proposed weapons testing facility near Klondike / Aravaipa

[mudlugs]

mods, not sure if this is hiking related, land use or political, please move as you see fit.

Searched but didn't see this on the forum.

http://tucson.com/news/local/aravaipa-c ... 102a1.html

"An area near scenic Aravaipa Canyon could become a training and testing hub for the firearms, emergency response, defense and aerospace industries." [ read more ]

Cross F Ranch looks to be at the eastern end of the canyon.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cross ... 2429749cdc

[rwstorm]

I saw this too...not good in any way.

[big_load]

AZ already has more than enough testing areas. I guess what these guys think it lacks are for-profit testing facilities, probably without all those pesky safety regulations and access control.

[JasonCleghorn]

I'm starting to formulate an opinion about the wisdom of the state I moved to nearly a year ago and let's just say it ain't good...

[johnny88]

Here's another article:

http://tucson.com/news/local/article_7c ... ?id=201408

[chumley]

Force Options agreed to buy the ranch earlier this year for $4.8 million, but the deal won’t close until the company gets a county special-use permit, Mennes said.

Seems it'll take about $5 million to stop this. ;) That isn't a terribly large amount of money relatively speaking.

[azbackpackr]

Well, you just go ahead and buy that ranch, Chums. I'd be happy to contribute a bottle of champagne to your house-warming party!

[big_load]

I'd be happy to contribute a bottle of champagne to your house-warming party!

As long as it isn't on Katahdin.

[RedRoxx44]

[ photoset ]


That is really too bad, we were on that ranch twice with permission of course. Old Aravaipa town is on that land as are some very interesting mines and access to a forest trail-- the Cobre Grande---which takes you into some very inaccessible territory behind the reservation. It is quite beautiful back in there and historic. But money talks and all that history and beauty---is disposable at the right price.

[ photoset ]

[FOTG]

@RedRoxx44

My Cobra Mine Trail idea was stopped by what I am pretty sure is an illegal gate job complete with lock on public road leading to TH. Needless to say, I was not getting through and I was a little pissed by that point because I had nixed my over night in Holdout so I would have time to do Cobra Mine and Turkey Creek. Now it was on to Turkey Creek.

Lucky you I got denied But I have a plan to reach that area via some trails and old roads by foot...If it becomes inacessible, I hope the powers that be remove if from that Santa Teresa's completion list..;)

[blisterfree]

This is distressing indeed. The private land parcels north of Aravaipa Canyon Road appear to be scattered and not individually very large. The largest appears to be half the size of the article's stated 3200 acres. Presumably they would need more than just a county permit to run an operation of this magnitude, entangled as it is with both state and (much more significantly) federal land.

http://caltopo.com/m/6R7H

Does anyone know if any activity is planned for the actual Aravaipa Canyon Rd area?

[chumley]

The parcels are indicated in this sales brochure on page 7.
http://files.propertyline.com/pdf/68438495.pdf

[blisterfree]

Ah, ok. Some of the parcels don't look useful for development purposes. I imagine the state would bend over backwards to help with linkages as needed.

[big_load]

The parcels are indicated in this sales brochure on page 7.
http://files.propertyline.com/pdf/68438495.pdf

It's interesting that they don't appear to be entirely or even mostly contiguous.

[blisterfree]

You know the irony is the Klondyke area has been a favorite of Davis-Monthan for years, night maneuvers / aerial combat simulation in particular. But this is too much. It would fit in about as well as a bull in a china shop.

[blisterfree]

It's interesting that they don't appear to be entirely or even mostly contiguous.

I posted a link to Caltopo with land ownership. Here: http://caltopo.com/m/6R7H

Must add up to 3200 acres (or more), but yes, it's very disjointed and half of it appears to be hillside mining claims.

Edit: 3176 acres by rough calculations.

[Tortoise_Hiker]

Chums, I'll pitch in 20$

[mazatzal]

Ditto (only need 125,000 more!)

[RedRoxx44]

Well those old mines would be perfect for some explosive training, etc. Ground already disturbed etc. Access in and around all that?? Wonder if they will restrict access like the Cross F which really didn't , you just had to make sure you talked to the caretaker and got the key. Also in a remote area like that with no one looking, wonder if those boundary lines will get a little blurred. Seems like a good place for shenanigans without supervision.

[blisterfree]

If 95% of Klondyke, plus the Nature Conservancy, Safford BLM, Safford Coronado, Center for BD, and Sky Island Alliance can't individually or collectively convince Graham County against the advisability of issuing a permit for this highly dubious venture, then good luck to you and me, 'cause that's what it will take to stop this.