Rincon Group Outings
Lead the Way - BECOME A SIERRA CLUB OUTING LEADER
* Hiking Guidelines *
RESTRICTIONS: NO FIREARMS, RADIOS or PETS.
Outings are by reservation. Call early (maximum group limit 20). Each hike is rated for degree of difficulty and risk by the leader:
"A" 16 miles or more + 3,000 ft. elevation change (EC)
"B" 8 - 16 miles and 1,500 - 3,000 ft. EC
"C" 3 - 8 miles and 500 - 1,500 ft. EC RT - Round-Trip
"D" less than 3 miles and 500 ft. EC OW - One-way
The Fine Print - Trip leader has absolute authority to question trip participants as to their equipment, conditioning and experience before and during the trip. All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability waver. If you would like to read the liability waver before you choose to participate in an outing, please go to http://www.sierraclub.org/ outings/chapter/forms/ or contact the National Outings Dept. at (415) 977-5528 for a printed version. Sierra Club liability covers leaders only. In addition to the outings leaders' first aid equipment, it is recommended that each person bring their own first aid kit. If you are injured, notify the leader immediately. If you leave the trip, with or without the leader's permission, you are considered to be on your own until you rejoin the group. Participants are encouraged to carpool and share the driver's fuel expense. Suggested compensation is 5 cents/mile. Donations accepted from all participants at $1 (member) and $3 (nonmember). Money is collected by the leader and deposited with the group treasurer. Outings are also listed in the Rincon Group newsletter.
Scheduled Outings
July 2nd - 5th (Thursday - Sunday) "A-" - The Barracks (East Fork of the Virgin River) Zion, distance: 20 miles - Join me for a 3-day backpacking adventure to Zion National Park. Take the famous Zion Narrows, remove the training wheels, and you have a good impression of Parunuweap Canyon. This canyon is just as spectacular as its big brother, but is more remote. This route follows the East Fork of the Virgin River into Parunuweap Canyon, also known as "The Barracks". This is one of the more dramatic and foreign canyons in southern Utah. Contact John Che at jackyblack@yahoo.com
July 18th (Saturday) "A" - Chiricahua Crest Trail Loop (16 miles, EC 4300') - Starting from the Mormon Ridge Trailhead, we climb 3,000 feet up Mormon Ridge. We'll cross several burned areas and go up Chiricahua Peak, at 9,757 feet the highest in the range. We pass Paint Rock and then climb steeply for a short distance to summit the fantastic Monte Vista Peak (9,340 feet). Finally, we finish the loop from Johnson Peak. Expect wonderful views, including out to the Dos Cabezos Mountains and all down the range and into major canyons. Enjoy nice flowers along the way, fern forests everywhere, rock spires protecting peak after peak. This trip includes the option to camp the night before and after. Contact John Che at jackyblack@yahoo.com
August 2nd (Sunday) "C" - Aspen Loop Trail hike - We will start early and drive to Marshall Gulch high in the Santa Catalina Mountains. The hike is a four-mile loop with 650 feet of elevation gain. During a snack break, we will discuss the effects of the Bullock and Aspen fires and the role of natural fire in southern Arizona’s Sky Islands. Limit 18. Contact Meg Weesner for details at 520-290-1723 or mweesner@att.net.
August 15th (Saturday) "B" - Cochise Stronghold - We will explore a hidden canyon in the Dragoon Mountains complete with waterfalls, pools and sculpted granite outcroppings. Be ready for scrambling, canyoneering and swimming (non-technical) as we observe and discuss the geology of this stunning sky island range 60 miles east of Tucson. We will hike to fascinating pictographs at Council Rocks, once a hideout of Cochise and Geronimo. Limit 12, Contact Mitch Stevens at mitchstevens@qwestoffice.net or 520-991-1199.
September 4th - 8th (Friday - Tuesday) "B+" - Havasu Canyon - Come enjoy Havasupai with us, Grand Canyon's hidden jewel! Backpack 8 miles through beautiful canyon country to Havasu falls and the spot where Navajo falls used to be. On Sunday, we will explore several spectacular falls, such as Mooney Falls, Beaver Falls and to the Colorado River (up to 14 miles return, depending how far we go). Distance: 20 miles, backpack in 2 days; day trip, 10 miles, plus explorations. Difficulty is moderate . Contact John Che at jackyblack@yahoo.com
September 12th (Saturday) "B+" - Pete Mountain Loop (7.5 miles RT, EC 2221 feet) - Hike the seldom visited backcountry of the Santa Rita Mountains through wonderful forested areas. If monsoon rains are generous, this area will be awash in wildflowers and lush greenery. We will climb steeply, scramble up to Pete Mountain and take in breathtaking views of Mt. Hopkins and Mt. Wrightston. A discussion of the ecology of sky island ranges will ensue and we may be fortunate enough to observe the rare Elegant Trogan. Limit 12, Contact Mitch Stevens at mitchstevens@qwestoffice.net or 520-991-1199.
September 18th - 20th (Friday - Sunday) "A" - Grand Canyon Loop (24 miles, EC 4500' down and up again) - From Mather Campground, we hike the Grandview and Tonto East trails for 15 miles and 4500' down. Camp at the New Hance rapids by the Colorado river. After an early start Sunday, we hike up the Red Canyon on the New Hance Trail for 9 miles and 4500' up, returning to Tucson late night. Contact John Che at jackyblack@yahoo.com
Liability Waiver:
All participants on Sierra Club outings are required to sign a standard liability
waiver. If you would like to read the liability waiver before you choose to
participate on an outing, refer to the public Web site at:
http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/participantforms/forms/individual_waiver.pdf
Lead the Way - BECOME A SIERRA CLUB OUTING LEADER
Do you enjoy hiking, rock climbing, biking or camping with others and showing them areas that you enjoy? Here's your chance to become an outing leader for our local Rincon Group! We are also looking for leaders for other types of outings such as dinners, movie/theatre nights, and other social activities. It's lots of fun and you'll meet many interesting people who enjoy stimulating conversation and share your love of the outdoors and preserving the environment. You will experience a sense of camaraderie as you trek through the desert, mountains and streams.
The time commitment is minimal. You can lead previous outings you have already done or pick new adventures to lead by consulting various outdoor guide books, or by receiving assistance from your local Outings Chair, yours truly.
Once every four months we will have an Outing Leaders' Planning Meeting where we will exchange ideas, discuss updates pertaining to outing leaders, and to plan and schedule leading outings for hiking, biking, backpacking, camping, climbing and other outdoor activities for the next newsletter. Outing leaders are encouraged to attend and take an active part in the planning, but we all have busy lives so if you are not able to attend, you may submit your outings to me via e-mail. Just write up your description (including your contact information and the hike "level" according to Sierra Club standards). We want to keep with the Sierra Club Mission Statement so it's great if you include an educational or conservational oriented purpose in your description.
Hikes or biking can be of any distance or elevation gain. Just lead outings that you are comfortable with. You will need to choose a date approximately one to three months in advance to lead the hike. Climbing outings fall under a different set of standards, and leaders must go through an approval process from the Sierra Club Mountaineering Oversight Committee. Folks interested in becoming a Mountaineering Outing Leader should contact me directly.
Then, as your outing day approaches, people will call and/or email you (you will get the best response if both are available.) After careful screening of prospective participants to make sure that they are physically able to partake in your outing and letting them know what to bring, just make arrangements for a time and convenient meeting place. It's that easy. If you would like more information about becoming an outing leader, just call me at at 520-991-1199 or mitchstevens@qwestoffice.net.
See you in the great outdoors!
Thanks,
Mitch Stevens
Outings Chair
mitchstevens@qwestoffice.net
