collared sheep as well as the lambs appeared to be healthy and in good body condition.”

Other Trail Incidents:

  • Stranded in the dark – Sabino Canyon Phoneline Trail and Sabino Canyon Historic Trail
  • Hikers in need of assistance due to exhaustion – Green Mountain Trail
  • Ankle injury – Butterfly Trail

Other links:

 

2 Ranges, Kannally, Miraval, Horses, Lambs

Posted - Charles Miles

Move Across 2 Ranges is a great event that challenges people to get out on the trails and complete one of several trail challenges that cover between 5 to 21.5 miles on trails in both the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Tortolita Mountains! The 2015 event will on held on Saturday, Feb. 28. Packet pickup and food and drinks after the event will be at Summit Hut‘s Oro Valley location.

Kannally family left lasting legacy in Oracle – Gabrielle Fimbres – Arizona Daily Star: An interesting article about the Kannally family who came to Arizona in the early 1900s and eventually owned 50,000 acres – part of which is now Oracle State Park.

Miraval Spring Hiking Week, March 23-28: Starting on March 23rd Miraval has scheduled a series of hikes for their guests that include Window Rock, Prison Camp to Bear Canyon, Catalina State Park to the top of Mount Lemmon and a Finger Rock to Mount Kimball hike.

2 riders hurt when horse rolls onto them – Carmen Duarte – Arizona Daily Star: Two riders were injured in Catalina State Park in a horse riding accident.

The most recent Bighorn Sheep Restoration Project Status update reports that there have been nine confirmed lambs in the Santa Catalina Mountains and has links to three videos of the Bighorn on Youtube: IMG 0410,  IMG_0425, IMG_0429.

Buffelgrass, Lemmon, Lions, Events, Sledding

Posted - Charles Miles

Beat Back Buffelgrass Day 2015 – Beat Back Buffelgrass Day is January 24th – there are a number of different locations around Tucson including Catalina State Park with The Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection!

Street Smarts: Highway, mountain named for botanist – Arizona Daily Star – David Leighton: Information on where the name ‘Mount Lemmon’ comes from.

Tucson Lion Killings Dropped Dramatically in 2014 – Kierán Suckling – Center for Biological Diversity – This press release from the Center for Biological Diversity points out that Mountain Lion kills by Hunters and Ranchers declined in the Catalina and Rincon Mountains in 2013 and 2014 (according to AZGF records). The release notes that in 2014 no Lions were killed in the ‘Bighorn Sheep Protected Area’ that was put in place in 2013 and bans hunting with hounds in an area similar to the Bighorn Sheep Closure Area that restricts recreational use in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness (see the current Arizona Hunting Regulations for the details of the ‘Bighorn Sheep Protected Area’).

Oracle State State Park Events – See the Oracle State Park Homepage for more details.

  • Saturday, January 24: Winter Evening Stargazing Event: Music, a “Ancient Native American Astronomical Practices” presentation and stargazing with telescopes – this is a great follow-up to the International Dark Sky Park status that park gained last year!
  • Saturday, January 31: Guided ‘Manzanita to Mariposa’ Loop Hike
  • Saturday, January 31: Arizona Trail Virtual Tour: Sirena Dufault will present on the Arizona Trail!

The snow at the start of the year resulted in great sales for businesses in Summerhaven – the General Store sold ‘around a thousand sleds!’. Restricted access to Mount Lemmon did not slow weekend business – Tucson News Now – Craig Reck, Mt. Lemmon businesses booming – KVOA.com – Domenica Fuller: 

Mt. Lemmon sledding accidents send eight to the hospital over the weekend – KVOA.com – Lauren Reimer: “The most common injuries the sledders received were head injuries and broken bones.” The article mentions two interesting details – the injuries happened to both children and adults, and that from New Year’s Eve to January 6th ‘about ten thousand people have visited Summerhaven’.

Wood pile burning to continue on Mt. Lemmon – KGUN9 – Ina Ronquillo