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Death, Wildflowers, Rescues, Falls – 2/28/2016

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
A Saguaro floating above the shadows on the slopes of Pontatoc Canyon. February 2016.
A Saguaro floating above the shadows on the slopes of Pontatoc Canyon. February 2016.

The latest Santa Catalina Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction Project update was recently released:

  • 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.
  • 18 lambs have been seen this season!

Look beyond poppies for additional worthy wildflowers – Arizona Daily Star, Best places to see Arizona’s wildflowers – Arizona Republic: Wildflowers!!! Notes on some of the flowers that are blooming and a mention for Catalina State Park as a great place to see wildflowers.

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.

PCSD rescues hiker off of Windy Point – KVOA.com: A hiker fell and suffered a broken leg in “a remote rocky area” near Windy Point – the hiker was flown out by the Sheriff’s Department’s helicopter “SHERIFF 1” – video from the helicopter of the nighttime pick up.

Seven Falls: A magnet for waterfall watchers – Arizona Daily Star: Some details on the popular hike to Seven Falls with a few pictures.

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.
Sunset in Pontatoc Canyon. February 2016.
Sunset in Pontatoc Canyon. February 2016.

Bighorn Pneumonia, No UFOs, LWCF, Weather – 10/6/2015

Posted - Charles Miles

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:

Fires, Disease, Bighorns Thriving, Summer, Climbing Accident – 5/31/2015

Posted - Charles Miles

No fire restrictions in place on Mt. Lemmon despite recent fire – Monica Garcia – KVOA.com – The article notes that despite multiple fires in Southern Arizona there are no current fire restrictions – and then explains that the Forest Service has a series of tests they use to determine if restrictions are warranted. Current conditions are apparently not (yet!) dry/hot enough yet for restrictions to go into effect.

Delayed Tucson fire season arrives for holiday weekend – Tom Beal – Arizona Daily Star: Today (5/31/2015) Inciweb has 3 fires listed in the Coronado National Forest (Aliso, Oak Tree, Research) – fire season is certainly here…

State trying to protect bighorn sheep from diseases – Cam Chery – Yuma Sun: Domesticated Sheep and Pack Goats can transmit potentially fatal diseases to Bighorn Sheep – deaths in the Silverbell herd of Bighorn are specifically mentioned as being attributed to domestic goats. Spatial separation of the Bighorns and domestic Sheep and Goats is mentioned as the most important management technique for keeping the Bighorn Sheep disease free.

Reintroduced Bighorns Thriving in Santa Catalina Mountains – AZPM, Positive signs for bighorns: breeding and lamb survival – Douglas Kreutz – Arizona Daily Star: 40 of the released Sheep are known to be alive, no deaths in 5 months, lambs being born/surviving and evidence of breeding in the Santa Catalina Mountains – very positive news for the Santa Catalina Bighorn!

100 days of summer June 25-July 1 – Arizona Daily Star: A 9PM Tram Ride up Sabino Canyon and a trip up to Summerhaven are both mentioned – probably nothing new to anyone reading this but both such good ideas!

Rock climber injured in accident on Mt. Lemmon – Arizona Daily Star, Injured man rescued near Windy Point – Brent Corrado – KGUN9: A rappelling accident in the Windy Point area – 45ft fall, non-life threatening injuries.

The June SARCI SARNews Newsletter reports incidents on the Phoneline, Bear, Ventana Canyon and Green Mountain Trails and at Seven Falls and Tanque Verde Canyon.

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.

Exhaustion, Injury, Rain and the Road

Posted - Charles Miles

Two hikers rescued from Mt.Lemmon – Arizona Daily Star – A mother and son set out on the Lemmon Trail to hike from the top of the mountain to Catalina State Park and needed a rescue due to dehydration and exhaustion.

Woman injured in fall on Mt. Lemmon – Arizona Daily Star – A woman falls in the Rose Canyon Lake area on a walk from her campsite.

Heights of Catalinas looking like a rain forest – Arizona Daily Star – Nice pictures and information on the flowers, ferns and moisture on the higher elevation trails – by Doug Kreutz.

 

Street Smarts: Road named for old prison camp – Arizona Daily Star – This article pulls together a number of interesting facts about the highway and the Prison Camp – interesting reading and certainly don’t miss the pictures there were several great pictures that I had not seen!

David Leighton includes his Sources for the information in the Street Smarts article – one very interesting source that I was not aware of is Peter Taylor’s Master’s Thesis “If you build it, they will come: The story of the Catalina Highway.” So far I have only read select sections carefully but I am already completely fascinated – the sections I have read are filled with fascinating details! (And even some of the material I have seen before is pulled together nicely and fun to revisit.) This Thesis is available to read online without charge from the University of Arizona. One of my favorite details so far:

Unfortunately for the escapees, the most viable route of escape was to follow Soldier Creek as it headed down toward the Tucson basin. The drainage quickly becomes a closed-in, steep canyon that funnels a hiker through an ever-narrowing chute. As the canyon reaches the desert floor, it begins to widen out where it crosses the Catalina Highway. The guards would simply wait at the road for the prisoners to arrive. The escapees, by then tired out from their over night hike and often pin cushioned by cactus thorns, were then apprehended and sent to a regular prison (7’C 29 November 1993).