News and Information from the Arizona Trail Association Summer 2016 | Volume 24, No. 2 by Shawn Redfield The Arizona Trail Association (ATA) on the trail at a June 4 work event when the YRU Trail Construction, American and Tonto National Forest are proud to segment was officially completed and open Conservation Experience, Pine-Strawberry announce the completion of a new 1.8-mile to the public. Fuels Reduction, REI’s Tempe and Paradise segment of the Highline Passage of the Valley stores and ATA volunteers for Arizona National Scenic Trail. Due to heavy making this project possible. rains, eroding soils and poor design, the trail was completely failing in several locations We encourage you to make the gateway east of the Pine Trailhead – the most community of Pine a destination in the popular AZT access point in Mogollon Rim near future. Then go for a hike, run or ride country. heading east from the Pine Trailhead and experience this recently transformed piece of In late 2014, Volunteers for Outdoor the AZT. Arizona (VOAz), Pine-Strawberry Fuels Reduction (P-SFR) and ATA began Freshly cut trail through Mogollon Rim country designing a gentler, more sustainable route. provides more than just spectacular views and an Volunteers literally crawled through the enjoyable trail experience…it replaces a severely eroded segment of Arizona Trail that was unsafe for brush in many places to check the viability most hikers, runners, mountain bikers and of the proposed route. Payson Ranger equestrians. Shawn Redfield Photo District completed the environmental The new route seldom exceeds 8% slope, studies and cleared much of the corridor making it ideal for mountain bikers and Shawn Redfield is the Trail Director for the with the help of wildland firefighters while much easier for volunteers to maintain over Arizona Trail Association. He works ATA volunteers cut through the thickest time. The switchback turns are wide and full-time as a volunteer, contributing brush and deadfall. gentle, with dramatic views of the Pine thousands of hours per year to the Valley and the eastern slope of the Mazatzal maintenance, enhancement and protection of American Conservation Experience carved Mountains south to Four Peaks. the AZT. 1.4 miles of the route with a mini-dozer and worked several crew-days finishing the trail. For a project of this magnitude to go from Shawn is being honored as a finalist in the Cox VOAz paid for a machine crew (YRU from conception to completion in less than two Conserves Hero award for his outstanding Idaho) to build the upper 0.4 mile of trail years is quite remarkable, and possible only service. Please vote for Shawn online with a mini-excavator. through the cooperative efforts of multiple cox7.com/cox-conserves. and help the ATA partners with the best interest of the trail earn $5,000 for future trail projects! Then REI contributed funds and many and the trail community at heart. A huge volunteer hours, putting the final touches thanks to the Payson Ranger District, This was a typical view along the old trail alignment: Large loose rocks made progress challenging for all Recently constructed trail east of the Pine Trailhead trail users on the former Highline segment of the on the Tonto National Forest is expertly designed steep, rocky and unsustainable. Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona, YRU Shawn Redfield Photo Arizona Trail. New switchbacks replaced the old and a joy to walk or ride upon. “fall line” trail alignment. Shawn Redfield Photo Shawn Redfield Photo Summer 2016 1 Arizona Trail News Dear Friend of the Arizona Trail, Arizona Trail Association Summer has proven to be a very exciting season for the Arizona Trail Our Vision... Association. In addition to helping with many meaningful trail projects in ...a continuous, non-motorized trail northern Arizona, we were grateful that an early monsoon season reduced traversing 800+ miles from Mexico fire danger during a time of year when we are typically sitting on the edge to Utah, linking deserts, mountains, forests, canyons, communities and of our saddles in anticipation of forest closures and catastrophic wildfires. people. The scent of rain in June has never smelled sweeter. Even with early moisture, fires are part of Arizona’s reality. As I write this, Board of Directors the Fuller Fire on the North Rim of Grand Canyon has caused a portion of the AZT to be closed. Rob Mason, President We are hoping for the best, both for the abundant natural and cultural resources on the North Rim Fred Gaudet, Vice President of and for the 500+ firefighters responding to the incident. Trail Operations Larry Snead, Vice President of Board Development Near Flagstaff, the Coconino National Forest is working diligently to ensure an event like the Schultz Jan Hancock, Secretary Fire of 2010 will not be repeated. Segments of the AZT are periodically re-routed to avoid forest C.W. Payne, Treasurer thinning operations in support of the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project and the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. While nobody likes seeing their favorite trail impacted by heavy equipment Board Members and logging operations, the end result will be a healthier forest for plants, animals and trail users alike. Steve Anderson Please respect the occasional closures and help us spread the word about the importance of these Ambika Balasubramaniyan projects by sharing announcements on the aztrail.org home page, Facebook and eNews. Susan Lagerman Ben Murphy Denis Ryan A huge thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Mazatzal Restoration Project (featured in the Todd Sadow Spring edition of the Arizona Trail News). Through the generosity of individuals, businesses and clubs, Bernie Stalmann we have raised $23,150. Only $14,481 to go! Please help us raise this amount before the end of the Lirain Urreiztieta year so we can help transform trail conditions in the Mazatzal Mountains from a scary bushwhack to Jeff Whitney a sustainable trail within one of Arizona’s most incredible wilderness areas. Remember, every dollar you donate is matched by the National Forest Foundation. You can mail the ATA a check or make a Honorary Advisory Council donation online at aztrail.org/donate.html Senator John McCain Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick Each season we hear about more and more people adding the AZT to their “bucket list” and adventure Congressman Ruben Gallego Congressman Paul Gosar writers from around the world are helping to promote this amazing cross-state route. Earlier this year Congressman Raúl Grijalva Adventure Journal named it among the top 8 “best long-haul backpacking trails” and The Guardian Congressman Matt Salmon (UK) featured the AZT within its “10 Epic Long Distance Walks Around the World.” You can read Congressman David Schweikert those articles, and others recently written about the AZT, on our In the News page: Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema aztrail.org/in_the_news.html Staff & Support As the Arizona Trail gains in popularity I invite you to play a role in its stewardship. Now, more than Matthew Nelson, Executive Director ever before, we are in need of volunteers to help maintain and protect the trail. Interested? Just visit the Shawn Redfield, Trail Director Debbie Thorman, Volunteer page to learn more: aztrail.org/volunteer.html Membership & Administration Sirena Dufault, One last request – get out there and enjoy the Arizona Trail! Gateway Community Liaison Summertime is a spectacular season filled with fresh water, Wendy Lotze, marvelous wildlife and sunsets that defy imagination. Volunteer Coordinator Tamara McDonald, Happy Trails, Executive Assistant Treven Hooker, Youth Outreach & Education Coordinator (Southern Arizona) Sabrina Carlson, Youth Outreach & Education Matthew J. Nelson Coordinator (Northern Arizona) Executive Director David Babcock, Web Master Aaron Seifert, GIS Director Yuri shows off his enduring love for the Mel and Marlene Betani, Arizona Trail. Matthew J. Nelson Photo Keeper of the Tools Phyllis Ralley, Special Projects Arizona Trail Association PO Box 36736 | Phoenix, Az 85067 | 602-252-4794 | www.aztrail.org Summer 2016 2 Arizona Trail News BONNIE SLATEN AND LYNN MARING RIDE INTO THE RECORD BOOKS by Sirena Dufault It was a gorgeous day in the Santa Catalina the time came. It was the last bite of the views, appreciation of a good horse, and Mountains and 60 friends with their horses elephant and we were hungry to finish this development of long-lasting friendships. and dogs gathered to welcome Lynn Maring giant. Thank you all who help build, and Bonnie Slaten as they rode into Gordon maintain, fund and promote this treasure for I refer to it as the green-eyed dragon, never Hirabayashi Trailhead. April 30 marked the all to use. I am so blessed to have seen it all,” allowing me to get complacent. Just when I end of a five-year journey to ride the entire she said. would it would rear its head, look at me with length of the AZT, one passage at a time. Finishing the Arizona Trail is notable enough on its own, but at 75, Bonnie is the oldest woman to ride the trail and Lynn is the only woman to complete it twice on horseback! Lynn, 61, rode the trail the first time from 2005-2011 with George Hay and has submitted her documentation to the Guinness Book of World Records for consideration. Both have been Trail Stewards for years; Lynn on Passage 40b on the Kaibab Plateau, and Bonnie on Las Colinas Passage 6b. Together they rode a total of 923 miles and often had to do trail maintenance along the way, sawing and moving deadfall and hoping they wouldn’t come across some impassable obstacle. Bonnie recounts fond memories from their journey: “Marshall Lake and another chunk of the AZT completed. Horses were stripped of tack, a good roll and returned to unfinished hay.