While Jim is recovering, I thought I would share with you some interesting material that I come across. I am sure that you all know about The Friends of the San Pedro River, who are working to preserve our remaining riparian areas, especially along the San Pedro River, east of the Catalinas. Their newest video is about the Hydrology of the San Pedro River, or “How Water Recycles Itself.” Share it with your children. Take them on an Interpretive Walk this Saturday, December 29th, from 9 -11:30, at the San Pedro House, just east of Sierra Vista on Route 90. Docents run Interpretive Walks and Bird Walks every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year.

These videos and more are readily available on Vimeo and through http://sites.google.com/site/friendsofthesanpedroriver/ for teachers. An excellent introduction for children to become aware of the environement that they will inherit. To learn more about the San Pedro River environment or to become a Friend of the San Pedro River, visit their official Website.
________
This article posted by Ms. Karen Ratte, wife of Jim Gressinger, and webmistress for SouthernArizonaGuide.com

I ran into some pretty exciting news, or at least I thought so, and I thought I would share. This video, shot November 15 at Catalina State Park was posted by Arizona State Parks. Richard Boyer, Park Volunteer, will give another talk at 4pm December 30 at the Trailhead Picnic Area.

Bighorn sheep occurred naturally in the Santa Catalina Mountain ecosystem until the late 1990′s. Their presence in the Catalinas has been well documented since the mid 1880’s. Catalina bighorn sheep herd population peaked in the late 1970’s and early-mid 1980’s then declined and
eventually disappeared in the late 1990’s. No final determination has been made for the decline and disappearance of the sheep.
The Desert BigHorn Sheep Society is working to change that.
Restoration efforts will begin November of 2013 by relocating 30 sheep from herds in southwest Arizona. Each sheep will be fitted with a GPS satellite collar and monitored daily. The population objective over 3 years is 110 sheep.
The public has been supportive of bighorn sheep restoration and has placed significant value on the presence of bighorn sheep in the Catalinas as a natural component of this ecosystem.
If you are interested in contributing to this effort or for more information on this project visit the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society.
This article is provided by Karen, Jim’s wife, as a guest blogger while he is recovery from surgery.

Ferruginous Hawk. Photo by Raven Bifrost

Southern Arizona has some of the best bird-watching areas in the world. People come here from all over the world to see many rare species found in few other places.

The following are our suggestions for where to find the best birding spots. Most of these areas have confirmed sightings of more than 300 species of birds. Generally, they are located along streams & rivers or in forested mountain canyons.

Just to get you started, you might want to watch the short video we created featuring John Ashley’s fine bird photographs.

Note: Birding hotspots are generally located in wild places. Some will have nearby lodging, but few if any will have nearby restaurants or grocery stores. So plan accordingly. TAKE YOUR OWN FOOD & DRINKS!

Cochise County

Great Horned Owl. Photo by John Ashley

Chiracahua National Monument is located southeast of Willcox on the west side of the Chiracahua Mountains, just one portion of the greater Coronado National Forest. When you go, we suggest you stop at the visitors center for a map and other information about trails, camping, & current conditions. The rangers there can point you to the best locations for bird-watching given the season. Camping in Bonita Canyon Campground is a good experience, but there is no other lodging here. Nor are there any restaurants, grocery stores or gas stations. The closest are in Willcox.

Portal is a tiny community on the eastern slope of the Chiracahuas and is a very popular birding area. In fact, there are places of lodging that cater specifically to the needs and interests of birders. Click here to go to our feature on Portal and the Forest Service Road 42 over the mountain to Chiricahua National Monument, about a two hour drive if you don’t stop to watch for birds & critters.

Southwest Research Station in Cave Creek Above Portal, AZ.

Lodging
Cave Creek Ranch is one of those places that caters to birders. So far, we have only stayed at the Portal Lodge, which was OK, (small, sparse rooms but clean) and convenient for our road trip in April 2012. Portal Lodge has a small store and restaurant, the only ones in this area for miles. But, there is no gas station nearby, so plan accordingly. And no, the pumps at Rodeo down the hill across the New Mexico border are not always operational either.

The most important item you can purchase at the Portal Store is a Xerox copy of a local area map for $0.25. Very handy.

**********************

Five miles further up Cave Creek is the Southwestern Research Station, a working research center that offers accommodations and classes certain times of the year.

We have not stayed here overnight yet, but we’ve been by it and it looks like a great place to make our headquarters for a couple of days.

Located at 5400 feet elevation in the heart of the Chiricahua Mountains, the immediate area is famous for its nesting Elegant Trogons, many hummingbird species, and other spectacular birds that migrant from Central and South America.

The Center offers cabin accommodations, cafeteria dining, a reservoir for swimming, a hummingbird area, and gift shop. Here you will find many hiking trails within walking distance or a short drive. Individuals may make reservations from March 1st to June 15th and from September 1st to October 31st.

All rates include three full meals (vegetarian option) in their cafeteria where you have the opportunity to chat with other visitors and share birding experiences. On those days you wish to travel to more distant areas to bird watch, they will provide you with a sack lunch.

For more information: Southwestern Research Station.

*************************

Tropical Kingbird

During its short but lively heyday, Paradise had saloons, a barbershop, mercantile stores, hotels, a jail, and a red-light district. Almost everyone left when the mines failed, pulling down their homes and businesses and taking the lumber with them. The Walker house, built by George and Lula Walker at the turn of the century, is one of the few original structures still standing. The Paradise Cemetery, one mile from the house, is a walk through history.

The George Walker House is a 100-year-old two-bedroom abode in Paradise. We have not stayed here but we have a good friend who has many times and she raves about this place.

The owners live nearby and we hear they are exceedingly knowledgeable about the history and wildlife of this area. This former boom town now boosts a year-round population of twelve, who enjoy the serenity provided by the surrounding national forest.

Click HERE for more information about Camping and RV Parks near Portal.

***********************

Ramsey Canyon Preserve is located a little south of Sierra Vista. This area is owned by the Nature Conservancy and is one of the most beautiful wild places anywhere.

Among many others bird types here, including the Elegant Trogon, you can find 15 species of hummingbirds.

Not only will you find a wide range of birds, but also many critters, such as black bear and coatimundi. Liz Sackness runs the bookstore at the visitors center and has taken some great photographs of this unique area. You can see our slideshow of her pictures by clicking HERE.

Calliope Hummingbird. Photo by Liz Sockness

Lodging
Just before the visitors center is Ramsey Canyon Inn B&B. It’s by far the most convenient for hiking in the Canyon. I’ve seen it from the outside and it looks ideal.

However, it gets mixed reviews and I don’t know why. We have not stayed there, but hope to do so sometime over the next 6 month. Will let you know. In the meantime, do some homework before making a reservation.

Ramsey Canyon Preserve is about 90 miles southeast of Tucson, near the city of Sierra Vista. Take I-10 east to Highway 90 exit. Go south to Sierra Vista. Take Highway 92 south from Sierra Vista for six miles and turn right on Ramsey Canyon Road. The preserve is at the end of Ramsey Canyon Road, four miles west of the highway. (520) 378-2785

For more Baja Arizona Birding Hotspots, click HERE to go to Southern Arizona Guide.

Sunrise Over Tucson: August 27, 2012; 5:45 AM.

This is what our eastern sky looked like a few minutes ago from our viewing deck. Just thought I should share.

On another note, Ms. Karen & I had Sunday brunch yesterday at Agustin Brasserie in the Mercado just west of Downtown Tucson on Congress Street. What a magnificent interior. The food and service was very good. I’ll do a complete review in a few days after some research.

After our excellent brunch, we headed east perhaps a half mile to the Tucson Museum of Art to see Scott Baxter’s stunningly beautiful B&W photographs of 100 Arizona ranchers. The history of Arizona ranching is written on these faces. If you take a docent-guided tour, you learn more about the stories behind the portraits. Highly recommended.

I think you should pay to see the Museum’s several current exhibits because the price of your admission helps support this important, and always delightful, museum. Nevertheless, I will mention that next Sunday, being the first Sunday of the month, admission is free. At least leave a donation. It’s only fair.

There are several other exhibits in addition to Mr. Baxter’s photos. One just blew me away. It’s a bronze bust of an Indian chief. It’s in the main exhibit area just as you enter. Exquisite!

And if you haven’t been to Cafe’ a la C’art recently, I recommend you do so. I had lunch there this past week with a dear friend, but also had a chance to talk with Judy, the owner in partnership with her son, Mark. She gave me the grand tour of their expanded space. They did a beautiful job of maintaining the integrity of this old building in the Historic District. The food was delicious as always , and the desserts are to die for. Perhaps the best pastries in Southern Arizona.

Speaking of the Historic District, which is adjacent to the Museum, consider taking the tour. The tour of the J Knox Corbett House is particularly interesting. To get the back story of this Snob Hollow mansion, click here to see our video. It’s at our SouthernArizonaGuide.com website along with videos that feature about a dozen other museums that are worth of your time and support, such as the Museum of Miniatures and the Franklin Automobile Museum. Main Menu > Museums.

Owl Swoops Over Delighted Spectators At The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

The raptor free flight program at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum will end for the season Sunday April 15th. We have family visiting from Virginia next week and will definitely take them all to see this delightful and educational program.

You will find 5 short Desert Museum videos at my Southern Arizona Guide website. One has a docent with a male Harris’s Hawk explaining the unique characteristics of this very successful predator.

This video and photo was taken by Neighbor Mike last week.

A Trail Ride at White Stallion Guest Ranch

March 26, 2012

Yesterday, Neighbor Roy & I were on a Sunday drive in search of the Old West north of Tucson. We found it – big time.

We were cruising Twin Peaks Road through the pass that separates the city from the desert when we happened across a sign that read: “White Stallion Guest Ranch”. We did a quick U-turn and followed the signs down the unpaved road for about a mile.

The first thing we noticed was that this is a beautiful setting for a cattle ranch. From this vantage point we could see the backside of Sombrero Peak and the high ridge of rock formations that form the backdrop to the ranch.

Pulling into the ranch proper, we saw a very large corral with perhaps 20 horses just before a row of lodging accommodations, and then parked where the sign pointed to “Office”.

There we met Madison, who cheerfully offered to show us around, including a peak inside a couple of rooms. One of our first impressions was that White Stallion is big, with well-cared-for desert gardens, patios, and courtyards.

Madison showed us two casitas near the corral we saw when we entered. Both were spacious, clean, carpeted, and delightfully furnished in Early Ranch. Each had a fireplace and its own refrigerator, private bath, and patio. These accommodations looked to Roy & me to be very comfortable, the kind of place we could easily enjoy staying in for a week or more.

Madison told us White Stallion has 42 living quarters and can handle up to 100 guests. The accommodations vary in size from single rooms with one queen bed up to deluxe suites, and even a large 4 bedroom house they call ‘The Hacienda’ that was about to become the home for a family of eleven, including five children under 10 years of age. We could only imagine that they were about to have the time of their young lives.

Back at the office area we checked out the dining area, great room, bar, and billiard room. The dining rooms were set up so you almost had to interact with other guests, which we saw as a great way to make new friends.

The great room beyond the office is like a very large living room with many comfortable seating areas for drinks and conversation. No doubt, in the winter, the big stone fireplace gets a lot of company.

Beyond the great room is a full-bar. Here you don’t “belly-up” to the bar. Rather, you seat yourself on an actual saddle.

There’s a pleasant pool area of course, but also lighted tennis and basketball courts. Behind the swimming pool area is a petting zoo, and a recreation room where you can play billiards, ping pong, foosball, air hockey. Here too is a 27-seat theater. All first-class.  There is also a fine fitness center, with professional exercise equipment.

Nevertheless, even with all these possible activities, the main reason to stay at White Stallion is the horses. Altogether we saw about 50, and not a nag among them. The wranglers and trainers offer clinics in horsemanship, but also teach rodeo and cattle-herding skills for all levels from beginner to experienced riders.

The trail rides in this part of the country have to be spectacular. The ranch alone has 3000 acres and is adjacent to Saguaro National Park – West, one of my favorite places on Planet Earth.

I can’t vouch for the food since we did not dine there. But everything we saw tells us that White Stallion is a first-class Western Dude Ranch. The reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor were universally glowing in every respect.

White Stallion Guest Ranch has been in the True family since 1965. In our brief visit, it was clear to Roy and me that owners, Russell and Michael True, take pride in offering their guests a unique and world-class Western Ranch experience. I will be recommending White Stallion to my friends and family who want to experience Southern Arizona’s best.

For more information, including rates and reservations, visit the White Stallion Guest Ranch website.

For more dining and lodging reviews, go to Southern Arizona Guide > Jim’s Picks & Pans

Confederate Cannons Fire At The Oncoming Union Cavalry

Four of us trekked all the way from Tucson to Picacho Peak State Park last Sunday to watch the re-enactment of the 1862 battle that took place there.

Union Cavalry take formation against the Rebels.

The Battle of Picacho Peak was fought between a Union cavalry patrol from California and a party of Confederate pickets from Tucson. It was the westernmost battle of the American Civil War.

Mexican Poppies Aplenty at Picacho Peak State Park

Once the battle was decided, we adjourned to enjoy our picnic among the wildflowers. Life is good.

One of the perks of my job is discovering extraordinary pictures of our Sonoran Desert. Some of the most extraordinary come from John Edwards, a local photographer and illustrator.We both live in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains, only his home is a little higher than mine. His vantage point affords him an excellent view of the valley looking east.

John’s photographs of monsoon storm clouds remind me just how powerful these summer storms are. You can find a series of John Edward’s photos at my website: Southern Arizona Guide > Main Menu > Galleries. I made a slide show of them and added music.