On Sunday, April 14 Jeff "Legend" Garmire finished the entire length of the Arizona National Scenic Trail only 15 days, 13 hours and 10 minutes after leaving the Arizona/Mexico border. His hasty crossing establishes a new Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the Arizona Trail.
Legend completed the entire journey self-supported (no outside assistance or support crew along the way). This shatters the previous FKT by over three days, and even beats the previous supported FKT time of 15 days, 22 hours, 39 minutes. In order to maintain such an impressive pace, Legend logged more than 50 miles per day without any significant rest.
"It was truly one of the harder things I have ever done," Legend wrote in his most recent Instagram post. "My feet are cut and bruised, my mind is cloudy with exhaustion, and my body has wasted away down to nothing. It was not exactly the experience I was expecting, but it was the one I was searching for."
Check out his photos on Instagram @thefreeoutside or his website: Free Outside.
AZT Finisher Report Now Available
Have you ever wondered how many people have completed the Arizona Trail? Perhaps which mode of travel they used? Which communities they visited along the way? Or which other long-distance trails they've completed? Well, we have just compiled the Arizona Trail Finisher Report for inquiring minds like yours. View the complete report online here.
The Arizona Trail Finisher Report is organized by: - Demographics - Trek Basics - Resources - Trail Attribute Ratings - Highlights and Negatives - Gateway Communities - Suggestions
This data was compiled from responses over the past three years from the Completion Award Survey. Everyone who has completed the entire AZT (either as a thru- or segment-hiker or rider) is encouraged to fill out the survey. As a congratulations for completing the Arizona Trail, we will mail you a custom copper belt buckle (or pendant). Thanks to our friends at Pioneer Title Agency for covering the cost of these awesome completion awards.
You can view a complete list of Finishers online here.
Prescribed Burn in Saguaro National Park
Fire managers at Saguaro National Park plan to conduct a prescribed burn on Mica Mountain in the Saguaro Wilderness of the Rincon Mountain District (Saguaro East) late April or early May when conditions are favorable. Up to 541 acres may be treated with prescribed fire. Ignitions may continue for approximately two to three days. Fire managers will only conduct the prescribed burn when environmental factors such as wind, temperature, and relative humidity are favorable.
The following backcountry trails will be closed during prescribed burn operations: Bonita, Spud Rock, Mica Mountain, Mica Meadow, Fire Loop/Heartbreak Ridge (between the junctions of Mica Mountain (south) and Italian Spring), and the Arizona Trail between the junctions of Cowhead Saddle and Italian Spring and Cowhead Saddle to Manning Camp.
Arizona Trail hikers should plan for temporary delays, however fire managers will escort Arizona Trail hikers from Manning Camp to Cowhead Saddle when it is safe to do so.
Campsite availability at Manning Camp will be limited during the prescribed burn.
Smoke is expected to be present on backcountry trails within the vicinity of Mica Mountain for at least a week or until significant precipitation occurs. Vegetation in the area is predominately ponderosa pine. Elevation in the area ranges from approximately 7,950 to 8,670 feet. Lightning-ignited fires have historically burned through the high-elevation ponderosa pine forests of southeastern Arizona, but past fire suppression has created unnatural conditions with accumulation of downed trees and dense underbrush in many places. Fire managers use low to moderate intensity prescribed fires to maintain healthy forests in the Rincon Mountains and to prevent large intense wildfires.
Volunteer Vacation in the Pines on May 25-31
Join the Arizona Trail Association and the Coconino National Forest as we kick off the largest trail building project on the AZT since Close the Gap! This new initiative will be a chance for everyone to help build a piece of the nearly 18 miles of new trail and get the Happy Jack Passage off of forest roads.
If you have one week (May 25-31) and would like to be part of Arizona Trail history, please register for the Volunteer Vacation while there are still available spots. No previous trail construction experience is necessary -- we'll teach you all the skills you need. Build trail during the day, enjoy delicious meals at night, and camp among the pines. Learn more at our Volunteer website.
Limited Edition North Face T-Shirts
The Summit Hut and the Arizona Trail Association have teamed up to present this limited edition T-shirt from The North Face. Shirts features a special Summit Hut/Arizona Trail logo on the back and The North Face Half Dome logo on the chest.
Men's navy blue shirts feature the AZT logo on the back of the shirt, between the shoulders. Men's shirts are made from 100% breathable organic combed ringspun cotton. Women's sage green shirts feature the logo on the right hip and are made from a cotton/poly/rayon blend.
100% of proceeds benefit the Arizona Trail Association.
Get them while they last by visiting The Summit Hit (5251 E. Speedway Blvd.) in Tucson or order them online here: Men's Shirts Women's Shirts
BIG THANKS to The Summit Hut and The North Face for their support of the Arizona Trail Association.
Arizona G&T Cooperatives is a proud supporter of the Arizona Trail Association.
Arizona G&T Cooperatives owns and operates the Apache Generating Station near Cochise, Arizona -- a plat providing power to more than 147,000 electric meters and 400,000 people in Arizona, California and New Mexico. They also operate and maintain more than 622 miles of electric power transmission line and 27 substations in a network that reaches across Arizona.
Arizona G&T Cooperatives is a Ponderosa Pine level Business Partner.
Please support the local businesses that support the ATA.