UPDATED Chiricahua Weekend Rescheduled to Sept 12-14

UPDATE:
It appears we have a good group of hardy souls willing to make the trip, so shall we plan a potluck (or not)?

Friday Supper: With everyone arriving at different times, this can be on your own.

Saturday Breakfast:???

Saturday Supper
Hotdogs and buns, pot o' beans. Shawn
Veggie munchies, hummus and dip for the evening. Ambika
Pork roast and cooked veggie side(s), beer (assumed for Sat.) Tom
Chips & beer for Saturday night, and some sort of dessert. Jeannine
Chicken burros, salad, wine? salsa. Randy
BBQ'ed Shrimp appetizer and a fruit dish Tim

Sunday Breakfast:
Pancakes Shawn
Banana bread and Almond butter Jeannine

Coffee and creamer and such for the mornings, and some paper plates, bowls and plastic eating utensils Tracy

The website says there is no water. I called to confirm and the Rec Planner for the Douglas office says the tank has deteriorated to the point that the water won't pass spec's for public drinking water. So for the want of <$10k to replace it, they shut it off (but didn't lower the fees). To put that in perspecitve, the FS spends how much on computers, travel, office space, etc. etc. etc. (Maybe I'm too close to this.) However, there is flowing water in the immediate area so take your chances or bring your own water or your filters.

Can the early birds snag the group camp site? I don't expect to get there till Friday evening.

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Trying this again. . .

After getting rained out the first go 'round in July we'll give it another go. The main hike will be on Saturday. Meet up at Rustler's Park on top of the mountain, we'll see if interest warrants the group site or if we can just all get spots near by.

Info on this area is available at "Chiricahua Peak via Rustler Park TH, AZ" on HAZ. The long route is all the way to the Monte Vista Fire Lookout which will require an early start but no one should feel compelled, you can hike out as far as you want, it's an out and back trip, or pick your own, there are lots of trails. As a real radical option, if anyone wants to set up a shuttle (~60 miles) the day before, we could do Rustler's Park to Rucker.

Just to be safe, prepare for thunder showers in the afternoon. Cool nights, hopefully we can have a fire, hotdogs and beans, etc. There is a campground fee, so bring some cash. As it gets closer we'll see about a pot luck for Saturdy night, if so, I'll plan on a pot of beans and, of course - - pancakes.

Come one, come all, and bring some friends. Wish we could entice some of the new folks, I see several sign up but never show up.

Cynhikr · Joined: 09 Jan 2003 Posts: 1197 Location: Tempe, AZ.

If ya get hungry in route, try Rodney's in Willcox (Railroad Av.). Terrific brisket, bbq, burgers & Rodney is a great guy to boot. They are dying out quickly, but Arizona still has some good, quirky places left; this is one of them.

kurt
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Nighthiker · Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1714

Horseshoe Cafe in Benson.

Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

Okay okay........................geez..................I'm going...honking horn and all.......it'll be like south canyon all over again.......LOL

Hikngrl · Posted: 9/13/2008, 8:25 am Post subject:

NO! Not South Canyon!!!!!! Chuckle

Hope every one took their ear plugs with them! Laughing

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~~~Diane~~~

I want to shine!

Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

Great time..............similar unpreventable South Canyon event Embarassed

They all needed to be up anyway!

A special thanks to Ambika and Randy for staying up until the wee hours of the morning to greet me and help me set up my tent. Ambika is the directional/map queen for getting me safely to the campground after DPS sent me on a scenic tour of the state. Thank you, Thank you, thank you. I'm sure I'd be still circling Sierra Vista if you hadn't helped me.

This was such a nice area! I have never hiked an area with such a large variety of wildflowers. It was wildflower and mushroom heaven. They were spectacular. Hysterical company--fire building skills were somewhat challenged this weekend...but I did learn the inverted log cabin technique campfire

for fire building. Crazy

Thanks Shawn for your fine organizational skills. Certainly fun to see everyone. I do believe Scott wins the prize for bringing along the most friends.......or wait.....did Tim find the folks in a Tucson bar Friday night????????????? Laughing

I did stop at Rodney's in Wilcox on the way home. Fun guy, interesting little place. Thanks Kurt for the dining tip! I think I only grew by 2-3 pounds this weekend.

desertgirl · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 3350 Location: Chandler, AZ

oliverr99 · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 632 Location: Glendale

Glad to hear you all had a great time! Sorry I missed it, but life can be unfair sometimes!
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Anne
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" -- Dr. Seuss

Tommy · Joined: 21 Jul 2005 Posts: 192

Yeah, great weekend everyone (despite the rain)! just got back from doing Miller peak with Tim. 10 1/2 miles round trip with about 3000 feet elevation change. It is hard to beat southern Arizona this time of year.

paintninaz · Joined: 06 Jan 2003 Posts: 3515

Shawn · Posted: 9/14/2008, 6:16 pm Post subject:

Thanks everyone for coming and making this such a good time. I am glad to see the "newbies" come out and participate.

What's next? Was I the only one to hear Jeannine voluteer to organize an apple run to Reavis Ranch in October?
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The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see.

desertgirl · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 3350 Location: Chandler, AZ

wanderingsoul · Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 2285 Location: Gilbert AZ

Wow sounds like you had a Great Time everyone! Berry picking and lots of wildflowers?? Ya'll better have taken Some pictures to see.
Hats off to Jeannine & Ambika for the restraint on the Brownies... Boy you gals are good Applause

Rain? I watched weather and I didn't see them mention it, but I'm sure it made it eventful and you enjoyed it all just the same.
What the campfire gave you all some trouble? Where was Tom with his fire skills? He is always good with Fire ... or at least that is what I've seen, but sounds like you got it going anyway and enjoyed it.
Sounded like a Grand Time indeed, wished I could have made it!
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sbkelley · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 284 Location: Tempe, AZ

Great weekend, everyone - I was incredibly impressed with the mountain scenery and the sweeping vistas of the area. Great hike choice, Shawn.

Other than Tim dropping his sunglasses in the fire (in the rain...I'm still impressed by that move...), an entertaining evening indeed! Plus Tom, Bret, and I learned how to break into a car with Tim's marshmallow skewer! What more could you ask from an afternoon? Kudos to Jeannine, Tracy, Suz, Ambika, and Danielle for peer-pressuring Tanya into a couple glasses of wine Laughing

This morning, our gaggle hiked from the Monument HQ up to Heart of Rocks and then around that loop. What a cool spot! Though it came at the cost of doing Miller with Tim and Tommy, I'm glad we got to see all of those formations. Even crazier, we only saw 4 other hikers the whole day in the Monument.
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Mountains complement desert as desert complements city, as wilderness complements and completes civilization. - Ed Abbey

desertgirl · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 3350 Location: Chandler, AZ

Group Album set up - let me know if you cannot post & my pictures are posted:

Pictures : Click Here
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Davis2001R6 · Joined: 12 Dec 2003 Posts: 5591 Location: Italy

I had a great time all. It was an adventure from the start. A quick 8.5 hour drive from Phoeniz to get there started it all off.

The hike was great and company even better. It was nice to meet some new faces (Fan, Randy, and Scotts friends Joe and Jason), as well as see the familiar ones. Welcome back to AZ Tommy and thanks for Joining me today. Not sure if I could have fought off the Illegal on my own. Wink

-TIM-