: the mighty colorado...the state’s most important rivers, including the colorado, gila, salt,...

ArizonA’s WAtersheds: the MiGhtY CoLorAdo

Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet

http://arizona.sierraclub.org Grand Canyon Chapter Winter 2013

What’s Your Watershed?By Steve Pawlowski

We all live within a watershed. A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is un-

der it or drains off of it goes into the same place. Most of the State of Arizona is con-tained within a single watershed, the Colo-rado River Basin. The Colorado River Ba-sin covers 243,000 square miles and seven western states (Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, California, New Mexico, and Arizona). The headwaters of the Colorado River are found in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming. The river then

flows south until it disappears into the sand before reaching the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) in Mexico.

The Colorado River Basin contains hundreds of smaller watersheds, including 14 in Arizona. These subwatersheds contain the state’s most important rivers, including the Colorado, Gila, Salt, Verde, Little Colo-rado, San Pedro, and Santa Cruz. Smaller watersheds include the Bill Williams River, Virgin River, San Simon, Rio Sonoyta,

You can help protect your watershed with these easy tips!

• Practice water conservation at home. Take shorter showers, fix leaks, install low water-use fixtures, and xeriscape your yard. Conserving water reduces demand and could help to keep water flowing in our rivers and streams.

• Don’t pour oils, toxic household chemicals, medicines, or pharmaceuticals down the drain or in a storm drain. Take them to your local hazardous waste collection center for proper disposal.

• Pick up after your pets and dispose of animal waste properly.• Don’t litter. You would be amazed how much litter is washed into our streams.• Reduce your driving as much as possible. Many pollutants come from our cars –

exhaust, leaking fluids, etc. that run off our highways during storm events.• Get involved with your local watershed. One way is to volunteer with the chapter’s

Water Sentinels program. We monitor water quality and flow conditions, clean up and restore streams, and encourage watershed stewardship through community outreach and education. Visit http://arizona.sierraclub.org/conservation/water or contact Steve Pawlowski at 602-254-9330 or [email protected] to find out how you can get involved.

See Watersheds continued on pg. 4.

Arizona’s major watersheds, most of which are in the Colorado River Watershed. Map created by Scott Sprague.

Little Colorado River

San Simon

Upper Colorado River

Phoenix

Verde River

Salt River

Virgin River

Lower Colorado

River

Santa Cruz River

Agua Fria

River

Upper Gila RiverLower Gila River

Santa Rosa Wash

Rio Sonoyta

San Pedro River Willcox

Playa

Bill Williams

River

White-water Draw

Rio Yaqui

Safford

Tucson

Show Low

Flagstaff

Prescott

Kingman

Yuma

2 SierraClub GrandCanyonChapter

http://arizona.sierraclub.org

Canyon EchoWinter 2013 Vol. 49 No. 1

Canyon Echo © 2013. Canyon Echo (ISSN 0164-7024) is published quarterly for Sierra Club mem-bers by the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, 202 E. McDowell Rd., Ste. 277, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Phone: 602-253-8633, Fax: 602-258-6533. Printed at Valley Newspapers.

Front page banner designed by Erika Gronek.

Printedon100%recycledpaperwithsoyink.

EDITOR: Tiffany Sprague602-253-9140, [email protected]

DEDICATED VOLUNTEERSOutings Editor: Jerry Nelson

602-279-4668, [email protected]

Mailing Organizers: Don Begalke, Jerry Nelson

Publications Committee: Priscilla Benbrook, Jon Findley, Kurt Florman, Chris Gehlker,

Tricia Gerrodette, Renée Guillory, Tyler Kokjohn, Jerry Nelson, Carole Piszczek-Sheffield,

Mike Smith, Rosé Sullivan

Publications Chair: Keith Bagwell520-623-0269, [email protected]

Webmaster:John Sheffield [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Annual dues to the Sierra Club are $39 (including $1 for Canyon Echo). Subscription rate for non-members is $10. Send check payable to Sierra Club - Canyon Echo, 202 E. McDowell Rd., Ste. 277, Phoenix, AZ 85004.

ADVERTISING: Advertising is sold on a first-come, space-available basis. The editor reserves the right to refuse any advertisements, and inclusion of advertisements does not imply endorsement by the Sierra Club. All interactions between advertisers and consumers are solely the responsi-bilities of those parties.

SUBMISSIONS: Send electronic or hard copies to the editor (include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of hard copies). Indicate copyright or Creative Commons preference. We are not responsible for lost or damaged items. Writer’s guidelines can be obtained by contacting the editor. All rights to publication of articles in this issue are reserved. The deadline is the first day of the month preceding the issue. Opinions expressed in Canyon Echo are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Sierra Club.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes and postage due to Sierra Club Member Services, c/o Canyon Echo, P.O. Box 421041, Palm Coast, FL 32142-6417. Periodi-cals postage paid at Phoenix, AZ.

Arizona Chapter Action DirectoryChapter Director Sandy Bahr 602-253-8633 [email protected] Chapter CoordinatorTiffany Sprague 602-253-9140 [email protected] Canyon Conservation Program CoordinatorAlicyn Gitlin 928-774-6514 [email protected] Conservation Program Coordinator and Coal to Clean EnergyDan Millis 520-620-6401 [email protected] Sentinels Program CoordinatorSteve Pawlowski 602-254-9330 [email protected] Southwest Regional OfficeRob Smith 602-254-8362 [email protected]

CHAPTER OFFICES & COMMITTEE CHAIRSChairperson: Ken Langton (xc) 520-749-3829 [email protected]/Delegate: Elna Otter (xc) 520-212-9736 [email protected]: Carole Piszczek-Sheffield 928-204-1517 [email protected]: David McCaleb (xc) 602-840-7655 [email protected]: Jenny Roberts (xc) 480-488-2256 [email protected]: Don Steuter (xc) 602-956-5057 [email protected]: Jim Vaaler (xc) 602-553-8208 [email protected]: Cynthia Pardo 928-380-9175 [email protected]: Doug Mings 480-628-2481 [email protected] (At-Large): Keith Bagwell (xc) 520-623-0269 [email protected]

Bev Full (xc) 480-221-2554 [email protected] Martin (xc) 928-558-0742 [email protected]

Palo Verde: Mike Brady Saguaro: Bob MoorePlateau: Cynthia Pardo Sedona/Verde Valley: Carole Piszczek-SheffieldRincon: Randy Serraglio Yavapai: Tom Slaback

2012 Group Voting Representatives to Chapter Ex-Com (see pp. 12–13 for contact information):

(xc) 2012 Chapter Executive Committee (Ex-Com) members (may change in Jan. 2013)

Chapter AnnouncementsTBD 6:30 p.m. Political Committee meetings. Find out how you can help make a difference in your community and in our state. For more information, contact Doug Mings at 480-628-2481 or [email protected].

JAN 22, FEB 26, MAR 26 (TUE) 6 p.m. Energy Committee gatherings. Discussions, programs, and field trips encompass various energy activities, including renewable energy and energy efficiency campaigns nationally and locally. Everyone is invited to participate, no matter how much or how little you know about energy issues. Specific time and location will be announced online or via email. To be added to our list or to get more information, please contact Jon Findley at 480-756-2916 or [email protected].

FEB 6 (WED) 5:30 p.m. Publications Committee meeting. Have an idea? Help plan future issues of Canyon Echo! Contact Keith Bagwell at 520-623-0269 or [email protected] or Tiffany Sprague at 602-253-9140 or [email protected]. All meetings conducted via Skype/phone.

FEB 13 (WED) 6:30 p.m. Wildlife Activist Group meeting. Are you interested in learning more about the wildlife that calls our state home and in working for species’ protection? Join us to learn more about what’s happening with Arizona’s wildlife, upcoming projects and opportunities, and how you can get involved. For more information, contact our chapter office at 602-253-8633 or [email protected].

MAR 1 (FRI) Copy deadline for Spring 2013 Canyon Echo. Theme of “Arizona’s Watersheds: The Little Colorado River.” Articles, art, photographs, poetry, essays, and brief epiphanies are welcome. Contact the editor before submitting at 602-253-9140 or [email protected] to discuss word count, photos to include, licensing, issue topics, and to request submission guidelines.

MAR 27 (WED) 1–5 p.m. (stop by anytime) Canyon Echo Mailing Party. Volunteers save the Chapter hundreds of dollars by preparing Canyon Echo for mailing. Thank you! The job is easy to learn, and we all have a great time. Any amount of time that you’re available is appreciated. Contact Jerry Nelson at 602-279-4668 or [email protected] for details.

Tucson

Prescott

Flagstaff

PALO VERDE

YAVAPAI

SEDONA/ VERDE VALLEY

Phoenix

PLATEAU

SAGUARO

RINCON

GRAND CANYONCHAPTER

Winter2013 CanyonEcho 3


2 Chapter Announcements

4 In Memory

5 Thank You!

6 State Parks Feature

7 Conservation Corner

8 Arizona’s Rivers

9 Youth in Nature

10 Political Update

11 Go Solar with Sierra Club!

12 Group Happenings

14 Hikes and Outings

15 Outings Leader Training

16 Service Outings

Grand Canyon Chapter – What’s Going On?

Alicyn GitlinGrand Canyon Program Coordinator

Sign Up for the Electronic Newsletter!

Help save resources and money by signing up for the electronic newsletter! Send an email with your full name and membership ID (8-digit number on your mailing label) to [email protected] or fill out the short form at http://bit.ly/e-echo. You will receive an email when issues are available online.

Alicyn Gitlin on Rainbow Rim Trail in Grand Canyon. Photo courtesy of Alicyn Gitlin.

Getting to Know Your Chapter Staff

When I was in 3rd grade, I saw my first saguaro cactus at the New York Botanical Gardens. I immediately decided that I had to get to the Arizona desert. A decade later, I came west and never looked back. That was almost 20 years ago. I’ve spent many days during those years exploring our wilderness areas and rivers, national parks like Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest, and one of my personal favorite spots: Walnut Canyon. I’ve travelled our wild places by foot, horseback, boat, and bicycle.

I love the outdoors, but I am also a social creature; on many evenings, you can find me dancing to live music or sharing a dinner with friends. The interactions between humans and their environment fascinate me. I graduated from Arizona State University in 1998 with a Humanities degree. While my coursework focused on Native American studies and folklore, I also taught environmental education to elementary school students; I participated in an internship mapping Mars and moons of Jupiter; and I volunteered at Liberty Wildlife Refuge. I attended Columbia University’s Earth Semester at Biosphere2. I was thirsty for knowledge about the natural world and wanted to share everything I learned.

I realized quickly that Arizona’s environment was being threatened by development, water depletion, and irresponsible recreation and determined that, if I was going to live here, I had to do all I could to protect the landscape. I obtained a Master’s degree at Northern Arizona University in Biology, focusing on riparian (floodplain) habitats, drought, and native species protection. I built a straw bale house with a greywater-based septic system and waterless toilet. I’ve also served on the board of the Arizona Riparian Council for five years and was a founding board member of the Friends of the Rio de Flag.

I now consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world because I get to work with people to protect Arizona’s environment. My work is often challenging, and there is always more to do, but I am inspired by the people and places surrounding me. I cherish the time I get to spend with children in classrooms, with hikers on the trail, with activists at public meetings, and discussing environmental protection with land managers and decision makers. Please be in touch if you’d like to talk about what inspires you or if you’d like to teach me about your favorite issue or landscape. I hope to meet you on the trail!

Be a Citizen Lobbyist!Join a Citizen Lobbyist Workshop to learn tips and tricks for environmental advocacy!

Workshops will be scheduled in Phoenix (January), Flagstaff (February), Prescott (March), and Tucson (TBD).

For the schedule and more information, contact Sandy Bahr at 602-253-8633 or [email protected] or view our calendar at http://arizona.sierraclub.org/activities.asp.

Photo ContestShow your love of Ari-zona by entering our an-nual photo contest! The winner will receive a bag full of Sierra Club good-ies, plus the honor and recognition of your fellow members!

Visit http://canyonecho.wikispaces.com/Photo+Contest for details and to enter.

mailto:[email protected]



Natalie Melkonoff served as an intern with the Sierra Club in our Phoenix office during the summer of 2011, during which time she helped with outreach at events and activities, wrote numerous letters to the editor, and wrote a compelling article on the environ-mental problems associated with bottled water, among many other things. Natalie, a native Arizonan, had just finished high school, where she was very active on environmental protection, so an in-ternship with the Sierra Club was a natural fit. She was ready and eager to do more.

After beginning college at Arizona State University in the School of Sustainability and Barrett Honors College in the fall of 2011, where her major is Sustainability with a concentration in Ecosystems, she continued to volunteer. Natalie frequently stepped up to do outreach at events such as the Wild and Scenic Film Fes-tival and a myriad of events at the Arizona Science Center. She was not finished, however, and not only agreed but asked to do more.

Last January, Natalie helped the Sierra Club by serving as a legislative intern, spending her free time on Monday afternoons at the Arizona Legislature. There, she saw and heard much that was outrageous, but she was undeterred and continues to be engaged on public policy issues.

On campus, Natalie is an Ambassador for the School of Sus-tainability, Director of Engagement for Campus Student Sustain-ability Initiatives, and an organizer with Students Advocating for a Greener Arizona (SAGA), which is composed of students from all three of Arizona’s state universities. She does this while maintaining top grades in her area of study.

To say that Natalie is an exceptional young woman is an understatement. This year, the Grand Canyon Chapter award-ed her our first ever Outstanding Youth Award to recognize some of her accomplishments.

Cast of Characters

Natalie MelkonoffStudent Advocate

Natalie Melkonoff. Photo courtesy of Maria Melkonoff.

In Memory

Doug Shakel

Doug Shakel, 75, died November 2012 from a very aggressive cancer.

A geologist by profession, Doug came to Tucson to study for advanced degrees at the University of Arizona. He worked closely with Don Kucera, who founded the Rincon Group (originally named La Sección del Rincon) in 1967.

Doug was the driving force in opposition to the rezoning of what was then Rancho Romero, now Catalina State Park. His role was absolutely critical in building it from a handful of people into a broad-based coalition. Doug then succeeded in turning out a standing-room-only crowd for the final Board of Supervisors hearing when the rezoning was defeated unanimously, clearing the way for the second campaign to establish the park.

Doug was always great to work with – alternatively grouchy, funny, strategic, far-sighted, occasionally down – but he absolutely never ever gave up.

We will miss Doug, or “Shakel” as most people referred to him. A celebration of Doug’s life will take place in January 2013. For information about the celebration, contact [email protected].

Contributors: Lee Oler, Priscilla Robinson, Don Kucera, Gayle Hartmann, Roy Emrick

Ann Pattison and Doug Shakel. Photo by Alison Jones.

Willcox Playa, and Whitewater Draw wa-tersheds. The Rio Sonoyta, San Simon, and Whitewater Draw watersheds are not in the Colorado River Basin because they drain to the south to rivers in Mexico. The Willcox Playa watershed is outside the Colorado River Basin because it is a closed basin that is not a tributary to another river.

Healthy watersheds provide many en-vironmental and economic benefits: criti- Steve is the Water Sentinels Program Coordinator.

cally important habitats for fish, amphib-ians, birds, and insects; important ecosystem services such as reducing vulnerabilities to floods and wildfire, protecting aquifer re-charge zones and drinking water sources, and reducing water pollution; contributions to our quality of life; important water-based recreation opportunities such as fishing, swimming, and boating; and contributions to local tourism-based economies.

Watersheds continued from pg. 1.



Thank You to Our Donors!

More than 70 Sierra Club volunteers – and several staff – enjoyed a lovely Novem-ber day at Papago Park, music provided by The Strand, and food provided by all. Ev-eryone was there to celebrate and recognize the Grand Canyon Chapter’s members, sup-porters, and outstanding volunteers.

Elna Otter, the chapter vice chair, was the mistress of ceremony for this year’s picnic as chapter chair Ken Langton was recover-ing from surgery. Elna started by thanking the people who helped out with elections and by recognizing 10-year members John and Carole Sheffield and Jayne Marshall and one of the 30-year members, Sharon Fairchild. Others were unable to attend.

The chapter recognized Roger Flynn with the Western Mining Action Project with its Environmental Law Award, Daw-son Henderson with a Behind the Scenes award, Natalie Melkonoff with its first Outstanding Youth Award, and Sharon Galbreath with a much-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. Unfortunately, these individuals were unable to make the picnic.

Longtime club member and volunteer Jim Vaaler was recognized for his work on outings. For years, he has led trip after trip to

Picnic at Papago: Many Thanks to All!By Sandy Bahr

lands throughout Arizona, including to help ground truth wilderness proposals; provide service by building trails, digging out buffel grass and tamarisk, and erasing illegally-created roads; and helping disadvantaged youth experience the outdoors through our Phoenix Inner City Outings program. Jim also teaches Outings Leader 101 one or two times a year.

The Outstanding Service Award this year went to Bill Thornton. Bill does every-thing from help dig out buffel grass, native plant rescue, and revegetation to walking and phoning for candidates. He lobbies the legislature in support of conservation issues, meets regularly with legislators, and was one of the team leaders for Environmental Day at the Capitol.

Renée Guillory received a special achievement award for her help with fund-raising in the chapter, although she does much more. Renée serves on the chap-ter fundraising committee, which she has chaired in the past. Over the years, she has been one of the stalwart volunteers to help with fundraising, even when there was no committee in place. Renée has hosted and planned events, helped to get items donat-

ed for silent auctions, assisted with editing fundraising appeals, and has been a creative force in seeking ways to fund our important conservation work.

Each year, the chapter provides its En-vironmental Partner award to one of the many organizations it works with. This year, that award went to the Cascabel Working Group for its work to educate and inform the public and policy-makers about the negative impacts of the SunZia Transmis-

sion project, a major transmission project that would do enormous harm to the Lower San Pedro River Valley and possibly the Ara-vaipa area, depending on the siting. Mick Meader, one of the group’s key leaders, at-tended to accept the award.

On behalf of the Grand Canyon Chap-ter, we say thank you to all of you and to everyone who shows their support for the Sierra Club and environmental protection.

John and Carole Sheffield, Ken Gammon, Jim Vaaler, Elna Otter, Sharon Fairchild, Renée Guillory, Mick Meader, Jayne Marshall, and Bill Thornton. Photo by Dave Komm.

Thank you to our fundraising outings participants!

Arlene ConnoleySandy Draus

Noel FitzgeraldBev Full

Paul HendleyEls and Jack Janus

Don LohrengelCatherine Stephenson

Pat TaylorJim Wilkey

The Grand Canyon Chapter is also thankful for the generous support from those who chose

to remain anonymous.

When you make a donation to our chapter, you support the Sierra Club’s work in your own backyard. You allow us to continue our work to protect wilderness and wildlife, to improve the quality of life in our cities, to curb global climate change, and to promote the enjoyment of nature.

Watch for a letter or email in March!

Donations to the Sierra Club are not tax-deductible.

Donate online at http://arizona.sierraclub.org or by mail toSierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter

202 E. McDowell Rd., Ste. 277Phoenix, AZ 85004

Support Your Local Sierra Club

Make the Mountains Glad ($100–499)Erin BlandingPeter ElseEd GogekChris Henderson

Keep Close to Nature’s Heart ($50–99)Susanna BeattyDavid CathellJoan & Clyde McClellandJohn & Jan MuellerJoan NorenLinda B. & Martin G. Rosenthal

Hitched to Everything Else in the Universe ($1–49)Klaus BielkeMiranda ChathamSandy HansonJules KetchamSue Moody

Sandy is the Chapter Director.

Thank you to Wilburforce Foundation for continuing sup-port for our work to protect Grand Canyon and the pub-lic lands and wildlife in the Greater Grand Canyon area.



Kennedy is an 8-year-old student at Ward Traditional Academy in Tempe.

Colorado River WatershedBy Kennedy McCollum

There are many things that we can do in our personal lives to conserve one of Earth’s most valuable resources: water. We can take shorter showers, turn off the water while brushing our teeth, and water our yards less. These things seem small, but, if we were all to participate, we would save tons of water.

There are also things that communities can do to save water and to protect water-sheds. A watershed, or drainage basin, is a region of land where water from rain and snowmelt drains downhill into a body of water, such as a river, lake, wetland, sea, or ocean. Everyone lives in a watershed. People are taught to keep litter, pet waste, leaves, and debris out of street gutters and storm

drains to prevent chemicals used in lawns and gardens from going into storm drains and then to local waterways. People are also taught to dispose of household chemicals like oil, antifreeze, and paints properly (not in storm drains) and to use lawn fertilizers and garden chemicals as little as possible. There is no way right now for scientists to measure how much the watersheds are help-ing, but I’m sure it’s a lot.

It would be smart for people in Arizona to do all they can to keep the water clean because watersheds help us, also. I think wa-tersheds are good because they help keep the water clean and safe to drink.

The mighty Colorado River. Photo by Stacey Hamburg.

Stretching 35 miles along the Colorado River on the Ari-zona/California border, Lake Havasu was created by the construction of Parker Dam in 1938.

Due to the rugged rocky terrain, much of the shoreline is inaccessible, and recreational use of the lake was slow to de-velop. The first steps toward cre-ation of Lake Havasu State Park were taken in 1957 when the Arizona State Parks board asked to be considered as a partner in developing recreation sites on the lower Colorado River.

After a series of surveys to identify sites with recreational potential, In-terior Secretary Stewart Udall approved the Lower Colorado Land Use Plan in January 1964. A year later, the Department of the Interior leased lands for Lake Havasu and Cattail Cove State Parks to the State of Ari-zona. Early projects focused on the servicing and development of boat-in campsites, pro-tecting park resources, and removal of haz-ards to recreational boating.

Park visitation increased greatly in the early 1970s when the London Bridge was moved to Lake Havasu City and the newly

Park Profile: Lake Havasu State ParkBy Bill Thornton

completed Arizona Highway 95 made for easier access. Perhaps because most of us are desert dwellers, recreational lakes are es-pecially popular destinations for Arizonans. As visitation increased, new campsites, boat ramps, and a park headquarters were con-structed with financing by the State Lake Improvement Fund and Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Not only are Lake Havasu and Cattail Cove among the most visited, they are also among the few parks that generate an oper-ating profit, a fact that did not go unnoticed

by former State Senator Ron Gould, who at-tempted to transfer Lake Havasu State Park to the City of Lake Havasu. Fortunately, the attempt did not succeed. Had the transfer taken place, the already shaky financial un-derpinnings of our State Park system would have been further undermined.

As a holistic unit, the Arizona State Park System is a viable entity when revenue from profitable parks is available to cover short-falls from parks that, in themselves, are not profitable but that generate economic ben-efits for their communities.

Bill is a second generation native Arizonan and a member of the Arizona Heritage Alliance board.

At this writing, the outlook for our state parks is somewhat more encouraging. Although an initiative drive fell short, 116,000 signatures were col-lected in just over six weeks for a parks funding initiative, prov-ing once again that Arizonans love their parks and will support funding measures not subject to diversion by the legislature.

In another positive devel-opment, Representative Karen Fann (R-Prescott) successfully included a provision in the bud-get that allows State Parks to keep revenue from gate receipts and concessions. There’s still a

long way to go, but at least some legislators seem to be getting the message that parks are an investment that pays dividends, not an expense that drains our treasury.

You can stay informed about current is-sues that affect our State Parks and how you can help! Please sign up for weekly legisla-tive updates (while the legislature is in ses-sion, typically January–May) at http://bit.ly/legupdates.

London Bridge, as seen from Lake Havasu State Park. Photo by Ken Lund.

http://bit.ly/legupdates

http://bit.ly/legupdates



Tusayan Development Still Holds No WaterBy Alicyn Gitlin

Alicyn is the Conservation Coordinator for the chapter’s Grand Canyon Protection Campaign.

Conservation Corner: Martinez CanyonBy Don Steuter

Backers of a massive development out-side the south gate of Grand Canyon Na-tional Park have yet to disclose where they’ll get their water. A year ago, Tusayan Ventures, LLC, applied to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) for permission to estab-lish a water delivery system (a “Certificate of Convenience and Necessity,” or “CC&N”) to serve about 2,400 residential units, hotels, timeshares, three million square feet of com-mercial space, and a dude ranch and spa. A year later, the developers still haven’t met the CC&N requirements. Not only have they been silent on where their water will come from, they’ve also failed to quantify how much wastewater they’ll produce and what they’ll do with that wastewater.

The groundwater below Tusayan is hy-drologically connected to seeps and springs in Grand Canyon National Park and on Havasupai Tribal land. According to a Na-tional Park Service (NPS) report submitted to the ACC, “...groundwater withdrawal is

likely to adversely impact spring flow and spring ecosystems below the South Rim.” The NPS report points out that, after wells were drilled in Tusayan and nearby Valle in 1994, Cottonwood Creek turned from perennial to intermittent and Pumphouse Spring’s flow began declining. We don’t know conclusively whether increased wa-ter demand led to these changes, but until we fully understand the impacts of wells on Grand Canyon’s springs, we should not al-low new wells to be drilled.

Sierra Club joined Grand Canyon Na-tional Park, the Havasupai Tribe, Grand Canyon Trust, former Coconino County Supervisor Carl Taylor, and the South Grand Canyon Sanitary District (Tusayan’s wastewater management agency) in express-ing serious concern over Tusayan Ventures’ plans.

Take Action!

Please send a message to the Arizona Corporation Commission asking them to deny the permit! You can send a message online at http://bit.ly/TusayanWater.

Protect the most biodiverse places in Grand Canyon’s watershed, the seeps and springs. Contact Alicyn Gitlin to get involved at 928-774-6514 or [email protected].

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), together with Arizona Game and Fish officials and others, last month complet-ed construction of a gate to keep off-highway vehicles out of upper Martinez Canyon. Lo-cated northeast of the town of Florence, the Box Canyon tributary contains lush riparian vegetation and permanent pools of water critical to wildlife. In addition, the Martinez Canyon area contains historic cabins and a nearby well-preserved mine mill site. Con-struction of the gate marks the end of a long effort to protect the canyon’s natural beauty and its cultural sites.

Reacting to concerns over increasing resource damage, BLM’s Resource Advisory

Council in 2001 recommended creation of a Middle Gila Conservation Partnership to study and advise the agency on finding the best solution to this management prob-lem. The Partnership consisted of agencies, off-road vehicle groups, and environmental organizations including the Sierra Club. In 2003, participants agreed to focus on a pilot-study area of about 100,000 acres, mostly north of the Gila River and south of Supe-rior in an area called the Middle Gila Can-yons, an area heavily impacted by off-road enthusiasts. In one trip to the area, Sierra Club members observed about 75 off-road vehicles in and around the Martinez Canyon riparian area.

A route inventory and evaluation was completed by 2005. After many conten-tious meetings, a conflict resolution work-shop was held in 2007, with the final travel management plan coming out in 2010. In

all, 139 miles of roads were closed, and, now, with completion of the gate, quiet returns to upper Martinez Canyon.

2000

Don is the Chapter Conservation Chair.

Tom Taylor at the newly constructed gate. His family has been visiting Martinez Canyon for almost 30 years and led the effort to protect it. Photo courtesy of the Arizona Game and Fish Department.



Alamo Canyon at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Photo by Joshua Boles.

Ask someone to associate Arizona with a landscape. The common response will be “desert” or “Grand Canyon.” Possibly, they will mention grasslands, pine forests, or high mountains, but not our rivers. Maybe that’s because most of our major rivers have with-ered into dry washes – the water is gone.

A living river has a perennial base flow with natural flood cycles, a floodplain, and natural vegetation on the banks. The natural riparian habitat – a band of trees and plants near the banks – is highly desirable for wild-life. Ecologists estimate that 80% of species in arid environments depend on riparian vegetation for some or all of their lifecycle.

Historically, Arizona’s major perennial rivers supported lush riparian zones. Unfor-tunately, that has changed.

The lower Colorado River below Hoover Dam is heavily channelized, dammed, liti-gated, and allocated – fully diverted to serve towns and agriculture in Arizona, Califor-nia, and Mexico. Development, unnatural shorelines, and invasive plants have replaced the natural riparian habitat. What was once the largest and most productive wetland in North America, the Colorado River Delta, is now a dry, cracked mudflat. No water. No riparian vegetation.

The Gila River drains southwestern New Mexico and central/southern Arizona.

Arizona Rivers: Degraded and ThreatenedBy Gary Beverly

In Arizona, the Gila is pumped and dammed to store water for cities and low-value agri-culture. It rarely flows to the Colorado.

The Salt River collects water from the White Mountains, historically joining the Gila west of Phoenix. Five dams now con-strain the Salt. At Granite Reef Dam, the en-tire Salt River is diverted to serve Salt River Project (SRP) customers; it no longer flows into the Gila.

Historically, the Santa Cruz River had perennial flow past Tucson. Now, only a few sections are wet with treated effluent. Near Tucson, diversions and groundwater pump-ing by cities and agriculture changed a vital river into a dry wash deeply incised into the desert.

Despite decades of coordinated effort by Friends of the San Pedro River and oth-ers, last year, only 29% of the river was wet. Groundwater models predict that the San Pedro will be completely dry in a century.

The Verde River drains the central highlands, flowing east then south into the Salt River near Scottsdale. Above Horse-shoe Dam, the Verde is perennial to the headwaters with natural flood flows, flood-plains, and banks. The Verde is the longest surviving living river in Arizona, supporting over 150 miles of increasingly rare riparian habitat.

The same forces that have degraded our rivers – groundwater mining, surface water diversions, grazing, and development driven by population growth – now threaten many more streams. The Nature Conservancy projects that seven more rivers will be threat-ened by 2050: the Agua Fria, Babocomari, San Pedro, upper Verde, and Little Colo-rado rivers and Lower Cienega and Arivaca creeks.

We can change that dismal projection by modernizing Arizona water law. Cur-rent law, archaic in many ways, does not recognize environmental water needs. We can protect our water-dependent natural re-sources and wildlife while living comfortably if we advocate and enact effective and en-lightened water laws – difficult but doable.

Gary is Vice-Chair of the Yavapai Group.

We have a choice: dry washes flowing only after storms or living rivers and abundant wildlife. Photos by Gary Beverly.



Trekking Rattlers: Youth in NatureBy Deborah Vath

Silence, even for just a second, brings calm and peace to the world. Just letting it all go just for that moment brings center and wonder to all. Just let the wind carry your thoughts away, leav-ing your mind and entering the whispers of the trees, bouncing off the mountains and in your mind once again.

–by Julia, age 13

When you sit down and think what the world means to youWhen you think about that, everything comes trueWhen the wind blows and no one knows how you feelIt feels kind of good, not like a shock from an electric eel.The air is so beautiful and graceful.It’s so blue and full.I wish I could run up there as fast as a bull.

–by Janae, age 11

I hear the wind through the trees, the mighty spirits that loom over me at this time. The immense blue of the sky appears vast and never ending. Feeling the solid earth beneath me, grounds me. What a beautiful view, watching the boulders decorate the mountainside. Blessed is this day of beauty and wonder. Blessed is my daughter and all the people on this mountaintop.

–by Heidi, Janae’s mother

This school year, Inner City Outings and Tucson Audubon Society have teamed up to sponsor middle school hikers known as the “Trekking Rattlers.” Lauffer Middle School students in the Sunnyside School District are invited to attend naturalist activities and hikes once a month to various habitats in southern Arizona. The October hike included a closer look at biomes as we drove up Mt. Lemmon to hike the Aspen

Trail. A stop at “lunch ledge” yielded spectacular views, great food, and reflective time by our group of 26 students, parents, and adult volunteers. Each participant was given the opportunity to sit quietly, draw, or write for ten minutes. Sharing their spontaneous poems certainly inspired our group!

Deborah is a member of Tucson Inner City Outings.

Protect the Grandest Watershed of All!

Sandwiched between vistas of Grand Canyon and two national monuments lies the Grand Canyon Watershed region. The heart of the area is the North Kaibab Plateau, where the Colorado River carves Grand Canyon and provides water for millions of people in Arizona, Nevada, and California. To protect this area from the threats of uranium mining, old growth logging, habitat fragmentation, and more, the Sierra Club is working with coalition partners to promote a Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument.

The Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument would protect 1.7 million acres, including 300,000 acres of ancient forest. It would protect over 125 creeks, springs, and seeps; over 3,000 archaeological sites; and 22 species of sensitive plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the world.

Would you like to help us spread the word about the proposed national monument? Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, or you can send a message to President Obama and the Secretary of the Interior at http://content.sierraclub.org/mypieceofamerica/grand-canyon-watershed.

You can also contact Alicyn Gitlin to learn how to get more involved at 928-774-6514 or [email protected].

Part of the proposed Grand Canyon Watershed National Monument. Photo by Alicyn Gitlin.

Photo by Deborah Vath.

Photo by Deborah Vath.

http://content.sierraclub.org/mypieceofamerica/grand-canyon-watershed




Thanks to you and to all Arizonans who care about our public lands, Arizona voters soundly rejected Proposition 120, the “State Sovereignty” measure, by more than a two-to-one margin.

Proposition 120 was referred to the bal-lot by the Arizona Legislature. It would have amended the Arizona Constitution to assert state sovereignty and to establish that the state has exclusive authority and jurisdiction over air, water, public lands, minerals, wild-life, and other natural resources within the state in an attempt to both gain control of federal public lands and to undermine im-portant federal environmental laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

Arizona Voters Overwhelmingly Reject State Legislature’s Land GrabProposition 120 Defeated by More than Two-to-One Margin

By Sandy Bahr

“Arizona voters clearly saw this for what it was – the Legislature’s harsh and unrelent-ing attack against conservation stewardship and natural resource protection,” said Caro-lyn Campbell, No on Prop 120 Campaign Chair and Executive Director of the Coali-tion for Sonoran Desert Protection. “These laws are the bedrock of an environmental legacy forged over the last 50 years and are critical to protecting one of the most eco-logically rich regions of the country.”

This extreme amendment would have set in motion a demand by the State that all federal public lands in Arizona – roughly 27 million acres, including wildland gems such as Grand Canyon, Tonto National Forest,

and Saguaro National Park – be turned over to the state. Arizona’s state parks system has been in a perpetual state of neglect, so the idea that the state could actually afford to manage millions of acres of public land was a stretch, even for Governor Jan Brewer, who vetoed a measure similar to Proposition 120 during this last legislative session.

The overwhelming rejection of Prop. 120 reveals just how out of touch the 2012

The 51st Arizona Legislature will kick off its first regular session on the second Monday in January, right after Governor Brewer delivers her State of the State ad-dress. All legislators are serving from brand new districts. After the Independent Redis-tricting Commission finished its process, we had 5–6 slightly more competitive districts out of the 30 in the state. While this may not sound like a lot, it is definitely a step in the right direction.

In 2013, there are 11 new state senators, but not all of them are new to the legislature; seven came over from the House and two

Arizona Legislature was with the people of Arizona. Arizona is fortunate to have public lands that provide wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and a multitude of recreational opportunities. The new Legislature should recognize that and join voters in supporting protection of our air, land, and water.

New Districts, New Faces, New Opportunities?

By Sandy Bahr

had served in the legislature previously. In the House, there are more legislators overall – 60 total – and 25 more new faces, only one of whom had served previously. We hope to promote some clean energy legislation and are planning on a session with fewer bills to weaken protections for our state’s environ-ment. It will not be a brand new day for en-vironmental protection at the Capitol, but the fact that there are no longer super-major-ities in both houses and that there are some new people will give us an opportunity to have a new conversation about conservation.

Get Involved!

Please consider joining us in that conversation and in meeting your legislators and engaging in our legislative work. Opportunities include Environmental Day at the Capitol on February 12, 2013, and Pizza and Politics – Citizen Lobby Workshops in Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson (and other locations to be determined). No experience, only enthusiasm, is required to participate.

Sign up for weekly legislative updates at http://bit.ly/legupdates so you keep up on legislative happenings and information, plus easily contact all three of your legisla-tors. By connecting with legislators and making it clear that a multitude of people in Arizona care about environmental protection, we are bound to see more friendly faces at the Arizona State Capitol.


Thanks to all of the great volunteers who helped with elections. You made a difference! Photo courtesy of Sandy Bahr.

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Go Solar with Sierra Club! As efforts to fight climate change

accelerate, Sierra Club is helping mem-bers and supporters drop dirty fuels through a program aimed at fostering wide-spread deployment of clean en-ergy: the Solar Homes Campaign.

Through an innovative partner-ship with Sungevity, a leading national solar service provider, we are offering you an affordable way to get solar on your rooftop. With the option to lease or buy your system, you can receive a $750 cash incentive, save 15% on electricity costs (on average), and cut your carbon footprint.

Plus, for every home that goes solar through this program, our chapter receives $750 for our clean energy work and other efforts. It’s a win-win-win!

Find out if solar is right for you!

Visit http://sierraclub.org/solarhomes for a free solar quote. It only takes a couple of minutes!

Once you do, Sungevity will contact you to discuss whether solar is right for you. In five minutes, they can give you a good idea

about how much you might save.

(This program is not available in all Arizona locations.)

While saving money is always impor-tant, it’s essential to understand that many of the changes you can make at home also benefit the environment. Reducing your monthly bills makes it easier to manage your finances, but it preserves natural resources, as well. If you’re not sure where to start, here are four ideas to get you going:

1. Adjust Your ThermostatAdjusting your thermostat by just three

degrees can save you as much as 20% on your home energy bills. If you do it one de-gree at a time, your household may not even notice. If it does get a little uncomfortable, just peel off or add on one layer of clothing.

2. Install Low-Flow ProductsInstalling a low-flow showerhead can

save as much as 5,000 gallons of water per year, depending upon how long you shower. Installing an ultra low-flow toilet can reduce your toilet water usage by more than 50%.

3. Turn Off and UnplugWhen you leave a room, switch off the

lights. If no one’s watching the TV, turn that off, too. Then, walk around your house and look for items that are plugged in but rarely

Four Household Adjustments to Save Money and Preserve the Environment

By Andrew Schrage

used and unplug them. Many household lights and appliances still burn energy, even when they’re not turned on.

4. Add InsulationEnsuring that your attic is adequately

insulated can cut your energy costs by $600 or more each year. Before winter settles in, inspect your current level of insulation – if the two-by-fours are peeking through, con-sider hiring a contractor to redo your insula-tion.

Final ThoughtsHaving your attic re-insulated can be

a bit pricey, and if your wallet’s tight, you might be pressed to find funds for the low-flow equipment. In order to free up some cash, start clipping coupons to save on gro-ceries. Then, check in closets and drawers for items you no longer need, such as old cell phones and digital cameras. Open an ac-count on eBay or Amazon and sell them to make some easy extra cash.

What other ways can you suggest to save money and help the environment?

Andrew is co-owner of Money Crashers Personal Finance (http://www.moneycrashers.com).

“I intend to tear this wall down and pass an immigration reform bill that’s an Ameri-can solution to an American problem.”

Don’t Tie Immigration Reform to Borderlands DestructionBy Scott Nicol

Unfortunately, when Senator Lindsey Graham uttered those words a few days af-ter the presidential election, he was talking

about the metaphorical wall between the Republican Party and the Hispanic voters, not the physical walls that tear through the U.S.–Mexico borderlands.

Before the election, many Republicans called for making immigrants’ lives so mis-erable through measures such as Arizona’s SB1070 that they would “self-deport.” Over the summer, the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 1505, waiving environmental laws in national parks, monuments, forests, and wilderness areas within 100 miles of both borders.

Following the election, these same poli-ticians feel a sudden sense of urgency to pass an immigration reform bill.

That bill will probably look a lot like the proposal that Senators Graham and Schumer were working on a couple of years ago, linking temporary work visas and a pathway to citizenship to increased border militarization. That may sound familiar be-cause it is the same formula that was used in 2006, when the U.S. House and Senate passed competing immigration bills. When the two bills could not be reconciled, Con-gress pulled out the border security section and passed it as the Secure Fence Act.

Since then, 649 miles of border wall have gone up, slicing through sensitive habi-tat from California’s Otay Mountain Wil-

See Borderlands continued on pg. 13.

The border wall marches across the Arizona landscape. Photo by Sean Sullivan.



Happenings Around the StateSix groups make up the Grand Canyon Chapter. All the events and meetings listed below are open to members interested in learning more about the Sierra Club. You can find out more at our website: http://arizona.sierraclub.org/meetings_events.asp. Schedules are subject to change. (x) Group Ex-Com members

Rincon Group (Tucson)http://arizona.sierraclub.org/rincon

Chair: Randy Serraglio (x) 520-784-1504 [email protected]: Keith Bagwell (x) 520-623-0269 [email protected]: Ken Bierman 520-661-7555 [email protected]: Roy Emrick (x) 520-326-7883 [email protected]: Russell Lowes (x) 520-321-3670 [email protected]: Mitch Stevens 520-991-1199 [email protected] City Outings: Judy Rubin 520-891-3310 [email protected]: Lee Oler 520-791-9246 [email protected]: Natalie Lucas (x) 928-600-7844 [email protected] (At-Large): Michelle Crow (x) 520-743-9958 [email protected]

Carl Kanun (x) 520-297-1128 [email protected]

JAN 24, FEB 28, MAR 28 (THU) Conservation Committee (6 p.m.) and Executive Commit-tee (7:15 p.m.) meetings. Located in the first floor conference room of the Historic YWCA, 738 N. Fifth Ave., Tucson. Open to members and the public. Hope to see you there!

Programs are on the second Thursday of each month at SEIU, 1600 N. Tucson Blvd., Tucson. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Keith Bagwell.

JAN 10 (THU) 7 p.m. Ironwood Forest National Monument: Ironwoods and More. North-west of Tucson, Ironwood Forest National Monument safeguards an incredible landscape recognized for rugged scenery, biological diversity, and cultural legacy. It contains the high-est density of desert ironwood trees, the northernmost population of elephant trees, endan-gered Nichol’s Turk’s head cacti, and one of the last remaining herds of desert bighorn sheep in the area. Come learn more about this treasure in our own backyard and how you can help protect it. Presented by Lahsha Brown and Bill Thornton of Friends of Ironwood Forest.

FEB 14 (THU) 7 p.m. Wildlife Passages Across Arizona Highways. Arizona’s transportation infrastructure poses significant threats to wildlife populations. Carolyn Campbell, Executive Director of the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection, will provide details about proposed improvements to State Route 77, which will include wildlife passages. Scott Sprague, a Se-nior Project Manager with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, will discuss research ap-proaches and mitigation measures used on State Route 260 and U.S. Highways 89 and 93, which have all helped make Arizona a leader in the field of Road Ecology.

MAR 14 (THU) 7 p.m. Coal to Clean Energy Moving Tucson Electric Power Company Forward. Did you know that nearly all of Tucson’s electricity comes from dirty fossil fuels? A 2012 company report shows that 84% of Tucson Electric Power Company’s energy is gener-ated in coal-fired power plants. A fraction of 1% is from renewable sources. Coal emissions are a leading cause of respiratory health problems and contribute to climate change. TEP should be leading the way in harnessing solar power for electricity. Dan Millis tells us how we can promote energy efficiency and renewable solar power.

Saguaro Group (North Maricopa County)http://arizona.sierraclub.org/saguaro

Chair/Secretary: Bob Moore (x) 480-543-7409 [email protected]/Membership: Louis Lantz (x) 480-575-1782 [email protected]: Urb Weidner 602-595-3301 [email protected]/Fundraising: Bev Full (x) 480-221-2554 [email protected]: Nancy Santori (x) 623-780-4734 [email protected]: Lynne Cockrum-Murphy (x) 602-569-6078 [email protected] Co-Chair: Jim Wilkey (x) 480-649-2836 [email protected]: Pete Weinelt 623-388-2209 [email protected]: Doug Murphy (x) 602-569-6078 [email protected]

JAN 10 (THU) 5:30 p.m. Executive Committee meeting. Come for potluck dinner beginning at 5:30 or just arrive for the meeting which begins at 6:30. Any Sierra Club member interested in attending is welcome. We will meet at Urb Weidner’s home. Contact Bev Full for directions or further information.

FEB 21 (THU) 7 p.m. General meeting. Our speaker will be Gary Beverly, a scientist who has done extensive research on the present and future of the Verde River, the river valley, and on other endangered rivers in Arizona. He will narrate his new PowerPoint on this subject and answer our questions. Located at the Harris Bank meeting room, 34525 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale. Please contact Bev Full if you need further information and directions.

MAR 10 (SUN) 5 p.m. Buffet dinner. Join us for a delicious Earth-friendly buffet dinner. Pete Weinelt will help plan and prepare a menu of low-carbon-footprint dishes. He has researched the subject and will present a short film on low-carbon-impact grocery purchasing, preparing, and dining. The event will be at Bev Full’s in North Scottsdale. Along with your meal, enjoy great views of Black Mountain. There will be a nominal charge of $20 per person. Please call Bev for reservations and information.

Sedona/Verde Valley Grouphttp://arizona.sierraclub.org/sedona

Chair: Brian Myers (x) 928-204-1703 [email protected]: Bob Donahue (x) 928-639-1885 [email protected]: Carole Binswanger 928-282-1206 [email protected]: Margaret Anderson 928-203-4355 [email protected] (At Large): Anne Crosman (x) 928-284-9252 [email protected]

Carole Piszczek-Sheffield (x) 928-204-1517 [email protected] Rayner (x) 928-203-0340 [email protected]

For information about activities in the Sedona/Verde Valley area, contact Brian Myers.

JAN 1, FEB 5, MAR 5 (TUE) 6:30 p.m. Conservation Committee meetings. Contact Don Steuter. JAN 8, FEB 12, MAR 12 (TUE) 6:30 p.m. Executive Committee meetings. Contact Mike Brady. Meetings are held in the 2nd floor conference room in the SE corner of the Quality Inn, 202 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix.

JAN 15, FEB 19, MAR 19 (TUE) 6:30 p.m. Free monthly programs. The Palo Verde Group offers monthly programs on the third Tuesday of every month from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Quality Inn Garden Room, 202 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix (right behind the Phoenix Art Museum). Monthly programs are open to the public. Upcoming programs include Hohokam Rock Art at South Mountain Park; Managing Paradise at Fossil Creek; Saving Arizona’s Remaining Riparian Areas; Urban Landscapes: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; and other timely issues. Visit http://PaloVerdeGroup.org or call 480-990-9165 for more information.

Palo Verde Group (Phoenix)http://arizona.sierraclub.org/paloverde

Chair/Membership: Michael Brady (x) 480-250-4054 [email protected]: Fareed Abou-Haidar (x) 480-345-1779 [email protected]: Jerry Nelson (x) 602-279-4668 [email protected]: Blair McLaughlin (x) 602-618-8591 [email protected]: Don Steuter (x) 602-956-5057 [email protected]: Jim Vaaler (x) 602-553-8208 [email protected] City Outings: Lisa Vaaler 602-468-4158 [email protected] Justice: Gil Venable (x) 602-254-4574 [email protected] (At-Large): Ute Brady (x) 480-250-9716 [email protected]

David McCaleb (x) 602-840-7655 [email protected]



Plateau Group (Flagstaff)http://arizona.sierraclub.org/plateau

Chair/Political: Tom Martin (x) 928-556-0742 [email protected]: Jim McCarthy (x) 928-779-3748 [email protected]/Membership: Cynthia Pardo (x) 928-380-9175 [email protected]: Sharon Galbreath 928-774-1571 [email protected]: Marti Callahan (x) 928-525-9165 [email protected]: Sarah King 928-266-0475 [email protected] (At Large): Steve McKellar (x) 928-526-4864 [email protected]

JAN 3 (THU) 10 a.m. Executive Committee meeting. Join us to learn more about Sierra Club and our activities in Northern Arizona. For more information, contact Tom Martin.

Check out our new Flagstaff Nature Activists Meetup at http://www.meetup.com/Flagstaff-Activists. The group is taking collective action to make Northern Arizona a better place to live by increasing environmental awareness in our community.

Yavapai Group (Prescott)http://arizona.sierraclub.org/yavapai

Chair/Conservation: Tom Slaback (x) 928-778-4233 [email protected]/Outings: Gary Beverly (x) 928-636-2638 [email protected]/Political: Joe Zarnoch (x) 928-636-5501 [email protected]: Constance Eichenlaub (x) 928-776-2402 [email protected]

JAN 2, FEB 6, MAR 6 (WED) 6 p.m. Executive Committee meetings. All members are encouraged to attend and participate in our monthly meetings. There has been a change in meeting location. Contact Tom Slaback for directions.

Volunteer Opportunities: The group needs member volunteers to chair the Membership and Program committees. Contact Tom Slaback.

Contact Gary Beverly to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter. Current announcements and information may be found there and on our website.

derness Area to Texas’ Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Arizona has been particularly hard hit. As border walls went up in urban areas like San Diego and El Paso, crossers were “fun-neled” into the remote and fragile ecosys-tems of the Arizona desert. Hundreds have died there.

Border walls adjacent to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument have acted as dams, causing erosion and worsening flood-ing. Walls cut off endangered jaguars and Sonoran pronghorn from potential mates and resources on either side of the border. And the tires of Border Patrol jeeps and ATVs have spread the destruction north, tearing through fragile soils and vegetation.

This is why the Grand Canyon Chapter and the Sierra Club’s national Borderlands Team continue our Borderlands program, working to head off new damage, to ensure

that environmental laws are obeyed, and to get mitigation for the harm that has already occurred.

Comprehensive immigration reform could either be a blessing or a curse for the borderlands. Allowing immigrants to enter through the “front door,” paying the federal government instead of a coyote, and passing through a port of entry instead of trekking through the Arizona desert would reduce both the impacts of traffic on fragile ecosys-tems and the number of immigrants who die attempting to cross. But if it repeats the old formula, adding more border walls and boots on the ground, it will exacerbate the damage to our borderlands.

We need a clean immigration bill, with-out more of the walls or waivers that do tre-mendous damage to border ecosystems year after year.

Learn more at http://www.sierraclub.org/borderlands.

Scott is the Sierra Club Borderlands Team Chair.

Borderlands continued from pg. 11.

It is said that there was once a time when Female Cactus Fly ap-proached a saguaro cactus, heading for scar tissue leaking fluid where the giant plant had been wounded by a pecking Gila Woodpecker. As she arrived, a large male Cactus Fly met and mated her, and she joined his harem around the succulent’s oozing waters. The eggs she laid in Saguaro’s rotting flesh hatched, and Cactus Fly larvae swam in Sa-guaro’s warm wetness, eating fungi and developing. The larvae rocked in the life-giving serum, feeling the tides caused by Sun and Moon, paddling, eating, growing. Where there is Water, there is Life.

In due time, the larvae ma-tured and emerged from Saguaro’s flesh. A female struggled toward the light, and, as she surfaced, a tiny Pseu-doscorpion grabbed onto Cactus Fly’s hind leg. She was so large, she barely noticed and certainly didn’t care. Her sole urge was to leave her cactus, find another injured Saguaro, mate, and lay her own eggs, thus ensuring another generation of her species. Pseudoscorpion only cared to hitch a ride. To him, she was simply a means of travel. He was catching the train to new territories. All aboard!

It is also said that there was once a time when the Colorado River Delta spread from the Salton Sea to the Gulf of California, 2.5 million acres of wetland. It rocked in the life-giving tides caused by Sun and Moon. At least 400 species of plants and animals thrived over, on, and in the river’s waters, paddling, eating, growing. Where there is Water, there is Life.

Then, steamboats chugged upriver, hauling supplies to brand new army forts in the brand new American southwest. At one

All Aboard! (A Fable)By Ann McDermott

spot in the huge, sprawling delta, the mighty river narrowed to just under 1000 feet, and, here, the seaport of Yuma was established. When the Southern Pacific Railroad reached town in 1877, freight from steamboats could be transferred to trains and routed to new territories. All aboard!

Now, Colorado’s waters seldom see the Gulf. Only in the wettest years does it flood to the sea. Decades pass between such events. The delta is dead, or almost. But hope remains it may one day rock again with the life-giving tides of Sun and Moon. That the river will again reach the sea.

After all, where there is Water, there is Life. Where there is Life, there is Hope. Where there is Hope, there is Dreaming. Where there is Dreaming, there is Creation. Where there is Creation, there is Sacred made manifest.

As above, so below.

Canyon Echo encourages contributors to use Creative Commons licensing.This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCom-mercial-ShareAlike License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5 or send a letter to Creative Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California 94105.

All other contributions, including photos, cartoons, and written work, fall under standard copyright restrictions.

Ann is committed to the fable as an art form that reaches across rational mind limitations.

Mexican cactus fly. Photo by Ken Schneider.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5

http://www.sierraclub.org/borderlands



Explore and Enjoy ArizonaFor up-to-date information about outings, visit http://arizona.sierraclub.org/outings.asp.

Explore, Enjoy, Learn, and ContributePlease note that any funds in excess of trip expenses will be used to support Chapter projects. Carpooling is available for all trips. For reservations and information about the following outings, please contact Bev Full at 480-221-2554 or [email protected].

JAN 20–23 (SUN–WED) Salton Sea and Palm Springs, California. We’ll carpool to Salton Sea State Park (elevation 200’ below sea level) to tour the visitors’ center and beach, hike, bird watch, and camp. We’ll then head to Palm Springs for a tour of the wind farm, a tram ride up to 10,000’ Mt. San Jacinto to hike in the snow, and to explore the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indian Reservation Canyons. Cost: $295 covers lodging, wind farm tour, tram ticket, and some meals.

FEB 15–20 (FRI–WED) Leadville, Colorado, Ski/Snowshoe. We’ll carpool to Leadville with overnight stops in New Mexico. Stay in historic Leadville (elevation 10,000’) and visit the many interesting antique shops and buildings. Enjoy Leadville’s new Aquatic Center with jacuzzi. Dine at the great local restaurants. Cost: $350 includes motels, ingredients for packed lunches, and Bev’s guide service and ski instructions on the local trails. Skis and snowshoes may be rented in Leadville.

MAR 20–23 (WED–SAT) Raft the San Juan River. We’ll travel the river from Bluff to Mexican Hat, enjoying mild white water rafting as well as interpretive stops at many historical sites along this scenic and geologically fascinating stretch of the

river. Cost: $475 includes raft trip, meals, and camp fees.

Canoeing the Lower Colorado River. Photo by Sandy Draus.

JAN 5 (SAT) “B” White Tank Mountains (9 mi.). This hike will take us into the heart of the White Tank Mountains west of Phoenix. We will follow the Ford Canyon and Mesquite Canyon trails, which will offer plenty of up- and downhill travel as well as interesting sights and fine vistas. Maricopa County charges a $6 per car admis-sion fee. Drive 30 mi. from Phoenix. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

JAN 12 (SAT) “B” Arnett Highlands (8-mi., 1400’ EC). On this mostly off-trail exploratory hike, we will follow washes and ridges in the mountains east of Superior. Our absolute EC will be 1400’, but there will be much more up- and downhill travel. Expect steep and slip-pery slopes, sharp rocks, spiny and brushy plants (leather gloves recommended), miles of panoramic views, and other adversities and rewards. Drive 55 mi. from Tempe. Call Ken Mc-Ginty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

JAN 13 (SUN) “C” White Tank Mountains Hike and Nature Center (6 mi. RT, 1000’ EC). We’ll hike out and back on the Mesquite Canyon Trail in the White Tanks Regional Park. The trail has a nice mix of steady uphills and level but elevated parts, with nice views of the mountains and parts of the west valley. The small nature center has live snakes, scorpions, spiders, etc. Contact Pete Weinelt at 623-388-2209 or vitalpaw@ yahoo.com or Bev Full at 480-221-2554 or [email protected]. Phoenix

JAN 13 (SUN) “C+” Historic Toll Road (8 mi. RT, 200’ EC). Experience the bleakness and desolation the early settlers felt as they drove their covered wagons across the Sentinel Lava Field on their way to California. Located west of Gila Bend, this toll road was in operation from 1869–1877. William I. Fourr operated this toll road, and their family grave is located at the west end. Time permitting, we may also drive out to visit the Oatman Massacre Site, which is located nearby. Contact Jim Vaaler at 602-553-8208 or [email protected]. Phoenix

JAN 19 (SAT) “B” Big Horn Peak (5 mi.). We will scramble to the highest peak in the Big Horn Wilderness, which tow-ers 1800’ above a desert plain 50 mi. west of Phoenix. The summit features great 360° views, and neighboring escarp-ments add to this area’s exceptional scenic value. Miles of jumbled ridgeline cross the wilderness, surrounded by small hills, fissures, chimneys, and slim canyons. We will discuss the ecology of this remote desert setting and may observe desert bighorn sheep as well as other wildlife. Contact Mitch Stevens at 520-991-1199 or [email protected]. Tucson

JAN 19 (SAT) “B” Herter Mountain (8–9 mi., 1650’ EC). This exploratory hike in the Mazatzal Mountains near Sunflower will take us up dirt roads and off-trail route to the 3693’-high summit of Herter Mountain. For the off-trail stretch, expect steep and slippery slopes, sand slogging, and spiny plants aplenty (leather gloves recommended). Drive 45 mi. from Scottsdale. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

JAN 20 (SUN) “C” Exploring New Trails I – NE corner of Saguaro NP West(3–4mi.).We will follow several newly es-tablished trails in this area near Sanctuary Cove for a loop. Impacts resulting from subdivisions adjacent to the park will be discussed. Contact Meg Weesner at 520-290-1723 or [email protected]. Tucson

JAN 26 (SAT) “C” Linda Vista Trail, South Loop (2.5–3 mi., 800–900’ EC). Join us for this moderate afternoon hike in

northwest Tucson/Oro Valley. From this rocky trail, see beautiful views of Pusch Ridge, Cata-lina Mtns., Tortolita Mtns., and the tip of Pica-cho Peak, as well as a variety of desert wildlife. Don’t expect a high-speed hike. Limit 6. Con-tact Beth Ann Krueger at 520-405-5470 or [email protected]. Tucson

JAN 26 (SAT) “B” Horse Mountain (12 mi., 1000’ EC). This exploratory day hike will take us to the 2976’-high summit of Horse Moun-tain in the southern Mazatzal Wilderness near Horseshoe Dam. Most of our hike will be on dirt roads up and down gentle slopes. The off-trail section may involve steep slopes, spiny plants, and cocklebur navigation in a dry lake bed. (Leather gloves recommended.) Drive 43 mi. from Scottsdale. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

FEB 2 (SAT) “B” First Water Ridge (6 mi., 1000’ EC). Between First Water and LaBarge Creeks in the Superstition Wilderness is a slickrock wonderland. On this adventure hike, we’ll explore this area, starting at First Water Trailhead, heading down First Water Creek, and then crossing over the rugged landscape to Boulder Canyon Trailhead at Canyon Lake. Expect abundant up- and downhill travel, vistas galore, steep and slippery slopes, and untold vegetation horrors (leather gloves recommend-ed). Drive 42 mi. from Tempe. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

FEB 4 (MON) “C-“ Hike Thunderbird Park, H1/H3 Trail (3.5 mi., 500’ EC). This hike loops around and then up to the top of a hill on the east side of the park. The last 2 mi. is a gradual steady downhill and offers nice elevated views of almost the entire west valley. Contact Pete

Weinelt at 623-388-2209 or [email protected] or Bev Full at 480-221-2554 or [email protected]. Phoenix

FEB 9 (SAT) “C” Exploring New Trails II – Cactus Forest area of Saguaro NP East (4 mi.). Although there are numer-ous trails in this part of the park, a few new sections and reroutes have been developed recently. We will hike a route that includes some new sections. Discussions will include how the park plans and maintains trail routes. Contact Meg Weesner at 520-290-1723 or [email protected]

FEB 9 (SAT) “B+” Sheep Mesa (14 mi.). This exploratory hike will take us into the heart of the southern Mazatzal Moun-tains to 3132’-high Sheep Mesa. Part of the hike will follow dirt roads. The rest will be off-trail. Wet feet are possible. Expect vicious vegetation (leather gloves recommended), steep and slippery slopes in the final ascent, and sand slog-




Explore and Enjoy ArizonaFor up-to-date information about outings, visit http://arizona.sierraclub.org/outings.asp.

ging and rock hopping in the creek bed. Drive 45 mi. from Scottsdale. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

FEB 11 (MON) Tour the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. Join us to visit the amazing number of native Arizona animal species who are permanent residents or being cared for while waiting to be released. This facility is located on Pinnacle Peak Rd near Rio Verde. Stop for lunch afterward. Contact Bev Full at 480-221-2554 or [email protected]. Phoenix

FEB 16 (SAT) “B+” Goldfield Ridge (9 mi.). On this off-trail trek, we will hike along a prominent ridge in the Goldfield Mountains north of Mesa and then, following ridges and can-yons, head east back to our cars. This is a trip for those who love up- and downhill hiking. Expect steep slopes, rock hop-ping, plenty of brushy and thorny vegetation, and breathtak-ing views of the Goldfield and Superstition mountains and Canyon and Saguaro lakes. Drive 45 mi. from Tempe. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

FEB 16 (SAT) “A” Weavers Needle Loop (14 mi.). Join us for a great hike around Weavers Needle, an extinct volcanic core and the most distinct landmark in the Superstitions. We will follow the Peralta, Dutchman, and other trails where stun-ning views of the needle and hoodoos abound. This is a very scenic and enjoyable hike accessing some of the best scen-ery the Superstitions have to offer. We will observe and dis-cuss the fascinating geology of this rugged mountain range. Contact Mitch Stevens at 520-991-1199 or [email protected]. Tucson

FEB 17 (SUN) “D” Honey Bee Canyon (2 mi., 100’ EC). Take an easy hike in this small canyon on a winter morning. Bring an interest in meeting others who like to hike at a moderate pace and enjoy the desert landscape. Limit 8. Contact Beth Ann Krueger at 520-405-5470 or [email protected]. Tucson

FEB 23 (SAT) “C” Weber Canyon (8 mi. RT, 1000’ EC). We will hike into the seldom visited Harcuvar Wilderness Area west of Wickenburg. We will gradually ascend as we walk up an old mining road to the Weber Mine. Expect to see vast expanses of the Sonoran Desert in this wide open canyon. The leader will discuss the 1990 Arizona Desert Wilderness Act, of which the Harcuvar Wilderness is but one example. Contact Jim Vaaler at 602-553-8208 or [email protected]. Phoenix

FEB 23 (SAT) “B” Hike The Verde: Part 3 – Upper Verde Riv-er Wildlife Area to Granite Creek (5 mi., 400’ EC). We’ll hike up the Verde River to the confluence with Granite Creek us-ing informal trails. Along the way, we’ll find beaver dams and wildlife and stop for lunch at Verde Springs. Occasional shal-low wading is required. We’ll learn about the natural history of and the conservation issues surrounding our Verde River. You may ask for photos of the area. Reservation required; 15-hiker limit. Contact Gary Beverly at gbverde@cableone.

net (preferred) or 928-636-2638. Prescott

FEB 23 (SAT) “B” Palomino Mountain (11 mi., 1100’ EC). This mostly on-trail hike will take us to the 3402’ summit of Palomino Mountain in the western Superstition Wilder-ness. From First Water Trail-head, we’ll take Dutchman’s Trail most of the way and then ascend the mountain by an off-trail route. Total EC will be more than 1100’. Expect spectacular scenery, steep and slippery slopes, and spiny plants aplenty (leather gloves recommended). Drive 25 mi. from Tempe. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

MAR 2 (SAT) “B” Peak 3457 (7–9 mi., 800’ EC). This off-trail exploratory hike will take us along a low ridge in the Mazatzal Mountains near the Four Peaks Road to the summit of Peak 3457. After bagging the peak, we will continue our ambula-tions back to our cars over a hilly route roughly paralleling Mesquite Wash. Expect up- and downhill travel aplenty, steep and slippery slopes, vicious spiny plants (leather gloves rec-ommended), and high adventure. Drive 32 mi. from Scotts-dale. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

MAR 9 (SAT) “B” Cochise Stronghold – Dragoon Moun-tains (10 mi., 2700’ EC). The Dragoons feature a protective rampart of granite domes and sheer cliffs, once the refuge of the great Apache Chief Co-chise and his people. Tower-ing pinnacles, lichen covered rocks, and far-reaching views are drawing cards. We will observe and discuss the geol-ogy and history of this amaz-ing sky island 50 mi. east of Tucson. If time allows, we’ll visit Council Rocks where Co-chise signed the Broken Arrow Peace Treaty. Contact Mitch Stevens at 520-991-1199 or [email protected]. Tucson

MAR 9 (SAT) “B” Sugarloaf Mountain (6–8 mi., 600’ EC).

Following mostly an off-trail route, this trek will take us to the summit of the 2884’-high mesa known as Sugarloaf Moun-tain in the southern Mazatzal Mountains and then down the mountain, along a dirt road, and back to our cars following a ridge. Total EC will be 1200’. Expect steep, slippery, and rocky slopes; annoying volcanic cobbles; spiny plants aplenty; and a possible plethora of other adversities. Leather gloves rec-ommended. Drive 32 mi. from Scottsdale. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

ATTENTION, CURRENT AND POTENTIAL OUTINGS LEADERS!

Are you interested in leading outings for the Sierra Club? Do you need to update your first aid or outings leader certification?

Outing Leader Training 101 and First Aid Certification Saturday, February 2

8:30 a.m. (first aid) and 1:30 p.m. (OLT) Quality Inn and Suites, 2nd Floor Conference Room

202 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix

Cost for first aid is $25; scholarships are available. OLT 101 is free. These courses are required of all Sierra Club outing leaders. First aid training is required every three years, and OLT 101 is required every four years.

To sign up or to find out which of these classes you need to keep your certification current, please contact Jim Vaaler at 602-553-8208 or [email protected].

See Outings continued on pg. 16.

The Sierra Club is a nationwide organization with active local outings for members and non-members. Please join us as we make friends and explore life-enriching interests. Simply find an outing by date and contact the leader for directions, reservations, time, and additional information. RESTRICTIONS: NO FIREARMS, RADIOS, OR PETS (unless noted otherwise). Outings are by reservation. Call early (group limit 20). Each hike is rated for degree of difficulty and risk by the leader.

“A” >16 miles or > 3,000 ft. elevation change (EC)“B” 8–16 miles and 1,500–3,000 ft. EC“C” 3–8 miles, 500–1,500 ft. EC RT Round Trip“D” <3 miles and 500 ft. EC OW One Way

The trip leader has absolute authority to question trip participants as to their equipment, conditioning, and experience before and during the trip. All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waiver. If you would like to read the liability waiver before you choose to participate in an outing, please go to http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms or contact the National Out-ings Dept. at 415-977-5528 for a printed version. Sierra Club liability covers leaders only. Each person is responsible for his/her own first aid equipment. If you are injured, notify the leader immediately. If you leave the trip, with our without the leader’s permission, you are considered to be on your own until you rejoin the group. Hikers are encouraged to carpool and share the driver’s fuel expense. Donations are ac-cepted from all participants at $1 (member) and $3 (nonmember). Money is collected by the leader and deposited with the group treasurer. For more information, contact Jim Vaaler at 602-553-8208. Hikes and outings are also listed online and in the Sierra Singles newsletters. CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

Hiking Guidelines













Sierra Service OpportunitiesGet involved and make a difference! Join us for these exciting service outings!

Rio Salado volunteers show off the buffelgrass plant they removed. Photo by Steve Pawlowski.

Water Sentinels Monitoring at Murray Springs Thursday, January 24, February 28, March 21

Contact: Steve Pawlowski, 602-254-9330, [email protected] your hands dirty and your feet wet with the Arizona Water Sentinels! This is a great opportunity to help protect our important rivers. We need your help monitoring wells along the San Pedro River. This data helps us track impacts to the river and advocate for actions to protect it. What could be better than spending a day in gorgeous scenery while working to make a difference?

Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Saturday, January 26 (Beat Back Buffelgrass Day)

Sunday, February 17 and March 24 Contact: Steve Pawlowski, 602-254-9330, [email protected]

Help us restore habitat! Join us for an invasive weed pull and clean-up at the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area, just south of downtown Phoenix. Once a dump site, the area is now a lush riparian corridor that supports a variety of wildlife and recreation opportunities. We need help removing trash and buffelgrass, a non-native, invasive species that alters habitat and increases fire risk. Snacks, drinks, gloves, and tools provided.

Tres Rios Spring Festival and Clean-Up Saturday–Sunday, March 9–10

Contact: Steve Pawlowski, 602-254-9330, [email protected] Tres Rios Nature and Earth Festival celebrates the rivers, wildlife, outdoors, history, and heritage of the Tres Rios area and of our state. The event will kick off with a river clean-up, followed by hiking tours, entertainment, information booths, and more. Volunteers are needed to help with the clean-up and with our booth.

MAR 10 (SUN) “C-“ Lake Pleasant Hikes and Picnic (5 mi., 250’ EC). From our pic-nic area, we’ll head for the visitors center by way of the Roadrunner Trail on the lake’s shore by the dam. Then head back and have a picnic lunch (bring your own). After lunch, we’ll hike the Pipeline Canyon Trail. You’re welcome to do some or all of this. Contact Pete Weinelt at 623-388-2209 or [email protected] or Bev Full at 480-221-2554 or [email protected]. Phoenix

MAR 10 (SUN) “B” Wasson Peak via Sweetwater Preserve (9.2 mi. RT). This trail is the eastern access point to Wasson Peak, the highest point in the Tucson Mountains. This is the range to the west of Tucson, lo-cated entirely within Saguaro National Park West. When we reach the summit, we’ll have expansive views of the Santa Catalina Moun-tains, Pusch Ridge, Avra Valley, and numer-ous other basins and ranges. Contact Mitch Stevens at 520-991-1199 or [email protected]. Tucson

MAR 16 (SAT) “C” Hike the Verde: Part 4 – Verde Springs (4 mi., 200’ EC). Entering through private property (with permission), we’ll hike down Granite Creek to the Verde

River, then down the Verde to view otters, beaver dams, and Verde Springs, the source of the base flow. After lunch, we’ll look for wildlife. Easy, pretty hike, lots of fun and info! No wading required. We’ll learn about the natural history of and the conservation issues surrounding our Verde River. Reser-vation required; 15-hiker limit. Contact Gary Beverly at [email protected] (preferred) or 928-636-2638. Prescott

MAR 23 (SAT) “B” Lone Mt.-Bulldog Ridge (8 mi.). This trek will explore the northeast-ern edge of the Goldfield Mountains north of Mesa. Starting at Bush Highway, we’ll climb to the summit of Lone Mountain, then drop to the base of Bulldog Ridge and gradually ascend up the ridge. Finally, we’ll steeply de-scend into Bulldog Canyon and follow a jeep road to the Salt River. Expect steep slopes, painful plants (leather gloves recommend-ed), serious sand slogging, and panoramas aplenty. This will be a fast-paced hike for those who like up- and downhill travel. 26 mi. from Scottsdale. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

MAR 24 (SUN) “C” Exploring New Trails III – Sweetwater Preserve (4–6 mi.). We

will take a loop on trails in Pima County’s Sweetwater Preserve, on the east side of the Tucson Mountains. This was one of the first county open space purchases follow-ing passage of the bond several years ago. Contact Meg Weesner at 520-290-1723 or [email protected]

MAR 30 “A” (SAT) Lost Dutch Ridge (15 mi., 1300’ EC). This challenging exploratory deathtrek will begin at Tortilla Trailhead in the Superstitions, take dirt roads and trails to Lost Dutch Canyon, and follow a high ridge between Fish Creek and Lost Dutch canyons to the J F Trail, which we will follow back. We will bag high points exceeding 4000’ and en-joy transcendent views rarely seen. Expect steep and slippery slopes, brush and spiny plants aplenty, and who knows what else. Leather gloves and flashlights recommend-ed. 55 mi. from Tempe. Call Ken McGinty at 602-265-2854. Phoenix

APR 6 (SAT) “C” Picacho Inventoried Road-less Area (8 mi. RT, 600’ EC). We will hike along a closed-off route that was created illegally back in the 1980s. Expect to have

excellent views of the free flowing Salt River as it winds its way through this Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA) and into Roosevelt im-poundment. The leader will talk about what an IRA actually is and the history of the Salt River. Contact Jim Vaaler at 602-553-8208 or [email protected]. Phoenix

APR 27–MAY 5 (SAT–SUN) “A” Backpack-ing the Deer Creek/Kanab Creek loop – North Rim of Grand Canyon (55 mi. RT). Fit and experienced backpackers will en-joy this epic trip. We’ll begin at the Bill Hall Trailhead at Monument Point, hike to the Esplanade and witness Thunder River. We’ll follow Tapeats Creek to the mighty Colorado and explore Stone Canyon. Then we’ll trek to Deer Creek Falls and the “Patio,” one of the most dramatic places in Grand Canyon. We’ll scramble down river 6 mi. to Kanab Creek where we’ll explore Whispering Falls and other majestic side canyons. We exit Kanab at Jumpup Canyon then delve into Kwagunt Hollow. Then it’s a straightforward ascent on the Sowats Trail to the rim and our vehicles. Contact Mitch Stevens at 520-991-1199 or [email protected]. Tucson

Outings continued from pg. 15.





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