Caring for the Backcountry

One such trail is in the Granite Mountains. It leads uphill to a gnarled alligator juniper tree, dedicated to the memory of the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots, firefighters who created a fire break that saved it from the Doce Fire in June 2013. Those 19 men died 12 days later in the Yarnell Hill Fire, about 30 miles south of Prescott.

This peaceful and beautiful route is a very emotional experience and is one of the favorite trails for Jacque Gorman of Prescott, who made this journey on horseback last fall.

“It’s very moving,” Gorman recalled. “The old tree is a rare landmark in this area, more than a thousand years old. A lot of hikers walk it. It’s well maintained. I rode my very dependable, 16-year-old Appaloosa named Elvis; he’s my ‘go-to’ horse.”

Gorman knows her trails and horses. She started riding horses at 5 years old on her uncle’s farm in Pennsylvania.

Today, she and her husband, Ed Sierman, co-own the nine-acre Granite Mountain Stables, where they board about 60 horses at a time, have a hay sales business and enjoy the care and company of three horses they own, a mini-donkey, a mule, three fainting goats (they fall down when scared), two black-bellied sheep, four dogs and two barn cats.

“It’s my dream come true,” said Gorman, a speech pathologist. “But, it’s a lot of work.”

As if she is not busy enough, Gorman is currently vice president of Back Country Horsemen of Central Arizona (BCHCAZ), a not-for-profit organization whose aim is to preserve and maintain wilderness areas and to encourage the wise and sustainable use and enjoyment of public lands by people and their stock animals.

“As many people are aware, what’s happening is with all the growth and expansion of business and residential real estate, public lands are shrinking,” she said. “We aim to keep the public lands that are still available accessible to people who want to enjoy them. They have to be cleared and maintained, and not just have things overgrown. Also, we want to make sure that when people are enjoying the wilderness, they are taking care of it.”

Stock animals are defined as animals that can be used for carting, driving, riding, clearing, pulling big equipment and packing in gear, she explained. “Mules and horses are stock, and donkeys could be included in that. People don’t really use oxen anymore. A big part of our mission is trail work, and we ride horses and mules into areas to clear land not accessible by vehicle.”                           

An example of this volunteer trail work is an ongoing project to improve the Williamson Valley Trailhead. Twelve members of BCHCAZ met on Aug. 30 to whack weeds, rake, dig, move rock and haul away two truckloads of brush, according to the group’s website.

Plans call for picnic tables, a hitching post and a wooden mounting block.                   

Another service project is the replenishing of bike bells at three trailheads in Williamson Valley, Metate and Cayuse. They are used to alert other users on trails of the approach of bikers. 

“We buy and supply bike bells so bikers can use them,” Gorman said. “Bikers can keep them or return them to the boxes.”                                                                                                                                                 

Four horsemen in the Flathead Valley in Montana, who sought to soften restrictive government rules about access to trails for recreational use, started the national Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) in 1973. Since that time, members in BCHA have volunteered their time and stock animals, traveling more than 1.1 million miles to locations to do volunteer work, Gorman said.               

BCHCAZ also assists government and private agencies in maintaining and managing resources and educating and encouraging participation in the wise use of the backcountry resources by horsemen and the general public.

Many groups partner with BCHCAZ in this work, including Prescott National Forest, Coconino National Forest, Kaibab National Forest, Tonto National Forest, the National Park Service, including Grand Canyon National Park and Wupatki National Monument, Arizona Trails Association, BLM and Yavapai Trail Association.

Each BCHA chapter and state organization is independent. Chapters often work closely with each other within a state and even across state lines when needed.                                                                                                                 

The Central Arizona chapter began in 1998 and has about 115 members who meet monthly on zoom. They also meet regularly for trail rides, horse camping, work days and socials at local restaurants, Gorman said.       

The territory of the nonprofit extends from the Sedona, Verde Valley and Cottonwood areas to the Quad Cities and down to Black Canyon City. Arizona has four BCH chapters, in the White Mountains, Central Arizona, Kingman and the East Valley.                                                                                       

Back Country Horsemen of America groups have developed Tread Lightly programs that parallel the government’s Leave No Trace set of principles, which encourage visitor to leave the natural world as they found it.                                               

A few of those principles include observing a distance from wildlife, controlling pets in nature, yielding to others on the trail, using lightweight stoves for cooking and lanterns for light, using a fire ring if allowed, burning all campfire wood and coal to ash, putting campfires out completely and scattering cold ashes.                                                               

The primary annual fundraiser for BCHCAZ is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, Nov. 1-3, at the historic Bumble Bee Ranch in Mayer. Proceeds from the event will be used to support BCHCAZ efforts to promote trail maintenance and trail etiquette, Gorman noted.                                                                                                                                   

The weekend will promote self-guided rides and guided rides with experienced equestrians. There will be easy in-and-out dry camping, with full restrooms, shower facilities, electrical hookups and stalls available, she said. Meals will include hot breakfasts both Saturday and Sunday, and ranch-style dinners on Friday and Saturday. 

Activities also will include live music and dancing Friday night, a silent auction, daily raffles and a live auction on Saturday. QCBN

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

For more information, visit www.BCHCAZ.org.                                                                                                                 

Courtesy Photo: Back Country Horsemen of Central Arizona volunteers work to preserve and maintain natural areas and to encourage the wise and sustainable use and enjoyment of public lands by people and their animals.