HikeArizona.COM

What the pumpkin is up with the Coronado National Forest closing not only the Pima Canyon trail just above the dam to protect the nonexistent bighorn sheep, but allowing Mount Lemmon Ski Valley to expand all the way down to the junction of Ski Valley Road and the Catalina Highway into Summerhaven? They're going to knock down over 2,000 old-growth trees to make some more ski runs, the world's longest rope-tow, and another ski lift in what is easily the most-marginal ski area in North America? What are those fools thinking?
We need to stand up to make sure this idiotic idea doesn't come to fruition. I guess the sky islands are only worth as much as the money a few fools can make off of it.
Adios Aspen Draw Trail, and I almost forgot to mention that the road from Ski Valley to the very top (near the transformers) will only be available to UofA, NASA, and Air Force researchers with a valid permit. Who has a rippin' printer that can print counterfeit permits?

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article ... 0a90d.html

More evidence that Mount Lemmon Ski Valley should go the way of the dodo. How does this ski area even make money? I don't even want to know the answer, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it's similar to the method so many other "concessionaires" use to turn a profit, no matter how small, off of our lands.

I can't believe I pulled that stunt last April 1st. Sorry, folks. I guess I'd been listening to too much Rage Against the Machine.

[quote="jeffmacewen"] The best thing that could ever happen to the Catalinas would be for them to be transferred to NPS and managed like a real Wilderness should be. Starting with the removal of that huge, disgusting strip of blacktop...Yes, I really DO want Catalina Highway gone. quote]

There were plans at one time to screw up the Rincons too. Here's an excerpt from Betty Leavengood's Tucson Hiking Guide:

"An attack of a different kind occurred in the mid-1950's. The National Park Service drew up plans to develop the Rincon Mountains in a manner similar to the Mount Lemmon area. A 19-mile road called the Desert Mountain Highway would be constructed from the monument headquarters to Manning Camp. The thinking at the time was that such a development would relieve the stress on the Mount Lemmon area, and that the rapid growth of the Tucson area demanded more recreational facilities. Fortunately for hikers who enjoy the wilderness, the Desert Mountain Highway never materialized."

They got about 2 feet back in December and haven't had anything since. The whole of SE AZ is dry. Hey, at least they aren't demanding Tucson's water to make snow.

Wow, some things never change. I've been gone 12 years and Doug Kruetz is still writing for the rag in Tucson.