Flagstaff Ranger District

Hello,

The NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership is wrapping up another excellent summer season. Thank you to everyone who participated in our programs and helped to make our 25^th Year a memorable one! This will be our final update until the 2016 season kicks back up Memorial Day Weekend in May, but we still have some great programs throughout the remainder of the month. Join us in celebrating National Public Lands Day (Sept. 26) and look for us at special events during the Festival of Science (www.scifest.org for program details). Don’t forget to come visit us at the top of the Arizona Snowbowl Scenic Chairlift Ride and view the fall colors through the mid/end of October! Scroll below or view the attached flyer for event details.

Take care,

Chelsea Schroeder

Chelsea Schroeder Interpretive Ranger Forest Service Flagstaff Ranger District p: 928-527-8238 chelseaschroeder@fs.fed.us 5075 N. Hwy. 89 Flagstaff, AZ 86004www.fs.fed.us Caring for the land and serving people

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Ranger Walks & Talks Event Calendar

Remainder of 2015 Season

NPS/USFS Ranger Partnership

Arizona Snowbowl

· Friday through Monday until the mid/end of October

10:00 am-4:00 pm. Enjoy Ranger Talks Atop the Scenic Chairlift Ride every Friday through Monday until the mid/end of October. The grandest view in the Southwest at 11,500 feet! Join a ranger at the top to learn about geology, flora and fauna, and local history. Call 928-779-1951 for further details on operating hours and pricing, or visit www.arizonasnowbowl.com.
· Sunday, September 27
10:00 am-4:00 pm. Snowbowl Celebrates the Festival of Science. Soar above the forest on Agassiz chairlift to the Alpine Tundra at 11,500 feet. Interpretive rangers will meet you at the top to share the volcanic history, geography and ecology of the area.

National Public Lands Day Events

Saturday, September 26

·    8:30-10:00 am. Bonito Meadow Walk. Come discover the beauty of the Bonito Meadow with Ranger Hilary Clark as she leads visitors on an easy 2.2-mile, off-trail ramble to view late-summer blooms with 360° vistas! You may call 928-526-0502 for additional information. This hike is approximately 1.5 hours and takes place off-trail through uneven and brushy terrain. It’s recommended to wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Head North on Hwy 89 and turn right onto the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument access road. Drive 0.8 miles and meet at the gravel parking lot on the right side of road.

·     9:00 am-3:00 pm. Trail Day and Celebration at Upper Lake Mary. Join the US Forest Service and AZ Game and Fish at the Upper Lake Mary Day Use Area for a day of outdoor fun in celebration of National Public Lands Day and National Hunting and Fishing Day. Bring water, snacks, and sun protection to enjoy these activities to the fullest!

9:00-11:00 am. Support your public lands by helping out in an exciting service project expanding the beach area! Assist by spreading gravel with hand tools to expand the current beach area, making it accessible for larger school groups and family friendly gatherings.

11:00 am-3:00 pm. Participate in any number of activities from archery and fishing to learning about birds of prey, how to boat or fly fish, and so much more! There will be presentations with live animals, local history, conservation education, and sportsman safety. Come join the fun; we can’t wait to see you there!

·    9:00 am-12:00 pm. Fort Valley Experimental Forest Station Open House. Foresters have been using the country’s oldest research station to study how ponderosa pine trees grow since 1908! Enjoy tours through historic cabins and see how true pioneering research has changed in the last century. Drive north on Hwy 180 and turn left 1 mile past Snowbowl Road.

·    10:30 am. Moonscape Adventures in Cinder Fields. NPS/USFS Interpretive Ranger Robert Wallace will lead this Festival of Science event. Flagstaff’s volcanic backyard prepared Apollo astronauts for their trip to the moon! See how a simulated moonscape was created during this walk on the site of the old training grounds. Bring sturdy walking shoes, water and appropriate clothing for the weather. Group size limited to 30 people; for reservations and directions call 928-526-0502.

·    7:30-8:30 pm. Walnut Canyon Nighttime Walk: The Cosmic Canyon Hike.  Join Ranger Kyle and descend into Walnut Canyon to explore the dark skies above. This strenuous 1-mile hike takes you 240 steps into the canyon and 1,000 years back in time to see the stars from an entirely new perspective. Learn old and new constellations, see the Milky Way, and maybe even catch a shooting star or two on the Cosmic Canyon Hike! Meet at the Walnut Canyon National Monument Visitor Center at 7:30 pm. Participants should wear clothing appropriate for cooler evening temperatures and should bring a red flashlight or headlamp. Call 928-526-3367 for additional info.

Chelsea Schroeder Interpretive Ranger