Hi! We’re doing a backpacking trip to the Blue Range Primitive Area in Eastern Arizona for Spring Break 2019! I bet you’ve never heard of this place, but we think it’s gonna be pretty cool. Hopefully you can come along!

If you’re interested, fill out this google form!

https://goo.gl/forms/9a4OTR0xjVtK1Jjl1

When: Friday 3/15/19 to Saturday 3/23/19

Leave Friday 3/15 sometime in the afternoon, but as early in the day as possible based on everyone’s schedules. Drive for two days out to Arizona. Hike. Hike. Hike. Hike. We’re shooting to be out of the backcountry Thursday 3/21, and then we’ll drive back to Madison, possibly stopping to see cool stuff along the way.

Priority sign up goes to people who are fleet certified (this is required). Protocol for fleet certification has recently changed; it is now an online system. Contact us for more information about how to get certified.

The trip is about a 30-mile loop in total.

Crew size: 3 leaders, 4 participants = 7 in total

The trip deposit will be around $270.

You'll need a BP2+ rating or higher (BP3 or BP4) to come along!

To sign-up for this trip, the date it opens will be Wednesday February 20th at 6:30 pm. You will need to sign up on this page at that time, and it will be a first-come, first-served basis.

****Please contact us if this is an issue for you; we may be able to accommodate. We will contact the club general body if this information changes****

Here is our itinerary:

Sunday 3/17/19: Start at Blue Camp Trailhead and camp at the best view we can find.

Total Distance: 5.3 miles      Total Elevation Gain: ~200’, mostly canyon traveling

Monday 3/18/19: Hike from previous site and camp right outside the Blue River Canyon.

Total Distance: 9.7 miles     Total Elevation Gain: ~1200’ gain, ~700’ descent, ~200’ gained then descended, ~1000’ descent

Tuesday 3/19/19: Follow Blue River Canyon and camp along the river that night.

Total Distance: 6.8 miles      Total Elevation Gain: ~200” descent to Blue River Canyon, then flat the rest of the way

Wednesday 3/20/19: Continue to follow Blue River Canyon toward Blue Camp trailhead. Potential to hike out this evening. If not, see “Thursday 3/21/19.”

Total Distance: 8 miles if camping, 10 miles if hiking out     Elevation Gain: flat

Thursday 3/21/19: Hike approximately 1-2 miles out to Blue Camp trailhead.

Total Distance: 1-2 miles    Elevation Gain: flat

Fill out our google form!

https://goo.gl/forms/9a4OTR0xjVtK1Jjl1

For questions, here’s who you can contact:

Evan Fernandez: efernandez4@wisc.edu 608-960-1717

Mary Cretney: mcretney3@wisc.edu 262-271-2149

Forrest Ahrens: fahrens@wisc.edu 612-615-5846