Minutes for Meeting of 06-14-2000

Hello Ramblers!

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1.) Important: Unless otherwise announced, the meeting place for all hikes is behind the Park Student Center, in the parking lot.

2.) Future hiking club meetings, during the summer, will continue to be held in the Forbes building lobby, in case Forbes, Room 307, isn't available.

PAST HIKES:

1.) Wolfgang and Michael went to the Pinaleno Mountains on Saturday, where they hiked for 12 miles on the Round-the-Mountain Trail. They saw red and blew dragonflies and collared lizards and excellent views, looking east.

2.) Hanna did a hike in Garden Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains on the Crest Trail. She saw more birds, such as the trogons.

3.) Joe was in Oregon, near Eugene, where he did some hikes; although, it was cloudy most of the time, while he was there.

FUTURE HIKES:

1.) On Saturday (6/17/2000), there will be a day hike to Mt. Wrightson via Gardner Canyon, leaving @ 6:00 AM from Park Student Center. This hike is rated "A-", involving a long, steep, trail hike, with nice forest along the way, and impressive views (and somewhat cooler temperatures, one hopes) at the top (of Tucson to the north, Mexico to the south). Please contact Hanna: hanna@u.arizona.edu.

3.) The Flagstaff trip for the 4th of July weekend is being led by Michael Chaimberlan. Information is as follows:

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> The Ramblers 4th of July Flagstaff Fest is currently in the planning phase.
> Planning this outing has proven a bit trickier than I imagined, and here's
> why:  The southwest is experiencing one of the most severe droughts on
> record.  The wildfire danger is extreme; at Flagstaff a major fire has
> burned 10,000 acres or more in the Kendrick Peak Wilderness, and a smaller
> fire has burned in Oak Creek Canyon.  The Outlet fire has flared up again
> on the Kaibab, and you've probably also heard of the fires in the Sierra
> Anchas and Los Alamos.
>
> As a preemptive measure the Forest Service has closed roads and hiking
> trails in the Coconino National Forest amounting to 60% of the Forest land
> around Flagstaff, and including some of the major recreation areas such as
> the San Francisco Peaks and Oak Creek Canyon.  This disqualifies a lot of
> sites I had considered for the Flagstaff Fest.  Other areas remain open for
> day use but are closed for camping.
>
> For a few minutes I considered an about-face and doing a Ramblers 4th of
> July White Mountains Fest, but the Apache-Sitgreaves and most other Forest
> areas in AZ are undergoing similar closures, so Flagstaff remains the best
> bet for the Fourth.
>
> The good news is there's still a lot of land that is open, including many
> attractions around Flagstaff outside the fire-prone pine forests.  This may
> be a good time to visit some of the canyon country and volcanic crater
> areas, and maybe do some exploratory hikes outside the National Forest.
>
> Andy and I figuring out some interesting outings for the Flagstaff area.
> I'm currently thinking of heading up there from Tucson in the evening of
> Friday June 30, and returning in the evening/night of the 4th, but this is
> flexible and will be worked out with who's driving.
>
> Stay tuned,
>
> Michael
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MISCELLANEOUS OUTDOORS INFORMATION:

1.) There is a web site (free), providing topographic maps of the US: http://www.topozone.com. There is other topographic information, along with statistical information about routes to take also available. Contact Steve: sanewcomb@yahoo.com.

2.) Another good web site, providing a fun resource: http://www.soak.net.

3.) Information on Resole America - a exclusive resoling center for many of the finest brands of footwear in the world: . As members of a hiking club, they would be interested in offering the members of hiking clubs discounts for repairs on all kinds of footwear, including hiking shoes. They are offering a $5 discount to hiking clubs and organizations. From time to time, they offer different specials, such as free shipping, two for one specials, and free insoles. Contact:

Sofia Mann
Sofia@resole.com
888-FIX-SHOE, 888-349-7463 ext.103

If anyone wants to post additional announcements for any hikes, etc., please feel free to use the listserve. Meanwhile, keep Rambling!

Wolfgang