AZT in a DAY a Huge Success

For the past four years, we’ve invited the Arizona Trail community to help us complete the entire length of the Arizona Trail in 24 hours through our ambitious AZT in a DAY initiative. This year, on October 9, at least 431 people participated. There were 357 hikers, 30 runners, 17 mountain bikers, and 27 equestrians. At least 91 family and friends were there to provide shuttles, and 360 people donated in support of our mission. If you participated and haven’t reported your miles yet, please do that here.

As a team, we logged over 4,131 trail miles in 24 hours. That’s enough miles to cover the Arizona Trail’s 800-mile length over five times in a single day! While the day was met with clear weather, the summer monsoons and overgrowth left portions of the trail difficult to traverse. Several hikers reported that it was tough getting to and through their sections, which added to the difficulty of the day’s challenge.

We can say with certainty that 99% of the sections were completed! That’s the BEST completion record to date. Thanks to participants’ generosity and willingness to reach out to friends and family to donate, we raised over $38,000. This will directly support trail construction and maintenance projects, youth programs, and wildlife conservation within the Arizona Trail corridor.

“We are thrilled with the generosity of our trail community,” said Karrie Kressler, the ATA’s Administrative Director who dreamed up and launched AZT in a DAY in 2018. “We nearly covered all 800 miles of the AZT this year, and are confident we’ll make history in 2022. With your help, we can do it!”

Please save the date for Saturday, October 8, 2022!

Join bikepackers and trail enthusiasts from throughout Arizona next Wednesday, November 3 when Pivot Cycles presents a public screening of the film Fastest For Now – Temporary Records in a Timeless Place at the Majestic Theater in Tempe. The film features Kurt Refsnider and Kait Boyle and their recent record-breaking rides along the 142-mile Kokopelli Trail in Utah. Both Kait and Kurt are fastest known time record holders on the Arizona Trail, and Kait is on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Trail Association. Look for Kait on the AZT over the next few days, as she begins her ride from the Arizona/Mexico border to Picketpost Trailhead (affectionately known as the AZT 300).
 
Pivot is donating 100% of proceeds from the film night to the ATA’s Gear Girls program, which uses mountain biking, snow sports and trail work to build confidence, competence and character in girls in 4^th-8^th grade. If you don’t already follow the Gear Girls on Instagram, you’re missing out on inspiring images and stories every time they head outdoors. Check ‘em out @aztgeargirls.
 
Watch the film trailer here, and get your tickets online for the November 3 screening today! We look forward to seeing you in Tempe next week, along with Kait, Kurt and other Pivot Cycles athletes from around the world.

New Patagonia Film Features Dr. Lydia Jennings’ 50-Mile Run on the AZT

After dedicating years of intense study to earning a Ph.D. in environmental science, Tucson’s Lydia Jennings couldn’t wait to celebrate at her graduation in May 2020. But like most major events during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program’s ceremony at the University of Arizona was canceled.
 
Instead of receiving her diploma alongside 15 fellow indigenous female scholars, Jennings, who is a member of the Huichol (Wixáritari) and Pascua Yaqui (Yoeme) Nations, celebrated receiving her doctorate virtually. However, the experience left her feeling a lack of closure on her goal of amplifying native voices in efforts to protect the environment.
 
While coping with the disappointment, Jennings sought out ways to honor her studies in soil science and mine reclamation, work that was heavily influenced by indigenous scholars who came before her. She decided to undertake a 50-mile journey on the Arizona Trail, dedicating each mile to a different indigenous scientist. With 40 percent of mines located on or bordering tribal communities in Arizona, the film also explores the industry’s destructive effects on the environment and indigenous people who live within close proximity.
 
“When you begin to see these patterns of extraction industry not valuing Indigenous lives or lands or waters or air, you feel this sense of erasure,” Jennings says in the film.
 
On October 20, Run to Be Visible was released on Patagonia’s YouTube channel as the latest episode in the activewear company’s series. Watch the film online and check out the recently-published article with an in-depth Q&A through Runners World.

Veterans Build Connections While Constructing a New Segment of the AZT

On October 23-24, Arizona Trail Association VETS (Veteran Engagement & Trail Stewardship) began construction of a portion of the Temporal Gulch Reroute Project on the Coronado National Forest. A total of 10 veterans camped in Casa Blanca Canyon and worked hard throughout the weekend to build over 700 feet of new trail. Veterans ranged in age from 32 to 81, representing all branches of the United States Armed Forces. This is the first in an ongoing series of trail work events specifically for military veterans.
 
“The weekend was a resounding success,” said Michael “Chappy” Chappell, the ATA’s Veteran Outreach Coordinator. “Everyone enjoyed the company, had some good and sometimes lightly therapeutic conversations over meals and during breaks, and bonded into a cohesive unit. Volunteers were quick to learn the basics of trail construction, which will result in greater efficiency during the upcoming Veteran’s Day event.”
 
If you’d like to get involved with the next AZT VETS project, sign up through our volunteer portal soon. Join us for an entire week (November 11-17) or for the Veterans Day Weekend (November 13-14). Meals are provided and camping gear is available for those who may not have their own. This project will continue construction of the Temporal Gulch Reroute, which will replace 17 miles of paved and dirt roads near Patagonia with scenic and sustainable singletrack.
 
Stay informed with what’s happening with the AZT VETS program on Instagram (@aztrailvets) or by emailing Chappy. And please share information on this program with any and all Arizona veterans you may know!

The Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa is a proud supporter of the Arizona Trail Association.

Charming, authentic, and anything but ordinary, Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa is ready to help you discover Glendale in an unforgettable fashion. Their hotel is minutes from the Gila River Arena, State Farm 'Cardinals' Stadium, Westgate Entertainment District, to name a few. Distinctive rooms and suites feature Southwestern accents and thoughtful perks; some boast balconies with sweeping views. A memorable experience awaits you at Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa.

Learn more at The Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa's website.
Please support the local businesses that support the ATA.