We were all standing around helping Marty get his jeep started, which took quite a while.  Marc and Mike had gone off to explore a nearby hill.  We heard one of them on the radio saying there was trouble and to bring Benadryl.  Fearing the worst we raced to their general location, not an easy feat considering 1) it was dark 2) we didn't really know where they were although David had a good idea and 3) there was a very large washed out area with 50 to 100 foot wash walls between us that we had to drive around.

Gardner Canyon Trail, not to be confused with the Garden Canyon Trail on the Fort, is located north-east of Sonoita in the Santa Rita Mountain foothills where placer gold (the other shiny metal) was first discovered in Arizona in the late 1800’s. This 19 mile loop trail has it all. Dirt and rock trails up and down in the woods with wash outs, mild off-camber situations, a water crossing, a solid rock stair steps section, lots of trees, a gold mine or two, an early 20th century mining camp, and more. The Saw Mill Trail is a scenic 3 mile dead end spur that leaves the GCT near its end. This trail is rated a solid 2.5 with its loose rock covered steep ascends and descends. This trail terminates in a very scenic cool shaded heavy wooded area with a stream.

The Range Riders 4 Wheelers conducted a 4 Wheeling 101 Clinic on November 16th. This clinic was free to the general public, all licensed drivers of 4 wheel drive vehicles were welcome to attend this event.

Tom led a ground course in a parking lot to provide literature, explain vehicle preparation steps, go through 4 wheeling do's and don'ts and answering questions. Several students were in attendance as well as a reporter from the Sierra Vista Herald who drove her own Bronco through the obstacles for a hands-on lesson.

One student had to drop out at the beginning of the course as his transfer case linkage would not engage 4 wheel drive. After some road-side repair he was able to engage 2 wheel drive. Back to the transmission shop for him.

Marty led the group of beginners through some easy trails in the Huachuca Mountains, stopping frequently to show everyone how to walk the trail to determine the path they will take as well as the importance and physics of tire placement in maneuvering through obstacles.

March 15th
Lead by Tom

Tom and Mona left Mustang Corners with Sherry and Lesley to meet with Bruce in Tucson.  Also in attendance on this run was Rob in his Polaris.

Chimney Rock is a beautiful run through the Rincon Mountains on the northeast end of Tucson, east of Houghton Road off Tanque Verde.  This run is rated a 3, stock vehicles should not attend without dollar bills for extraction purposes.

There are a lot of intersections in this maze of a playground, it's a good thing Tom knew where he was going or we'd have had to use breadcrumbs.  We climbed hills and made our way through rocky washes to find an amazing stream at the end of one trail that is at least 6 feet deep with crystal clear water, perfect for swimming in the coming months.  We are definitely planning a trip back to this spot to see if there is water there when it is hot.

13 Member and Guest vehicles attended the Red Rock Canyon run being lead by Ernie. This was a new run for most club members and has already become a favorite from the stories told by those who were able to make it.

Red Rock Canyon is northwest of Benson off of Ocotillo Road. It is a long, boulder-strewn wash that goes through a beautiful canyon with rock walls and saguaro cacti. This trail is a challenging 4 and should not be attempted in a stock vehicle. 33” + Tires, 3” + Lift, tow points front and rear, and spare tire are required – lockers are recommended.