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PIMA TRAILS ASSOCIATIONProtecting Pima County’s Trails since 1987

www.pimatrails.orgVol. 26, No. 2 Fall 2013

President’s Message

Sue Clark, President

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Rosemary Minter, Catalina State Park Volunteer, Receives State Recognitionby Sarah Corning

She isn’t sure, but Rosemary thinks she may have logged more than 3,500 hours as an Ari-zona State Parks volunteer at Catalina State Park since 1995. Although she has spent a lot of time helping to maintain the park’s eques-trian trails where she rides her horse regularly, she has put in even more hours clearing hiking trails, planting trees, and helping with park maintenance. Arizona State Parks Director Bryan Mar-tyn surprised Rosemary with the Arizona State Parks Volunteer of the Year Award at the Vol-unteer Venture Training and Recognition event at Lost Dutchman State Park on April 5th. In his remarks, he praised her for her many years

I hope your summer was relaxing if you stayed in Tucson or vacationed somewhere cooler. Now is the time to get back out on the trails whether you are in a saddle or on foot. The weather that we all love is here.

In this newsletter, you’ll find the latest information on trails that we have and also what we’ve been involved in since last spring.

In May, Catalina State Park celebrated its 30th Anniversary and we were there with our booth. The Park is a wonderful place to experience many different kinds of trails. Catalina State Park is 5000 acres and backs up to the National Forest so you can hike or ride various kinds of trails - flat trails, steep trails or washes and go for a short time or a long time. The choice is yours. There is an entry fee of $7.00 per vehicle. See the article in this newsletter about long time Pima Trails member, Rosemary Minter, who has volunteered many hours at the park.

Our annual dinner and election of officers is coming up on No-vember 12. This year we will be hosting it at Mimi’s Restaurant at Tucson Mall (4420 N Oracle Rd) on the northeast corner of Wetmore and Oracle Roads. Members will receive their ballot and dinner information in a separate mailing so watch for it in your mailbox. Please mark your calendar and plan to attend. It’s always fun.

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PTA Statement of Purpose Pima Trails Association is a nonprofit, 501(c)3, all-volunteer trails advocacy organization com-prised of hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers working together to protect and preserve trails in Pima County.

PTA Goals

1. Establish an integrated multi-use public trails system.

2. Assure permanent access to trails on public lands.

3. Promote cooperation with land owners and developers to preserve access to traditional-use trails on private lands.

4. Foster cooperation and com-munication among all trail user-groups.

5. Communicate and cooperate with government agencies on trail matters.

6. Keep the community informed about trail issues and opportuni-ties.

7. Facilitate the safe and harmoni-ous multi-use of trails through trail education, community programs and fund-raising activities.

8. Encourage the development of new recreational and historic trails.

9. Expand the effectiveness and influence of Pima Trails Association.

2013 PTA Board Members

Sue Clark, President Terri Gay, Vice President Bev Showalter, Secretary Chuck Cook, Treasurer

Directors Jon Shouse

Mike Studer Jim Terlep

Sharon Urban

Pima Trails Association Newsletter

is a publication of Pima Trails Association,

P O Box 35007,Tucson, Arizona 85740 Phone 520-577-7919

www.pimatrails.org

Publication of advertising should not be deemed an endorsement by PTA. Story copy reflects the views of

the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of PTA. Story copy is

subject to editing as needed.

Editor: Terri Gay Contributors: Sue Clark, Terri Gay

© Pima Trails Association 2013 All rights reserved.

Articles or parts thereof may be repro-duced with permission if

acknowledgment is given to Pima Trails Association.

Advertising may not be reproduced.

PTA Events Welcome, New MembersJames Bird

Roslyn GoodmanSherry Manoukian

Dan PepperMichael Visser

Beatrice Wegrzyniak

Business & Organization Members

County Line Riders of CatalinaEpic Rides

Fair Wheel BikesGentleman’s AcresThe Magic Garden

Max Shemwell InsurancePima Co. Sheriff’s Mounted

PossePusch Ridge Stables

Saddlebrooke Hiking ClubSDMB

Southern Arizona Hiking ClubSummit Hut

Tucson Saddle ClubWhite Stallion Ranch

We endeavor to include every new member and current

business/ organization in this listing, and we apologize if we have missed

you or misspelled your name! Let us know and we will correct the spelling and acknowledge your membership in

the next newsletter.

October Tuesday, October 22, 7 pm

PTA BOARD MEETING REI, 160 W. Wetmore at Tucson Mall

November ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING AND

BOARD ELECTION Tuesday, November 12, 6:30 pm Mimi’s Restaurant at Tucson Mall

4420 N. Oracle Road

Watch for your invitation and ballot!

December Tuesday, December 10, 7 pm

PTA BOARD MEETING REI, 160 W. Wetmore at Tucson Mall

January Tuesday, January 28, 7 pm

PTA BOARD MEETING REI, 160 W. Wetmore at Tucson Mall

14th National Scenic and Historic Trails Conference

National Trails: Weaving the Tapestry of America’s

Cultures, Histories and Landscapes

November 3rd – 6th, 2013 Westward Look Wyndham, Tucson

www.pnts.org/conference/• Preserving Special Places and Telling Our Stories and Engaging New Partners

• Protecting the Tapestry of the Land

• Strengthening our Trail Organizations and our Trail Communities

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County Line Riders of Catalinacountylineriders.org

P.O. Box 8881Catalina, AZ 85738

DakotaCom.net: Host of the

Pima Trails Association websitewww.pimatrails.org

Pima Trails Association

Annual Dinner & Election of OfficersTuesday, November 12, 2013

Mimi’s Restaurant4420 N Oracle Rd

Northeast corner of Wetmore & Oracle Roads at Tucson Mall

Dinner is served at 6:30 pm

$20, inclusive of tax and gratuity, payable at the event

We will be honoring this year’s Friend of the Trails award winner.

RSVP by November 8at 577-7919 (please leave a message), or by email at bevshowalter@comcast.net with “RSVP for PTA Dinner”

in the subject line.

Members will receive ballots and dinner information in a separate mailing.

Rosemary (continued from page 1)

of service as an Arizona State Parks volunteer and wished her luck with her next project: Catalina State Park’s 30th Anniversary celebration on May 4th. Rosemary grew up in Missouri and has always enjoyed the outdoors. She is especially fond of Catalina State Park, which she knows well. “I’ve been coming here to ride my horse since before Catalina State Park existed,” she says. “It is such a very special place.” In addition to being a volunteer, Rosemary is also a founding board member of the Friends of Catalina State Park that was established in 2012 to mobilize support and raise

money for the park. It’s as a member of the Friends group that she has been helping to organize Catalina State Park’s 30th anniversary. Rosemary, who attended the inauguration and dedication on May 25, 1983, says that it was a day that she had looked forward to for a long time. Reflecting on the last 30 years, she says that she has seen the park get better and better with each passing year. We have made many improvements and worked hard to maintain those improve-ments.” Rosemary has been an active Pima Trails Association member for many years. Congratulations, Rosemary!

Pima Trails Association Helps Fund Signage for Arthur Pack Regional Park Trail System Spurred on by user requests, Pima Coun-ty Parks and Natural Resources department identified a need for directional signage in Arthur Pack Regional Park. Due to budget issues, no signs were likely to be made and installed in the near future. Pima Trails Association’s board deemed the signs important enough for trail users and approved funding for fabrication of the aluminum map signage.

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whitestallion.com

888-WSRANCH (888-977-2624)9251 W. Twin Peaks Road

Tucson, Arizona 85743

Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation

Leading community efforts to conserve the Sonoran Desert and enhance the urban environment while providing quality recre-

ational, educational, and leisure activities.http://www.pima.gov/nrpr/

Marana’s planned Heritage River Park is envisioned as a place where Marana’s heritage is displayed through a demonstration farm, water features, marketplace and equine facilities. The property’s proximity to the multiuse path and Santa Cruz River also represents a tremendous opportunity. Marana has an amazing story to tell as a community and the park gives it a chance to do so in a unique way. Located along the Santa Cruz River, south of Tangerine Farms Road, and west of Interstate 10, the park is:

• Three and a half miles long and contains an active farm and gardens, open space, paved and unpaved paths and trails, playgrounds, and ball fields• 163 acres surrounded by housing developments, quarries and sand pits, cotton fields, and the perennially flowing Santa Cruz River• Within walking distance of several residential neighborhoods• Aligned with the Santa Cruz River Shared Use Path• Easily accessible from Interstate 10 and other areas of Marana

From Town of Marana website, Marana.com

Trails Update

Pantano Pima County Flood Control is in the process of design-ing the river park along the south/west bank of the Pantano River from Craycroft to Tanque Verde. There will be a paved path and also a soft path where pos-sible. Discussion is currently taking place about the location of a staging area.

CDOThe river park is designed from La Cholla to La Canada. No bank protection is planned so the paths will not be as structured as on other river parks. There will be a paved path and a soft path separated with vegetation. This area has a more rural feel and the paths will reflect that.

Arizona Trail at Marsh Station RoadThe trail goes under the railroad trestle, which the Union Pacific has agreed to, as long as a canopy is built to protect users from anything falling off of a train. Steve Anderson, Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation planner, has arranged for the canopy to be built. Pima Trails has met with the Director of Pima County Department of Transportation and asked for a cut in the guardrail so that equestrians can quickly and more safely cross the road and not be trapped inside the guardrail when a train is going by which would be extremely dangerous.

Arthur Pack ParkPima Trails paid $600 for trail directional signs to be erected in the park.

Empirita RanchThis county owned ranch is planned mainly for eques-trian use. An informal group of equestrians got together to write a proposal for the best use of the ranch. Representatives from the group met with the County Parks Director to discuss the proposal. We’ll give you more information about this as it becomes available.

McKenzie RanchThis county owned property is planned mainly for mountain bike use. There are no trails built yet but the county plans on them being completed by fall of 2014.

Marana Plans New Heritage Park Along Santa Cruz River

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Epic Ridesepicrides.com 520-745-2033

24 Hours in the Old Pueblo Event Producer

Southern Arizona Hiking Clubsahcinfo.org

president@sahcinfo.org

Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclistssdmb.org

dick@openwindow.com

The Tucson Saddle Club tucsonsaddleclub.com

PO Box 30433Tucson, AZ 85751

Above: On May 4, 2013, Catalina State Park celebrated three decades of providing recreation and education for

visitors from nearby and around the world. Pima Trails Association member Paula Lipsitch, left, and president Sue Clark, right, helped commemorate the event while sharing

information on Pima Trails’ mission and projects.

From left: The El Paso and Southwestern Greenway route north of Granada Ave. where historic rails and ties were removed during the modern streetcar construction. A close up of a 1912 rail preserved on the greenway south of Granada.

New, Old Iron Cross Paths, One Loses Where the Other Gains The modern streetcar project is taking shape, as is the El Paso and Southwestern (EP&SW) Greenway. In “old-meets-new”, the 1912 EP&SW rail route is crossed by the 2013 streetcar tracks at Cushing Street and Granada Avenue. On the route to the north, away from the streetcar construction, the historic rails and ties are gone – removed, stored in the trolley contractor’s construction yard, then likely disposed of as the contractor cleaned up and moved ahead on the trolley job. The City of Tucson has not said why the rails were removed. Pima Trails is an advocate for the greenway

as a valuable connector trail and recreation amenity.

PIMA TRAILS ASSOCIATIONP.O. BOX 35007TUCSON, AZ 85740

9-13

RSVP for PTA Annual Meeting and Elections on Nov. 12 at Mimi’s on

Oracle Road!

New multi-year memberships are available. Save time and effort! 1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARSTrail Booster................... …$15 ...$45 …$75Trail Booster, family....... …$20 ...$60 …$100 Trail Advocate* ..............…$50 …$150 …$250 Trail Guardian* .............. …$100 …$300 …$500 Trail Guardians receive a PTA t-shirt with membership. Please indicate size desired: M L XLTrail Supporter*………………..$_____________

Name(s): _____________________________________________ Address: _____________________________________________ City: ________________________ State: ___ Zip: ___________ Phone: _______________________________________________

____ *Please list this Trail Advocate/Guardian/Supporter mem-bership as a business/organization membership. Business/organization name:________________________________ Website : _______________________________________________

Support Pima Trails...become a member or renew!PIMA TRAILS ASSOCIATION is a nonprofit trails advocacy organization of hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers work-ing to protect & preserve trails in Pima County.

Yearly membership runs Jan 1 - Dec 31. No memberships are prorated. Join online or print this form and return to the address below.

1. MEMBERSHIP: …NEW …RENEWAL2. Date: ______________ 3. E-mail: ______________________________________ Please be sure e-mail address is current!

You’ll receive your newsletter digitally at the e-mail address above. If you need a print copy, please notify PTA. We do not sell or share our membership list. 4. …Yes, I will volunteer5. I use the trails as a …Hiker …Mountain Biker …Equestrian …Other____________ (please check all that apply)

Join online and pay with PayPal or return this form with check payable to: Pima Trails Association. Mail to: PTA Membership, PO Box 35007, Tucson, AZ 85740