Newsletter # 8 April 15, 2007
Dear Friends of the Sonoran Conservancy,
The Fall-Winter activities in Fountain Hills sponsored by the SC included Guided Hikes, Extensive trail building in the Fountain Hills Preserve, Indoor and Outdoor lectures, and support for the Town Council’s effort to establish an alternate access trail into the Preserve.
Since last October, the Conservancy has conducted 16 guided hikes into the Preserve. On average we had 8-10 persons joining with two of our Trail Guides. One exception was the “free ride” offered for those who did not feel able to walk the 5 mile round trip. Seventeen persons were driven to the Preserve and enjoyed all the views traveling along the Promenade trail. “Free Ride” to the Preserve was shared by 17 riders.
Our Trailblazers established a new record when they completed 1.7 miles of the North trail in less than 4 months. This new trail was established as Phase I of a trail that will lead from the Preserve into the McDowell Mountain Park. At present the trail is “Dead Ended” near the Park boundary. Phase II will be initiated after the County Park and the Town complete an inter-governmental agreement and the Park completes a connecting trail to our border from the current Dixie Mine trail. Currently, these energetic volunteers are grooming a rough-cut, bulldozed path created by Dennis Smith of NWWS, Inc. under contract from the Town.
This is another Phase I project. Eventually this wider, lower elevation route will become a paved access for wheelchair travel. Meanwhile it will serve as a popular, easy, walking path that provides all the views and Sonoran dessert life shared by the other trails in the Preserve. Trailblazers have given a total of 568 hours of time building these two trails.
The Town Council supports the idea of finding an alternate access route to the Preserve. They have a goal to achieve such access during 2007. Having this access would allow individual hikers the freedom to hike on their own schedule (not limited to registering walks with Trail Guides, or not trespassing illegally on MCO Properties, Inc. land.)
Three areas for such access have been identified: (1) Access from the Chaparral City Water Co. tank area at the end of Mayan Drive, (2) Access from Sunridge Drive opposite Desert Canyon intersection, and (3) Access by bulldozing a trail that would be located according to the easement granted on the extension of Eagle Ridge Drive in Adero Canyon.
There are concerns about losing privacy from increased traffic, by residents living in the first two areas. Our answer to that concern is based on experience with the Dixie Mine trailhead.
Public traffic may amount to no more than two or three cars on any one or two days in a week. Also, there is the question of who has legal authority to control those access routes. The Sonoran Conservancy obtained an opinion from their attorney that Mayan Drive was legally a Public access. Access from Sunridge Drive is not the issue, neighbors are more concerned with a public parking area.
Council discussion has been limited to Executive Session meetings except when Council members have met with members of HMO groups living in those areas. It is the desire of the Town Council to first work with the residents to determine the most popular resolution. Unfortunately, some actions taken by Town Staff have worked counter to the Council’s desire to start first with a neighborhood to listen to all options before taking any physical steps to expand on developing trail details. In fact, Unfortunately, Town Staff appear more intent on proving that all but the Adero Canyon route are impractical. To counter balance this viewpoint the Conservancy Board is publicly declaring their position: They will gladly support building a two foot wide walking access from either the Chaparral water tank area or the Sunridge Drive location. They will build such a trail at no cost to the Town, and by using only hand tools there will be a minimum of displaced earth to minimize any serious change in the view of the mountainside. The Conservancy would be strongly opposed to mechanical bulldozing of any trail because it will create significantly more land disturbance and increased visibility.
As for the Adero Canyon route, there are legal differences on the validity of utilizing the deeded easement before a public road is constructed and paved. Our primary objection is to spending time and money to bulldoze such a trail only to have this trail closed again for up to 18 months during development of Adero Canyon infrastructure. That would mean no access at all (whether by Trail Guides or illegal trespass). We need to have assured free access if we are ever going to see action by the County Park to construct a multi use trail to our North trail location.
Public disclosure of Town Council studies will be forthcoming during scheduled Council meetings in the next two months. Look for their Agenda announcements and plan to come and express your own position on an alternate access route.
Meanwhile, other good news. The Preserve was pinpointed this Spring as the site for two Eagle Scout projects by local Boy Scouts. Preceding cutting the Easy trail, Andy Oliphant organized eleven other scouts and their fathers to move and replant any plant life that might be endangered or destroyed by being in the way of the proposed trail route.
Dillon Sanders is in the process of implementing his project. When completed he will have located and installed concrete footed benches in prime view areas.
A Business Report
Our Total Trust Fund Balance is $6,785.86. This balance represents the accumulative combination of Previous membership fees and your contributions during the past 3 years. The Conservancy has spent over $3,419.83 during that time to cover costs for trail building tools, Trail Guide and Trailblazer training literature and library, Web site development/maintenance, and these Newsletters.
Help Us Continue to Achieve the Goals of the Sonoran Conservancy.
O Recruit additional volunteers to expand both trail improvement and guide training programs.
O Offer free manpower to construct a new access trail to the Preserve.
O Establish a Nature Trail to be developed along the Easy trail.
O visitor information signs at various viewpoints
Start by renewing your annual contribution...Today.
Just click here for an Application Form.