Looking for a few good women and How one environmental ... · They also include Little Granite ......

EEEEEnjonjonjonjonjoyyyyy, explor, explor, explor, explor, explore and pre and pre and pre and pre and protect the planetotect the planetotect the planetotect the planetotect the planet

Canyon Echowww.arizona.sierraclub.org Grand Canyon Chapter September/October 2003

A compelling question:Could conservation join the values that

oversee State Trust Lands?

Looking for a few good women andmen to run... See pg. 9

How one environmental group is stewardingState Trust Lands with a grazing lease! pg. 5

State Lands Protection Vitalto Core of the Vision forMcDowell Sonoran Preserve

he McDowell Sonoran Preserve in NortheastMaricopa County, when complete, willprotect nearly one third of the 185-square-

mile City of Scottsdale as natural, public open space.There will be 57 square miles of lush desert and wildlifehabitat stretching from the McDowell, Fraesfield andLittle Granite Mountains north to the Tonto NationalForest to be enjoyed by everyone with passiverecreational and educational opportunities.

The McDowell Sonoran Land Trust (MSLT) is agrassroots, volunteer-driven, non-profit advocacy andeducation organization. The MSLT has led the way inidentifying the need for, then establishing, and nowmanaging the Preserve in partnership with the City ofScottsdale. Many of you belong to our Friends of theMcDowell’s support organization and have been a keypart of our success.

The state trust land reform process (see article pg. 6)will be critical to completing the planned Preserve. Ofthe 36,400 acres within the voter approved Preserveboundary, Scottsdale has now acquired or is innegotiations to purchase all of the privately owned land.The remaining approximately 19,000 acres are statetrust land—most of which has been reclassified assuitable for conservation under the Arizona PreserveInitiative and 3,543 acres that were not. Scottsdale iscommitted to acquiring all of this land—the reclassifiedand the non-reclassified—and currently has an Ad HocTask Force working on a recommendation for the finalPreserve public funding votetentatively planned for March 2004.

It is our hope—and has always beenpart of the Preserve acquisitionstrategy—that the state trust landreform will result in some of our landbeing protected automatically on theballot. State trust land reform willalso create tools to help withpurchase of the remaining acres.

The acres we hope to see protected on the ballot havealready been identified as Open Space on Scottsdale’sGeneral Plan in cooperation with the Arizona StateLand Department during the 2002 conceptual planningprocess that was mandated by Growing Smarter Plus.These acres include three and three quarter sectionsin the McDowell Mountains which are now surrounded

by Preserve land. They also include Little GraniteMountain and the area surrounding it. Both of these

parcels include sensitive wildlifehabitat, multiple significant washesand historically used trails. Moreimportantly, they are an integral partof the overall Preserve andabsolutely crucial to maintaining thenatural ecosystem of the area.

By protecting these acres, it will giveScottsdale extra incentive to ensure

that the remaining planned Preserve acres arepurchased and the vision completed. In turn this willcontribute significant monies to the State LandDepartment Permanent Fund which mainly benefitseducation in Arizona.

Gorgeous desert and a teeming slice of biodiversity. Pictured here, giant saguaros on the state trust landsnorth of Scottsdale. Photograph courtesy of City of Scottsdale.

State lands make up 13% of Arizona and they include StateParks, State Trust Lands, and Game & Fish properties. Ahiker surveys basalt scattered across a grazed mesa nearLyman Lake in Eastern Arizona. Photo by Michelle Stewart.

Carla is Executive Director of the McDowellSonoran Land Trust.

The State TrustLand (STL) reform

process will becritical to

completing theplanned Preserve.

By Carla

T

Grand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon Chapter

www.arizona.sierraclub.org

PALO VERDE GROUP—PHOENIX http://arizona.sierraclub.org/paloverde/Chair/Membership/Political & Mountaineering: Ted Gartner (x) 480-961-0370 [email protected]: Mike Erickson (x) 480-753-7125 [email protected]: Chris Gehlker (x) 602-866-9024 [email protected]: Dan Cline (x) 480-921-9142 [email protected] Delegate: Jon Findley (x) 480-756-2916 [email protected]: Don Steuter (x) 602-956-5057 [email protected] Chair: Paul Zemboy (x) 602-989-1977 [email protected] City Outings (ICO): Denise Berringer-Wood(x) 602-867-3017 [email protected] Chair: Mike Erickson (x) 480-753-7125 [email protected] Singles: Alan Stater 480-654-1234 [email protected] Members: Martin Braatelien (x) 623-847-1613

Vicki Margaritis (x) 602-997-4010 [email protected] Zemboy (x) 602-989-1977 [email protected]

PLATEAU GROUP—FLAGSTAFF http://www.arizona.sierraclub.org/plateau/Co-Chair: Sharon Galbreath 928-774-1571 [email protected]: Roxane George (x) 928-213-9507 [email protected]

RINCON GROUP—TUCSON http://www.arizona.sierraclub.org/rincon/Co-Chair (events/volunteers):

Linda Rothchild-Tepper (x) 520-747-5078 [email protected] (EJ/Conservation):

Rob Kulakofsky (x) 520-623-3874 [email protected]/Rivers: Elna Otter (x) 520-212-9736 [email protected]: Roy Emrick (x) 520-326-7883 [email protected] Co-Chair: Rich Genser 520-529-4899 [email protected]. Coor./Water: Todd Schramm 520-620-0758 [email protected]: Chris Hamel 520-327-9605 [email protected] Outings (ICO): Matt Nelson 520-770-0668 [email protected]

William Drabkin 520-791-7739 [email protected] Owner: Jack Foster 520-293-6957 [email protected]/Transportation:

Keith Bagwell (x) 520-623-0269 [email protected] Co-Chair: Leigh Robinson 520-319-8305Political/Merchandise: Lee Oler 520-791-9246 [email protected] Chairs: Brian and Kim (x) Beck 520-326-9587 [email protected] Chair: David Martin 520-795-9159 [email protected]: Jan Anderson (x) 520-682-8850 [email protected]/Singles Chair: Loren Dawn 520-327-5692 [email protected] Lands: Randy Serraglio 520-622-3085 [email protected]: Rob Kulakofsky (x) 520-623-3874 [email protected]

SEDONA/VERDE VALLEY GROUP http://www.arizona.sierraclub.org/sedona/Chairperson: Craig Dible (x) 928-284-2000 [email protected]: Bennie Blake (x) 928-282-6578Secretary: Joanne Johnson (x) 928-284-1656 [email protected]: Harry Easton (x) 928-282-6710 [email protected]: Lynn Dible (x) 928-284-2000 [email protected]

YAVAPAI GROUP—PRESCOTTChair: Tom Slaback (x) 928-445-9623 [email protected]/Membership/Asst. Treasurer/Secretary:

Joe Wenzel (x)Treasurer: Paul Poyner (x) 928-778-6534Conservation: Jeff Stone (x)Activities/Outings: Carolyn York (x) 928-541-1952

Vol. 39 No. 5Sept./Oct. 2003

Canyon Echo (ISSN 0164-7024) ispublished bimonthly for $1 for Sierra Club

members and $10 for non-membersubscribers. Canyon Echo is published bythe Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter,

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

Phone: (602) 253-8633Fax: (602) 258-6533

POSTMASTER Send address changes to Sierra Club

Member Services, c/o Canyon Echo, P.O. Box52968, Boulder, CO 80322-2968.

Periodicals postage paid atPhoenix, AZ. Printed at Valley Newspapers.

Copyright Sierra Club Grand CanyonChapter, Canyon Echo 2003.

EDITORMichelle Pulich Stewart

(602) [email protected]

DEDICATED VOLUNTEERSOutings Editor

Jerry Nelson(602) 279-4668

[email protected]

PhotographersBob Ball, Kathy Roediger, Jim McCarthy

Mailing OrganizersJohn C. Blakney, Bill Gill, Jerry Nelson

Publications CommitteeBob Ball, Jack Foster, Richard Genser

Publications ChairMichelle Harrington

(602) [email protected]

WebmasterDawson Henderson

[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONSAnnual dues to the Sierra Club are $39,

($1for the Canyon Echo). Subscriptions ratefor non-members is $10. Send check payable

to “Sierra Club” - Canyon Echo,202 E. McDowell Rd., Ste. 277

Phoenix, AZ 85004.

ADVERTISINGAdvertising is sold on a first-come, space-

available basis. Endorsement of theadvertisers by the Sierra Club is not implied,and all interactions between advertisers and

consumers are solely the responsibilitiesof those parties.

SUBMISSIONSSend typed articles to the office. Label disks;include software and file name. Please send a

S.A.S.E. for return of disk. We are not respon-sible for lost or damaged items. Writer’s

guidelines can be obtained by sending a #10S.A.S.E. to the Sierra Club office. All rights topublication of articles in this issue are reserved.The deadline is the first Friday of the monthfirst Friday of the monthfirst Friday of the monthfirst Friday of the monthfirst Friday of the month

preceding the month of the issue. Opinionsexpressed in the Canyon Echo are those of thecontributors and do not necessarily reflect the

official views or policies of the Sierra Club.

SHADED AREASREPRESENT

INDICATED REGIONOF ACTIVISM

Arizona Chapter Action Directory

BECOME INVOLVED:Contact a

representative inyour area to voiceyour concerns and

to participate inlocal activities.

GRAND CANYONCHAPTER

Canyon EchoCONSERVATION OUTREACH DIRECTORSandy Bahr 602-253-8633 [email protected]

SOUTHWEST REGIONAL STAFF DIRECTORRob Smith 602-254-9330 [email protected]

CHAPTER OFFICES & COMMITTEE CHAIRS(xc) 2003 Chapter Executive Committee (Ex-Com) Members (x) Group Ex-Com Member

Chairperson/Personnel: Jim McCarthy (xc) [email protected]

Vice-Chair: Ken Langton (xc) 520-749-3829 [email protected]: Bev Full (xc) [email protected]: Dale Volz (xc) 480-892-5102 [email protected]: Don Steuter (xc) 602-956-5057 [email protected] Chair: Joni Bosh [email protected] Chair: Chad Campbell (xc) [email protected] Chair: Jim Vaaler [email protected] Chair: Chris Gehlker (x) 602-866-9024 [email protected] Chair: Tom Cadden [email protected] Chair: VacantFundraising Chair: Rich Genser 520-529-4899 [email protected] Com. Chair: Kathy Roediger (xc) 602-266-6358 [email protected]

Southwest Regional Conservation Committee (SWRCC) Delegates:Elna Otter (xc) Sharon Galbreath (alt)

Council Delegates: Jim McCarthy (xc) Ken Langton (alt) (xc)

2003 Group Voting Representatives to Chapter Ex-Comm:Palo Verde: Jon Findley (xc) Plateau:Roxane George (xc)Rincon: Rich Genser Yavapai:Tom Slaback (xc)Sedona/Verde Valley: Craig Dible (xc)

PALO VERDEGROUP

PHX

TUCSON

RINCONGROUP

PRESCOTT

YAVAPAIGROUP

FLAG

PLATEAUGROUP

SEDONA/VERDEVALLEY

September/October 2003September/October 2003September/October 2003September/October 2003September/October 2003 Canyon EchoCanyon EchoCanyon EchoCanyon EchoCanyon Echo


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Inside

Echo News You can Use

On the WebSierra Club Home Page

www.sierraclub.org

Sierra Magazinewww.sierraclub.org/sierra

Online Newswww.sierraclub.org/news

Chapter Action Networkgrandcanyon.sierraclubaction.org

The Planetwww.sierraclub.org/planet

4 First environmental groupwins AZ grazing lease

5 State trust land harborsclimbing splendor

6 Why reform isneeded.......now!

7 State Parks and theirgood work

8 Are state trust landsin peril?

9 You could run for office10 Meetings & other fun11 Arizona hikes and trips

onora sucker (a native fish), Black-footed ferrets,Desert tortoises, Mexican gray wolves, and California

condors. The Grand Canyon Chapter Wildlife Committeeoffers many outings and service trips that give you thechance to observe and marvel at adaptation in someintriguing animals, as well as to assist in their recovery.

We’d like to thank the volunteers who assisted the ArizonaGame & Fish Department in fieldwork for their reproductiveecology study of desert tortoises. These researchers locateand monitor desert tortoises and track how many femaleslay eggs and how many eggs they lay. Thanks to CarolBirks, Marlin Fried, Richard Rupp, Dave Smith, and MichelleStewart for helping out on the July 11 service trip. Thanksto the following volunteers for helping out with the blackfooted ferret spotlighting work August 8-9: Raena Honan,Kathy Roediger, Dale and Christine Volz, Claire Swain,Debbie Shaw, Peg Boyce, Mike, Jim Vaaler and PaulaO’Brien. All of your efforts are most appreciated.

The spotlighting session was a tremendous success—aminimum of eight ferrets were observed. We helped identify

two ferrets: one was born in the pensin 2000 and released in 2001, and theother was a wild born kit that theSierra Club found in 2001. Both ofthese females were lactating, whichis evidence that they whelped kitsearlier in the year. The team trappedand tagged a total of three wild bornferrets, including two males (Merlinand Denali) and one female (LittleWhite Dove).

We also want to thank the “The FerretCrew” from the Arizona Game and FishDepartment—Tiffany Volz, Zoe Hackl, andJohn Broecher—and their best volunteerScott Sprague. They do tireless and oftenthankless work to help bring back thisendangered species.

If you are interested in helping out withthe Black footed ferret project, here are theremaining spotlighting dates for the year:September 5-7, 12-14, 17, & 24October 10-11, 17-19, 22, & 29November 7-9, 14-16, &19December 5-7, 12-14, & 17

To participate contact the Black-footedFerret Project at the Arizona Game andFish Department at (928) 422-0155 ([email protected]).

For more information on Wildlife Committee activities, contact Kathy Roediger([email protected]) or Sandy Bahr ([email protected]).

Viva Wildlife Diversity Madness!

Carol Birks holds a Desert tortoise,located by radio telemetry.

The sonar scientist points to the scute on a tortoise’s shellin answer to that great question: How old is he? The scutesbecome more worn as a tortoise ages, making their ageharder to eyeball. Photos this page courtesy of Alex Frasier,Palo Verde Group.

Chapter Cookbook is on the way…….Pre-Order your copies today!

hether you’re looking for some new home cooking or backpackingfood ideas, or whether you’re thinking already about holiday gifts, the Chapter’sinaugural cookbook is sure to delight you.

Recipes were donated by many of you (thank you!) and include a scrumptiousselection of appetizers, salads, desserts, side dishes, and meat, meatless andvegan main courses. Introduced by noted food writer (Coming Home to Eat andSongbirds, Truffles, and Wolves) ethnobotanist, and naturalist Gary Nabhan, thecookbook also includes no-nonsense culinary advice on wine-tasting and wine-pairing from columnist John Vankat.

You can reserve your copy of the 2003 Grand Canyon Chapter Cookbookby sending a check made out to the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter today withthe following form.

Name:Shipping Address:

Phone:

E-mail:

____# cookbooks ($15.00 each; $12.00 each for 3 or more)

____amount included on check

I’d like my cookbook to go directly to the following person(s) as a gift:

Name:

Shipping Address:

___I would like a gift card in each gift order

___I would like you to wrap my gift(s)

Note: Cookbooks will ship the week of October 31st.

On the Web

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ForestService1 5 %

19.5% Bureau ofLand Management

3.5% National Park Service

2% Fish &Wildlife Service5 %

DefenseDept.

PrivateLands 15%

27% IndianTrust Lands

Land Ownershipin Arizona

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StateLands1 3 %1 3 %1 3 %1 3 %1 3 %

In this issue of the Echo, we focus on thetimely subject of Arizona’s State Lands.

SBy Sandy Bahr

Dave Smith uses flagging to markwhere he will return his tortoise.

Sierra ClubSierra ClubSierra ClubSierra ClubSierra Club Grand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon ChapterGrand Canyon Chapter


4

I n November 2001, the Arizona SupremeCourt ruled that the Arizona State LandDepartment had violated its duty as trustee of

state trust lands when it rejected and failed toconsider the application of Forest Guardians to leasegrazing lands. ForestGuardians had submitted fourapplications for grazingallotments and indicated thatit was willing to pay two tofive times the amount thatthe rancher on thoseallotments had been payingto the state. Proceeds fromthe lease of state trust landssupport Arizona’s publicschools.

After the Supreme Court’sdecision, the case had to goback through the ArizonaCourt of Appeals andMaricopa County SuperiorCourt before it ultimatelywas remanded to theArizona State LandDepartment for further action on Forest Guardians’lease applications. In 2002, the Land Departmentrequested that Forest Guardians and the ranchers submit“statements of equities” explaining why the Departmentshould grant their applications for the grazing lease.The biggest obstacle for Forest Guardians was the factthat, under current Arizona law, Forest Guardians wouldbe required to reimburse the rancher for the value ofimprovements on the leased land. Three of the fourgrazing leases had a listed value for improvements suchas fencing, stock tanks, corrals that exceeded $100,000.As a result, Forest Guardians withdrew its applicationswith respect to those three grazing leases.

On the fourth grazing lease, the rancher had asserted avalue of $15,000 for the improvements on the property.This allotment happened to be the same parcel that theSupreme Court had characterized as a “moonscape”as a result of having been overgrazed. It is a 162-acre

Persistence PrevailsForest Guardians wins grazing lease and

will steward Arizona lands

Arizona GrazingBuyout Campaign

Here is news about a campaign targeted at federal (notstate) grazing leases. The Arizona Grazing PermitBuyout Campaign is a coalition of Arizona ranchers,conservation and environmental groups who agree thatpermittees on federal lands should be given the optionto relinquish their federal permits in exchange forfederal compensation.

The Campaign promotes pilot legislation for Arizona that:

1. Any Arizona permittee could volunteer to take a buyoutin a short window of opportunity. The decision whetheror not to take a buyout would be entirely at thepermittee’s discretion.

2. The permittee would be paid a generous $175/AnimalUnit Month of annual permitted use (averaged over thelast 10 years of permitted numbers).

3. The payment would also cover all investment by thepermittee in all range developments on federal land.

4. The grazing allotment of the permittee would bepermanently retired from livestock grazing upon receiptof this payment by the permittee and be given overentirely to wildlife, hunting and non-consumptive usesas appropriate.

5. No private property of the permittee, whether land,livestock, rolling stock, or water diversion rights wouldbe affected.

6. No property right in federal grazing permits would becreated.

In a recent poll of Arizona permittees, an astounding67% of those responding (26% of those contacted) gavetheir full support, and another 18% said they were stilluncertain whether to support it. Only 19% were opposed.

For more information on the Arizona Grazing Buyout Cam-paign, visit www.azbuyout.org or contact Don Steuter,([email protected]).

parcel in southeastern Arizona. Forest Guardiansdecided to pursue the grazing lease on this parcel.

The Arizona State Land Commissioner determined thatneither the rancher nor Forest Guardians had superior

rights or equities withrespect to the grazinglease and ordered that theapplicants submit sealedbids. The rancher hadbeen paying the state itsestablished rate ofapproximately $2.00 perhead of cattle per monthon the parcel for a total ofonly $48 a year becausethe parcel could onlysupport two cattle. ForestGuardians decided tosubmit a sealed bid of $82per head but was stunnedto discover when the bidswere opened that therancher had bid $85 perhead. As it turns out,Forest Guardians’ bid had

been opened and put in the Land Department file towhich the public had access. The rancher’s originalbid of $40 per head had been changed to bid an amounthigher than Forest Guardians’.

All’s well that ends well, however, because the LandCommissioner rectified the problem and awarded thelease to Forest Guardians. For the first time in Arizonahistory, an environmental group holds a grazing leaseon Arizona state trust lands. Once proceedings todetermine the value of the improvements are concluded,Forest Guardians intends to take possession of theproperty and restore it to the condition it enjoyed priorto overgrazing.

Tim Hogan is Executive Director of ArizonaCenter for Law in the Public Interest.

By Tim Hogan

Photographs on thispage show the propertyon which Forest Guard-

ians won the grazinglease. Courtesy ofJonathon Horning.

Welcome to Michelle Pulich Stewart!Michelle Stewart has recently joined the Grand Canyon Chapterstaff as our administrative assistant and newsletter editor.Michelle brings lots of enthusiasm, a commitment toenvironmental protection, and experience with environmentaladvocacy, teaching, and publications. Until accepting theposition with the Chapter, Michelle served as our volunteerwilderness chair. Please contact Michelle for newslettersubmissions—photos, articles, poetry, etc.—or if you haveany membership questions. She has also volunteered to helptransition the wilderness committee, so if you have an interestin that, please get in touch with her as well. And please joinus all in welcoming her aboard. —Sandy Bahr

GLOBAL WARMER!GLOBAL WARMER!GLOBAL WARMER!GLOBAL WARMER!GLOBAL WARMER!



5

For Serious Climbers, State Trust LandHolds a Section of Paradise

Devils Canyon

Devils Canyon is located an hour or so east ofPhoenix, just east of the old mining town of Superior.The upper half of the canyon, bisected by Hwy 60,

resides within the boundaries of the Tonto National Forest.The lower half of the canyon, down to its confluence withMineral Creek, resides on state trust land, and contains theworld-class “Five Pools” area. Lower Devils Canyon certainlyqualifies as one of the “crown jewels” of Arizona’s statetrust lands. It is also an area desperately in need of protectionfrom the ill effects of encroaching copper mining.

Lower Devils Canyon may seem devilish to the unprepared,but to those experienced in the field of canyoneering, this isa slice of heaven. Interesting rock hoodoos stand guardover this desert canyon full of greenery, rich wildlife habitat,and deep pools. For the most part the creek is intermittent,with surface flows only in some places. A riparian forestcomposed of alders, sycamores, and cottonwoods forms adense canopy. Hawks and ravens may soar overhead, butcare must be taken to avoid stepping on rattlesnakes or intopoison ivy at ground level. Occasionally the forest stops,and rocky drop-offs dramatically change the scene. Poolsframed by polished bedrock require some tricky scramblingto get around or even a bit of wading.

The rock walls framing this desert canyon consist primarilyof dacite, a soft volcanic rock with a hard outer surface. Ingeologic history, erosion (mainly water) has cut deeplythrough the entire dacite layer. For millions of years water

has been dissolving minerals and washing away the softerportions of rock. Joints and cracks widened and cavitiesformed along zones of weaknesses. As overlaying materialeroded, a new set of horizontal joints formed in response tothe decreasing overlaying weight. Expansion andcontraction due to temperature changes and the wedging ofice and plant roots in cracks also contributed to thebreakdown of the rock. These interacting agents of erosionhave sculpted the awesome columns, pinnacles, andbalanced rocks characteristic to the area.

Below the confluence with the Oak Creek drainage, thecanyon suddenly turns to the east and begins to plummetinto the Five Pools. The Five Pools is a narrow section ofcanyon that drops several hundred feet in less than a quarterof a mile, and is aptly named for the five big, deep plungepools here. Each pool may have a waterfall ranging from 12to 60 feet in height, and the pools range from 40 to 120 feet indiameter. Although the waterfalls are dry most of the year,the pools always have water. An adventurous hiker may beable to get past the first pool if they have a rope or sling touse for a handhold, and don’t mind a bit of swimming, but tobe able to see all five pools requires ropes, harnesses, andrappelling gear.

Unfortunately, this area’s geology gives cause to its greatestthreat: copper mining. The secondary faults that cut thoughthis area serve as channels for copper-rich mineral solutions.

The Tonto National Forest recently allowedKennecott Copper Company to close the LowerDevils Canyon Road from late 2001 until early2003 so that Kennecott could drill thousands offeet deep to explore for copper in the area. For aglimpse of one possible future, look about 10miles east of Superior, on Highway 77, whereAsarco’s open pit Ray Mine has made awasteland of the area south of Devils Canyon— 250,000 tons per day, silicate leaching, sulfidedump leaching, solvent extraction, mountains oftailings. Not a pretty picture.

Devils Canyon has intrinsic values that are worthfar more than its copper ore. It is a naturaltreasure that is deserving of the highest level ofprotection. Future generations deserve to receivethis priceless legacy intact. Please support us inour efforts to change Arizona’s Constitution andlaws to create stronger tools for preserving statetrust land, so that the “crown jewels” of trustland, the truly special places, are guaranteedprotection.

Call & Echo

US Fish and Wildlife photo courtesy of Geekphilosopher.com

CONNECT TOCONDOR

CONSERVATION

On Saturday, September 27, we will be joining Chris Parrish fromthe Peregrine Fund for an educational and informative outing on the South

Rim of the Grand Canyon to view the California condors and to find out out moreabout what we can all do to help them survive and recover. Julie Sherman will alsotalk to us about what is happening with the northern Arizona national monu-ments—Grand Canyon-Parashant and Vermillion Cliffs—and what we can do tobetter protect these areas.

California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are North America’s largest birds witha wingspan of up to 9.5 feet and a body weight of 16-24 pounds. Their originalrange spanned from British Columbia all the way to Baja California. Because thebird has a naturally low reproductive rate, additional impacts from poisoning(especially lead), pesticides, collisions with power lines, shooting, etc. helped putthe species on the endangered species list. The population of California condors iscurrently up to more than 200 from a low of only 22 in 1982.

We will meet in Flagstaff on Friday evening and will camp, then drive to the rim inthe early morning. We will make arrangements to meet those who do not want tocamp. To find out more about this trip or to sign up, please contact Sandy Bahr at(602) 253-8633 or ([email protected]).

Thank you foryour donations

Make the mountains glad ($100–$299)James & Sara Gibson

Keep close to Nature’s heart ($50–$99)Rudolf & Kathryn DankwortRonald HomeisterTheodore Solis

Hitched to Everything else in theUniverse ($20–$49)Michael & Ann MoynihanLarry Pearlman

Friends ($1-$19)Richard Nagy

Fabulous falling water at Devils Canyon,photographs courtesy of Richard Balland,Palo Verde Group.

Ted Gartner is Palo Verde Group Chair.

By Ted Gartner

Won’t valuing the land’s ecological integritythrough considering conservation in statetrust land management, in the end benefitour public schools and the children?

Georgia W.Tempe, AZ

As a member of the Sierra Club, have you everhad a “burning” environmental question that youwanted an expert to answer? In each issue, theEcho will feature questions focusing on environ-mental concerns from our members that will beresearched and answered by one of our commit-tee chairs who focus on that particular issue. If wedon’t know the answer, we will find someone whodoes. You do not need to include your name. If youfeel you have a question that you think other mem-bers would benefit from and want to learn moreabout, please send your question to:

Sierra Club—Grand Canyon ChapterEditor, Canyon Echo202 E. McDowell Dr. Ste. 277Phoenix, AZ 85004

Call to the CanyonCall to the CanyonCall to the CanyonCall to the CanyonCall to the Canyon

Echo ResponseEcho ResponseEcho ResponseEcho ResponseEcho ResponseYes, definitely. Because “highest and best use” ofstate trust lands in urban areas has generally beenviewed as development and because developmentputs enormous burdens on the schools—with itcomes the need to build more schools, hire moreteachers, and provide other additional services.Current state law does not allow requiring any kindof impact fee from developers for schools. Limit-ing the development in ecologically significant ar-eas can help ease the burden on the schools andalso protect areas that are important to the futureof all Arizonans, including schoolchildren. Theselands can provide enormous educational oppor-tunities for children and adults alike and will pro-vide cleaner air and cleaner water for the nextgeneration of Arizonans. Protecting these landsalso protects our quality of life and the tourism thathelps support our economy. Whether it is the wa-tershed value, wildlife value, or merely the tour-ism value, protecting key state trust lands is es-sential to Arizona’s future.

Sandy BahrConservationOutreach Director



617

87 1910

18631912

1936

19291974

1985

1987

1992

The good news is that Arizona retains 9.2 millionacres of state trust land, the remainder of what wasoriginally given to the state by the United States

government upon statehood and entry into the union. Thebad news is that there is still no effective way to conservethese lands. As development pressures increase, and Arizonacommunities continue to sprawl, more and more is likely tobe developed unless state trust land management is reformed.

BackgroundState trust lands are held in permanent trust, with the“Common Schools” or state public school system as theprimary beneficiary. Universities, state hospitals and otherstate institutions are also named as minor beneficiaries. Thetrust lands must, in accord with the Arizona StateConstitution, be managed to produce the maximum economicbenefit for the beneficiaries of the trust.

Despite that mandate, much of the land—8.4 million acres—is under grazing leases and only generates between 25 and30 cents per acre. Arizona’s grazing fees are among some ofthe lowest in the west. Until recently there has been almostno competition for these grazing leases. Now, after the ForestGuardians decision (see article by Tim Hogan, pg. 4), thereis opportunity for competition and for restoration of landsthat have been overgrazed.

In addition to grazing leases, state trust land is held forcommercial leases, oil and gas leases, use permits, rights-of-way, and agricultural leases. Approximately 3,000 to 5,000acres of state trust lands are sold per year. Some of thesesales include Arizona Preserve Initiative (API) purchasesby counties or municipalities for conservation purposes.The API allows for limited conservation of certain state trustlands, but it has recently come under fire and been questionedon constitutional grounds, so its future is on shaky ground.

Revenues from state trust lands go into two separate funds:Permanent and Expendable. The Expendable Fund consistsof lease revenues, penalties and sales interest, andinvestment income generated by the Permanent Fund. TheExpendable Fund revenues are then divided among thebeneficiaries and distributed. The revenues from sales,royalties on minerals and natural products, etc. go into thePermanent Fund, which is invested and managed by theState Treasurer.

State trust lands currently provide a very small percentageof the annual funding for public education. It is however, adedicated source of revenues, and therefore important. Afterrecent changes, any dollars that are generated above the

FY2001 levels (about $72 million) go into the Classroom SiteFund, which helps with teacher salaries and other programs.

Need for ReformAs Arizona’s population grows and development sprawlson private lands, these state lands become more and moreimportant as open space and recreational land, as well aswildlife habitat. At the same time, they come under increasingpressure for development, through lease or sale to the privatesector. Even lands that are far from urban infrastructure canbe threatened by developed as is evidenced by the SouthFork proposal (see article by Don Steuter, pg. 8) and anabandoned proposal to develop lands near Paulden.

Conservation advocates have been looking for ways toreform the state land department and its mandate for morethan a decade. From trying to work with the Legislature andformer Governor Symington on the Arizona PreserveInitiative, to seeking a decent Growing Smarter proposal (ameasure to provide funding for state trust land acquisition),to sponsoring Conservation of State Trust LandConferences, to rejecting the Legislature’s measure thatwould have capped conservation at 3% of the state trustlands and only allowed for conservation of mountain topsand some washes (Proposition 100), conservation interestshave sought to move protection of key state trust lands tothe top of the agenda.

Following the defeat of Proposition 100 in November of 2000and numerous attempts to get the legislature to effectivelydeal with conservation of state trust lands, conservationinterests and later a broad-based group of stakeholdersbegan working to develop a comprehensive state trust landreform measure. The participants’ goal was to develop ballotinitiative language for 2002. The target date later shifted to2004 when it became clear that critical issues could not beaddressed in time for the 2002 ballot. It remains to be seen ifthe 2004 goal will be reached and whether or not it will be ameasure that promotes conservation.

The current proposal ties preservation to development inthe urban areas through conceptual planning—the value ofthe conserved land would be recouped in nearby state trustlands that are developed. Key to whether conservationinterests can support this will be recognition of conservationin the Arizona Constitution, ability to conserve lands outsidethe development process, protection of some landsimmediately including some important urban lands (seearticle by Carla, pg. 1), and doing no harm to the conservationwork in rural areas, such as that being pursued by ForestGuardians and others via competitive bidding on grazingleases.

At deadline, those discussions continue with many issuesyet to be resolved. The hope is that an agreement can bereached by the end of September and that this will go on theballot via initiatives (not through the legislature). In additionto requiring the voters to change the Constitution, Congresswill have to change the Arizona Enabling Act, but that comesafter the voters have passed the measure.

For more information on how you can help protect criticalstate trust lands, please contact Sandy Bahr at (602) 253-8633 ([email protected]).

Reform Needed to Conserve State Trust Land

Sandy Bahr is Conservation Director for theGrand Canyon Chapter.

Did you know you arerequired to have a permit if

you hike or otherwiserecreate on State Lands?

Remember, State Lands are not public landsin the same sense that Forest Service, BLM,and National Parks are public lands. For now,the sole mission of the Land Department isto maximize revenues for its beneficiaries,primarily public schools. To hike, camp, orbird-watch, you need a Recreational Permit.

Annual permits for individuals are $15. Afamily permit costs $20. For additionalinformation call (602) 364-ASLD (2753) orvisit the State Land Department at 1616 W.Adams in downtown Phoenix.

Photo courtesy of City of Scottsdale.

Territory of Arizonaestablishes sections 16 and

36 of each townshipgranted for the benefit of

the Common Schools.

Northwest Ordinanceestablishes the endow-ment of public lands for

educational purposes.

State Land Code establishesthe State Land Dept. andthe system by which Trustlands are to be managed.

Arizona Statehood—FirstLegislature creates a StateLand Commissioncomposed of 3 members toserve as temporary StateLand Dept.

US Congress passes theState Enabling Act, whichadds sections 2 and 32 ofeach township for theCommon Schools, plusadds more than 2 millionacres for other publicinstitutions.

Total trust landsequal about 10.9

million acres.

1915

State ex rel. Lassen v.Self-RealizationFellowship Churchdecision. This saidthe state could notsell land for lessthan full valuealthough it mightadd value toadjoining trustlands.

Congress amends section28 of the Enabling Act topermit extended leases andexchanges of School Trustland. The Constitution isnotnotnotnotnot amended. Enactment of the

Urban Lands Act.

The Fain Land andCattle Company

applies to exchangesome of its land for

state trust lands.

Kadish v. Arizona State LandDepartment decision—the courtsaid that mineral deposits onschool trust lands were part of thesame trust as nonmineral lands.Thus the state must obtainroyalties from minerals on statetrust lands.

Deer Valley Unified School District No97 of Maricopa County v. Superior CourtIn and for Maricopa County stated thatthe school district was precluded fromacquiring state trust land viacondemnation when its acquisitionwould limit additional profit from theland which might be attained via theauction and competitive biddingprocess.

Fain Land & Cattle Co. v.Hassell decision. Az.

Supreme Court holdsthere is no constitutional

authority for thelegislature to authorize

land exchanges.

1990

Voters reject aland exchange

proposition referredby the Legislature.


proposition referredby the Legislature.

1981

1988

SIERRA CLUB GOALS OFSTATE TRUST LAND REFORM

Recognize conservation values in management ofstate trust land.

Allow State Land Department (SLD) to recognizecontributory value when making disposition deci-sions for development.

Designate state trust lands for conservation on theballot and establish a process for protection ofadditional lands in the future.

Allow urban “conservation” state trust lands to besold for conservation purposes at conservationvalue.

Provide additional resources to SLD for efficientmanagement of state trust lands.

By Sandy Bahr

Photograph courtesy of Arizona State Land Department.



7

1994

1996

1997

-199

9

1998

2001

2003

2002

While current attention is focused on land conser-vation on state trust lands, another state-run program has been systematically preserving key par-

cels of Arizona’s most sensitive and threatened ecosystems.

The Natural Areas Program, administered by Arizona StateParks, has in the past 13 years purchased outright or pro-tected through conservation easements nearly 30,000 acresalong the Verde River in Yavapai County, Sonoita Creek inSanta Cruz County, at Spur Cross near Cave Creek inMaricopa County, and in the San Rafael Valley along theU.S. /Mexico border.

First conceived in 1976 as a registry to recognize examplesof ecosystems holding unusual or endangered species oroutstanding geological features, the Natural Areas Programtook on life with the 1990 passage of the Heritage Fund. Thevoter-supported initiative directed that up to $10 million ofrevenues from lottery sales be distributed to the ArizonaState Parks Board for certain purposes—local, state and re-gional parks, historic preservation, environmental educa-tion, and the acquisition and management of natural areas.

Seventeen percent of the annual distribution to Parks is dedi-cated to purchasing natural areas. Another five percentmay be spent on maintaining and operatingthose natural areas. That could mean up to $1.7million a year for acquisition dollars, but legisla-tive tinkering over the years has diverted Heri-tage Fund distributions to the General Fund, sothat Parks received only $1.58 million for naturalarea acquisition in fiscal year 2003.

The Heritage Fund legislation defined naturalareas as “parcels of land or water that containexamples of unique natural terrestrial or aquaticecosystems, rare species of plants and animalsor unusual or outstanding geologic or hydro-logic features.”

Advisory Committee FormedTo aid in determining whether land parcels contain thesefeatures, the Parks Board created a seven-member NaturalAreas Program Advisory Committee (NAPAC), composedof volunteer citizens with experience and training in botany,ecology, hydrology, zoology, wildlife biology, and preservemanagement. NAPAC reviews potential acquisitions fornatural values and then makes recommendations to the ParksBoard for program acquisitions.

During the past decade, the Natural Areas program has con-centrated its efforts on protecting natural areas in four geo-graphic locations: Sonoita Creek between Patagonia Lakeand the community of Rio Rico in Santa Cruz County; theVerde River Greenway in Cottonwood; Spur Cross north ofthe Town of Cave Creek; and the San Rafael Valley ranch,between Nogales and Patagonia, in Santa Cruz County.

Sonoita CreekParks’ most recent acquisition occurred this past June withthe purchase of a four-mile long riparian corridor straddling

Sonoita Creek from its juncture with the Santa Cruz River atRio Rico east to the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area(SCSNA), a 259-acre addition.

The 5,025-acre SCSNA, the first natural area created withHeritage Funds, comprises one of the richest riparian habi-tats in Arizona. Cottonwood, Willow, Black walnut, Velvetmesquite, Velvet ash and Canyon hackberry provide homesfor hundreds of species of birds, including Gray hawks,Common black hawks, the Thick-billed kingbird, and the Vio-let-crowned hummingbird. The perennial waters of SonoitaCreek are also a sanctuary for native fish species such asthe endangered Gila topminnow, Longfin dace, Desert sucker,and Sonora sucker.

The SCSNA is managed in zones that limit uses based onthe presence of key species and habitats. Off-road vehiclesand hunting are banned in the Natural Area.

Verde River GreenwayThe Verde River Greenway, the brainchild of then-GovernorBruce Babbitt, runs “in concept” from the Tuzigoot Bridge,near Tuzigoot National Monument, to the Bridgeport Bridgeon Highway 89A. Since the concept’s inception in 1986,Parks has purchased 35 parcels, totaling about 580 acres, ofriparian habitat along the Verde River as it snakes throughthe burgeoning city of Cottonwood.

San Rafael RanchIn 1999, Parks used natural areas money to purchase title to3,557 acres and a conservation easement over another 17,500acres in the San Rafael Valley in southern Arizona. Oncepart of a Spanish land grant ranching operation, the SanRafael Ranch contains the only short-grass prairie landscaperemaining intact in Arizona.

The breathtaking vista supports more than a dozen specialstatus species, including Gila topminnow, Gila chub, theHuachuca water umbel and Madrean ladies tresses.

Brokered by The Nature Conservancy, Parks operates itsparcel as a natural area and historic site. The 1900s-era ranchhouse on the parcel has been the setting for a number ofHollywood movies. The larger land grant parcel continuesto be operated as a working ranch under the conditions ofthe conservation easement designed to protect the area fromsubdivision and grassland degradation. Parks holds andmonitors the conservation easement. The Nature Conser-vancy consults informally on management issues.

A Growing Legacy: Arizona State ParksSpur Cross Ranch Conservation AreaParks partnered with Maricopa County and the Town of CaveCreek in 2001 to purchase the 2,154 acres of Spur CrossRanch in northern Maricopa County. Natural area funds wereused for part of the purchase to protect the riparian habitatand pristine waters of Cave Creek, the only perennial streamin Maricopa County. The land is operated as a conservationarea by Maricopa County with funds generated by gate feesand a Town transaction privilege tax. A County and Town-formed planning committee is currently drafting a masterplan for the area.

Parks holds a conservation easement over the entire area,limiting recreational uses and providing permanent safe-guards for the area’s natural and cultural values.

Public UseThese natural areas are open to limited public use. For moreinformation about any of these areas, the natural areas pro-gram, or requests to visit an area, contact Arizona State Parksat (602) 542-2138.

Jean Emery is Chief of Natural ResourcesManagement for Arizona State Parks.

Hikes Waiting for you in State Parks

A Challenging ClimbThe trails to the top of Picacho Peak State Park are far andaway the most challenging within our system. Two trails joinfor your summit of the 1500 foot peak. Hunter Trail (2 mi topeak) and Sunset Vista Trail (3.1 mi to peak) both take youthrough the saguaros, chollas, and ocotillo. The park islocated 68 miles south of Phoenix (40 miles north of Tucson),off Interstate 10. Use the Picacho Peak State Park exit.

Siphon Draw Trail—An Amazing ViewAt the base of the Superstition Mountains, Lost DutchmanState Park provides the gateway to a system of trails into theSuperstition Wilderness. Any Ranger on duty can give youinformation on the views each trail provides and there is agreat map in the Ranger Station. The park is 6 miles north ofthe Old West Highway on the Apache Trail. Take the IdahoRoad Exit north off the Superstition Freeway (US 60).

Recommended Beginner’s BestBoyce Thompson Arboretum State Park offers long andshort walks through a spectacular property established asa living plant museum. The park is east of the Phoenix areaon the Old West Highway (Hwy 60) near Superior.

Breathtaking ColorsRed Rock State Park sits in the heart of red rock country.Your camera won’t do it justice, but binoculars will help youidentify the hundreds of birds. Lower Oak Creek runs throughthe park and the trails wind, around and through ridges ofred rock for a total of over 6 miles. To reach Red Rock StatePark take AZ 89-A about 3 miles south of downtown Sedonathen turn on Lower Red Rock Loop Road.

Arizona retains 88% of the original federal land grant orabout 9.2 million of the original 10.8 million acres.

Under API, there have been 31 petitions for reclassification.The State Land Dept. has reclassified 18 properties and closedone petition file without action. Five applications to pur-chase have been received although one was withdrawn.

Over the past ten years the annual average land sales for theDept. has been about 5,000 acres statewide.

In 2004, there will be yet another land exchange measure onthe ballot. It is possible there will also be a reform measureon the ballot. Discussions continue on that.Voters reject a

land exchangeproposition referred

by the Legislature.

The Legislature passes theArizona Preserve Initiative(API). Then-Governor FifeSymington signs it intolaw. The API provides forconservation of someurban state trust lands.

A portion of the GrowingSmarter Act is referred to

the ballot and passed by thevoters. It allocates $20

million per year for 11 yearsto provide a match for state

trust land acquisition forpreservation.

Land exchangeproposition is referred by

the Legislature as part of alarge state trust land

package and again rejectedby the voters.

The Legislatureamends the API

to expand theamount of eligibleland in Maricopa& Pima Counties

and to add specificPinal & Coconino

County lands.

The Arizona Republic runs aseries of editorials on issueof state trust lands, showingneed for comprehensivereform of state trust landmanagement.

2000


propositionreferred by the

Legislature.

Forest Guardians v.Wells decision

requires state toconsider grazing

leases for conservationeven if there were no

cattle to be grazed.

2000 2003

Forest Guardiansbecomes firstenvironmental group towin a bid on a stategrazing lease.-AND-Legislature refers anotherland exchange proposalwhich will appear on theballot in Nov. 2004.

The Arizona Republic runsa series of editorials onthe need for reform oftrust land management.

Current status ofstate trust lands

By Jean EmeryState Natural Areas Programprotects 30,000 acres

Perennial waters of Sonoita Creek. Photograph courtesy of Arizona State Parks.



8

Rural State Lands Need Attention

By Don Steuter

Across Arizona, state lands with high conservation values are in danger of beingdeveloped. Most of us are familiar with efforts to preserve certain urban state lands suchas those near the Superstition Wilderness, parts of the McDowells and other lands inNorth Scottsdale, and lands adjoining the White Tanks west of Phoenix. But ecologicallyimportant rural state lands are also at risk . Here is a snapshot of two such rural areas.

Willow Springs RanchLocated north of Oracle Junction and east of Highway 79, this 180,000-acre ranch ispredominately state land. As open space the area provides wildlife habitat and visual relieffrom man-made landscapes between Tucson and Phoenix. Within the ranch are approximately20,000 acres of scattered private land that are currently being planned for development. Themonetary value created by building on these private lands will cause adjoining state lands toincrease in value, making them ripe for development where they could then be sold to thehighest bidder. A petition drive to halt development on private lands gathered sufficientsignatures for a referendum. However, due to late filing, the referendum was ruled invalid.Willow Springs Ranch owner Anam Inc., a private Canadian company, plans to use groundwater for the project. Golf courses are also planned.

South Fork of the Little ColoradoDeveloper George Johnson of Johnson International has his eye on 3 sections of state landwest of Eager just south of Highway 260. The area is along a watercourse that is criticalfor many wildlife species. Plans include a 500-site RV resort, 200 vacation homes, and awinter wonderland park with snowmaking capability. A zoo has also been proposed.Johnson is the same developer who proposed golf courses in the wildlife portion of theReach 11 Recreation Area in north Phoenix.

North Maricopa County GroupUnder Consideration

The Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan (SDCP), PimaCounty’s multi-species Habitat Conservation Plan, is nowin the hands of County staff. The 80-member Steering Com-mittee of citizens has made recommendations for balancingthe needs of developers, ranchers and neighborhoods withthe needs of the threatened and endangered species thatwill be protected under the SDCP. Now the County mustcome up with the specifics.

One need is clear—there is a lot of land, most of it rural, thatwill have to be permanently conserved in order to protecthabitat. Fortunately much of that land is already under gov-ernment jurisdiction—BLM, Forest Service, National Parkand Wilderness Area. There are also large areas, though,that are state trust land.

State trust lands can’t be counted on as open space, be-cause the assumption is that at some point they will beopened for development in order to raise money for Arizonaschools. (Of course, when the lands are developed, theschool systems incur huge costs serving the new popula-tions that move in.)

With many of the State lands that the SDCP would seek topreserve, the chance that they would be developed is slim—

the land is too far from Pima County’s development infra-structure. There are areas on Pima County’s Northwest side,however, that were once rural but are now in the path ofrapid development. This area, the Tortolita Fan, is a wildlifecorridor between the Santa Catalina and the Tucson Moun-tains—a crucial link between desert sky islands. On theSoutheast side, where development is beginning to shift,the link between the Santa Rita Mountains and the Rincons(“the Missing Link”) also needs to be protected.

The Arizona Preserve Initiative (API), a mechanism designedto help conserve open space near urban areas, sought tobalance conservation with development. It allowed jurisdic-tions to apply to purchase state trust lands, even providingmatching funds to help pay for them. API applications werefiled for parcels in the Tortolita Fan area. Unfortunately, noAPI applications were acted upon during the last governor’sadministration.

Much interest is focused on a better way to administer statetrust lands’ disposal, and currently a group—including con-servation, development, ranching and education interests—is meeting to discuss reforms. Representatives from conser-vation organizations are meeting separately to agree on pro-posals to bring to the larger table. The two main elementsthe Conservation Partners areworking on are constitutionalreform and up-front conserva-tion.

The Arizona Constitution cur-rently only allows state trustlands to be sold for the high-est price—development. Aconstitutional amendment, putbefore the voters as an initia-tive, would add conservationas an acceptable use for statetrust lands. In addition, theConservation Partners hope toreach consensus with the other

The Sonoran Desert ConservationPlan and State Trust Land Reform

Don Steuter is Chapter Conservation Chair.

The Sierra Club is made up of chapters like theGrand Canyon Chapter, which includes all ofArizona and its 12,000 members. Chapters in turncreate groups, which focus on environmentalissues in their geographic areas. The Chapter isexploring the possibility of organizing a new groupfor the approximate area north of Bell Road inScottsdale, North Phoenix, Cave Creek, Carefree,Anthem, Sun City, Surprise, and Peoria. This areahas experienced tremendous growth in recentyears and is home to many Club members.

The Grand Canyon Chapter has active groups inMaricopa County, Tucson, Sedona, Prescott, andFlagstaff. A new group is also being consideredfor the Lake Havasu City area. The Palo Verdegroup currently represents all of Maricopa County,52 percent of the chapter, and meets in Phoenix.

Another group in Maricopa County would allowmembers to meet and have outings closer towhere they live. It would encourage members tobe more environmentally active in their area. Thenew group would have a voting representative onthe Chapter executive committee.

Interested members in the north Maricopa areashould call Bev Full, a north Scottsdale Clubmember, and Chapter executive committeemember. She can be reached at (480)595-2306or at ([email protected]). You may also call theChapter office for information at (602)253-8633.

By Richard Genser

Photograph courtesy of Arizona State Parks.

Name

Address

City State Zip

MOVING?Paste the current mailing label here and write

in new address below.(Please allow 4-6 weeks processing time.)

Sierra ClubP.O. Box 52968Boulder, Colorado80322-2968

stakeholders in identifying a set of lands that would be givenimmediate conservation status under the initiative. Lan-guage on the proposal should be finalized by September inorder to move forward for the November 2004 ballot.

Conservation Partners from Pima County are advocating thatthe lands specified for conservation include the highest pri-ority conservations areas identified in the recent SDCP Steer-ing Committee recommendations. We will need all the strat-egies we can find in order to preserve Pima County’s uniquehabitat—bond money, federal grants, mitigation and more.State trust land reform will be crucial for preserving lands wewould not be able to conserve any other way.

For more information on the reform process, contact ourhardworking director, Sandy Bahr.

Rich Genser is Chapter Fundraising Chair. He would liketo thank Lisa Stage and Susan Shobe for their help onthis article.



9

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State of Arizona’s Wildlife

Agency Responsibilities,Advocate Responsibilities,& Opportunities for Action

Saturday, October 25, 20038 a.m. to noon

ASU Downtown Center1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wildlife Service Fieldtrip

Please join us for this fun and informative workshop. In the morning, representativesfrom Game and Fish, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and citizen activists will share informationon the state of Arizona’s wildlife and what you can do to help. In the afternoon, wewill grab our sack lunches and head out into the field where there will be a hands-onopportunity to help out with a wildlife service project. There is a nominal charge forthe workshop of $10 per person to help cover the cost of lunch and materials. Formore information or to sign up for the workshop, please contact Sandy Bahr at(602) 253-8633 or ([email protected]).

Dear Friends,

We think your voice counts.

WWWWWe we we we we welcome submissions of arelcome submissions of arelcome submissions of arelcome submissions of arelcome submissions of articles, drawings, photographs, poems, essays,ticles, drawings, photographs, poems, essays,ticles, drawings, photographs, poems, essays,ticles, drawings, photographs, poems, essays,ticles, drawings, photographs, poems, essays,and brief epiphanies to and brief epiphanies to and brief epiphanies to and brief epiphanies to and brief epiphanies to CCCCCanyanyanyanyanyon Eon Eon Eon Eon Echochochochocho, y, y, y, y, your Gour Gour Gour Gour Grand Canyrand Canyrand Canyrand Canyrand Canyon Chapter neon Chapter neon Chapter neon Chapter neon Chapter newsletterwsletterwsletterwsletterwsletter.....

Tell your story, appear in print, communicate with other Club members.The theme for the next (Nov./Dec. ‘03) Canyon Echo is Wildlife.Deadline for the next issue: FFFFFridayridayridayridayriday, O, O, O, O, Oct. 3, 2003ct. 3, 2003ct. 3, 2003ct. 3, 2003ct. 3, 2003See writer guidelines on pg.2 or contact Michelle Pulich Stewart:[email protected] or (602) 253-9140.

NOTICE OF CHAPTER ANDGROUP EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE ELECTIONS 2003

Enthusiastic about helping the environment? Are you aself-starter, a leader, or do you know of another member

who fits the bill? Chapter and Group Executive Committeeelections are imminent, and it’s time to get involved! Withcontinuing challenges to our environment over sprawl, cleanair, wildlife habitat and water issues, to name a few, weneed strong leaders who are willing to commit some timeand energy to further our mission to protect, preserve andenjoy our environment—our home.

Two ways you can get involved1. Group and Chapter nominating committees are activelylooking for candidates who are enthusiastic about theenvironment and want to take a leadership role in planning,policy-making and executing plans to protect and preserveour environment. Executive Committees meet on a regularbasis to discuss conservation and environmental issues,develop a strategic plan for the Chapter and Groups, makelocal and state policy decisions within the scope of Clubpolicies, and determine ways to carry out objectives.

2. Members are needed to serve on nominatingcommittees at the Group and Chapter levels, to assist withrecruiting candidates, to review candidate statements, toverify membership standing, to approve nominations, toreport candidate names to the Group and Chapter ExecutiveCommittees, and to review the ballot prior to mailing tomembers.

Candidate Guidelines for Chapter andGroup Executive Committee Elections

Want to join the race?

1. To be listed on the ballot, candidates must submit theirnameand membership number. Membership numbersappear on the Echo mailing labels. Be sure to includeyour contact information with your submission.

2. Submit a candidate statement, indicating the name ofthe Executive Committee you are running for, to theNominating Committee to be received no later thanSeptember 22, 2003. Candidate statements arelimited to 200 words and must be submitted via email to([email protected]). Statements over the 200 wordlimit may be returned to the candidate for editing.

3. Candidates are not required to submit a writtenstatement, however statements are recommended.Candidates may submit their name and membershipnumber only via email to ([email protected]).

Any member in good standing can join the nominatingcommittees or run for the Group or Chapter ExecutiveCommittees. For more information, contact your Group Chair,the Chapter office (602-253-8633), or Joni Bosh, ChapterNominating Committee Chair, at ([email protected]), orKathy Roediger ([email protected]) 602-266-6358.

The official ballot will appear inthe Nov./Dec. Echo.

So get involved! Join anominating committee,

nominate yourself for anExecutive Committee, or

nominate someone you thinkwould be a good leader!

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10

Palo Verde Group (Phoenix and suburbs)

Rincon Group (Tucson and suburbs)

Yavapai Group (Prescott and suburbs)

Keepin’ Groups in the Loop

Happenings Around the StateYou are invited! The Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter is composed of five groups (see page two for listings). Conservation, politicalactivism, and administrative work are just a few areas which offer diverse opportunities for activism. All are open to members interestedin learning more about the Sierra Club. We are working to make this world a better, more livable place. We need your help! For moreinformation and meetings/events near you, please check out our website: www.arizona.sierraclub.org - click on meetings.

Oct 29 (Weds): Canyon Echo Mailing Party, 2–8 PM (stop by anytime). Help ussave money and join us as we swap stories and paste on labels. Thank you.

Oct 10 (Fri) Full Moon Potluck and Hike! 6 PM-10 PM. Join us for apotluck and hiking at Dreamy Draw Park. There will be a full moon, lots of good friends,and plenty of good food. Bring a dish of your choice, but please remember, no glasscontainers. Club will provide plates, silverware and drinks. Please remember thatalcohol is not allowed.

Sept 18 (Thu) It’s Drier than You Think! 7:00PM Please join the Palo VerdeGroup and guest speaker Kathy Jacobs, Special Assistant for Policy and Planning/Governor’s Drought Task Force Administrator, to find out more about drought plans andwater conservation in Arizona. The program will be held in the Phoenix Zoo’s publiceducation building, located at 455 N. Galvin Pkwy in Phoenix. There will be a newmember welcome and orientation beginning at 7 p.m. until approximately 7:30 p.m., whenthe program will begin. Please come early and meet some of our new members and newand continuing Sierra Club activists. For more information contact Mike Erickson at(480) 753-7125 ([email protected]).

Meetings are open to the public. Sierra Club office, 202 E. McDowell Rd.,Conference Room, Second Floor. For directions, please call or email thecontact person listed.Sept 11 & Oct 9 (Thu) Palo Verde Group Political, Conservation, andExecutive meetings, Sierra Club office6:00 P.M. Political Committee meets (Sept.11) to review the results of the Sept. 9 CityCouncil elections in Phoenix and meets (Oct. 9) to review the November city councilrunoff election in Phoenix. Contact: Ted Gartner (480) 961-0370 ([email protected]).7:00 P.M. Conservation Committee will discuss issues related to desert preservation,forest protection, wildlife and endangered species, energy conservation, growthmanagement, etc. Contact: Don Steuter (602) 956-5057 ([email protected]). 8:30 P.M.Exec. Committee meets to review matters related to group policies, outdoor activities,finances, and other business. Contact: Ted Gartner (480)961-0370 ([email protected]).

Oct 9 (Thu) New General Meeting 7:30 PM All Welcome!Environmental friends including the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection,Tusconans for Sensible Transportation and Women for Sustainable Technology will beRincon’s guests.There will also be food, booths, door prizes, books from Green FireBooks and, if Sierra Club calendars, backpacks and T-shirts arrive by then, anopportunity for some early holiday shopping. Bring a friend and spend an enjoyableevening at the Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. For more information,call (520) 747-5078.

Sept 11 (Thu) New General Meeting 7:00 PM All Welcome! All current,new and past Club members are cordially invited to the Fall Kick-Off of Sierra ClubRincon Group’s General Meetings in our new venue at Tucson Botanical Gardens! GraceRich of the Living Simply Club (recently featured in AZ Daily Star) will show us ways to“give higher status to those who are living responsibly toward the environment.” Meetthe Rincon Group’s officers, catch up on what members are working on, enjoy refresh-ments, meet a few surprise guests and spend a lovely evening with friendly people in agarden setting. These lively General meetings will be held the second Thurs. of themonth in the main building of Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. Formore information, call (520) 747-5078.Sept 25 & Oct 30 (Thu) Executive Committee Meetings 7:00 PMCommittee reports and discussion of club business. Open to Sierra Club members. Mainfloor meeting room, Historic YWCA, 738 N. 5th Ave. near University Blvd. For furtherinformation, call (520) 620-6401.

Oct 3 (Fri): Copy Deadline for Canyon Echo, Theme: WildlifeSee writer guidelines on pg. 2. Contact: Michelle Pulich Stewartbefore writing (602) 253-9140 or [email protected]

Plateau Group (Flagstaff and surrounding area)

Sept 25 (Thu) Protecting Southwestern Forests & Communities:An Opportunity for Common Ground, 6:30 PM Refreshments will begin at6:30 PM Then at 7 PM: Common Ground presentation. Among conservationorganizations, scientists, the public and even some land managers, there is common groundon how to proceed with resolving the many forest thinning and community protection issuessurrounding management of our national forest lands. This Southwest Forest Allianceprogram outlines the major areas of agreement and explores the issues yet to be resolved.This visually striking power point program covers historic and current forest conditions inthe Southwest; the role of natural processes such as fire, insects and pathogens in a healthyecosystem; the ecological need to save old growth and large diameter trees; communityprotection and thinning the wildland urban interface; salvage logging and the politics of fire.Location: Federated Church, 400 W. Aspen Ave.Contact: Roxane George at (928)774-6542 ([email protected]).

Chapter Announcements

Nov 15 (Sat): Volunteer Recognition Luncheon A great and delicious opportu-nity to dine and visit with Sierra Club members from across the state. See backpage for a clip-and-send coupon to get your ticket today!

Making a difference in 2004

Rincon Group (Tucson and suburbs)

Yavapai Group (Prescott and suburbs)

Oct 21 (Tue) General Meeting 7 PM Prescott Public Library programto feature Making Sense of Place, a film examining regional Arizona issues by theLincoln Foundation. In the Third floor Conference room of the library.

Sept 9 & Oct 7 & Nov 4 (Tue) Executive Committee Meetings 7 PMFor details and meeting location, call (928) 778-4233.

Oct 11 (Sat): Wilderness Committee Service trip to erase illegal roads within theEagletail Mountains Wilderness. For information and to sign up contact MichellePulich Stewart (602) 253-9140 ([email protected]).

Sep 23 (Tue) Palo Verde Group Hike Leaders Planning Meeting Join thebimonthly pow-wow at the Sierra Club’s 2nd floor conference room in Phoenix. Talk abouthiking, biking, backpacking, camping, caving, rock climbing, volleyball, and other outdooractivities we’ll be leading in Nov., Dec., and beyond, as well as other socially responsibleactivities. Have you ever thought about being a hike leader? Come to this meeting andsee what it takes! Snacks start at 7:00 pm, and the meeting shortly thereafter. Feel free toattend if you would like to plan an event, offer suggestions, or just see what the heckwe’re up to. For more info., your contacts are: Jim Vaaler ([email protected]) 602-553-8208, Paul Zemboy ([email protected]) 602-989-1977, and Ted Gartner([email protected]) 480-961-0370).

Evenings with the Chapter Political Committee

Please join us for one or all of the fun evenings we have planned to socializeand discuss the 2004 elections and how each of us can help to make adifference and help better protect our piece of the planet and the planet as awhole. These fun and informative events are sponsored by the Sierra ClubGrand Canyon Chapter Political Committee. We promise good conversation,good food and drinks, and great information on what we are planning for the2004 elections. Come be part of making a change for the better. Make adifference in 2004.

TucsonOn Wednesday, September 24th from 5:30 until 8 pm, we will gather at LaIndita in Tucson to enjoy their patio, the food and drinks and to discuss the2004 elections and how we can be most effective. Please call Lee Oler (520)791-9246 for more information and to r.s.v.p. You can also call the Chapteroffice at (602) 253-8633 or email [email protected].

FlagstaffOn Friday, October 3rd from 6 pm to 8 pm, please join us at the McPhersonCenter for drinks and snacks and information on plans for next fall’selections. This is a great opportunity to meet people and get involved inhelping make a difference for the 2004 elections. For more information andto r.s.v.p., please contact Roxane George at (928)774-6514,[email protected] or call the Chapter office at (602) 253-8633 oremail [email protected].

PhoenixOn Friday, October 17th from 6 pm to 8 pm, we will enjoy snacks and drinks atthe home of Don Steuter, our Chapter Conservation Chair. For moreinformation and to r.s.v.p., please contact the Chapter office at (602) 253-8633 or email [email protected].

Watch for upcoming political events and activities in this space.Chad Campbell, Political Committee Chair



11

The Sierra Club is a nationwide organization with active local outings formembers and non-members. Please join us as we make friends and explorelife-enriching interests. Simply find an outing by date and phone the contactfor directions, reservations, time and additional information.

RESTRICTIONS: RESTRICTIONS: RESTRICTIONS: RESTRICTIONS: RESTRICTIONS: NO FIREARMS, RADIOS OR PETS.

Outings are by reservation. Call early (group limit 20). Each hike is rated fordegree of difficulty and risk by the leader.

“““““A”A”A”A”A” +16 miles or + 3,000 ft. elevation change (EC)

“B”“B”“B”“B”“B” 8–16 miles and 1,500–3,000 ft. EC

“C”“C”“C”“C”“C” 3–8 miles, 500–1,500 ft. EC RRRRRT T T T T Round Trip

“D”“D”“D”“D”“D” – 3 miles and 500 ft. EC OOOOOWWWWW One Way

Trip leader has absolute authority to question trip participants as to theirequipment, conditioning and experience before and during the trip. Allparticipants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liabilitywaver. If you would like to read the liability waver before you choose toparticipate in an outing, please go to http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/chapter/forms/ or contact the National Outings Dept. at (415)977-5528 fora printed version. Sierra Club liability covers leaders only. Each person isresponsible for his or her own first aid equipment. If you are injured, notifythe leader immediately. If you leave the trip, with or without the leader’spermission, 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.Suggested compensation is 5 cents/mile. Donations accepted from allparticipants at $1 (member) and $3 (nonmember). Money is collected by theleader and deposited with the group treasurer. For more information, call JimVaaler, (602) 553-8208. Hikes and outings are also listed in the RinconGroup newsletter and in the Palo Verde Group Sierra Club Singles newsletter.

Hiking Guidelines

SEPT 5-6-7 (FRI-SAT-SUN) Second AnnualGrand Canyon Music Festival Weekend,“D” hikes & Potluck Picnic. Attend oneor two of the Chamber Music Concerts (Fri.& Sat. nights) and hike on Sat. & hike withpicnic on Sun. Limited crash space at myhouse at Grand Canyon (bring bedding). Fri.night concert is works by JS Bach, Mozart& Brahms; Sat. night is JS Bach, Luzuriaga,Telemann, WF Bach & Mozart. (More infoabout concerts at:www.grandcanyonchambermusic.org Ourspecial group rate is $14 each evening. E-mail me for details.) Last year the music wasawesome! On Sat. our hike will be the seldomvisited upper section of the Old GrandviewTrail (1.9 mi.RT, 500’ elev. gain), someexposure. On Sun. we hike out to ShoshonePoint (picnic area is reserved!) for an earlyafternoon potluck picnic (2 mi. RT, little elev.gain). Hotel room info at: www.xanterra.comor www.grandcanyoninformation.com . Formore info and registration contact the leader,Bob Audretsch, (928) 638-2077 before 9 PMor e-mail (preferred): [email protected]. Grand Canyon

SEPT 20 (SUN) “C” McDowell MountainRoad Adopt-a-Highway Cleanup Project. (3mi. RT, 300 ft. EC) In the eastern foothills ofthe McDowell Mountains, this continuingproject gives you a chance to experience theSonoran Desert at its best. Our 3-mile stretchof blue highway meanders in and out ofMcDowell Mountain Regional Park betweenFountain Hills and Rio Verde. With views ofFour Peaks and the Verde River to the east,the Superstition Mountains to the south, theMcDowell Mountains to the west and theMazatzal Mountains to the North, you can’task for a more scenic place to serve yourcommunity. Best of all, we always finishbefore noon, leaving the afternoon free. Ourtrip highlight is a mid-morning visit to theenchanting and mysterious “McGinty’sKitchen Sink,” otherwise known as the GrandCanyon of McDowell Mtn. Rd, where ice-cold refreshments can often be found. Eachtrip participant receives a free Adopt-a-Highway ensemble including t-shirt, gloves,and vest, courtesy of Maricopa County’sAdopt-a-Highway program! Call MichaelBrady (602) 534-1355. Phoenix

SEPT 20 SAT “A-/B+” Abineau/ Bear JawDay hike 9.o5 mile roundtrip (EC 2500 ft.)Join us for a loop hike approx. 10,500 ft.above sea level, near cool Flagstaff. Trailstarts mildly before pitching to a steepergrade at 9,000 ft. At the top you’ll seebreathtaking views to the south of Mt.Humphreys. Layered clothing, raingear andstrong footwear recommended. Experiencedhikers only. Dinner afterwards at BeaverStreet Brewery. Contact Paul Zemboy (602)989-1977 [email protected] orVicky Johnson at [email protected]

SEPT 20-21 SAT-SUN “C” EscudillaMountain Hike and CarCamp Join theWilderness Committee on the autumnalequinox weekend for a fun hike to EscudillaPeak in the Escudilla Wilderness. We’ll climbthe third highest mountain in Arizona thatAldo Leopold wrote about in A Sand CountyAlmanac. As we walk we can discuss andlook for what Leopold noticed, “Time builtthree things on the old mountain, a venerableaspect, a community of minor animals andplants, and a grizzly.” Escudilla Mountain iswhere a government trapper shot the lastgrizzly bear in Arizona. After hiking the 6mile roundtrip (EC 1300 ft.) trail to the peakand back, we will carcamp nearby Escudilla.

For carpooling, camping information and tosign up call Michelle Pulich Stewart 602-253-9140 or email [email protected]/ Alpine

SEPT 27th (SAT) “B” Parker CreekDayhike. This 9 mile RT hike into the SierraAncha Wilderness Area features a lovelyhike thru a riparian area with an elevationgain of about 2,000 ft. Once on top we willhike over to Mud Springs and people willhave an opportunity to see how this part ofthe Wilderness is recovering from a fire afew years ago. Designated in 1964, this isone of our original Wilderness Areas. Duringour lunch break the leader will give a briefand informal overview of AZ wilderness andalso some history on the Sierra AnchaWilderness. For reservations, meeting placeand time, call your leader Jim Vaaler at 602-553-8208. Phoenix

SEPT 27 (SAT) “B” Wilson MountainBarrelhouse Day Hike 6 miles, +-1700'elevation change. A colorful rock formationon the western slopes of Wilson Mountainlooks remarkably like a row of barrels. Onthis off-trail adventure we’ll climb up to thebarrels, or as close as we can get, then visitnearby Angel Falls, a scenic box canyon withtwo waterfalls. Come prepared for boulderscrambling, bushwhacking (through non-prickly manzanita), and rock hopping inSedona’s spectacular red rock country! Bringplenty of water, as the barrels contain onlyrock. Call Ted Tenny, (480) 396-3389. Phoenix

SEPT 27 (SAT) “A” Devils Canyon ServiceTrip and Rappel Hike. (7 mi., 1200 ft. EC) Atrip to one of the crown jewels of our StateTrust Lands. Interesting rock “hoodoos”stand guard at this high desert canyon;whether your passage will be devilish orwhether it will be heavenly will depend onhow well you are prepared! There will bescrambling, downclimbing, rock-hopping,wading, and swimming involved. Waterproofyour gear and bring a change of clothes forafterward. Our service goals are to make noteof any stray cows in the riparian zones; cleanup some graffiti that has been reported inthe canyon; and make a pictorial record ofthe world-class “Five Pools” for futurereference. Includes free-hanging rappels upto 60'. Prusiking skills are required to exitthe canyon! Sponsored by theMountaineering activity section. You mustbe a Sierra Club member and bring thefollowing equipment: climbing harness,rappel device, helmet, 3 locking carabiners,prusik cords or other ascending device, andpersonal anchor sling. 7 miles total, 1000'EC. 4WD vehicles needed. Contact Connieor Ted Gartner 480-961-0370([email protected]). Phoenix

OCT 11-13 (SAT-MON) Trail Maintenanceon Sierra Club section of the Arizona TrailAnother year has passed and it’s time tosign up for the Sierra Club’s adopted sectionof the Highline Trail that also is part of theAZ Trail. The Highline Trail has been inexistence for more than 100 years. The areais full of history from native peoples nolonger there to cattle grazing and rustling.The Sierra Club working with Volunteers forOutdoor Arizona (VOAz), will assist inimproving the adopted section. Last yearhalf of the volunteers were from Sierra Club,and we would like to maintain or improvethat number this year. Camping will be at theGeronimo Boy Scout Campground, andshowers may be available this year.Saturday’s evening meal will be complimentsof Sierra Club and VOAz. Coffee to be

provided Sat. and Sun. Advance registrationat VOAz website (www.dgcenter.org/voa) isrequired. Event details and a full registrationare provided there. Sunday will be a halfdayof work with time provided afterwards forhiking at your leisure. Children must be 10years or older. No pets, please. Bring yourworn hiking boots, a pair of gloves, andprepare to do some honest physical laborthat will yield satisfying results. Plan to arriveFri. evening and stay until Mon. (a holiday)if you wish. Contact Marge at 602-508-0915or e-mail [email protected] for rideshareor questions.

OCT 11-15 (SAT-WED) Green RiverCanoe/Kayak Float Trip (five days, fournights, a total of 65 river miles). Car pool toMoab on Friday, Oct. 10. Saturday at 8AM outfitter will transport group and gearto river launch place and pick up down river5 days later. Canoes, equipment, and mealsare provided. A donation of $250 to covercosts is requested to hold a reservation.Contact Bev Full (480) 595-2306([email protected]). Phoenix

OCT 18 (SAT) “B” Mogollon Rim RappelHike. (6 mi., 1200 ft. EC) Our journey intothis wilderness canyon is an opportunity tolearn more about drought and its effects onour national forests. There will bescrambling, downclimbing, upclimbing, rock-hopping, and possibly a bit of shallowwading involved. Waterproof your gear justin case, and bring a change of clothes forafterward. Includes rappels up to 85'. We’llleave ropes in place to climb the return route(no moves harder than 5.7). Sponsored bythe Mountaineering activity section. Youmust be a Sierra Club member and bring thefollowing equipment: climbing harness,rappel device, helmet, 3 locking carabiners,prusik cords or other ascending device, and

personal anchor sling. 6 miles total, 1000' EC. 4WD vehicles needed. Contact Connie orTed Gartner 480-961-0370([email protected]). Phoenix

OCT 18 (SAT) “B-” O’Grady Canyon DayHike. 7 miles, 960' elevation change. Thenortheast slopes of the Superstitions offerunique perspectives of the mountains andcanyons, charismatic rock formations, and acharming and vivacious upper Sonoranecosystem. On this moderately paced on andoff trail hike we’ll follow First Water Creekupstream and return by way of O’GradyCanyon and an unmarked trail north of Tim’sSaddle. Come prepared for wetcobblestones, boulder scrambling (glovesrecommended), prickly plant life, sweepingvistas, and comical canyons. Call Ted Tenny,(480) 396-3389. Phoenix

OCT 18-19 (SAT-SUN) “A” Sixth AnnualGrand Canyon One-Day Rim to Rim. (23miles, 6000' eclh). We’ll take a large van ortwo up to the North Rim on Saturday, wherewe’ll stay at the Jacob Lake Inn. From theNorth Kaibab trailhead at the break of dawn,we’ll hike through to observe the seasonaland climatic changes occurring through theelevations. Hiking up the Bright Angel. Thecost of $110 covers ones lodging, gas,transport, and park fee. John Mogk (480) 456-4615, [email protected]. Phoenix

OCT 30-31 & NOV. 1-2 (THUR-SUN) “B”Little Colorado Hiking Weekend. We meetlate Thursday afternoon in Cameron andconvoy to our car camp for our Friday dayhike. On Friday we hike from the rim to theLittle Colorado River on the Paiute East route(approx. 2 mi. RT, 1,800’ elev. gain) & returnthe same route. Expect steep climbing herewith lots of potential rock fall danger. First

Enjoy and Explore Arizona

See Outings continued on pg. 12



12

30 feet of the route involves a belayed down climb of a steelcable and up climb on the way back out. When we returnfrom that day hike we move our vehicles to the west side ofthe Little Colorado to the site of the steep and narrow Moodytrail (approx. 2 mi. RT, 1,700’ elev. gain). We will car campthere on Saturday night. On Sunday morning we moveupstream on the LC and will day hike the steep Overlookroute to the Little Colorado, walk upstream and ascend to therim on the Dam Site route (approx. 4 mi. RT, 1,200’ elev. gain).If the LC is running high we will have to substitute anotherhike for this one. Both these involve steep climbing downnarrow side canyons with rock fall potential. Individual sharein paying for the Navajo Nation permit required in advance($30 each). Substantial parts of each of these will beexploratory as the Leader has not hiked the full length ofeach yet. Bring day pack, gloves. These are all seldom hikedroutes, all steep with loose rock and require basic rock climbingexperience, some 3rd class climbing on each route. Limit 5people. For more info and registration contact the Leader,Bob Audretsch, (928) 638-2077 before 9 PM or e-mail(preferred): [email protected]. Grand Canyon

NOV 1 (SAT) Saguaro National Park Exotic PlantEradication Service Trip. This is a great opportunity to takeout frustration with inaction or wrong-headed action in thepolitical world and make a difference on the ground. We willhelp the park remove non-native species in the park—primarilybuffelgrass and fountain grass. Come learn more about theseexotic species and how you can help to limit their impact.Plan to meet at the Park at 8am and to work until mid afternoon.Don’t forget to bring lunch, snacks, water, and your favoritework gloves. We will also provide some light refreshments.For more information or to sign up to help with this project,please contact Sandy Bahr at (602) 253-8633. Phoenix

NOV 1 (SAT) “B+” Disaster Ridge Day Hike. 13 miles, 1700'elevation change. Walk amid colorful rock formations andunexpected scenic treasures of the Goldfields from the ApacheTrail to the river, by way of Willow Springs Canyon and itssouthern tributaries. Climb 1100' to the top of the ridgeoverlooking Willow Springs Canyon and Disaster Canyon.Enjoy two miles of spectacular vistas of the Superstitions,Mazatzals, McDowells, Goldfields, and distant mountains onevery side! Continue south, leaving the ridge to return onthe Jeep trail from Bagley Tank. Most of the climbing is afterwe leave the river, and there are prickly plants along the way..Call Ted Tenny (480) 396-3389. Phoenix

NOV 1 (SAT) “B” Pueblo Canyon Dayhike. Deep in theheart of the Sierra Anchas is a major Indian ruin in a beautifulcanyon. Though the hike is only 6 miles roundtrip, it is ruggedand steep, with a 1000-foot climb and a fair amount of brush.High clearance vehicles needed—please volunteer. ContactJay Skardon (602) 943-6583 or [email protected]. Phoenix

NOV 1 (SAT) “C” Little Saddle Mountain Dayhike. This 6mile hike in the Mazatzal Wilderness Area will have a shortcar shuttle, followed by a fairly leisure (and mostly downhill)hike. Fall colors should be excellent during the final 2 or 3miles of this hike. We will have lunch by a spring in a nicegrassy area and the leader will talk about some of the issueswe have worked on in the past in this area as well as someWilderness history on the Mazatzals. For reservations,meeting time and place, call your leader, Jim Vaaler, at 602-553-8208. Phoenix

NOV 8 (SAT) “B” Peak 3134 Ridgeline Day Hike. 8 miles,+-2400' elevation change. Two graceful ridges and two archeswill delight you on this off-trail trek in the southern Goldfields.We’ll climb peak 3134 and traverse the ridge eastward topeaks 3089 and 3047. Climb down to a bright golden valleyand follow the photogenic ridge southeast to hill 2437. Fromthere it’s an easy walk to Willow Springs Canyon. Comeprepared for boulder scrambling, rocky slopes, vivacious andprickly Sonoran vegetation, colorful Tertiary lava flows, andawesome views of the mountains. Call Ted Tenny (480) 396-3389. Phoenix

Green River, UtahCanoe/Kayak Float Trip

OCT 10–15 (FRI–WED) 5th AnnualLabyrinth Canyon float trip. Meet in Moab (8hour drive from Phoenix) to be put in at CrystalGeyser by our outfitter.Float/paddle for five daysthrough beautiful LabyrinthCanyon camping 4 nightson sandy beaches.Included: canoes, shuttle,most equipment and allmeals. Kayaks may berented for an additionalcharge or bring your own.A donation of $250 is requested. Call or emailBev Full at (480) 595-2306 or [email protected].

NOV 27-29 (THUR-SAT) Grand Canyon Thanksgiving (3rdAnnual). Potluck dinner & “D”, “C” & “B” hikes. Potluckdinner early on Thurs. followed by easy “D” hike along therim for sunset. Friday work off the turkey and dressing byhiking the Hermit Trail to Santa Maria Springs (5 mi. RT, 1600’elev. gain). Sat. is a hike to Horseshoe Mesa on the GrandviewTrail (6 mi. RT, 2,600’ elev. gain). Thanksgiving dinner at myhouse in Grand Canyon Village with our volunteer cooks,turkey, stuffing and you bring a dish to share. Limited sleepingspace, beds and on the floor, at my house. $12 non-refundabledeposit covers your turkey, dressing and wine with the mealpayable by Nov. 11. Looking forward to a wonderful time likewe did last year!!! Cooks and other hike leaders welcome!For more info, questions and registration call Bob Audretschbefore 9 PM at (928) 638-2077 or my preference is an e-mail to:[email protected] Grand Canyon

NOV 28-30 (FRI-MON) “B” Club Cabin Backpack (101years and still counting). (9 mi., 1200 ft. EC) If you want tosee what the term “rustic cabin” really means then this trip isfor you. We will pack in 9 miles (2,000 ft of elevation) to ClubCabin. Along the Davenport Trail we will see a “crestedSaguaro.” We will have a lay over day where people can doas they please. As usual the leader will talk on Wilderness.However, in this setting the Wilderness speaks for itself. Forreservations, meeting time and place, call Jim Vaaler at (602)553-8208. Phoenix

DEC 13 (SAT) Saguaro National Park RevegetationService Trip. Please join us for this important serviceproject to help restore native vegetation in disturbed areasin Saguaro National Park. This project involves transplant-ing plants, planting nursery-grown plants, and doingground preparation. Plan to meet at the Park at 8AM and towork until mid afternoon. Don’t forget to bring lunch,snacks, water, and your favorite work gloves. We will alsoprovide some light refreshments. For more information orsign up to help with this project, please contact Sandy Bahrat (602) 253-8633. Phoenix

Gifts to the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Sierra Club support our citizen-basedadvocacy and legislative programs and, therefore, are not tax-deductible.

All that you need is a ticket.....To receive your ticket by mail for this event, just clip and fill out the oval formand send it to the Chapter office with your check. Vegan lunch selections areavailable. Cost per ticket is $35.

Mark Raddatz performsWatch, Pray and FightSaturday, November 15, 200311:00 AM, at the Conference Centerat South Mountain EnvironmentalEducation Center (SMEEC)in Phoenix

Yes,I’d like to join you for the delicious lunch!

Sierra Club- Grand Canyon Chapter’s2nd Annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon

John Muirwith Special Guest

Mail to: Sierra Club- Grand Canyon Chapter,202 E. McDowell Rd. Ste. 277, Phoenix, AZ 85004.

Thank you for your support.

Send ticket(s) to:Name(s): ___________________________________________________________Address: ___________________________________________________________City: _____________________ Zip: ______________If needed you may contact me at: _________________________________

Enjoy and Explore Arizona

SSSSSHAREHAREHAREHAREHARE YOURYOURYOURYOURYOUR AZ AZ AZ AZ AZ TREKSTREKSTREKSTREKSTREKS ANDANDANDANDAND OUTINGSOUTINGSOUTINGSOUTINGSOUTINGS PHOTOSPHOTOSPHOTOSPHOTOSPHOTOS!!!!!Send them to Canyon Echo at the Chapter Office by email

or post. Include your name and the date & location of thephotograph.

For detailed submissions guidelines, contact Michelle PulichStewart, (602)253-9140 ([email protected]).

Join Bobbie Holaday at the Initial Signing ofher new book, The Return of the Mexican

Gray Wolf: Back to the Blue

The Univ. of Arizona Presspublished the new book.All royalties benefit the

Mexican Wolf Trust Fundadministered by the Arizona

Game and Fish Dept.

At the Phoenix Zoo’s StoneHouse Pavilion Sat., Sept.6 from 10:00 a.m.–noon.The event includes a 45-minute video created byBobbie and a friend.Thisunique video gives you in-sight into the reintroductionprocess of the Mexicangray wolf.

Looking for a few good women and How one environmental ... · They also include Little Granite ......

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