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Home > News > In The News > The Fence Post

The Fence Post

February 1, 2014 aztrail

Desert Harvest

by Donna Derosia

The February edition of The Fence Post (a community newsletter for the Robles Junction/Three Points community) features an article on the Arizona National Scenic Trail and the new guidebook.

[To read the complete article online, click here]

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Your generosity helps us preserve the Arizona Nati Your generosity helps us preserve the Arizona National Scenic Trail for future generations. Since 1994, we've accomplished amazing things with support from members, donors, business partners, and friends like you. At the #ArizonaTrailAssociation, we promote outdoor activities, meaningful connections, and stewardship ethics. Think about the great experiences you've had on the #AZT or with us and make your tax-deductible year-end gift today. 📷 ATA Staff (l-r): Treven Hooker, JJ Jonas, Renee Stevens, Aaron Seifert, Neil Stitzer, Shannon Villegas, Clay Showalter, Makenzie Mabery, Brittany Chavez, Matthew Nelson, Heidi Larson. Not pictured: Chappy Chappell, Tasha Pontifex, Chrissy Maes, Alex Gonzales, Sarah Dowling
During this time of year, it's important to reflec During this time of year, it's important to reflect on 2025 and all we have done together. Here are some highlights from the ATA's @aztrailvets Program: 🌳 Nature Therapy in Action ~ by Michael "Chappy" Chappell, VETS Program Director “One moment that’s stayed with me from 2025 happened out on a remote stretch of the #AZT along the #MazatzalDivide. The work itself was classic Arizona trail-building: overgrown brush, mid-day heat, rock, steep sidehill, and the kind of terrain that forces you to slow down and do it right. But what made this hitch possible—and what made it special—was partnership. With generous support from the @tontonationalforest and @tral_az (Tonto Recreation Alliance), we were able to access our base camp deep in Sunflower Canyon using a 4x4 transport, allowing our crew to work in terrain that would otherwise be out of reach for typical trail crews. Once on the ground, the trail gave our veterans something familiar and grounding: a clear mission. Show up, do the work, take care of the person next to you, and finish the objective. We had veterans arrive carrying heavy, invisible weight—grief, anxiety, isolation, and the lingering question of where they might fit in after military service. Somewhere between swinging tools, swapping stories, and sharing quiet meals in the backcountry, walls came down. By day two, the same folks who arrived guarded were laughing, mentoring newer volunteers, and talking about the next mission. It’s hard to describe unless you’ve seen it in person, but it’s that “mission therapy” effect in action: purpose, community, and public lands working together to support real healing.” 🤙🏼 Continue supporting the AZT VETS by joining the ranks of #OperationFreedomMarch 🇺🇸 or donating online to ensure this important work continues. Donate ~ https://aztrail.org/2025-end-of-year-fundraiser/
During this time of year, it's important to reflec During this time of year, it's important to reflect on 2025 and all we have done together. Here are some highlights from the ATA's @aztgeargirls program: 🚵‍♀️ Gear Girls' Skills Transfer to New Trails ~ by Makenzie Mabery, Gear Girls Coordinator In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service Red Rock Trail Crew, @sedonamtbacademy , and @flagstaffladyshredders , Gear Girls donned their hard hats and contributed to the creation of Sedona's newest trail in the Scherman Mountain area, creating a more sustainable and accessible connection to neighboring trail systems. Working alongside land managers and trail professionals, Gear Girls learned first hand how to break and shape new trail while being introduced to opportunities and possible future career paths in environmental and conservation fields. While the iconic landscape of Sedona has become a true mountain biking mecca, new trail development is rare and is not something many riders ever experience. It was incredibly meaningful for the girls to play a role in shaping the future of trail use in Northern Arizona, fostering a deeper connection and lifelong love for wild landscapes, and a strong sense of responsibility to care for them. #AZTGearGirls uses #mountainbiking, #trailwork, and #snowsports to build confidence, outdoor competence, community, and character in young women grades 4-8 in Flagstaff and #northernArizona. Your donations allow us to inspire the next generation of trail users, stewards, and community members who have strong connections to trails, public lands, and wild places. Donate ~ https://aztrail.org/2025-end-of-year-fundraiser/
During this time of year, it's important to reflec During this time of year, it's important to reflect on 2025 and all we have done together. A couple highlights from our Arizona Trail Association: Seeds of Stewardship Program: 🏜️ Connecting Cultures & Landscapes~ by Clay Showalter, Northern Arizona Educator Director In 2025, the ATA's Seeds of Stewardship program engaged over 700 students in nature connection activities, camping, and stewardship projects on the Arizona Trail in northern Arizona. Programs focused on connecting Indigenous youth to their ancestral lands through partnerships with Hopi and Diné educators who taught traditional ecological knowledge and practices. 🐻 Sharing the Trail with a Bear ~ by Treven Hooker, Southern Arizona Educator Director South of Tucson lies the Santa Rita Mountains, (Ce:wi Duag in the O'odham language) -- one of the most important environments in this part of the world. After summer rains had come and gone, I led 12 students from Empire High School in Vail, Arizona to search for wildflowers and nature connections in the mountains near their homes. While enjoying lunch quietly under fir and pine trees, we watched a black bear walk calmly by. We watched in silence as it paused at an old dried agave, and began ripping it apart. For nearly 20 minutes we watched in awe as the bear foraged into the heart of the plant, using its long claws, teeth, and flexible lips to work its way deeper. Then, with contentment, it lumbered on through the forest. After it was safely away our group inspected the agave to learn the bear had been foraging for carpenter bee larvae. It was the most spectacular learning experience, in the most spectacular place. Your support makes experiences like these possible for hundreds of students across Arizona each year -- at no cost to youth, families or schools ~ https://aztrail.org/2025-end-of-year-fundraiser/
During this time of year, it's important to reflec During this time of year, it's important to reflect on 2025 and all we have done together. Over the next week, we'll share a few highlights. Your support helped make it happen! 🏋️‍♀️ We reached 25,000 hours of volunteer work! ~ by Jeremy "JJ" Jonas, Volunteer Program Manager In addition to the 2,000+ volunteers who contributed over 25,000 hours to the #ArizonaTrail this year, we are especially proud of the growth and impact of our Trail Steward Sawyer program. In 2025, we coordinated sawyer certification and re-certification for 35 trail stewards, expanding our ability to respond quickly and safely to trail obstructions statewide. This training made an immediate difference on the ground. Our sawyers cleared over 250 downed trees statewide, tackling everything from storm damage in the Huachuca Mountains on Passage 1 near the U.S./Mexico border to post-fire blowdowns as far north as Passage 42 on the Kaibab Plateau near the Arizona/Utah state line. Thanks to their skill and dedication, countless trail users were able to move safely and freely along the #AZT, even in a year marked by challenging weather and recovery needs. It’s a testament to what volunteers can achieve when they’re empowered with the right training and support. If you volunteered in 2025 and haven't reported your volunteer hours, please do so before the end of the year! Every hour counts, and we don't want your amazing contributions to not be counted. Click here to learn more about logging your volunteer hours, or just send an email with the details to volunteer@aztrail.org. Every dollar you donate helps support our Volunteer Program, helping thousands of volunteers to maintain and improve the AZT through safe and meaningful projects ~ https://aztrail.org/2025-end-of-year-fundraiser/
As you enjoy holiday parties and end-of-year cheer As you enjoy holiday parties and end-of-year cheer, we invite you to find peace and restoration on the Arizona Trail. Whether you are hiking, biking, or riding a horse, the trail offers a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle. Explore the beauty of Arizona's nature and take some time for yourself. We hope the trail brings you joy and tranquility this season.
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