Originally totaling over 200 miles of hiking routes, these trails range from short connectors to longer, more rugged routes and include iconic paths like the Crest Trail (#270) that traverse the high ridges of the range. In the past, the system provided connectivity between the many Chiricahua canyons and peaks. Today we find perhaps half of the original trails in acceptable condition.

The Chiricahua Regional Council through its Stewardship Program is committed to preserving and improving what’s left of this extraordinary system. We’re striving to restore and recreate connectivity that existed historically.
CRC and its partners made real gains toward improving trail conditions in the Chiricahua mountains this field season. April brought the Chiricahua Wilderness Trail Crew to work in the West Turkey Creek area. The western slope trails of Rock Creek (#259), Saulsbury (#263) and Rattlesnake (#275), received much needed attention. The focus then shifted to the east side of the range and to Price Canyon Trail (#224). Members of the local hiking group assisted John Sumner and his able sawyers.

Later in the spring, a Sierra Club service group made further improvements to (#224).

In late spring, the Chiricahua Regional Council partnered with the Friends of Cave Creek Canyon to fully fund a week of work on the Crest Trail by Wild Arizona.

As the season turned to the hot summer months, the Youth Conservation Corps took up residence in Rucker Canyon, that great complex of rock, chasm, and Madrean woodland. The group was supervised by Wild Arizona. Outreach to local and tribal communities for recruitment of these young adults was funded by CRC. The heat was oppressive, but they were able to escape to higher elevation and do tread reconstruction along several segments of the Crest Trail (#270).

Despite interruptions to the flow of recreation funds at the Coronado National Forest earlier in the year, money eventually became available. In particular, the RAC (Resource Advisory Committee) played a large part in turning the situation around. This led to the hiring of Wild Arizona’s trail crew who returned to pour more of their skilled labor into our trail system. Not only did they re-bench segments of the Crest Trail, but in September they built a rerouted section of the Rucker Canyon Trail (#222). We encourage everyone to experience this amazing new addition. Following on this work was another visit from John Sumner and the Wilderness Trail Crew who removed over 100 logs from #222.

Education:
Backcountry Preparedness Workshop
Following our Heritage Days participation, CRC and FoCCC hosted a backcountry preparedness workshop on September 21st, led by Education Coordinator Margaret Wilch and CRC’s Dirk Sigler this educational initiative attracted 15 participants and provided essential safety training for outdoor enthusiasts. Follow-up workshops are planned for later this fall, demonstrating our commitment to ongoing community education.

Exotic Invasive Species Management
The CRC continued its critical work addressing invasive species threats to our ecosystem. Through our partnership with Wild Arizona these ongoing efforts have successfully treated non-native invasive plants, including Tree of Heaven and other problematic species along Cave Creek. This work is essential for maintaining the ecological integrity of our mountain ecosystems. Planned for November is a workshop open to the public in Paradise, AZ to train in methods of eradicating exotic plant species. Wild Arizona’s Jonathan Patt will be the trainer. This is a co-sponsored event with Friends of Cave Creek Canyon

Partnerships and Collaborations
Throughout this period CRC strengthened key partnerships with:
• Friends of Cave Creek Canyon- Joint trail projects and educational initiatives
• Wild Arizona- Multiple project collaboration on the trail system and non-native invasive species removal
• Coronado National Forest- Youth Conservation Corps program- Mentorship and recruitment support
• National Forest Foundation- Partner grant funding for trail development
• Local tribal communities- Cultural outreach and collaborative planning

Looking Forward
The CRC’s accomplishments during this period demonstrate our multi-faceted approach to conservation through trail stewardship, community education, invasive species management, and collaborative partnerships. Our work continues to build bridges between conservation science, community engagement, and cultural heritage preservation in the Chiricahua Mountains.

The post April – September 2025 Conservation work appeared first on Chiricahua Regional Council.

This is not your typical Thursday hike report. Seven local hikers did hike on Thursday, doing excellent trail work on the Ida Peak Trail. But this was a small piece of what has been going on for the last 10 days. In the 1990’s John Sumner began leading Sierra Club work trips in the Chiricahuas. Folks could spend a hefty sum to come here and do hard trail work for a week. Eventually John decided that he could do these trips without the Sierra Club. No one would have to pay a fee and folks could bring their own food. Several trail workers from these early Sierra Club trips have stuck with John and return to the Chiricahua Mountains with him year after year to do trail work. John himself lives in Houston and you might question why he shows up here twice a year with a trail crew. He simply loves the Chiricahuas because he grew up here and was the best friend of Ted Troller’s brother. John graduated from Douglas High School and is retired as a geologist for a Houston oil company.

During the past 10 days, John’s team consisted of 11 individuals, including Nizhoni Baldwin from Wild Arizona and Zac Ribbing from the U.S. Forest Service. But the story doesn’t end here. Our local hikers added nine more trail workers. We were never all together at the same time, but people came and went, following their own schedule. John Sumner, and some of his crew, were the constants, remaining in the field for all 10 days!

I apologize if I missed anyone or didn’t get all the details quite right. This was a massive undertaking, both the doing and the summarizing!

People

John’s Crew: John Sumner (Houston), Jody (NY), Rachel and Moses (LA), Jane and Bill (Tucson), Jean (Berkeley), Steve (Tucson), John #2 (Houston), Nizhoni (Phoenix) and Zac (Sierra Vista). Local Hikers: Dirk, Peter, Eskild, Carol, Elaine, Al, Sheila, Elly, and William (Richmond, VA).

Six local hikers plus the two Johns, taken at Barfoot Park. John, William, Elly, Carol, John S., Peter, Sheila and Al.

John, in blue, with one local hiker and three members of his trail crew, taken at Rustler Park. Jody, Nizhoni, Eskild, John and Jean.

Zac, a Sierra Vista U.S. Forest Service employee who is as knowledgeable about trail work as anyone. Doesn’t he look like he belongs right where he is?

Places and Celebrations

April 7 – 10: West Turkey Creek camp, Saulsbury and Rattlesnake Trails

April 11- 15: Price Canyon camp, Price Canyon Trail. Price Canyon stew prepared by John

April 16: Rustler Park camp, Crest, Greenhouse and Centella/Bear Wallow Trails. Three Sister Stew, fry bread and Navajo tea, prepared by Nizhoni, sharing her heritage

April 17: Ida Peak trail, dinner for 15 at the Portal Store

Camp at Rustler Park. Nizhoni and Jody

An improved Price Canyon Trail. What a mess it was/is. One day 12 people worked all day and managed to clear .4 mile. But overall more than two miles got cleared. At times Elaine and Al acted as scouts to flag the sometimes difficult to find trail so that the sawyers knew where to work.

Not all our efforts were successful. In Price Canyon John decided that with 12 people we could move a MASSIVE log that was about 18 feet long. We could not. My very favorite part of trail work is moving huge sections of logs off the trail with leg strength, as indicated above.

A mess of a spot along the Ida Peak Trail. Here you see hikers in March crossing a blown out ravine with considerable difficulty, and sawyers on Thursday trying to get that big tree out of there. They did. They improved the trail too. Note the wedges used. Saws get stuck in logs and need WD-40 (or equivalent) plus the wedges and sometimes some lifting. There is much strategizing at times.

Tools

All professionals have their lingo and trail workers are no exception. Most of the work here is in the wilderness area and hand saws must be used. There are a variety of tools that are used almost daily. Our very talented sawyer and artist, Jody, produces a new piece of art for us each year. Two are below; one shows some common tools. The tools, starting at the left and rotating clockwise, are asymmetric crosscut saw, Pulaski, axe, symmetric crosscut saw, Corona pruning saw, lopping shears. Also used are shovels, McLeods (look it up) and more.

These mountain trails are much loved — and in need of tremendous amounts of work. We thank all, from far and near, who contributed their exemplary efforts during the last 10 days. Sometimes it is very good to be very tired. For next week, April 24, meet at 8:00 a.m. AZ and 9:00 a.m. NM at the Silver Peak Trailhead and we’ll head up high, where it will be cooler.

Happy trails!

Report by Carol

Photos by Carol, Eskild and Peter

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The Chiricahua Regional Council expresses profound concern over recent federal staffing reductions threatening our vital trail maintenance partnerships. Nationwide 3,400 workers have been abruptly fired. This represents 10% of US Forest Service personnel and the disturbing part is that the firings are disproportionately affecting Recreation staff. A troubling feature of the current Washington administration’s assault on the Forest Service is an instruction to staff that they may not even communicate with their partners. In other words a gag order.

A similar reduction of National Parks Service personnel (see attached article) has already led to access problems for the public. But that pales in comparison to what’s happening at the US Forest Service. It is our position that the manner in which this has been implemented is illicit and we are advocating for a reversal of these cuts.

The force reductions at the USFS are having a direct impact already. The Douglas District which administers the Coronado National Forests within the Chiricahua and Peloncillo mountains is down to a skeleton crew. Several planned projects representing years of collaborative work between our organization, the communities in the region, other nonprofits, and federal agencies have been postponed. These partnerships have been the most effective tool for maintaining access to the public land in our region. In fact all of Southeast Arizona is being affected. Our trail system will continue to degrade if this situation doesn’t improve.

We urge members to contact their representatives expressing support for the dedicated public servants who administer our public lands. These professionals are stewards of America’s natural heritage and deserve our advocacy during this challenging time. We urge immediate reconsideration of these cuts to preserve both our natural heritage and the community relationships that sustain it. Protect our public lands!

**Contact Information:**

Senator Ruben Gallego
Russell Senate Office Building
2 Constitution Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4521

Senator Mark Kelly
Russell Senate Office Building
2 Constitution Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2235

https://www.npca.org/articles/7076-parks-group-warns-of-dismantling-of-the-national-park-service

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Thank you to our partners at the Forest Service for helping to make this year’s YCC the best one yet. A big THANK YOU to the Chiricahua Regional Council for funding the Outdoor Equity Fund, which helped several youth from the San Carlos Apache Tribe attend the YCC.

Goal 1: Complete stewardship projects on National Forest land in each of six program areas: Range, Fire, Forestry, Heritage, Biology and Recreation. We worked with Forest Service program specialists throughout each project. Range projects included: taking down an old corral, clearing brush along fence line, identification of grass species, surveys of grass plots, digging a ditch for a new water pump system, trail and fence brushing and clearing in the Peloncillos. Forestry projects included learning how to ID plants, measure the height of trees, and think and act like a forester. Fire projects included: brush removal around the Cave Creek Canyon Visitor Center led by the woodland firefighters from the Douglas Ranger District.

Recreation projects included brush removal and corridor clearing along the Turtle Mountain Trail, Rucker Trail and around Cima cabin.
– brushing and log-out along 1.4 miles the Turtle Mountain Trail corridor, repairing the tread surface of .25 miles and building retaining walls and cairns
– installed bear-proof food boxes at a recently renovated campground.
– brushing/log-out 0.4 miles of Rucker Trail stretching from our campsite (mile 2.2) The crew improved a creek crossing, built five cairns, and worked on two washouts at spots closer to the trailhead. The crew built a retaining wall/ramp up a an eroding side drainage and in the other spot we constructed a 200 foot reroute.
– tread work and brushing around Cima Cabin

Biology projects included installation of multiple protective structured for sensitive plants throughout priority sites. Discussion and identification of different ecological conditions and habitat for sensitive species.

Heritage projects included Firewise vegetation management, clearing the corrals, mud work on the historic adobe at Half Moon Ranch. Invasive plants that were growing close to the foundation of Shaw House were removed including Tree of Heaven. The pump house at Shaw House was painted.

Youth Conservation Corps members say:
“I loved Fire so much I’m planning on applying to join Engine 612 next summer. They treated us like adults, gave us actual fulfilling work to do, answered all of our questions with passion, and gave us the most tools to search for a job in the Douglas district.”
“I loved working with all of the archaeologists, mainly because of how passionate they were about everything, ranging from the history of the land we were working on to just vague topics within the history that they’ve studied.”
“I’m the pickmatic fanatic. It provided a nice physical challenge and there was a fun learning curve too. It was something I really felt I wanted to improve in for the fact that it was hard as well as active. I liked having some real purpose for once.”

“My favorite was digging tread. I think it was so much fun, because I was being active and doing hard work, but also able to talk with my friends and joke around, but still staying focused and making a difference. I really liked treading on Turtle Mountain, because I could see everything around us, and it was so beautiful. I loved being able to hike the trail over and over again, and see the difference we had made as a team- recognizing a section of trail I had brushed, walking over a section of tread my friends and I had dug out. It was just really cool to see and appreciate the difference we had made, seeing that “Oh, I did that, and that’s super cool,” which is a really amazing feeling.”
“Fire brought many things to the table, teaching us things that we had not learned before, treating us like fellow workers and not like children, and showing us their passion for they job that they have been doing for a period of time.”
“Joe was really cool so I liked Range.”

Goal 2: Engage in robust outreach and recruitment efforts to ensure a diverse, successful and well-rounded crew. We started outreach far earlier this year than previously, in March, and received outside funding to increase outreach to underserved areas of the state including the San Carlos Apache Reservation. It paid off. We had 65 applicants and a far more diverse and qualified pool than previously. Ten youth were hired ages 15-17, with four female and six male crew members. Part of the goal of the program is to mix local, regional and national youth. We attempted to hire the best and most motivated crew members. With a large pool of diverse applicants, it was easy to reflect diversity in the final choices. Six crew members live in Arizona. Of these, two are local (Sierra Vista, Bisbee), four are regional, and four live outside the state, from Georgia, Alaska, Louisiana, and New Mexico. For the first time all 10 youth that started the program were able to finish it. We believe this was in part due to great recruitment. With so many youth applications, we were able to hire only youth who were really motivated and capable of being in full attendance.

Goal 3. Help youth gain the skills to live and work in the outdoors. All ten crew members have learned how to travel, camp, work and live in the backcountry. They have learned hands on conservation skills such as basic techniques for the cross-cut saw, efficient pruning of vegetation overgrowth, properly tuning up the trail surface or “tread,”and many other applications of firewise techniques and techniques for the study of ecosystem function. Along the way we have repeatedly reinforced safety and risk management int eh outdoors. Crew members have also learned important conflict resolution tools and gained practice using them.

Goal 4: Inspire youth to live a life outdoors as stewards of public lands.

“When I came into YCC, I had a vague plan for my life, but now I can’t really see myself living a life like I had previously imagined. I think I care much less about anything that doesn’t truly make me happy. I remember talking to other crew members about this, because a few of us realized that we were so much happier living a life like we do here than our lives back from before. We saw that we were so much happier living a life like this.
Now, I view everything differently. I feel like I’m much less superficial or focused on doing things that don’t make me happy. I also feel like I’ve become more caring and open by being around so many people that I really love. I can’t imagine myself living a life that doesn’t truly make me feel like I’m making a difference, and being fulfilled. I think this is the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life, both physically and mentally. This has been such a
healing experience for me, and I’m so grateful I’ve had this opportunity. I loved every second of it. I think the two main things that I loved the most were the bonds I’ve formed with people, and the amount of time I was able to spend outside. These people have become some of my closest friends, and I’m so glad to have met them. Reading with them, talking with them, going on walks, having deep conversations and always feeling loved and accepted was so valuable to me. Being surrounded by nature the entire time, and looking outside and just seeing miles and miles of pure and untouched beauty made me so much happier than I can describe.”
– Sabine
There’s so much about it that I began to enjoy and grow to love. Honestly, I really struggled getting introduce to trail work since I really don’t do many athletic things or spend much time outdoors, but as the weeks went along I began to really understand why Sage loved trail work as much as they did. It really leaves you feeling accomplished, and feeling awesome sauce after a long day of working. You could be complaining all day, then find yourself feeling appreciative of your own work as you re-walk the previously rocky, turned smooth, trail as you descend down the mountain. Not only that, but the hard work on your body throughout the day also leaves you feeling AMAZING by the end of the day.
– Erin
I’m thinking about doing something in the outdoors now, and my health habits are 100 times better.
– Annabelle
Now, I want to be a wildland firefighter and I’m gonna do my best to make that happen next summer. My plans
kind of flipped entirely, but I’m very grateful they did. Without this program I would’ve been stuck working towards a job I would’ve hated. I am forever in debt to the YCC.
– Graeme
Well I want to go into trail work now, so that’s changed a heck of a lot. I’ve got myself a real goal for the future
which gives me a drive to put in the work in many areas of life. I’ve never had a full life goal like this for the future so that’s a nice feeling. It’s always been personal things like improving social skills and whatnot. I’ll still continue on personal things like that, but when your goals only exist in that personal field who you are becomes your entire life. You become wrapped up in your identity above all else and let’s say how funny you are or things like that become your entire life. You become vapid and this helps give me an opportunity to move away from such things and orient my goals around experience.
– Beck

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Coronado fire crews cut and dressed juniper logs from fuel reduction projects in the Rucker Canyon area. The Forest Service delivered the wood using mules. Volunteers then stepped in to plant the posts and Dirk made new signs with tools and materials provided by the Douglas Ranger District.

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District Ranger Doug Ruppel brought in his team of mules and delivered cut signposts that his fire crew produced from juniper logs obtained from work in Rucker Canyon. The next task for stewardship is the planting of these posts across the Crest followed by the production of new signs. This will be happening throughout this Spring.

In all 17 miles were cleared.

CRC would like to thank John Sumner and Nizhoni Baldwin for their contribution.

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The program organized monthly trail maintenance days for the Portal-Rodeo Hiking Group. These dedicated volunteers worked primarily in the Cave Creek Canyon area. Multiple work events involving as many as 13 participants focused on the Nature Trail, Herb Martyr, Basin, Crest, and Cathedral Vista Trails.

We coordinated with Wild Arizona to work on both the upper and lower sections of the Greenhouse Trail  in the summer. During the fall, we partnered with John Sumner (co-leader of the Chiricahua Wilderness Trail Crew) and those who accompanied him, to do essential work in keeping many of the backcountry trails free of downed trees.

The program was also instrumental in securing grant funding to address a non-native grass, Paspalum dilitatum (common name Dallis grass), that threatens Cave Creek Canyon’s aquatic habitats. This project will commence in March of 2024.

All of this activity represents the solid partnerships we have developed and continue to cultivate for our region. The Chiricahua Regional Council (CRC) strives to keep stewardship as one of its primary missions. Membership has been consistently supportive, and your generous donations are essential to the organization’s success. We’ll continue to engage the local community, FoCCC, Wild Arizona, the Forest Service, and other organizations to further restore the trail system in the Chiricahuas. Jonathan Patt (Wild Arizona) will be joining our Advisory Council. Future projects will be enhanced by his valuable input.

As we look ahead, the program continues to identify sections of the Crest, Greenhouse and Snowshed Trails for improvement during the 2024 field season.

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The Chiricahua Wilderness Trail Crew led by legendary sawyer John Sumner visited in October. This small group ascended the South Fork Trail to 270 and then traversed to Juniper Saddle descending Snowshed Trail via Pine Park to Herb Martyr. They cleared logs and brush as they made their way through the range. Notable accomplishments were the clearing of Burnt Stump Spring Trail from its junction with South Fork (this is the sole spring in that area and an essential water source for passing hikers) and the completion of the summit spur trail to Snowshed Peak.

The Greenhouse Trail also received some much needed work with Wild Arizona running a two-day event from Cima cabin.

The renovation of the Crest Trail is by no means finished, and there are additional projects that CRC Stewardship is developing for the future. With your continued support, we look forward to completing this world class trail.

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For the first time, we joined forces with Wild Arizona to work on the trails. Luke from Wild Arizona arranged for us to meet at the Silver Peak Trailhead at 7am.  Many of the hiking clubs’ regular contributors to the working sessions were unavailable as they were traveling in Europe, Central America, or the US. We expected a lower than usual turnout, but were pleasantly surprised by the turnout. A total of 12 embarked on the trip to the high country.

After carpooling first to Rustler Park then further up the Long Park Road to just below the Bootlegger Saddle, we got an orientation in safety practices with saws, clippers, and hoes.

The mean and median ages of the working crew was substantially lower than what we are used to as the volunteers ages ranged from 9, 11, 15, and 17 to the 70’s.

We hiked to the Crest Trail at Bootlegger Saddle and started to work going south towards Fly Saddle where the trails from Centella Point, Round Park, Long Park, and Fly Peak meet.

We sawed and pruned trees, as well as cleared vegetation as needed. The above picture is before our work and below is after.

We improved the trail tread as well.

At the new Walter’s Pass, we stabilized the rerouting of the trail by building rock support.

It was a true team effort.

It was a very hot day in Portal but quite pleasant high in the mountains where a slight breeze and some cloud cover provided welcome relief. Unfortunately, the early promise of rain fizzled out. Despite that it was a good day in the high country. Thanks to Wild Arizona for facilitating the work.

Report and pictures by Eskild Petersen

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