Fairbank

HIKE HISTORIC FAIRBANK

Join the Muleteam this Saturday for a walk along the San Pedro River and see the old partially restored townsite, silver mill ruins and historic graveyard of the Fairbank area, a major town and railroad stop in the 1880s for transportation of silver from Tombstone. This is a flat and easy hike, less than two miles from the townsite to the river, where we will have lunch. There will be a choice of return routes, either back the way we came or three miles south along the River to our start at the townsite. 

For many years, this has been a special "gourmet picnic" riverside luncheon, so if anyone wants to bring any special food or drink to share, we'll be ready with tablecloths, cups & utensils. 

Meet March 5 at 9:00 AM by the Old Bisbee Courthouse fountain, or at the Fairbank parking lot off Route 82 at 9:30AM. Fairbank is about 45 minutes from Bisbee on Route 80 past Tombstone, then left for 6 miles on Route 82 opposite the Border Patrol checkpoint.  For more info, contact Doug at (520)432-0307 or reiniger@wyoming.com.

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BACKTRACK - West Tombstone Canyon Meander

Seventeen walkers and one canine enjoyed the delightful February weather while walking some lesser known public stairways and streets off of the northwest end of Tombstone Canyon. How many of you know Ilker Street?! Many of us chatted with first time Mule Teamers that were visiting Bisbee as we took our time looking at murals, yard art, walls, and vegetation. Lisa and David, who were on our walk, generously invited us to a spur-of-the-moment pitstop at their recently renovated home which is beautifully done, has a spectacular view and a custom, stone pizza oven built by David. After our photo at their home, we hiked a tiny bit of the west end of the City Trail and finished around noon at the Dragon View patio (thank you Bonnie) where we relaxed, ate snacks, chatted, and then departed for our homes. Again, thank you to those who were so gracious to open their properties to us today. In Louisiana, we call that lagniappe!   -  Susan M.

More photos at muleteam.shutterfly.com

CALENDAR 

Mar 12 - Lewis Springs with Sandy

Mar 19 - Clark Springs with Jan and Larry

Mar 26 - Joe's Canyon with John W.

Apr 2 - Parker Canyon Lake with Sue S. and John W.

Apr 9 - Rucker Canyon with Molly 

Apr 16 - Cochise Stronghold with Doug

Apr 23 - Slavin Gulch with Molly and Jan

Apr 30 - ?

Keep on trekking,

Elizabeth

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West Tombstone Canyon

MEANDER WEST TOMBSTONE CANYON

This Saturday's hike, new to the Muleteam, features 3 - 3.5 miles of trails and stairs around west Tombstone Canyon. Perhaps this off-the-beaten-path route will include some stairs you have not explored yet! The hike will include a tad of the city trail above Adams and a longer optional spur headed halfway up to the ridge above Adams and back down to the Canyon. There will be a snack stop at a local residence.

Meet Feb. 26 at 9:00 a.m. by the Old Bisbee Courthouse fountain. Bring water, snack, and hiking poles if desired. Leashed dogs are welcome. For more details call Susan at 610-220-5287. 

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BACKTRACK - Boston Mill

Fifteen adventurous humans and three dogs started on the hike to the Boston Mill.  Old Gus the dog decided to turn around early so fourteen people and two dogs made it to the old mill remains.  We passed through the Little Boquillas ranch, wrangled with a few bees at the giant cottonwood tree, and there were a couple of side trips.  A few hiked toward the petroglyphs (no luck, the sign may have disappeared) and some stopped by the River. It  was a total of eight miles!  It was a perfect day, not a cloud in the sky, lunch was sunny (i.e. no shade), and many wondered how the hike back to the cars could be so much longer than the hike in. -  Sandy and Ken

More photos at muleteam.shutterfly.com

CALENDAR 

Mar 5 - Fairbank with Doug

Mar 12 - Lewis Springs with Sandy

Mar 19 - Clark Springs with Jan and Larry

Mar 26 - Joe's Canyon with John W.

Apr 2 - Parker Canyon Lake with Sue S. and John W.

Apr 9 - Rucker Canyon with Molly 

Apr 16 - Cochise Stronghold with Doug

Apr 23 - Slavin Gulch with Molly and Jan

Apr 30 - ?

Keep on trekking,

Elizabeth

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Boston Mill

HIKE TO THE BOSTON MILL

Join the Muleteam this Saturday for an easy 8-mile round-trip, in-and-back, hike along the San Pedro River. The hike is on an old dirt road and some trail, not much elevation change. On the way back you can explore the Little Boquillas Ranch and/or stop at the San Pedro to enjoy the water. There is an option to add another mile (rt) to some petroglyphs. Bring water and lunch. Back mid-afternoon. Meet Feb 19 at 9:00 a.m. by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain, we will drive from there. For more details contact Ken at 520-432-9152 or kenheusman@yahoo.com.

If you are planning to meet at the trailhead, meet in the parking lot across the road from the Fairbank Schoolhouse on SR82 by the corrals at around 9:45 a.m. 

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BACKTRACK - Perimeter Trail

Fourteen hikers and two dogs started the Perimeter Trail in the Huachucas. It was a perfect day and a hearty 7 miles roundtrip. Ole' Gus (an 8 year Muleteam veteran, with arthritis and cataracts) had to turn around after a little over a mile, and five others chose to do it one way after lunch. Another great hike.

P.S. Gus is a dog😉 -  Doug

Photo album at muleteam.shutterfly.com

CALENDAR 

Feb 26 - ?

Mar 5 - Fairbank with Doug

Mar 12 - ?

Mar 19 - ?

Mar 26 - ?

Apr 2 - Parker Canyon Lake with Sue S. and John W.

Apr 9 - Rucker Canyon with Molly 

Apr 16 - Cochise Stronghold with Doug

Apr 23 - ?

Keep on trekking,

Elizabeth

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Perimeter Trail

WALK THE PERIMETER TRAIL

Join the Muleteam this Saturday for a hike along the winding foothills of the Huachuca Mountains between Carr and Miller Canyons. This is a relatively easy, level trail with vista views of the San Pedro Valley, but it will be about 7 miles roundtrip. Bring water and lunch. Dogs welcome. Free. Back mid-afternoon.

Meet Feb. 12 at 9 a.m. by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain. We will drive to the trailhead from there. Alternatively, meet at 9:30 at the first parking lot on the left as you drive west on Carr Canyon Road from Highway 92. For more details contact Doug at (520) 432-0307 or reiniger@wyoming.com. 

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BACKTRACK - Guindani Trail

After a cold week, we had beautiful weather this last Saturday for our hike in the Whetstone Mountains on the Guindani Trail. We were all shedding layers as no one thought it would be so nice. There were 13 of us and one dog. Two were new to our hikes and joined us from Sierra Vista. We hiked through 2 very different terrains. First we crossed a stream bed at least 9 times with a few pools of water but no running water and then up the canyon through lots of evergreens and oaks. We lunched at the top in the open with views of the Whetstones that reminded us of Mural Hill in the Mules with the same kind of geology of pushed up ridges. We could also see to the east and south the Huachucas, Dragoons and Mules from our picnic spot. Then it was down the sunny side with a nice-on-the-knees gentle slope back to where we started in a loop. - Monica

Photo album at muleteam.shutterfly.com

CALENDAR 

Feb 19 - Boston Mill with Sandy and Ken

Feb 26 - ?

Mar 5 - Fairbank with Doug

Mar 12 - ?

Mar 19 - ?

Mar 26 - ?

Apr 2 - Parker Canyon Lake with Sue S. and John W.

Apr 9 - Rucker Canyon with Molly 

Apr 16 - Cochise Stronghold with Doug

Keep on trekking,

Elizabeth

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Guindani Trail

HIKE GUINDANI TRAIL FROM KARTCHNER CAVERNS STATE PARK

Join the Muleteam this Saturday for a hike in the Whetstone Moutains beginning in Kartchner Caverns State Park. The Guindani trail is a 4.2-mile loop. The elevation ranges from 4709 to 5619 feet for an elevation gain of 910 feet. One half is in the shade of a treed canyon with a steep hike. The other half is in the sun with very gradually lowering elevation. We will lunch on the saddle with lovely views. 

The Whetstone Mountains are named for a common rock there, novaculite, also called flint, used to sharpen knife blades.  The Whetstones are also notorious for being where Wyatt Earp shot and killed Curly Bill Brocius.  And what’s more, the dinosaur fossil, Sonorasaurus thompsoni from the Cretaceous Period was found there in 1998. 

Meet Feb. 5 at 9:00 AM by the Old Bisbee courthouse fountain. From there it is about a one-hour drive to Kartchner Caverns, on Hwy 90 almost to Benson.  Dogs on leashes welcome. Bring water and lunch. There is a $7.00 per car fee for entrance to the Park. Back around 3:30 PM. For more details contact Monica at 520-461-6799 or sometimesthelight@hotmail.com. 

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BACKTRACK - Council Rocks

Twenty-two human and two canine hikers enjoyed the Dragoons on a beautiful Saturday. We started out from Council Rocks, with its pictographs and metates. The outbound leg took us through the thick of the spectacular rock formations surrounding us. Our lunch spot offered fantastic views, and we returned along a flatter route. Many thanks to Carol for having devised this particular route among the rocks, and for leading the hike. - Elizabeth

Photo album at muleteam.shutterfly.com

SIDETRACK - Trail Skills Workshop

Our friends at Huachuca Hiking Club have sent information about an upcoming workshop in trail maintenance skills:

Wild Arizona in partnership with The Coronado National Forest Service and Outslope Trail Solutions is pleased to announce our first Sky Island Trail Stewards training for 2022. This will be the first of a new series of developing new and advanced technical trail maintenance skills, including in this first session:

Learn from a skilled instructor:

• Principles of trail design

• Sustainable tread construction and repair

• Fundamentals of rock work

Details:

• This workshop is free and open to those who have a basic knowledge/experience of trail maintenance

• Date: Feb 19 OR Feb 20 (the same workshop is offered both days)

• Location: Perimeter Trail (Just south of Sierra Vista AZ)

• Time: 9:00am to 3:30pm

I have put the flyer into our photo album at muleteam.shutterfly.com. Sign-up form is here.

CALENDAR 

Feb 12 - Perimeter Trail with Brad

Feb 19 - Boston Mill with Sandy and Ken

Feb 26 - ?

Mar 5 - Fairbank with Doug

Mar 12 - ?

Mar 19 - ?

Mar 26 - Ramsey Canyon with Brad

Apr 2 - Parker Canyon Lake with Sue S. and John W.

Apr 9 - Rucker Canyon with Molly 

Apr 16 - Cochise Stronghold with Doug

Keep on trekking,

Elizabeth

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