Status Report – October 2005

 

          Celebration of October Mountain Month found scheduled hikes into the County’s McDowell Mountain Park the most popular activity. Additional scheduled hikes to both the Park and the Fountain Hills Preserve will continue from November 2005 through May 2006. See hike schedules posted in the Community Center, and register with Parks and Recreation receptionist for your hike.

 

          Starting January 2005 the new Town trailhead at the end of Golden Eagle Blvd. will be available for parking and public access through a special marked sidewalk trail leading to the McDowell Mountain Park entry gate. On this hike, the usual $1.00 fee is required for each entrant.

 

          The Sonoran Conservancy’s schedule for hikes into our Fountain Hills Preserve is listed under “Notices” on the main page of the SCFH site. These hikes are spread across each month on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays to provide options for all.

 

          All hikes into the Preserve must be scheduled and hikers must pre-register. This formality is a requirement to comply with the Town’s liability insurance contract with MCO Properties. Once the development of Adero Canyon is under way and a public road has been completed to the Preserve Trailhead then all scheduling will be unnecessary and the public may access the preserve area independently from sunrise until sunset. Until then, however, we do need more volunteers to staff our Trail Guide program. Please leave you name and contact information with our Parks & Recreation receptionist if you would like to serve as a guide. Longer range, our guide program will evolve through a series of training lectures to create certified persons in a Preserve Steward program.

 

          The McDowell Mountain Preservation Commission (MMPC) is pleased to recognize recent action by Town Council to rezone the Preserve land area to a new category, Open Space - Preserve. This action further establishes the long term protection of our mountain land for future generations to enjoy. Meanwhile, consistent with the Master Plan of the Preserve, the MMPC, Sonoran Conservancy, and Town Staff are actively involved in development of the Future Central Trailhead and a series of marked walking trails. We are always asking for more Trailblazer volunteers, so please identify yourself by calling the P & R receptionist to join our trail building effort. These work groups meet on various Saturdays and Sundays for half day sessions of fresh air and challenging (but not stressful) tasks.