After several attempts, it’s looking more likely that the Chiricahua National Monument may become Arizona’s fourth national park. Senate Bill S.736, co-sponsored by Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, was approved May 17, 2023, by voice vote in the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The next step will be a vote by the full…
It’s been a busy and productive Spring for trailwork in the Chiricahuas. The completion of the South Fork Trail project in mid-April was quickly followed by a week of work organized by the venerable John Sumner. A group of volunteers came from as far away as Minnesota to spend time cutting logs alongside this master…
Success is sweet. The saga of South Fork reached a new milestone in April when the crew of Wild Arizona completed the rebuilding of this classic Chiricahuan trail. Not since 2011 has it been passable to those who wanted to experience this path into our unique sky island wilderness. It’s now possible to reestablish connection…
The Chiricahua Regional Council is pleased to announce the election of board member Dirk Sigler to serve as Vice President of the organization. As a lifelong backcountry enthusiast, Dirk makes his home in Portal, AZ where he built his first home in 2005. His background is in construction and the visual arts. Having involved himself…
Chiricahua Regional Council sends our deep condolences to the family of Congressman Jim Kolbe. We are still profoundly grateful for the vital help he provided in protecting this precious and unique part of the Chiricahua Mountains. With his support the Cave Creek Protection Act of 1993 was signed by President Bill Clinton and approved by…
We value our collaboration with the Forest Service and are happy for the contributions our stewardship group has made this year with the work on the South Fork Trail and the placing of new signs in the wilderness.
On October 11, 2022, the US Forest Service issued the below letter saying that they are “withdrawing the draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact and cancelling the South Fork Day Use project.” This is a significant victory for all citizens concerned with preserving intact habitats. CRC applauds the USFS in reaching this…
A team of four volunteers led by John Sumner continued trail work in the Chiricahua Wilderness last week. The plan at this stage of the project was to ascend and work on the higher and more remote section of the trail. The Chiricahua Regional Council is sponsoring this multi year project to fully restore the…
On September 24, 2022, the USFS and Korrina Rantz celebrated a National Public Lands Day volunteer event at the Visitor Information Center in Portal. Improvements were made to the new connector trail linking the VIC to other Cave Creek Canyon trails. Following the work, CRC, Friends of Cave Creek Canyon, and Wild Arizona supplied food…
A number of volunteer events are planned for September and October as we ramp up the effort to complete the South Fork Trail (SFT) and celebrate our public lands. Beginning on the September 22, there will be several of us working to remove downed wood on the SFT’s first segment. When an assessment was done…
