Minutes for Meeting of 05-23-2001

Hello Ramblers,

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

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

2.) Future hiking club meetings will continue to be held in the Forbes
building, Room 307, for the summer.

3.) For information about the club, hikes, and meeting places, check out
our website: [http://www.biocom.arizona.edu/ramblers/].

FUTURE HIKES:

1.) Loretta is planning a trip to the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico for the
Memorial Day weekend. Departure is Friday evening (5/25/2001) and the return is
Monday (5/28/2001). I’m planning on visiting the Jordan Hot Springs on the
Middle Fork of the Gila River. The springs are 6 miles in from the trailhead.
The plan is to meet at 6pm at PSU on Friday, May 25. We could try to drive to a
free campground (Grapevine) in the wilderness or just see where we end up.
Saturday we will hike to the springs and camp near it. Sunday I’d like to do
some canyoneering up the Middle Fork, maybe get to Indian Creek. It looks like
a really neat canyon. Monday we will hike back to the car and return to Tucson
in the evening, maybe around dinner time. This  is a 3 day, 2 night backpack,
please bring the appropriate food and stuff. I have never hiked here, so please
come prepared. This is probably at least a  "B" trip. If interested, RSVP by
5pm Thursday (today) Loretta at [llp2877@yahoo.com] or 977-3442.

2.) Ross is making arrangements for a 4-day backpacking trip in the Rincon
Mountains, east of Tucson, with information presented:
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***
I actually would like to make the departure time for the Rincon trip 6:00 PM on
Wednesday, June 6. We will still meet at the PSU. Please RSVP, if interested. I
need your full name, address, phone number, and color, year, make & model of
your vehicle, as well as license plate number for the purposes of getting a
back country permit. The only group cost will be gas. There is no fee for the
permit, but it will reserve us a campground.
Thanks, Ross
*** *** *** *** *** *** ***
The return is on Sunday (6/10/2001). This trip involves backpacking up the
Turkey Creek Trail to the Spud Rock campground, setting up base camp, and do
day hikes from that campground. The 1st day is rated "A+", and the other days
are rated "B". If interested, RSVP Ross: [rosslampert@hotmail.com].

3.) Loretta is planning another "mystery trip", Tuesday, May 29, 2001. Let’s
meet at 6:30 pm at PSU. Please bring comfortable shoes (you will be wearing
them, bring socks), small bottle of water, hat, sunscreen, comfortable outdoor
clothes, camera, a good aim and a good attitude. You should have dinner
beforehand as I don’t know about the availability of food or beverages. Also
bring $10-15 and of course, wear something funky! See you there!!!!!

4.) Rob is planning a trip to the Chiricahua National Monument, for Friday,
June 1 to Saturday June 2. It will be a car camp with day hikes. If interested,
contact Rob: [rbaker@u.arizona.edu] or 888-4225.

PAST HIKES:

1. Steve led a 10 person trip in the Paria Canyon Wilderness area in southern
Utah. They got a late start on the Wire Pass trail and camped in Buckskin Gulch
on a high sand dune 3 to 4 miles in. The slot canyon was awesome as evidenced
by the many rolls of film everyone shot. The second night was spent next to the
Middle Trail in Buckskin, just after finishing the many waist-deep pools of
cold water. Hikers spent the afternoon doing various activities including an
attempt to find Cobra Arch on the north rim using the Middle Trail. It should
be said that the Middle Trail doesn't start out as a trail; it is more like a
climb directly out of Buckskin. Several thunderstorms roamed through the area
during the middle of the trip, sprinkling rain here and there, but not enough
to cause water to flow through Buckskin. Third day was spent hiking to the
confluence with Paria River, down the large rock fall which everyone enjoyed
(the climb under it was quite easy) with some people hiking several miles down
the Paria to springs (Wall Spring was one) to collect fresh water. The night
was spent in a beautiful camping area just up Buckskin Gulch from the
confluence, although it also is popular and another large group camped there
the same night. An early start got them out of the canyon by noon and home to
Tucson by 11pm.

2. Nicole and her friend from Switzerland, Thomas, also hiked Buckskin Gulch
and Paria Canyon this past week, heading in 1 day earlier. The camped the first
night near the Buckskin Trailhead, hiked to the Middle Trail the next day, then
to a campsite upstream from the Buckskin/Paria confluence. Steve's group was
right on their tail, but never caught up. Nicole left the canyon 1 day early
and headed to Bryce Canyon for a "car" tour.

3. Eric went on a 7 day backpack to a canyon near Page, AZ. A large
thunderstorm pounded the area during the trip causing the creek to rise a good
deal and take his backpack downstream. He search 2 days without finding it.
Some of his gear remained due to large amounts of mud stuck to it.

There may have been other trip reports, but I arrived late to the meeting. Feel
free to post reports on the listserve.

Ramble On,

Steve filling in for Wolfgang