A place for crewleader specific info

Cactus Info [1.6 mb, PDF]

Desert Trails by Mark Flint [1mb, PDF]

Name

Work #      Home #

Address

E-mail

Emergency Contact

Meal Preference     MeatNo Meat

I am interested in volunteering on these dates:

Input the number you see in red above (it prevents spam)

Notes:

If you are attending a work event with a party named on the “events” page, you DO NOT need to sign up. We will contact your company’s event organizer to verify your meal preference.

If you have already signed up on this page, and have received a confirmation email it is not necessary to sign up again. Simply email the coordinator who
emailed the confirmation.




We thank our project sponsors!

Tucson Saddle Club Teissedre Designs, Inc

2008/2009 Season

Date	Sponsor	Pictures
Sunday, October 19, 2008	Peace Corps Day	Photos
Saturday, October 25	SDMB Day	Photos
Saturday, November 8		Photos
Sunday, November 23	Available
Saturday, December 6	Available
Sunday, January 11	Team Rhino Day

Do I need to sign up?
While drop-ins are welcome, we need to have sign-ups
for each work event in order to plan the crews and order
enough lunches.

Where will we meet?
We will meet at pre-determined locations for carpooling
to the work site. Meeting locations will depend on the
section of trail being built. When carpooling, do not leave
items of value in your vehicle.

What do I wear?
Because we’ll be working with hand tools in terrain that
is sometimes rough, work-appropriate clothing is
required for your safety: gloves, long pants and boots.
We also recommend a hat and long-sleeved shirts for
protection from the sun. We’ll have some extra gloves,
but not enough for everyone, and not as comfortable as
your own might be.

What do I bring?
You should bring water and a snack if you think you’ll
get hungry before lunch. We’ll have some water and will
provide all tools, as well as lunch at the end of the work
session. A small pack to carry water bottles,
sunscreen, wallet and personal items is a good idea.

What about safety?
Everyone will receive a safety talk before the work
starts, and crew leaders’ first responsibility is to
make sure volunteers are not risking injury to
themselves or others. Crew leaders are certified in
First Aid and CPR, and have communications and
contingency plans in case there is an injury or medical
emergency. If you have a medical condition, be sure to
let your crew leader know. In addition, we are working
with local fire departments to have an EMT on hand at
the larger work events.

How long will I be out there?
We’ll work until lunch time, and then you can either go home or — and this is a change requested by some of our volunteers — have the option to continue to work a couple more hours. Depending on transportation time, you should be back in Tucson by 1 or 2 p.m. if you leave after lunch.

What is the work like?
Trail construction varies with the terrain. On flat or gently sloping land the work is primarily clearing a narrow path (about three feet) and pruning or removing vegetation. (Some vegetation will be replanted.) On steeper terrain, it is necessary to cut a “bench,” a small road, into the hillside. This is more labor-intensive, and requires the use of picks and pick-mattocks as well as digging bars to remove large rocks. Regardless of the terrain, you will not be asked to do any work you aren’t comfortable doing, and your strength, fitness and energy will be considered in work assignments. We want our volunteers to enjoy their trail building experience, and the amount of effort you put into it is up to you. You may find a crew leader recommending that you take a break or get a drink of water.

Will we encounter snakes and scorpions?
It’s possible, but not likely. Snakes, who may be out and about in October, March, April and May, don’t like to be around human activity, and will quietly move away to more peaceful surroundings. In our safety talks at the beginning of the work event we’ll go into detail about any possible hazards, and how to minimize your risk.

What tools will we be using?
The most common tools used to build trails are the pick-
mattock — a pick with one end that is flat and around
three inches wide — and the McLeod, a firefighting tool
that is like a wide hoe on one edge and a rake on the other.
Rock bars are used to unearth and move rocks, and pruning
tools — nippers, loppers and small saws —
are used for vegetation. Shovels are also used for
revegetation and moving dirt. Wheelbarrows are used to
transport dirt, plants for revegetation and water, which
may be needed to help shape and pack earth berms or
for transplanted vegetation.

May I bring my dog?
We discourage dogs on trail work events. They need to
be on a leash, and it’s not practical to hold a leash while
building trail. In some places it’s possible to find a shady
spot to tie a dog, in others it’s not. So please leave your
dog at home, and bring it back to romp on the trail
after it’s built.

How about children?
Children who are old enough to help with the work are welcome
to join in. Children must be 12 years of age, and must stay
with a parent or guardian during the event.

On what days can I volunteer?
You can sign up for any date. We intend to have
sponsors for every date, and individual volunteers
are welcome at all work events.

How far in advance should I sign up?
Work events have been reaching the limit of 50 as far head as three weeks,
so if you really want a specific date register well ahead of time.
At the latest you should sign up by Monday of the week before the event
to allow planning and ordering lunches.

What if it rains?
Unless it’s a downpour or lightning is present, work will
go on. If there’s a chance of showers, bring raingear. It’s also a good idea
to put a towel and spare shoes and socks in the car.

(Click to enlarge map)

Click the link below to download the latest GPS data in GPX format:

CC-AZT-11_20_08.gpx

[Last updated 11/20/2008]

This file covers the Cienega Corridor from the Lakes road to Saguaro National Park boundary. Look for a new file covering the Colinas segment once it’s all linked up!

Thanks to TopoFusion.com for continued mapping support throughout the project.

Topo Maps

Note to equestrians: Currently the trail south of Colossal Cave Mountain Park to Interstate 10 is not accessible to horses. Gates need to be installed, a horse route under I-10 adopted, gated and signed, and a safety issue north of Three Bridges needs to be resolved. Check here for updates.

Sahuarita Road

The trail can easily be accessed at four points. From the south, the trail crosses the Sonoita Highway (Hwy 83) at Sahuarita Road. The northbound trail is directly east of the highway at Sahuarita Road and southbound trail is approximately 100 feet west of the cattle guard on Sahuarita Road.

Three Bridges

The next access point is at Three Bridges. Northbound trail is on the north side of the road bridge, just west of the trestle and within a few feet of the north edge of the Cienega Creek embankment.

The southbound trail follows an old right of way road that ends near the south end of the road bridge. Follow the right of way south until you come to the trail on your left before you get to the top of the hill (almost directly across from the Cienega Creek Trail parking lot).

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

A link trail near the Cowboy Parking Lot is the southernmost access point inside the park. The parking lot is at the beginning of the one-way loop road at La Posta Quemada Ranch (near the group picnic area). The trail begins at an aluminum gate just west of the parking lot.

The trail also can be accessed at the La Selvilla picnic area at the north end of the park. It can be found west of the restrooms and parking area

Pistol Hill Road

The trail crosses Pistol Hill Road approximately 1.5 miles northeast of Old Spanish Trail. From Old Spanish Trail drive downhill on Pistol Hill, a well-maintained dirt road, to a cattle guard. There is room for parking above and below the cattle guard. The northbound trail begins at a gate in the fence north of the cattle guard. It goes to Rincon Creek, approximately 3.5 miles.

The southbound trail is approximately 200 feet west (uphill) of the cattle guard, heading southwest about 50 feet in from Pistol Hill Road. Both of these trails have carsonite signposts, but the southbound signpost is not visible from the road.

Individual Sponsorship
for sponsors who contributie financially to the trail building effort.

Ironwood
Sponsor provides
$2000.00 +
Sponsor receives:
Logo and link project web site, logo on printed project promotional material, and project T-shirts.

Ocotillo
Sponsor provides
$1,000 - $1,999
Sponsor receives:
Link on project web site and printed project promotional material.

Cholla
Sponsor provides
$500 - $999
Sponsor receives:
Recognition on web site.

Hedgehog
Sponsor provides
$1 - $499
Sponsor receives:
Recognition on web site.

We are looking for corporate organizational sponsors to both provide volunteers and financial support to our trail building efforts.

Step 1:
Decide which level is right for you:

Saguaro
Sponsor provides:
$2,000 or more.
Sponsor receives:
Event day named for sponsor
in all project promotional material.
Logo and Link on event web site
Logo on event T-shirts*
Sponsor pamphlets/informational materials
distributed at work event.

Palo Verde
Sponsor provides:
$1000.00
Sponsor receives:
Event day named for sponsor in
all project promotional material.
Logo and Link on event web site
Logo on event T-shirts*
Sponsor pamphlets/informational materials
distributed at work event.

Mesquite
Sponsor provides:
$250.00
Sponsor receives:
Event day named for sponsor in all project promotional material.Sponsor pamphlets/informational materials
distributed at work event
Step 2:
Pick an available day from the events page.

Step 3:
Email us your decision.

Step 4:
Claim your donation on your taxes.

The Arizona Trail Association is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation under Internal Revenue Service Code, Employer Identification Number 860762149

*T-shirts will be provided for all volunteers at Palo Verde and Saguaro sponsored events, and to all volunteers who attend three work events.

Many events, many miles of trail. Here are the extensive archives of all Cienega Corridor event photos.

Pictures from 2004-2005

Pictures from 2005-2006

Pictures from 2006-2007

Pictures from 2007-2008

Wil’s Photo Page (Summer 06 diehards)

This project started as a volunteer effort to build a 25-mile segment of The Arizona Trail beginning at Saguaro National Park in the Rincon Mountains and working south to the Santa Rita Mountains. That project, the Cienega Corridor, is now complete and ready for feet, tires and hooves.

A second project began in 2008 to extend the trail another seven miles in the Santa Ritas, tying it in with the Arizona Trail trail where it currently ends at Oak Tree Canyon. This is the Las Colinas segment.

Another link in Saguaro Park will be added to connect to the trail as it heads north into the Catalina Mountains. The 800-mile Arizona Trail, which extends from Utah to Mexico, is nearly complete, with approximately 60 miles left to build.

Thanks to many community sponsors, including user groups such as the Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists and the Tucson Saddle Club, and businesses such as AOL, Epic Rides Inc, TopoFusion and Tucson Electric Power, we have already completed more than 27 miles of trail for this project.

Project contact: markflint@dakotacom.net

Webmaster: smorris@topofusion.com