El Paisano Spring 2007 #196

8/8/2019 El Paisano Spring 2007 #196

1/9

The Newsletter of the Desert Protective Council P.O. Box 3635, San Diego, CA 92163-1635

Phone: (619) 342-5524 Website: www.dpcinc.org

Spring 2007 Editor: Larry Hogue Number 196

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTThe year 2007 will bring changes and new opportunities to

DPC. With this issue you will see our ongoing improvements to

El Paisano, the main method by which we stay in touch with

you, our valued members, as well as policymakers and

academics.

Reflective of our growing efforts to improve DPCs overall

functioning, I invite you to look over our streamlined and more

user-friendlywebsite. We have added new material, removed

outdated items and generally made it easier to navigate and

more eye-catching. Writer/author Larry Hogue, in concert with

Shirley Harshenin, our webmistress, will continue to make

refinements in the months ahead. In the new cyberspace world

we live in, a quality website is a must, and ours now projects a

professional standard of operation to the world.

This year DPC is building on its longstanding tradition ofsupporting and building educational programs that will enhance

desert conservation. In the last two years w e have financed fifth

grade experiential campouts in the desert for Imperial County

kids; moreover, we paid for the hardware and curriculum to

allow students to interact electronically with desert resource

professionals. In 2007 we are now helping to fund projects for

Imperial Valley Colleges Ecology Club and its Environmental

Science Program. By underwriting desert field trips and more

we are cultivating future conservation advocates right in desert

communities themselves.

Education, how ever, is just one facet of our mission. This

organizations history of robust advocacy continues and touchesnumerou s issues affecting Californias fragile desert lands (see

the updated articles in this edition).

A third major aspect of our work in 2007 will be

stewardship. We are constantly seeking to locate suitable

private lands in Imperial County to purchase for conservation in

a manner that will enhance existing wilderness areas or

sensitive protected landscapes. When acquired, such lands will

be placed in public hands for permanent protection.

Finally, the Board is actively canvassing for new mem

add to our existing team. We are seeking new board mem

southern California who possess an interest in our precio

desert wild lands and who have available time, talent andother resources they would like to contribute to the missi

goals of the DPC. Please contactme orTerry Weinerfor furth

information. A fun part of the job is reviewing w orthy pr

in which to invest ourMesquite Fund! We are fortunate inde

not only to have a tradition of activism,but now also the

considerable means to support projectsbenefittingthe people

and desert lands of Imp erial County.

See you around the next bend in a desert canyon some

Nick Ervin, President

Wise words from author David JamesDuncan:*

Too many of us spend too much

time learning too much about

destruction. The result is inertia

and compassion fatigue. All the

time we spend m onitoring

destruction is time that could be

spent doing small, effective acts

compassion. I feel best, work besand love most when I shrink the

realm of possibility down to

something that I myself can

actually do, with my limited

knowledge, limited scope, my
http://www.dpcinc.org/http://www.dpcinc.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.dpcinc.org/_grants.htmlhttp://www.dpcinc.org/_grants.htmlhttp://www.dpcinc.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.dpcinc.org/_grants.html


2/9

Page 2 EL PAISANO Number 196

whole heart, my small thin voice,

my own two hands.

*Reprinted with permission fromGristonline magazine.

WEVE UPDATED OURWEBSITE

WITH A NEW SLIDESHOW

AND EASIER NAVIGATION.

CHECK IT OUT AT:

www.dpcinc.org
http://www.grist.org/http://www.grist.org/http://www.grist.org/


3/9

Stewardship

MOJAVE VALLEY LAND TRUSTSPEARHEADS NOLINA PEAK

CAMPAIGNby Pat Flanagan

For those of us who live and work in the California Desert, the

rapid growth of urban encroachment on our wildlands can be

both a surprise and a shock. How ever, we are not unique.Before we blame developers for the problem, we need to think

about the growth of our populations and the fact that developers

are merely responding to that growth.

Our challenge is to raise our vo ices and efforts so that the

inevitable urbanization is properly planned to protect our wild

places. We need to en sure habitats that support a w ide diversity

of life and protect those corridors through our open spaces that

encourage a continuing genetic flow through plant and animal

populations.

Local land trusts, with their entrepreneurial abilities to

acquire critical lands and hold conservation easements, play an

important role in thiseffort. For cash starved

municipalities, as well as

federal, state, and local

land managers, land

trusts are often the

critical partner to realize

the visions of general and

specific plans. When

possible, acquired lands

are given to the

appropriate agencies to

include within their

boundaries. If that is not

possible, the land trust remains the steward in perp etuity.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is currently working

with Joshua Tree National Park to acquire Nolina Peak, a

critical section (639 acres) adjacent to Covington F lats along

the parks northern border. This unique and b iologically rich

area is the natural topographic continuation of Quail Mountain,

a wilderness area within the park that is home to bighorn sheep,

deer, mountain lion, bobcat, and coyote. Although Nolina Peak

is undeveloped (except for the o ne-acre cell tower installation at

the top) it is dangerously adjacent to housing developments onthe eastern bo rder of the Town of Yucca Valley (viewma p).

The Bureau of Land M anagement owns 640 acres of prime

wildlife habitat immediately north of the Nolina Peak property.

MDLT is working to turn the Nolina Peak acquisition into a 2

for 1 deal by arranging for the transfer of the BLM parcel to

Joshua Tree NP. These two acquisitions by the Park would

preserve important wildlife habitat and maintain a permanent

scenic open space buffer between the c ommunities of Yucca

Valley and Joshua Tree.

The campaign to buy Nolina Peak and complete the fu

raising goal of $972,500 (which includes funds for acqui

and stewardship until the National Park can accept the la

the necessary administrative expenses for the next year)

until May 11, 2007. Time is running out and we still need

$200,000 to complete the campaign. We need your help.

Donation and membership information is available at

www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org.

Advocacy

SMART ENERGY SOLUTIONSPROVIDE ALTERNATIVE TO

POWERLINKby Elizabeth Lambe, Sierra Club

The campaign to protect Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

communities, and other natural lands continues to build

momentum. In February the State Park Commission met

Borrego Springs and heard public testimony regarding Su

Powerlink threateningAnza-Borrego. This

hearing was only the

second time ever that

Park Comm ission had

held a special hearing

a threat to one of

California's state park

(The first such hearin

held in November 200

was about the Foothil

South Toll Road

proposed to run throuSan Onofre State Bea

in South Orange County.)

Over 500 people attended the hearing in Borrego Sprin

wearing yellow "Save Anza-Borrego, Say No to Sunrise

Powerlink" stickers and banners.

Thanks to everyone wearing their bandanas, stickers and

carrying signs, the Commission was greeted with a sea o

yellow carrying the message "Protect our Park!" Prior to

meeting the campaign had a rally in the parking lot and h

out talking points for those who were planning to testify.

On S aturday, April 14, Santa Ysabel resident DenisTrafecanty ran 50 miles through Anza-Borrego in a fundr

and awareness raising effort to stop the Powerlink. Denis

greeted by 40 supporters in Borrego Springs and 20 more

Julian. His run raised over $10,00 0. Donations are still b

accepted by theAnza-Borrego Foundation.

The next big event for promoting the message that ther

smarter energy solutions will be the San Diego Earth Fai

April 22nd. Sierra Club and other coalition members wil

booths where we will be gathering signatures on petition

handing out information about energy alternatives that m

Nolina Peak, framed by the yuccas of Yucca Valley
http://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/images/yv_projects_original.jpghttp://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/images/yv_projects_original.jpghttp://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/http://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/http://www.theabf.org/hottopics.htmhttp://www.theabf.org/hottopics.htmhttp://www.theabf.org/hottopics.htmhttp://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/images/yv_projects_original.jpghttp://www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org/http://www.theabf.org/hottopics.htm


4/9


more sense, like conservation, renewable energy and other

"non-wires" alternatives. To "illuminate" that point, the Sierra

Club's Smart Energy Solutions Task Force volunteers will be

handing out low-energy light bulbs to attendees who write a

personal note to Governor Schwarzenegger.


5/9

Number 196 EL PAISANO Page 5

DESERT NOTESBrief news items from around the deserts

Good newsfor the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge!Wilderness

Watchreports that Refuge manager Paul Cornes quickly

scuttled plans for a live streaming video cam era and satellite

dish in the Kofa Wilderness after a barrage of comments from

hunters groups and wilderness advocates. The idea was to

bring the refuge to the people through their home computers,using a video camera and satellite dish at Adams Well, a desert

watering hole popular among local wildlife. As with all

intrusions of technology in wilderness, however, the plan would

have ruined the w ilderness values it sought to convey, as well as

potentially conflicting with hunters fair chase ethics.

Wilderness Watch, theArizona Wilderness Coalition, and

Backcountry Hunters and Anglersall applauded the decision, as

do we More good newsfor southern California desert

wilderness! In October, Congresswoman Mary Bono (R-

Riverside) introduced herCalifornia Desert and Mountain

Heritage Act,which would designate approximately 125,000

acres of new w ilderness in the San Jacinto, Agua Tibia andSanta Rosa mountains and Joshua Tree National Park. The bill,

which has bipartisan backing, was introduced as a draft and

will be reintroduced in the 2007-08 Congressional Session.

Meanwhile, organizers have been gathering broad-based

support from environmental and business groups, including the

Joshua Tree and 29 Palms chambers of commerce. According to

Deborah DeMeo, C alifornia Desert Program M anager for the

National Parks Conservation Association,With this legislation

Congresswoman Mary Bono is protecting some of Riverside

Countys most outstanding w ild places for residents, visitors,

and future generations to enjoy.We appreciate her efforts and

look forward to this important bill becoming law. Andgreat news:A condor returned, at least briefly, to San D iego

County for the first time

in nearly a century.

Flying north from its

home in Mexicos

Sierra San Pedro de

Martir National Park, a

California condor

crossed the border over

the Jacumba Mountains on April 4, spent a day or two touring

San Diegos mountains and deserts, and then returned whence

she came. The three-year-old female, hatched at theSan Diego

Zo o and released into the wild in 2005, is one of 11 condors

released in Baja since 2002. Biolog ists in the condor recovery

effort also report that another female in the B aja group has laid

an egg this spring, another first for this population. The goal is

for this population to some day connect with the reintroduced

condors in Central C alifornia. To do that, we n eed to keep these

wilderness corridors open and ahem! free of power lines.

For mo re on the impo rtance of wildlife connectivity, see this

monthsEd Bulletin, Linkages: Connecting Time and Space,

by Pat Flanagan In Ed Bulletin #06-2 by Richard Hals

the California Chaparral Field Institute, we brought you

information about fire in high desert and chaparral

environments and how to safeguard your home from wild

TinaMarie Ekk er of Wilderness Watch points out that the

Mountain Research Station also has an excellent video on

protecting your home, and it applies in all habitats where

wildfire is a threat, from forests to hig h deserts. To get yoFREE copy of the"Wildfire: Preventing Home Ignitions

DVD, contact Richard Schneider, Rocky Mtn. Research

Publications at 970-498-1392.

IMPERIAL COUNTY PROJECTS ANDCONSERVATION COORDINATORS

COLUMNBy Terry Weiner

Senator Darrel Steinberg, Chair of the State Senate Natur

Resources and Wildlife Committee, has introduced legisl

SB 742, to renew the State of Californias OHV Program

which is due to sunset in Janua ry 2008. If passed in its prform, the bill could have negative outcomes for law

enforcement, conservation, restoration of off-road vehicl

damage to state and federal public lands, to private prope

owners and to other forms of recreation in California. Se

Natural Resources Committee staff have convened a

stakeholder working group which has been meeting week

structured negotiations to amend the bill to meet the need

different interest groups. The conservation community ha

representatives in this working group. After four weeks o

negotiations and meetings w ith legislative staff, the bill i

cry from a form that most conservation groups in the stat

including DPC, can support. We will continue to work w

Senator Steinberg to make the bill more environmentally

friendly and then work with members of the Assembly W

Parks and Wildlife Committee. You can view SB 742 at:

http://info.sen.ca.gov/(read the strikeouts on the amended

version to see how the bill has been weakened).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released its Dr

Environmental Assessment for Controlling Raven Predat

the threatened Desert Tortoise, our California State Repti

This is good news because previously there was no plan

place to deal with this major threat to a species whose nu

continue to decline across the California desert. The D esProtective Council will be submitting comments on this d

plan. You can view the five alternatives proposed by Fish

Wildlife athttp://www.fws.gov/ventura/.

The Desert Protective Council will also be filing comm

on the Bureau of Land Managements Eastern San Diego

County Draft Resource Management Plan. The purpose o

plan is to update planning decisions based on changes in

circumstances and policies since the current land u se dec

were adopted. The current plan is well over 20 years old.

planning area includes 103,000 acres with a range of
http://www.wildernesswatch.org/http://www.wildernesswatch.org/http://www.wildernesswatch.org/http://www.azwild.org/http://www.azwild.org/http://www.backcountryhunters.org/index.php?link=aboutushttp://www.californiawild.org/Press/2006_10_09_CWHC_PressRelease.htmlhttp://www.californiawild.org/Press/2006_10_09_CWHC_PressRelease.htmlhttp://www.californiawild.org/Press/2006_10_09_CWHC_PressRelease.htmlhttp://www.npca.org/pacific/http://www.npca.org/pacific/http://cres.sandiegozoo.org/about/news_070405_condor_sandiego.htmlhttp://cres.sandiegozoo.org/about/news_070405_condor_sandiego.htmlhttp://cres.sandiegozoo.org/about/news_070405_condor_sandiego.htmlhttp://www.dpcinc.org/_educationbulletins.shtmlhttp://www.dpcinc.org/_educationbulletins.shtmlhttp://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_742&sess=CUR&house=B&site=senhttp://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom/newsreleases/2007/04-05_draftea_ravenmanagement.htmlhttp://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom/newsreleases/2007/04-05_draftea_ravenmanagement.htmlhttp://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom/newsreleases/2007/04-05_draftea_ravenmanagement.htmlhttp://www.wildernesswatch.org/http://www.wildernesswatch.org/http://www.azwild.org/http://www.backcountryhunters.org/index.php?link=aboutushttp://www.californiawild.org/Press/2006_10_09_CWHC_PressRelease.htmlhttp://www.californiawild.org/Press/2006_10_09_CWHC_PressRelease.htmlhttp://www.npca.org/pacific/http://cres.sandiegozoo.org/about/news_070405_condor_sandiego.htmlhttp://cres.sandiegozoo.org/about/news_070405_condor_sandiego.htmlhttp://www.dpcinc.org/_educationbulletins.shtmlhttp://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_742&sess=CUR&house=B&site=senhttp://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom/newsreleases/2007/04-05_draftea_ravenmanagement.html


6/9


environments harboring many sensitive habitats and species.

There are several Wilderness areas, Wilderness Study Areas and

Conservation Column (cont.)

Areas of Critical Environmental Concern in this planning area.

Issues addressed in the five alternatives in the Draft Plan

include management of off-road vehicle and other types of

recreation, protection of visual and cultural resources, and

grazing. Preliminary concerns include downgrading the visualresources classification of McC ain Valley (allowing for w ind

energy development in this scenic and highly visited area), and

target shooting in bighorn sheep critical habitat near the Table

Mountain WSA. Comm ents are due May 31, and you can

obtain a hard copy of the document by calling the BLM El

Centro at (760) 337-4400 or [email protected];

you can also view it on theBLMs website. Well have full

talking points on our website soon.

The Backcountry Horsemen of California have submitted a

nomination of Coyote Canyon as Coyote Canyon Wild Horse

Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places.

The State Historical Resources Commission will consider thenomination at a May 3rd meeting in Hollywood. The

Backcountry Horsemen contend that although the National

Register applies to places, the horses are a character-defining

element that could make Coyote Canyon eligible. They believe

that Coyote Canyon and its herd meet the criteria of the

National Register because of a link to the traditional values of

the American West. The equestrians would like to see the horse

herd returned to the canyon and consider it an act of

rehabilitation, according to the nomination. In March 2003,

after a long controversy, at the request of the Department o f

Parks and Recreation, a helicopter removed a band of horses

that had roamed the canyon for years. Park o fficials said at thetime that the removal of the 29 horses was done in the best

interest of the horses and for the protection of the ecology of the

canyon. Some of the horses were starving and the presence of

horses in the riparian area was affecting the movements of the

endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. You can submit

comments on this nomination to: Milford Donaldson, FAIA,

State Historic Preservation Officer, PO Box 942896,

Sacramento CA 94296.

If you have input fo r us on these or any other desert

conservation issues, please contact me at (619) 342-5524, or

[email protected] et. And remember to check our

advocacy sectionfor regular updates.

Advocacy

ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO SAVETHE DESERT:

STOP MASSIVE GEOTHERMALDEVELOPMENT

IN IMPERIAL DESERTThe Bureau of Land Management has held scoping meetings

regarding their Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the

Truckhaven Geo thermal Leasing Area. The area is located in

western Imperial County, north of SR-78, west of SR-86

south of Highway S-22. The area is east of Anza-Borrego

Desert State Park and overlaps portions of Ocotillo Wells

Vehicular Recreation Area. The proposed action area

encompasses about 40,000 acres, of which about 14,300

are federal mineral lands managed by the BLM El Centro

The Draft EIS considers opening this area to geotherm

development because the area is supposed to be capable producing enough hot water

deep in the earth to fuel at

least two power plants and

produce up to 50

megawatts of power. If the

leases are approved and the

testing shows that there is

enough hot water available

to produce a significant

amount of e nergy, then

more environmental

documentation would haveto take place. Noise,

particulate pollution from diesel construction and drilling

equipment, dust from pad and road construction, loss of t

currently unspoiled viewshed , adverse effects on the loca

aquifer, soil erosion, and introduction of invasive plant sp

are some of the expected impacts from the placement of w

pipes, pads, power plants and transmission lines. There w

also be an impact to o ff-road vehicle recreation because o

curtailment of some use in that area. The amount of oppo

lost to ORV recreation will depend on how many leases a

granted and the number of wells ultimately developed.

The Desert Protective Council is planning to addressconcerns about the imp acts to desert habitat and to Spec

Status wildlife species, such as the flat-tailed horned liz

Colorado D esert fringe-toed lizard, and the Le Con tes th

which the BLM lists as having a high potential for occurr

the area. A number o f plant species at risk of endangerme

Mecca Aster, Orcutts Woody Aster, and Peirsons Pincus

among others also have a high potential of occurring he

San Sebastian M arsh, a vital oasis and one of the last hol

for the endangered desert pu pfish, is just south of the lea

area. Potential threats to this wetland area should be thor

addressed. The leasing area also has a documented cultur

history that spans more than 1 0,000 years; at least two tri

groups consider the cultural resources of the area as part

cultural heritage. The DEIS does not discuss how these

resources will be protected.

One question which arises from this proposed major en

development project is whether the mission of the state p

extends to lands manag ed as state recreation areas, but no

owned by DPR. In response to the threat the Sunrise Pow

poses to Anza-Borrego, DPR Director Ruth Coleman has

that the mission of California State Parks does not includ

energy development projects. If the geothermal leases are

Existing Imperial Valley plant
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/esdrmp.htmlhttp://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/esdrmp.htmlhttp://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/esdrmp.htmlmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.dpcinc.org/_advocacy.shtmlmailto:[email protected]://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/esdrmp.htmlmailto:[email protected]://www.dpcinc.org/_advocacy.shtml


7/9


approved for development, this could set a precedent which will

make it that much easier for the next energy project proposed

for California state park land to be justified.

What you can do: Obtain a copy of this Draft EIS and send in

comments on any part of the document that concerns you. You

can view the documentonlineor obtain a hard copy by calling

Erin Dreyfus at (760) 337-4400. Mail your comments before

April 30

th

to California Desert D istrict Office, attention JohnDalton, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los Lagos, Moreno Valley

CA 92553.

San Sebastian Marsh Photo byDavid Scriven

NEWS ABOUT OUR MEMBERSLong-time DPC member Ms.MYFANNWY CALDERONof

Bellingham,WA passed away in late February of th is year.

DPC Board Vice President and long-time member of the Desert

Protective CouncilGEOFFREY SMITHand his wife Camille

Armstrong were recently featured in a front page San Diego

Union-Tribunearticle about their 20 years of successful work

protecting wild areas in San Diegos back country and

throughout Ca lifornia. The article, entitled Protection, Acre by

Acre, described Geoffrey and Camilles roles in Senator

Barbara Boxers California Wild Heritage Campaign to protect

more than 2.4 million acres of California as federal wilderness.

Senator Boxer referred to the couple and other campaign

volunteers as her eyes and ears on the g round and said,

Without them, I certainly could not have gotten as far as I

have. Read the full articlehere. Congratulations, Geoffrey andCamille, and thank you!

PRESTON ARROWWEED, Quechan Elder, Imperial County

DPC member and founder of the Ah-Mut Pipa Foundation,

through a $30,000 grant from the Desert Protective Council, has

finished production of a 30-minute video presentation:Journey

From Spirit Mountain. The video focuses on the Quechan

Creation Story, the Colorado Deserts sacred lands, and the

importance of desert ecology to the Quechan culture. The film

will be sold with an accompanying study guide for teachers and

will be available for purchase through the Desert Protective

Council. Well have pricing and ordering information on

website soon.
http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/pdfs/elcentro_pdfs/Truckhaven_Geothermal_DEIS.Par.53170.File.dat/truckhaven_deis.pdfhttp://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/pdfs/elcentro_pdfs/Truckhaven_Geothermal_DEIS.Par.53170.File.dat/truckhaven_deis.pdfhttp://takwish.smugmug.com/http://takwish.smugmug.com/http://www.dpcinc.org/_whatsnew.shtmlhttp://www.dpcinc.org/_whatsnew.shtmlhttp://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/pdfs/elcentro_pdfs/Truckhaven_Geothermal_DEIS.Par.53170.File.dat/truckhaven_deis.pdfhttp://takwish.smugmug.com/http://www.dpcinc.org/_whatsnew.shtml


8/9


KEEP YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN DPCCURRENT

Membership in the Desert Protective Council is based on a

January 1 to December 31 term of membership. If you are a life

mem ber you do not need to renew. However, we are always

receptive to gifts to keep our projects going. Many of our

members, life and regular, are most generous, and your

donations help ensure that DPC remains a strong voice forconservation in all of our deserts. You can donate onlinehere.

Much of our current activity is based on projects in Imperial

County, as required by the settlement of the Mesquite Mine

lawsuit. Since we engage in many other projects and issues

outside of Imperial County, we keep nonrestricted donations in

a separate account for use in more general desert issues.

DESERT PROTECTIVE COUNCIL --WHO WE ARE

Nick Ervin,President

Geoffrey Smith,Vice PresidentLarry Klaasen,Secretary

Byron Anderson,Treasurer

Terry Weiner,Imperial Projects & Conservation Coordinator

Shirley Harshenin,Webmistress

www.nutheadproductions.com

Larry Hogue,Communications Consultant

DESERT PROTECTIVE COUNCIL NEW AND

RENEWAL MEMBERSHIP FORM

Enclosed is my remittance of $_______

[ ]New Membership [ ]Gift Membership [ ] Renewal

Name_________________________________________

Address_______________________________________

City, State, Zip________________________________

Phone_________________________________________

Email_________________________________________

Please make checks payable to: DPC

Mail to P.O. Box 3635, San Diego, CA 92163-1635Dues and all donations are tax-deductible.

MEMBERSHIP LEVELS (please check)

[ ] Life $300.00 one time

[ ] Regular Membership $25.00 annually

[ ] Joint Membership $35.00 annually

[ ] Senior/Student/Retired $15.00 annually

[ ] Additional Gift of $_________

Have you remembered DPC in your estate planning?

If you would like to receive this newsletter electronicallyplease send an e-mail message stating subscribeelectronically to Terry Weiner. Rather than a printedcopy, you will receive e-mail notification that thenewsletter has been posted to the website.
http://partners.guidestar.org/controller/searchResults.gs?action_donateReport=1&partner=networkforgood&ein=33-0330281http://partners.guidestar.org/controller/searchResults.gs?action_donateReport=1&partner=networkforgood&ein=33-0330281http://partners.guidestar.org/controller/searchResults.gs?action_donateReport=1&partner=networkforgood&ein=33-0330281http://www.nutheadproductions.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://partners.guidestar.org/controller/searchResults.gs?action_donateReport=1&partner=networkforgood&ein=33-0330281http://www.nutheadproductions.com/mailto:[email protected]


9/9


FAVORITE DESERT PLACES:GRAND CANYONS PIPE CREEK

by Larry Hogue

Silence and solitude: these are two qu alities that the average

Grand Canyon visitor may have trouble finding. While its

possible to find silence in the no-fly zone over the No rth and

South Rim visitor centers and the canyons Main Corridor trails,

these are also the parks most crowded areas. If you cho ose toget away from the crowds by heading to remote areas east or

west, then you enter the air corridors frequented by the dreaded

Grand Canyon air tours (OHVs of the sky). I once took a soul-

inspiring dayhike to Yuma Point on the Boucher Trail until

8:30 a.m., wh en the helicopters first appeared. The silence and

sense of refuge in this grandest of desert temp les were

destroyed. Only at night does the visitor to these more remote

regions experience the full remoteness of the Grand Canyon;

this, of course, requires a backpacking trip.

One trail offers a solution to this dilemma for those without

the time, inclination, or permit fo r a backpack into the canyons

remote regions: the section of th e Tonto Trail between the SouthKaibab and Bright Angel Trails. Although these are som e of the

busiest trails in the Park, this section of the Tonto is seldom

traveled because no camping is allowed here. For the fit hiker

capable of covering 14 miles with roughly 3,500 feet of

elevation loss and g ain in a single day, this route offers the

possibility of spending most of a day am idst the silence of the

P.O. BOX 3635SAN DIEGO , CA 92163-1635

INSIDE THIS ISSUENolina Peak Campaign..................................page 2

Desert Notes..................................................page 3

Conservation Column....................................page 3

Geothermal Development..............................page 4

News About Our Members............................Page 5

Grand Canyon and away from the crowds. Ive done this

twice, and seen one hiker on the Tonto Trail section. The

also crosses Pipe Creek, with its lush waterfed gardens a

dramatic waterfall.

PRACTICAL MATTERS: Begin the hike on the South

Kaibab Trail, as early as possible if hiking in summ er. Fo

miles of steep downhill hiking will bring yo u to the Tontwhere youll turn west and leave the crowds behind. Two

rolling miles over the blackbrush -covered slopes of the T

brings you first to Burro Spring and then to Pipe Creek. P

Spring, about mile upstream, is listed as perennial in

Annerinos Hiking the Grand Canyon , but its always b

check at the Back Country Office, 928-638-7875, and vit

summer. If water is available here, the best approach is to

a water treatment system, allowing you to spend all day i

shady oasis without carrying a lot of water down from th

trailhead. If hiking in summ er, plan to leave Pipe Creek a

4:00 p.m., to avoid the worst of the heat as you continue

on the Tonto and then climb out on the B right Angel TraiIndian Garden s. (Its also possible, of course, to visit Pip

on a dayhike from Indian Gardens backpackers camp.)

For a more detailed description of this hike, visit

www.freewebs.com/lawrenceho gue.

Do you have a favorite spot in our southwestern deser

Write to tell us about it!

Enjoy this complimentarycopy ofEl Paisano, andconsider joining today!
http://opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch15403/www.freewebs.com/lawrencehoguehttp://opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch15403/www.freewebs.com/lawrencehoguehttp://opt/scribd/conversion/tmp/scratch15403/www.freewebs.com/lawrencehogue

El Paisano Spring 2007 #196

Documents

Transcript of El Paisano Spring 2007 #196