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Today, we’re fixing a rut in some ‘liquid earth’ on the Tom’s Thumb trail,” says Leona Weinstein, master steward for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, on a crisp February morning. “The high-maintenance, decomposed granite substrate found in Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve is very vulnerable to erosion, especially after winter storms and monsoon rains.” As one of the leading volunteer organizations in the nation, the conservancy seeks to preserve and advance natural open space through science, education...

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Hikers trekking along the banks of Oak Creek in the Crescent Moon Ranch and picnic site about 7 miles south of Sedona are treated to some of the most photographed scenes in the Southwest. The Coconino National Forest property is located near iconic Cathedral Rock and encompasses the historical ranch site with its famous water wheel. First established in the late 1800s, the ranch went through several owners and iterations before being purchased by the...

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“It gets them off their cell phones,” Kevin Adams, co-founder of Verde Valley Wheel Fun, says of the kids in his program. Based in the Sedona-Oak Creek area, it’s a multi-faceted project for students in grades three through 12 that promotes interest and involvement in all aspects of mountain bicycling. Established in 2019, the Arizona Qualified Charitable Organization oversees the program, which provides bikes, helmets, hydration packs and training at no charge to participating students....

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For Roy J. DuPrez, founder and owner of Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery, getting and staying clean and sober is all about accountability. He ought to know. A self-described recovering alcoholic and survivor of the Venice Beach party scene, DuPrez credits his 1993 move to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University as instrumental in turning his life around. “As a young guy back in California, I saw gangs and a culture of substance abuse as just...