“Through the Great Southwest” is a documentary film about the Arizona Trail that sold out its premieres in Flagstaff and Phoenix last month. Now it's available for downloading and viewing in your own home. The Arizona Trail showcases amazingly beautiful and diverse terrain and has an equally significant impact on the lives of many of the people who hike, ride, run, and support it across the state of Arizona. Outdoor Evolution Founder Darwin Rakestraw makes his directorial debut with this Film Project inspired by the history, geography, community, association, and users of the 800-mile National Scenic Trail.
50% of every download will benefit the Arizona Trail Association and our continued efforts to protect and maintain the trail.
Watch the film trailer here.
Download the film for $8.99 here.
Tis' the Season for Volunteering
Spring is here, and that means it's the BEST season to enjoy trail time throughout most of Arizona. We have a number of opportunities statewide for volunteers to come together and give back to the trail that brings us all so much joy.
March 15 - Women's Trail Work Day on Passage 8 near Saguaro National Park: Tucson's REI Co-op is sponsoring a work event for everyone who identifies as female. It's a great chance to demonstrate what women can accomplish working together with tools!
March 21-22, March 28
help us on the latest push to remove the AZT from ranch roads by building trail as part of the Babbitt Ranch Singletrack project. It's a beautiful time to be in this breathtaking part of Arizona.
March 27-30 Woodbury Fire Recovery at Reavis Ranch is a strenuous backpacking event that will give volunteers the chance to work in the Superstition Mountains in areas impacted by the 2019 Woodbury Fire. Qualified volunteers will need to carry their own gear to camp at Reavis Ranch, but the payoff is a weekend of rewarding work in a remote location.
April 24-26 - Camp Cook Festival and Outdoor Cooking Classes will unlock the secrets to hosting an amazing campout whether for a group or just your own family. The big bonus is that for this event, we can EAT all of the results! For just $25 we'll provide food, equipment, recipes and instruction. All you need is an appetite and a sense of fun. Spots are filling up quickly - register today!
April 25 - Trail Day on Oracle Ridge sponsored by Summit Hut and hosted by Tucson Backpackers. This annual event helps us keep the Oracle Ridge Passage in top shape. Enjoy a Saturday on top of Mt. Lemmon with some of the best trail people in Tucson.
Details on all of our volunteer opportunities can be found here: http://volunteer.aztrail.org/
AZT ARM SLEVES
We just added arm sleeves to our merchandise offerings through the ATA Online Store. AZT arm sleeves feature topographic map graphics and the Arizona Trail logo. Protect yourself from the sun and thorny plants with these high-quality synthetic sleeves that are popular among runners, mountain bikers and hikers alike. Arm sleeves help regulate body temperature, accelerate muscle recovery, reduce muscle soreness/swelling and help improve circulation. The stretchy, soft material wicks moisture away to keep you dry, comfortable and ultimately, happy (and performing at your very best!). It works great in any environment. Wear as a shield against the cold and layer up! In summer, stay dry as perspiration is wicked away. They’re a great alternative to slathering on sunscreen.
Features:
Moisture Wicking Technology
Performance Compression Arm Sleeves
Regulates Body Temperature
Improves Blood Circulation
Prevents/reduces muscle soreness and swelling
Quick Drying Multi-Functional
Available in XS, S, M, L, and XL. Please note, sizes run large.
US Forest Service Chief Announces 10-Year Trail Stewardship Challenge
Last month, USDA Forest Service Chief Vicky Christiansen announced the launch of the 10-Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge. This call to action for trail organizations and agency staff will help address the deferred maintenance backlog on trails by prioritizing partnerships and empowering more citizens to lace up their boots, put on their gloves and hardhats, and help care for the trails we all love. With 159,000 miles of trails, the USDA Forest Service manages the nation’s largest system of trails, including thousands of miles of National Scenic, Historic, and Recreation trails. These trails depend on the support and dedication of Forest Service employees, volunteers, partners, and communities nationwide. “Together we are moving in the right direction toward shared stewardship of trails, and together we can go farther,” said Chief Christiansen. To learn more about the 10-Year Trail Shared Stewardship Challenge, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/trails/10YTC The Arizona Trail Association is committed to being a leader in this national effort through our Volunteer Program, Trail Skills Institute, and Seeds of Stewardship initiative. Your donations of dollars and volunteer labor will help us reach our goals. Let's make 2020 a big year for trail maintenance and improvements!
TRAIL JOBS
Wild Arizona, in partnership with the Coronado National Forest’s Douglas Ranger District, is announcing its six-week summer residential Youth Conservation Corps program for 2020 and is seeking Crew Leaders and Crew Members to join the program in June and July.
Crew Leaders
Camp crew leaders will be responsible for managing ten crew members 7 days a week while in camp, whether at a permanent Forest Service facility that we will be basing out of, in car camping scenarios during the workweek, or when spiked out in a backcountry camp for up to four days at a time. Responsibilities will include interpersonal behavior management, camp chore management and distribution, camp kitchen management, and outdoor skill and conservation education. Camp crew leaders will also be working alongside the crew during the day on trail maintenance activities (4 days a week) and during collaboration with Forest Service staff (one day a week) providing educational opportunities about various agency career paths and specialties.
Crew leaders will be responsible for creating a plan that incorporates all crew members to participate in camp maintenance activities, as well as creating a meal plan and shopping list and teaching crew members how to prepare group food for 12 – 14 people. All food will be purchased by the camp crew leaders and paid for by Wild Arizona. Camp crew leaders will also be responsible for managing the care and use of all gear while in the field including, but not limited to, kitchen supplies, tents, and other group gear.
This contract is expected not to exceed a total of 7 weeks for a total contract fee of $4200 (or the equivalent of $600 per week). A mobilization fee of $500 will be paid upon contract signing and two subsequent payments of $1,850 will be distributed on June 29th and on the final day of the contract, August 5, 2020.
Crew Members
Are you or your child a high school student who enjoys the outdoors and conservation and would like to get paid to work and live together with a crew of similarly aged people, camping and backpacking to remote areas in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona and learning the skills required to maintain and repair hiking trails?
The program will run from June 15 to July 31, 2020, with an arrival day on June 14 and departing August 1. To be eligible to participate, you must be available for the entire program duration.
Crew members will be compensated at the Arizona state minimum wage rate of $12 per hour, for a total of $480 per week. Food and housing while in the program are provided at no cost.
Please visit http://www.azwild.org/ycc to download the application form and send a completed copy via email to brian@azwild.org or by mail to:
Wild Arizona
P.O. Box 40340
Tucson, AZ 85717
Applications must be submitted or postmarked by April 1, 2020.