redington road

Heat, Deaths, Fire, Joining – 7/1/2017

Updated - Posted - Charles Miles
White Tank off Redington Road near the Bellota Trail - Rincons in the distance, storm clouds above. June 2016.
White Tank off Redington Road near the Bellota Trail – the Rincons Mountains in the backgroud, storm clouds above. June 2016.

During a tragic weekend in late June record heat was the cause of three deaths in the Santa Catalina Mountains. One female hiker from out of state died on the Finger Rock Trail and two hikers from Germany died on the Ventana Canyon Trail. 

 

Heat related deaths seem to happen every year – there have been several articles recently with tips and information on staying safe in the heat – As Heat Wave Causes Hikers’ Deaths, Experts Share Safety Tips, Staying safe on the trails in extreme heat and Desert Heat: Deaths, Rescuers and Ways to Stay Safe – all with good information and smart warnings, but it is hard to convey exactly how serious and intense the heat can be in Tucson in the summer.

 

With the recent heat related deaths the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board considered a ban on hiking in extreme heat – which was not approved – but did put in place a ban on dogs on city hiking trails when the temperature is over 100 degrees. Phoenix proposal to ban hiking during extreme heat denied, ban of dogs is approved over 100 degrees – abc15.

 

From the Southern Arizona Rescue Association:

Southern Arizona Rescue Association is looking for hikers who are team players to join our group! If you are interested, please plan to attend one of two Orientations and the Candidate Hike:
Orientation 1 – Thursday, June 23, 7:00pm
Orientation 2 – Tuesday, July 19, 7:00pm
Applicant Hike and selection – Saturday, August 13

Attendance at one of the two Orientation meetings and the hike is a MANDATORY first step in joining SARA. Orientations are intended to tell you everything you need to know about the selection process and being in SARA, will last about an hour, and are held at the SARA house at 5990 N. Sabino Canyon Road. We will see you there!

 

A group of 4 family members out for a hike on the Butterfly Trail were reported missing – they were later found.

 

Mount Lemmon offers relief from the heat – KVOA.com: A short piece on trying to stay cool by escaping up to Mount Lemmon – it is, of course, always cooler at the top of the mountain… But recent temperatures have been high enough that it has been very hot even at higher elevations. If you are considering heading to the top of the mountain here is a short video about the Meadow Trail – Hittin’ the Trails 4 You: Mt. Lemmon’s Meadow Loop Trail – KVOA.com.

 

Campers recently spotted a black bear on Organization Ridge Road near a dumpster – a good reminder to be ‘bear aware’ when you are on the mountain. From Mark Hart of Arizona Game and Fish: “Overall it’s the heat, the bears are hungry and they are thirsty and some are moving into higher country to escape the heat.” Another sighting on Mt. Lemmon reminder to be bear aware – KVOA.com.

 

The Race Track Fire started on June 26th near Redington Road– the last update from June indicates the fire is unlikely to grow:

The Racetrack fire’s perimeter remains 80% contained today. All forward progress of the fire has been halted. Three engines and two crews remain on the fire and are mopping up hot spots, rehabilitating control lines to minimize erosion from expected monsoon rains, and patrolling for additional heat. By the end of the work period today, the incident commander anticipates increased containment.

The fire burned approximately 800 acres in an area north of Redington Road, east of Agua Caliente Hill and west of Race Track Tank.

The cause of the fire is listed as under investigation, however I don’t believe there was any weather/lightning in the Redington Road area at the time the fire started so it seems likely it will be labeled human caused.

The perimeter of the Race Track Fire - note Agua Caliente Hill in the bottom left of this map and Redington Road on the far right. June 2016.
The perimeter of the Race Track Fire – note Agua Caliente Hill in the bottom left of this map and Redington Road on the far right. June 2016.

 

Milt Jensen, an experienced tower climber, died in an accidental fall while repairing the power to an amateur radio tower on Mount Lemmon. Well-Known DXer, DXpeditioner Milt Jensen, N5IA, Dies in Tower Fall – ARRL.com, Man dies after 50-foot fall off radio tower on Mount Lemmon – KVOA.com, Man killed in tower fall on Mount Lemmon – tucson.com.

 

The Santa Catalina Bighorn Sheep Reintroduction Project update for the period ending June 22 was released recently and unlike a number of recent updates there were no mortality signals from the remaining collars and the bulk of the report is filled with great pictures and reports from biologists about the Bighorn observed during the period.

 

Rescues/Accidents/Incidents including information from the SARCI Newsletter:

  • Wilderness of Rocks 5/1/2016 – Hikers coming up from Catalina State Park via Romero Canyon were stopped at the junction of the Wilderness of Rocks and Lookout Trail when one member was unable to continue. The group was given help out.
  • Butterfly Trail 5/23/2016 – A hiker with an ankle injury was carried out from the Butterfly Trail.
  • Box Camp Trail 5/26/2016 – Two members of a group hiking down the Box Camp Trail towards Molino Basin were exhausted when they reached Sabino Basin and were ferried by helicopter to Prison Camp – two other members of the group were given assistance near Shreve Saddle.
Trash - a bundle of balloons snagged on a barbed wire fence near White Tank off Redington Road - the only trash in sight... June 2016.
Trash – a bundle of balloons snagged on a barbed wire fence near White Tank off Redington Road – the only trash in sight… June 2016.

Bighorn, Crossing, Decapitation, Comet, Snow, App, Rescues – 11/15/2015

Posted - Charles Miles

There are plans to release 30 bighorn sheep from near Yuma into the Santa Catalina Mountains during the third week of November. Pneumonia – identified as the cause in a number of recent deaths – is still a concern but the bighorn planned for the release “have been previously exposed to the illness and are therefore resistant to it.” More Bighorn Sheep Coming to Santa Catalinas Near Tucson – Arizona Public Media, More bighorns coming to Catalina Mountains next month – Arizona Daily Star.

Wildlife crossings pave the way for biodiversity in Sonoran Desert – Arizona Sonora News: There is an exciting project that is part of the widening of Oracle Road – two wildlife crossings that will help link the Tortolita and Santa Catalina Mountains! The Arizona Department of Transportation has a single sheet overview of the project that is quite informative. While the project is not finished it appears that a tortoise is the first documented user of the new crossing!

Decapitated deer found tied to tree on Mount Lemmon – KVOA.com: Near Molino Basin a deer that had been shot and decapitated was found tied to a tree on Nov. 6 – there is a $2,000 reward for information (contact Operation Game Thief – 1-800-352-0700). A quote from the article: “This case is very troubling, given the nature of the crime scene. We are outraged by this, and expect that the general public will be as well” – Regional Supervisor Raul Vega of Game and Fish in Tucson.

Mt. Lemmon biz looking forward to El Nino winter – KVOA.com: “General Manager [of the Sawmill Run Restaurant] Steven Sanders said the more snow, the more people come up and the more jobs there will be to go around.”

First snowfall of season on Mt. Lemmon brings out plenty of sightseers – Tucson News Now: First snow of the Season!

Catalina State Park: Blue skies, flowing water – Arizona Daily Star, Sabino Canyon gearing up for busy season – Tucson News Now: Two articles that are a great reminder that we are starting to have days with amazing weather for getting outside to the desert/lower elevation areas of the mountain!

Long Term Permit for Sabino Canyon Shuttle Services – USFS: This page contains information about the proposed 20-year special use permit for the shuttle system in Sabino Canyon. The SCRA Shuttle Scoping Letter has some interesting notes about the project including a list of design features that mentions minimizing conflicts between the shuttle/hikers/bikers and reducing ‘auditory impacts’ from the shuttle that seem to depend on ‘modernizing [the] existing 1970s era shuttle fleet’.

Space junk crashing toward Earth found by Mount Lemmon lab – Arizona Daily Star: Space debris – possibly an old rocket booster – that entered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Indian Ocean was first spotted by the Catalina Sky Survey!

Comet named after Catalina Mountains may soon be seen with naked eye – Tucson News Now: Comet Catalina will soon be at its closest to the sun and may be visible with the naked eye. The comet was discovered in 2013 by the Catalina Sky Survey. This post from EarthSky.org has information on locating the comet in the sky.

Closure of shooting sites on Redington Pass extended – Arizona Daily Star: Three unofficial shooting areas off Redington Road that were closed for clean up will remain closed until next year while the Forest Service works on a management plan for the Redington Pass area.

Motorcyclist airlifted after Mt. Lemmon crash – Tucson News Now: non life-threatening injuries sustained in a crash near milepost 17.

UA College of Science Produces Mount Lemmon Audio Tour – UANews: The University of Arizona College of Science has produced a mobile app for Android and iPhone called ‘The Mount Lemmon Science Tour’. The app is largely a guided audio tour with great accessible science content (how the mountain formed, life zones, water, …) that is timed for a drive up the mountain.

Rescues/Accidents/Incidents including information from the SARCI Newsletter:

  • Crystal Spring Trail – 10/25: Exhaustion results in a hiker carried out to the Control Road
  • Blackett’s Ridge – 10/7: Ankle injury, hiker carried out.
  • Seven Cataracts – 10/2: Hiker injured in a fall on the unofficial trail/route from the Seven Cataracts Overlook to the pools in Seven Cataracts – hoisted out and transferred to a medical helicopter.
  • Sutherland Trail – 9/23: Lost hiker calls for help after being unable to follow the trail – the current trail conditions plus attractiveness of this route continue to cause incidents.