THINK OUTSIDE
Mucho Monsoon
Or is it Macho monsoon?
By Dan Groebner
From the perspective of us folks in the White Mountains, it doesn’t much matter which phrase we use to describe this summer’s rains! They both will apply as we have had way more than normal amounts of moisture during our monsoon season, and sometimes it has come down with force and enough machismo to flood out small meandering streams and rut up lots of roads making them continuous speed bumps. However, abundant monsoon
Trustiing Your Gut:
A Journey into the Heart
of Three Mountains
By Jillian Albrecht
Co-written by Jen Rinaldi
I have always been a person who listened to my heart, and I am intune with my gut feelings, never banishing those reactions. That’s why when I began to feel like something was missing in my life, (It had been a difficult 3 years) after battling my addiction to alcohol, graduating, and going for my Ph.D., I felt as though I needed to let Read More
Feeling Blessed in the Southwest
By Sherry E Engler
As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, reflections of blessings living in the Southwest flood my brain, and I am grateful. The Southwest is unique, mysterious, and grandiose; additionally, the Southwest is a land of versatility boasting various climates, landscapes, histories, and natural wonders. Perhaps, to be surpassed by none, the Southwest is a treasure to the soul.
WHITE MOUNTAINS
GREEN ACRES
Photos by Dan Groebner, Vulture view Videography
With some areas receiving twice the normal monsoon moisture most of the mountain is greening nicely.
Jacques Marsh
Pintail Marsh
Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area
Wenima Wildlife Area
White Mountain's Wonderful Winds
By Dan Groebner
It always seems to be extra windy in the spring here in the White Mountains, but is it getting extra- extra windy this year? High winds in burned-over areas can pose a risk with dead trees or just branches getting blown across trails, roads, and unfortunately onto campsites too. Many people travel with chainsaws just in case a big tree falls across their only road out of the woods. A tow strap can be used to drag the tree out of the way if it's small enough and you have a secure anchor point on your vehicle. Even Paul Bunyan would choose a tree saw over an ax since sawing is easier than chopping.
Top Ten Monsoon Musts for Hiking in the White Mountains
By Dan Groebner
It's hiking season in the White Mountains again! We welcomed the start of a monsoon more typical of long past, more normal years of precipitation, so the Forests will remain open for all to enjoy the extensive and well maintained trail systems. With a few steps of preparation, hikers can confidently stride down any mountain path with confidence knowing they are prepared to deal with a wrong turn at a trail junction or one of those other
Read More
The Dog Days of Summer
To Swim or Not to Swim
By Jen Rinaldi
One of the nicest things about living in the mountains this time of the year is cooling off at one of our many lakes. But as the summer temps heat the water posing a danger for both humans and animals alike.
Algae are microscopic organisms that can be found naturally in all types of water. Sometimes algae rapidly grow out of control or bloom. In Arizona, a bloom of blue-green algae can produce toxins (poisons), which can cause serious illness in people and animals, and in rare cases can be deadly. These blooms are known as harmful algal blooms or HABs.
Loving Arizona
By Allanna Jackson
You are probably already complying with this list to some degree. Minimizing our impact on the environment is simply being good stewards of the land by embedding good habits in all of our outdoor activities. For more information about the best practices see the web sites of Arizona Office of Tourism, Arizona State Parks and Trails, and Arizona Game and Fish. READ MORE
The Downstream Effect
Rob Bettaso
Let me paraphrase a well-known musical number: You got trouble folks, right here in River City, trouble with a capital "T" and that rhymes with "G" and that stands for garbage. Garbage my friends -- trash, refuse, litter, I say. Look around ya, it’s everywhere.
Let me put it another way: the snow is gone and we should be
READ MORE...
BACKCOUNTRY FIRST AID
"Beyond the Golden Hour"
BY DAN GROEBNER
Most people trained in first aid realize that the first hour after an incident is the most critical and can mean the difference between a happy and a sad outcome. Unfortunately for backcountry adventurers, we are often more than several hours from getting to an emergency room or even EMT help.
GROUND POUNDERS,
DOGS & DRONES
BY DAN GROEBNER
If you happened to be hiking in Woodland Lake Park a couple weekends ago you may have run into small groups of people, some in red uniform shirts and others with their maps, compasses and GPS close at hand. Don’t worry, it’s not the red army invading, as those folks are actually volunteer
A WHITE MOUNTAINS'
OUTDOOR SURVIVAL KIT
BY DAN GROEBNER
Fall is here in the White Mountains and that means hunting season and plenty of people enjoying the fall colors hiking the backwoods. Last month, we discussed how to get prepared for the big game hunt this fall and mentioned the need for a survival kit but didn’t provide any details. This month, we will cover that topic in more detail -- including the best way to avoid even opening up your survival pack -- by using your common sense instead. If the weather looks sketchy retrieving that big game animal or the hike is longer than you are used to in unfamiliar country, postpone your
LEAVE NO TRACE
In years past, we spoke of wilderness survival as the ability of people to survive the land. Now we speak of wilderness survival as the land’s capability of surviving humankind. The increasing use of our wildernesses, combined with improper travel and camping techniques, is creating major human impact problems. If we are to retain the high quality of our back-country experiences and keep our wilderness truly wild, each of us must accept responsibility to minimize the impact of his or her visit. Practicing a “Leave No Trace” ethic is very simple: make it hard for others to see or hear you and “Leave No Trace” of your visit. With your help, the wilderness resource can be managed to ensure that its unique
character and values remain intact. Learn more about Leave No Trace. go to
https://lnt.org/
