Friends Hiking with Friends

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Friends Hiking with Friends"

Mark Oliver
5 years ago
Views:

1 Friends Hiking with Friends Hikes planned for December 2013 DISCLAIMER: Dove Mountain Hikers is a group of friends who hike together. There are no hiking leaders and all those who participate are responsible for determining that they are adequately prepared to engage in such activities and that they do so solely at their own risk. *Unless otherwise noted, all hikes, which use the TORTOLITA trails emanating from the Wild Burro Trailhead, will meet there; all other hikes/events will meet at the Dove Mountain Park near the tennis courts. Please RSVP the hike contact early for any hikes for which you have interest. DO NOT HIT REPLY TO INQUIRE ABOUT OR SIGN UP FOR A HIKE. FIND THE ADDRESS FOR THE HIKE CONTACT AND THEM. REPLIES TO THIS ADDRESS WILL BE RETURNED TO SENDER. Thursday, December 5 th Ranger Guided Hike to Fort Bowie Nat l Historic Site Hike Contacts: Jim and Julie Harrod or julesetjimtucson@comcast.net Level: Easy C-, 3 miles r/t, no significant elevation gain Depart: 8am and Return: Approx. 5pm Per the National Park s website, Fort Bowie commemorates the bitter conflict between Chiricahua Apaches and the U.S. military - a lasting monument to the bravery and endurance of U.S. soldiers in paving the way for settlement and the taming of the western frontier. It provides insight into a "clash of cultures," a young nation in pursuit of "manifest destiny," and the hunter/gatherer society fighting to preserve its existence. The hike in to the fort is part of the Fort Bowie experience. Visitors can get a sense of the lonely isolation that the soldiers experienced while stationed there. The trail winds past remains of a Butterfield Stage Coach Station, the post cemetery, an Apache wickiup, the Chiricahua Apache Indian Agency, Apache Spring, the original fort and finally the more elaborate Fort Bowie and the visitor center. While at the fort, visitors can tour the ruins of Fort Bowie, view the exhibits inside the visitor center, bird watch, and hike the trails. Picnic facilities are located at the trailhead and the visitor center.

2 $7.00 carpool fee, plus a tip for Ranger. Bring water, snacks, etc. Fort Bowie is located approx. 30 miles southeast of Wilcox the last eight miles to the trailhead are on a maintained, unpaved road. The interpretive, guided hike is for a group of at least 10 (ten). If we have less than 10, we will hike it on our own. *****PLEASE R.S.V.P, NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 28 TH as our ranger has asked for a week s notice as to whether or not we have a group of 10 for the guided hike.****************************************************************************************** Monday, December 9 th Superstition Mountains Peralta Trail to Fremont Saddle to Lone Tree Lookout in the Superstition Wilderness: Level B, 5.5 miles and 1,360 elevation change Hike Contact: Bob Brullo pastamonger@gmail.com, Depart 7:30 am and return about 4 pm This is a must do hike which we had hoped to do earlier this year. The hike will be led by Bob s friend, Doug Chirhart, who lives in the Phoenix Area. Attachments to a couple of Doug s pictures will show what s in store. This is a scenic hike from the Peralta trailhead to Fremont Saddle and on to the Lone Tree Lookout, with views of Weaver s needle. Bring water, snacks and lunch. Carpool fee is $7.00 Restroom facility available at the trailhead. Friday December 13 Alamo Spring Trail (part way - A 4ish mile hike with less than 500 gain in Wild Burro Hike Contact: Joel Tormoen joeltormoen@gmail.com Depart from WB trailhead 8:30 am - return easily by 11:30 am Who has enough guts to hike on Friday the 13th? You never know if Freddie may come out from behind a rock with a chainsaw! But for anyone willing, I only plan on going up the trail first to the little saddle where one can look down on parts of the Gallery course... and then part of a mile further up the trail plus a short side trip to a peak for a rest and views... then return. Bring water... no carpool fee.

3 Saturday, December 14 th - Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Hike Alamo Springs Trail, 7 miles, 900 elevation change Depart 8:00 am at the trailhead near the Ritz-Carlton Call for more information or go to marana.com, click on the recreation icon and follow instructions. Saturday December 14 Pusch Ridge in the Catalina s Summit Bighorn and Cleaver Level: A++ Adventure, 6+ miles, Hike Leader: Gary Borax gcborax@yahoo.com Depart 7:00 am, Return 5:00 pm This is one of my Bucket list hikes. We will hike 2 miles up the Pima Canyon Trail. From here on it s a bushwhack on the trek up Cleaver and Bighorn. The Peaks can be seen from Dove Mountain and they are located between Pusch Peak and Tabletop. This hike must be done in December. Fish and Game restricts off trail hiking in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area between January 1 st and May 1 st, because of the Big Horn Sheep lambing season. Bring water, snacks and lunch. Carpool fee is $3.00 Thursday, December 19th - Hike to Picacho Peak (Picacho Peak State Park) Hike contact: Julie Harrod julesetjimtucson@comcast.net or Depart: 8:00 am - Return: approx. 2:30pm Level: A-Adventure Hike: 4 miles r/t, 1585' elv. change We will start on the "front side" hiking the steeper, though shorter, Hunter Trail to the peak. It is a winding trail with areas of cables to pull you up, but oh so fun. No other hike we do is quite like it and the views at the top are terrific. If you are able, everyone should experience this hike at least once. More on the park and a map of trails can be found at link below. Bring water, snacks/lunch, and GLOVES (based on my past experience, full fingered leather gloves are best for gripping and comfort). Good upper body strength and flexible knees are important. Poles are helpful, especially on the way down and can fit nicely in your back-pack as you shimmy up the cables.

4 $3.00 carpool fee and a shared park entrance fee of $7.00 per vehicle (up to 4 occupants) See link below to photos of a past hike to get a sense of what the cables and trail are like. Saturday, December 21 - Blackett s Ridge Level B, 6.2 miles, 1800 elevation gain Hike Contact: Paul Stillman paul.stillman@gmail.com Depart: 8:30 a.m. Return: 2:30 p.m. A classic Tucson hike to the top of the ridge between Sabino and Bear Canyons. Great canyon views across to the Catalinas and a panoramic view of Tucson down below. We start from the Sabino Canyon visitors center and the hike is relatively level until we begin our switchback climb at 1.4 miles, then it s 1.7 miles to the top. Bring water, snacks and lunch. Carpool fee is $5.00 Wednesday December 25 - Christmas Morning Lower Javelina (west side) - A 3 mile hike with less than 300 gain in Wild Burro Hike Contact: Joel Tormoen joeltormoen@gmail.com Depart from WB trailhead 8:30 am - return easily by 10:30 am This will just be my usual build the appetite simple hike for those interested. If you have holiday visitors, bring them along. This is not a strenuous or difficult hike... and will be done as old Joel does em... slow but sure. Bring water... no carpool fee Saturday, December 28 Romero Springs Level A, 10.2 miles, 2100 elevation gain Hike Contact: Paul Stillman paul.stillman@gmail.com If you have never been above Romero Pools, then you are in for a treat. The well-graded trail climbs into spectacular Romero Canyon and the views up and down canyon are wonderful. We start our hike at the trailhead in Catalina State Park and pass Romero Pools at 2.8 miles. The

5 canyon opens up as we go higher, passing more pools and entering oak grassland. We reach Romero Springs, a popular camping site, at 5.1 miles. Bring water, snacks and lunch. Carpool fee is $5.00 Depart: 8:00 a.m. Return: 4:00 p.m. SUNFLOWER HIKES Remember to check out the Sunflower Hikers fall and winter schedule (see link below). If interested in hiking any of these Sunflower hikes from October through December Please contact either Melba Cope ( nolimitsgranny@comcast.net) or Phil Hoffmann ( philh333@hotmail.com) rather than the listed hike leader. April Volunteer Work Hike and Events Saturday December 7 Ironwood Forest National Monument Volunteer Work Event Hike Contact: Gary Borax gcborax@yahoo.com Depart DM Park at 7:00am - Return: 2:00pm John Scheuring in conjunction with the BLM, AZNPS, Dove Mountain Hikers, Sierra Club Arizona, the UA Soil Water and Environment Student Club, and students from the UA Plant Sciences and Natural Resources Department is organizing their annual work day at the Waterman Restoration Site Saturday 7 December.. We will again move a lot of rock and dirt to create more berms and give more of a chance for the rainwater to soak in instead of running off. So far, this technique has generated a LOT of plant growth on previously bare areas. As of last year, Sierra Club Arizona will offer a lunch. As there is plenty of parking at the site itself, we will meet up with the rest of the volunteers at the Restoration Site an 8am. Bring water and gloves. Carpool fee is $3.00

6 Wednesday December 11 Ironwood Forest National Monument Volunteer Work Event Hike Contact: Gary Borax gcborax@yahoo.com Depart DM Park at 7:00am - Return: 2:00pm The DM Hikers in conjunction with the Friends of Ironwood Forest and BLM have selected a Wednesday in December for volunteers to work out in the Ironwood Forest National Monument. The specifics of the Work have not yet been firmed up. As soon as the work is firmed up, additional details will be sent out. Per discussions with Clare Crow (BLM Monument Manager) at Saturdays Meet The Monument event, I will be scheduling two Wednesday s a month as DM Volunteer Work Days. Bring water and snacks Bring water, snacks and lunch. Carpool fee is $3.00

Friday October 3. Lower Javelina Trail - Level D. about 3 miles, less than 500. Hike Contact: Joel Tormoen

Friday October 3. Lower Javelina Trail - Level D. about 3 miles, less than 500. Hike Contact: Joel Tormoen Friday October 3 Lower Javelina Trail - Level D. about 3 miles, less than 500 Hike Contact: Joel Tormoen joeltormoen@gmail.com Depart WB trailhead 8:00 am - return before 11:00 am This quite easy hike