Minutes for Meeting of 10-03-2001

• The Ramblers meet every Wednesday at 5pm in the Forbes Building in room 307.
• All hikes,unless otherwise stated, will meet for departure in the parking lot behind the Park Student Union. After 8pm on Friday the lot is available all weekend for general use.

• Torsten hiked approximately two miles into Pima Canyon this past Sunday. The weather was typical of southern Arizona, hot and dry, although the wind was a bit more brisk than usual.
• Heather ditched a conference and hiked in the lake Tahoe area last weekend. The lake and the large trees around it were quite beautiful.
• Mitch made yet another Sunday hike, this time to Douglass Springs. The springs were dry with the exception of "one little stagnant fetid pool." Flora and fauna included lizards (imagine that), birds and horseback riders.
• Michael traveled to the desert museum on Saturday. There was a very interesting Butterfly Festival exhibition. Microscopes were set up through which to view the butterflies at a more detailed level. Rumor has it that under a microscope they appear quite monstrous.

• Steve is planning a hike to Cathedral Rock in the Catalina Mountains. The exact approach route is undecided. He plans to leave from the PSU at 9am on Saturday morning. The hike is approximately 14 miles round trip and is considered an "A" hike. More information will be posted on the listserv. Steve can be contacted via e-mail at sanewcomb@yahoo.com.
• Michael is planning a technical "A" backpacking trip in the Escalante region. This trip will be leaving October 11th at approximately 6pm and returning late Sunday night the 14th. Detailed information about this hike has already been sent to the listserv. If you still need more information or happened to accidentally delete the first mailing then a message to Michael sent via the listserv would probably elicit a response. Original message:
  Hello Ramblers,
  I'm planning a canyoneering weekend in the Escalante River region on the weekend of 13/14 October. The canyons we will explore have names like Choprock, Fence, Neon, Ringtail or Egypt 3 Slot Canyon and are located about 30 miles southeast of the village of Escalante, i.e. northwest from Lake Powell, in Utah. This is a long drive, so we will need 3 full days, thus leaving Tucson on Thursday evening and coming back Sunday night. This means you have to take 1 day off.
  We will camp the first night on the way (probably between Page and Kanab) and continue the next day to the Egypt Bench trailhead. From there we will do a loop backpack: down Egypt 3 Slot Canyon and 25-mile Wash, camp somewhere, continue the next day up the Escalante River, and set up camp again. From this second camp, we will (with day packs) explore the slots in Ringtail and Neon Canyon. On the last day, we will return to the cars via Fence Canyon and drive back to Tucson.
  Main attractions of this trip: wilderness, solitude, deep canyons (partly slot canyons with pools), great scenery, some petroglyphs, and some technical rappelling and scrambling/climbing if you like. The lower part of Egypt 3 Slot Canyon and the side canyons like Neon or Ringtail are more technical, i.e. they need some rappelling. For this, you should bring a harness. But one can go around these technical parts and do the loop without rappelling. However, we will get our feet (maybe more) wet - so you should bring hiking shoes that can get wet, and you may want to waterproof your gear with trash compactor bags or something similar. Don't worry - it's not a real swim-pack like Wet Beaver Creek, only short sections of wading or swimming. I will bring a rope for the technical sections.
  If the weather situation is stable, you probably don't need a tent, but should have a good sleeping bag. Temperatures will be in the 60s or 70s during the day, and in the 30s or 40s in the night.
  If you are interested, RSVP to mdumke@as.arizona.edu before Oct. 8th. Please indicate if you have a car and want to provide transportation, and if you can bring a stove and/or water filter.
  Ramble on,
  Michael
• Loretta is planning a backpacking trip for Thanksgiving:
  Hello Ramblers!
  Well, here I am stuck in the cold of New York's early autumn and I'm thinking of some way to get warm. So I am proposing a possible 3-day backpack to Turkey Creek Hot Spring (165 degrees F) for the following dates: Saturday, November 24 to Monday November 26. The plan would be to leave early Saturday morning (7am?) and drive to the Gila Wilderness where the hot springs are located. The hike in is 4 miles across some trail, and some bolder hopping without a trail. We would set up camp near the hot springs on Saturday.
  Sunday would be a relaxing day, or whatever you want, exploring the area, soaking in the spring and such.
  Monday we would hike out the way we went in and return to Tucson in the evening.
  This would be a "B+" backpack because it involves off trail backpacking. Also, some of us may want to soak nude. I have never hiked to this hot spring, but I've read numerous descriptions and it's supposed to be a very very nice spot. The springs are at about 5000ft. The days should be nice, but the nights may be cold. Plus it is somewhat remote, so there's a chance we would have the area to ourselves.
  So, here's what I need from you. If you are interested and there is a good chance you can go, please email me (llp2877@yahoo.com") ASAP. If you have any questions about the area, please ask me or Steve Newcomb (sanewcomb@yahoo.com). Any other questions please feel free to ask. If you don't know who I am please ask Steve Newcomb, Rob Baker, Hanna Coy, Wolfgang Golser, Erich Karkoshka, Massimo, Michael Dumke, Giorgio or any of last years members (sorry if your name escapes me at the moment:-)
  That's all I can think of right now.
  Thanks, and happy ramblin'
  Loretta

• Hanna and her housemate will be hosting a Pot-Luck house warming/birthday party (it's her housemates birthday not her's) this Saturday night. The pot-luck will begin at 7pm. Everyone is invited and those with musical instruments and/or musical ability are encouraged to bring them along, as a spontaneous parade might erupt in the street. The address is 711 North Perry Ave. This is located a few blocks west of stone between 9th and 10th avenue. Carpooling would be great but it is not necessary!
• The Sky Island Alliance is in need of volunteers to help make old roads impassable and then revegetate the area. This project will be occurring in the Peloncillo Mountains, October 12-14. Even if you are unable to stay the entire time you are welcomed to volunteer whenever it is convenient to you. For more information and to RSVP you need to contact Matt at matt@skyislandalliance.org.

Equipment is available for borrowing to members of the hiking club, which is done by contacting Ross and signing it out. The following is the current Ramblers Hiking Club Inventory:
• 2 Backpacking Stoves
• 1 Coleman Dual Burner Stove
• 3 First Aid Kits
• 1 Large Stuff Sack
• 1 Compression Stuff Sack (1 Broken Strap?) 1 Fuel Funnel
• 2 6-Gal. Water Jugs
• 1 5-Ft. Floppy Roll Mat
• 1 6-Ft. Firm Roll Mat
• 1 Air Mat
• 1 Camp Trails Exterior Frame Pack (Ripped Front Pouch) 1 Kelty Exterior Frame Pack
• 1 Jansport Exterior Frame Pack
• 1 Maroon Sleeping Bag (Broken Zipper)
• 3 Red Kelty Sleeping Bags (Rated 25 Degrees ñ More Like 60) 1 Grey Sleeping Bag
• 1 5-Man Tent
• 1 Coleman Gas Lantern
• 1 Volleyball Net
• 1 Volleyball
• 2 Metal Canteens
• 2 Sets of Camping Utensils
• 1 Large Silver Tarp
• 1 Knee Brace
We are looking for suggestions concerning new acquisitions for the club, so that we would have a list of things to buy; therefore, we can requisition funds from the university appropriately. Please e-mail or call Ross (rosslampert@hotmail.com or (520)-325-5912 with any suggestions on equipment that you think the club should purchase. Thanks!

(Tucson, AZ) - Please join the Summit Hut, 605 E. Wetmore Road at First Avenue, Tucson, for the following FREE event.

Thursday, October 4, at 8 p.m., the Summit Hut is pleased to welcome back naturalist Jack Childs with a video presentation: "Jaguars of the Borderlands." Jack will be available for discussion after the amazing footage of this borderlands creature. This event is the kickoff for October's Sky Island Alliance month of over 20 events celebrating the Sky Islands region.

Jaguars in Arizona?! Yes. Learn about this amazing member of Sky Island fauna, and about Sky Island Alliance's exciting Wildlife Monitoring Program. Sky Island Alliance is a regional organization dedicated to preserving the biological and cultural diversity of our Sky Island region. Before and after the program will be a chance to win door prizes and buy raffle tickets to win a $500 Summit Hut Shopping Spree (final drawing Oct. 28, at the Sky Island Alliance Open House, 5th and University, 11-4)!

The Summit Hut is a locally-owned Tucson business that has been equipping backpackers, climbers, campers, hikers, adventure travelers and outdoor enthusiasts with quality gear and clothing for over 30 years. For additional information, call Terri Gay or Sharon Scott at (520) 325-1554 or email sharon@summithut.com.