Jug Trail Extension at Salome Creek
Deep in the slot
Shortly after the Salome Creek slot canyons were featured in Arizona Highways magazine, VOAz obtained approval from the Tonto National Forest to work on stabilizing a single exit trail from the bottom of the slot canyon located below a reach on the creek known as "The Jug." From the trailhead, canyoneers could follow an old de-comissioned road to the Jug and proceed through one of the most spectacular slot canyons in Arizona. From the end of the slot there was no designated trail out. As a result, the many visitors were carving multiple trails up a hillside of decomposing granite in order to return to the road leading back out to the trailhead. The effects on the landscape were devastating
After multiple site visits by VOAz and TBRD staff, a route was defined that, to a great extent, took advantage of the most reasonable social trails. Because the heaviest traffic through the slot is from April through June or the start of the monsoon, there is great urgency among canyoneers to getting back to the trailhead and out of the heat. A trail meeting normal standards for sustainability would not be used. The result of several years of work is that now all traffic follows a single, high maintenance route. VOAz returns every other year to perform maintenance, repairs, and experiment with inovative methods for stabilizing tread.
Completed Events
February, 2003
May 2003
May 2004
May 2005
May 2006
May 2008
May 2002
Michael Baker, Lee Milne, Tim DeChristopher, Ken Ryan, Mike Snodgrass, Ken Fiebelkorn, Deanne Clay, Ben Cromwell, Marge Sparks and Dick Mayo did a small but critical piece of trail work at Salome Canyon. Rogil Schroeter and Kathy Sharp took the group through the slot at Salome Canyon. Rogil and Kathy are VOAz volunteers, members of the Arizona Mountaineering Club, and intrepid canyoneers.
Because VOAz could not get this project onto its event calendar until 2003, we wanted to open a clear path to what has become the primary exit trail and obstruct the many other paths that people have created. The trail-workers hiked in Saturday afternoon and deposited tools at the work area. We camped at a beautiful spot Saturday night and met Rogil and Kathy Sunday AM for the trip through the slot.
If you like water and canyons, Salome is amazing. Lots of boulder-hopping and swimming through pools that got progressively colder the deeper we went into the canyon. Then you arrive at "the waterfall."
February 2003
Fog enshrouded Dutchwoman's Butte
Five VOAz crew leaders went out to set the final alignment and do a few construction samples. We managed to encounter snow, cold, rain, and sun conditions during the weekend.
May 10 & 11, 2003
Volunteers: Dick Mayo, Ed Blanchard, Eric Anderson, Eric Trollinger, Gail Landry, Jennifer DeWitt, Ken Fiebelkorn, Ken Ryan, Ken Satoyoshi, Marge Sparks, Michael Baker, Mike Galwey, Mike Henderson, Mike Snodgrass, Nathan Bradley, Pati Hodges, and Rob Owens worked!May 1, 2004
Dinner was juicy burgers, roasted corn, and assorted fare but how pretty & yummy was Michael's French toast breakfast?
Mike Snodgrass, David Schaeffer, Ken Ryan, Anna Ryan, Cindy Romanchuk, Brian Romanchuk, Merle Parmer, Rob Owens, Aminda Moore, Marie Liddle, Gail Landry, Neil Hornbeck, Terri Gay, Mike Galwey, Cedric Buehler-Bosch, Jean-Michel Bosch, and Michael Baker worked for eight hours, including two hours hike to and from the work location to continue the stabilization of the exit trail from the end of the slot at Salome Creek. After the extraordinary rain last fall we found on one major break-down in the completed during the three previous events. More dips were added and some built earlier needed some repair. The last significant reroute was completed. It included a spiral rock staircase rising over six feet. On Sunday Kathy and Rogil led the trip through the slot.
More Photos.
May 7, 2005
At the end of a hard days work the team prepares to hike back to the trailhead
in anticipation of hot showers and a great potluck at camp. Salome Creek is in
the background.
Seventeen volunteers put in a long day on the exit route from the bottom of the slot on Salome Creek. The corridor was re-cleared, social trail closures were reinforced, and a variety of tasks undertaken to stabilize previously installed steps, add new ones and improve drainage. The work, made a bit easier by the relatively cool weather, was capped off with hot showers, another great pot-luck dinner built around a pasta course prepared by Conrad. Sunday morning we started with some in-your-face coffee and VOAz's signature French toast (please forgive us for using this politically incorrect name). Then Cathy and Rogil helped everyone fit themselves with a swami harness and it was off for a day of fun in the water.
Leadership Team: Mike Snodgrass, Michael Baker, Conrad Griese, Ken Ryan,
Mike Galwey, Marge Sparks
Work Crew Members: Fred Kraps, Marie Liddle, Ryan Liddle, Dick Mayo, Aminda
Moore, John Mullen, Howard Olien, Brian Romanchuk, Cindy Romanchuk, Anna Ryan,
Ted Osmond
Total volunteer work hours: 153
More Photos
Jug Trail View
May 6 & 7, 2006
Fourteen VOAz volunteers hiked 2+ miles down and back from the Jug Trail and produced numerous reinforced drain dips, rock steps, swaled sections of tread, brushed back vegetation, and generally got the Jug Trail Extension at Salome Creek ready for another canyoneering season. Everyone enjoyed "too many pounds to calculate" of food, hot showers, clean toilets, and great views of the surrounding mountains and Roosevelt Lake from the Cholla Recreation campground.
Special thanks go to Quentin Johnson and Annette Smits of the Tonto Basin Ranger District for reserving the campground for us. For the 5th year, Rogil Schroeter and Kathy Sharp led the volunteers to safety through the slot on Sunday. These ladies volunteer their time to introduce folks to the slot canyon and to safe canyoneering techniques and we certainly appreciate their efforts. Thanks to 360 Adventures (www.360-adventures.com) for their donations to food service and raffle. And last but not least, thanks to Ken E (a friend of VOAz) for hats received by each volunteer.
Leadership Team: Mike Snodgrass (Event Manager, Dinner Cook); Michael Baker (Technical Advisor); Mike Galwey (Tool Manager, Crew Leader); Ken Ryan (Crew Leader & Dutch Oven Breakfast Cook)Work Crew Members: Melissa Gieger, Doug Gregory, Johnnie Grgurich, Gilbert Maldanado, Johnathon Maldonado, Terri Metzger, Mark Minisce, Jim Splet, Nell Teter, Joe Zveglich (bold = first VOAz event)
Total volunteer hours: 96
More Photos
May 3 & 4, 2008
If you prefer, you may view a fullscreen slide show: Link to full-screen slide show
VOAZ volunteers traveled to Salome Creek and provided much needed maintenance to the Jug Extension Trail. The complete corridor was reopened, 70' of tread was armoured and cobbled, three social trails were closed off, two major drains were constructed along with numerous smaller drains, steps, guide stones and cairns. On Sunday, the volunteers were led through the slot canyon and over the waterfall by Rogil and Dave. The water was clear and cold, the weather was wonderful and everyone enjoyed themselves in this formerly hidden jem.
Diana won the prize for the best dish at the potluck on Saturday night (Pad Thai) and Sally refueled everyone for the slot trek with French Toast on Sunday morning. Thanks to Joe, Gilbert and Steve for shuttling everyone to and from the campground and for Johnnie and Mike for the photos.
Volunteers: Julie Binter, Steve Corvin, Johnnie Grgurich, Diana Hernandez, Sally Kirchm(Crew Leader, Food Service),
*Timothy Leichtnam, Gilbert Maldonado, Paul Paonessa (Crew Leader), Mike Schendel, *Shai Schendel, Mike Snodgrass
(Event Manager), George Vadasz, Bruce Weidenhamer (Crew Leader), Joseph Zveglich (Crew Leader.) -
* Indicates first VOAz Event
Total Volunteer Hours: 145
Thanks to our event partners: Annette Smits @ Tonto Basin Ranger District for providing the campground loop with toilets and showers; American Hiking Society, REI, Butler Animal Health for raffle prizes and appreciation items for the volunteers.