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Roughin' It on the Verde: An Overnight Natural History and Backcountry Photography Adventure

with the Arizona Wilderness Coalition

November 7-8, 2009

Background

This exciting fall workshop will focus on the natural history of the Verde River, with special instruction from local photography experts on techniques for capturing moving water and foliage along the river. The Verde River watershed is one of the most valuable and threatened watersheds in Arizona, and the Arizona Wilderness Coalition is working to raise awareness and support for protecting a variety of habitat areas along the Upper Verde.

The upper portion of the Verde River begins east of the town of Paulden and meanders along juniper grasslands in a rugged and remote canyon before draining through the Verde Valley. This portion of the river boasts vast biological diversity and has played a significant role for pre-historic and modern humans. We are timing this trip to try and coincide with the changing autumn colors on the cottonwood, willow, ash, and sycamore trees. As an added bonus, participants will be able to draw upon the expertise of three award winning photographers for getting unique, eye-catching photos of water, autumn color, and the grandeur of a canyon landscape.

General Itinerary

Saturday, November 7

2:00pm—Meet at Hell Point camp spot (directions given when payment is received)

3:00pm—Begin the descent into the canyon

3:30-Sunset (5:31pm)—Explore and photograph the Verde River

5:30ish pm—Begin hike back to camp spot (a flashlight is required)

7:30pm—AWC talk on the Verde River

Sunday, November 8

6:00am—Head down the trail into the Verde canyon

6:30am-11:00am—Hike, explore and photograph the Verde canyon (sunrise is 6:56 am)

11:15am—Begin to hike out back to the camp spot

12:00pm—Wrap Up and Good Byes

Trip Logistics

This is an overnight camping trip, beginning on Saturday the 7th and ending around mid-day on Sunday the 8th. We plan to meet workshop participants at 2 p.m. on Saturday, where they can set up camp at the Hell Point Overlook trailhead. We'll then descend into the canyon around 3 p.m. for some late-day photos until dinner time. The Arizona Wilderness Coalition will offer a natural history talk about the Verde River watershed and the threats it faces on Saturday evening around a campfire. There are no water or toilet facilities at the trailhead or campsite, so please plan to pack out what you bring in. AWC practices Leave No Trace principles at all times.

The next morning, we will head down into the canyon around 6:00 am. Participants should be prepared to leave the camp spot at this time with a daypack containing items needed for the day such as camera equipment, food/snacks, water bottles (water can be filtered from the river), proper clothing for sun, heat, cold, etc. The group will spend the morning hiking, exploring, and photographing the awe-inspiring landscape planning to return to the camp spot around noon for the conclusion of the event.

What to Bring and Terrain Info

Participants will need a daypack to carry their own camera equipment, water bottles, flashlight, extra clothes, etc. The descent to the river, and subsequent ascent back to the campsite, is a short but steep hike of approximately 300 vertical feet in 0.5 miles on an old jeep road with lots of loose rocks. Participants should come prepared to hike the rough terrain, which will include working through thick brush, hiking uneven and loose slopes, and getting their feet wet. Willingness to cross the river (no deeper than 25 inches) will make for much easier movement along the river canyon.

Sleeping supplies for a car camping site. Whatever you need to stay warm and comfortable over night. Tent or in your car, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc. The camping area is somewhat tight, so trailers and large RVs are discouraged.
Appropriate clothing. This time of year could produce some dramatic temperature differences as well as erratic weather so check the weather for Chino Valley and subtract 5 degrees. Days could be warm and sunny, while nights could be down near the 30s. Also don’t forget we will likely be getting at least our shoes wet, so leave a dry set of clothes and shoes at the camp spot.
Camera equipment you can carry
Daypack
Flashlight (don’t forget the batteries)
Water bottles and water for cooking and drinking (we will be able to filter water from the river if you need it)
Food. Participants should bring all their own food which includes Saturday dinner, Sunday breakfast, and Sunday lunch/snacks.
Hat and sunscreen

Meet the Photographers

Photography experts sharing their skills with workshop participants are:

left, Flagstaff-based Elias Butler (www.eliasbutler.com):

An Arizona native currently living in Flagstaff, Elias fell in love with the landscapes of the Southwest at an early age. His passions are creating fine art photography from the raw beauty of the landscape, and writing compelling stories about the land and its people. Butler’s photography has been published in Arizona Highways, National Geographic Adventure, and numerous other publications. Butler’s first book was published in 2007. Grand Obsession: Harvey Butchart and the Exploration of Grand Canyon (co-written with Dr. Tom Myers) documents the life of hiker extraordinaire Harvey Butchart and is the winner of a 2008 National Outdoor Book Award.

Phoenix-based Mark Miller, right, whose work is seen throughout AWC's website and glossy brochure:

Mark became interested in photography around the time he became a full-time resident of Arizona 20 years ago. His attempts at using a large 4x5 format camera in 1994 led him to take his photography more seriously by seeking out more challenging subject matter and compositions.

Mark's photographic passion stems from creating dramatic images of the natural world that move the viewer to respect and protect our fragile environment. His work has appeared in Arizona Highways, Phoenix Magazine, National Parks, and various calendars.

He currently uses 35 mm, 6x7 medium format, and 4x5 large format equipment to capture his images. Mark's large stock file contains western landscapes, natural history subjects, and travel-related scenes.

and left, Goodyear-based Jim Witkowski (www.jimwitkowski.com): Jim studied photography at Pasadena City College, Art Center College of Design, and Phoenix College. Each school influenced his style and presentation. He feels fortunate enough to be included in judged exhibitions and won awards at art competitions.

Jim used to shoot 35mm film exclusively, but a teacher's proding coaxed him into using larger formats. First, he bought a 4x5 field camera and shot black and white with it. Then he purchased a Fuji 6x7 for color. Now, his digital darkroom allows Jim to shoot color with both cameras. He primarily drags the 6x7 along when he travels into the field.

Workshop Fee

There will be a $100 educational fee for this workshop, with a special $25 discount ($75) for existing, active AWC members at the time of sign-up. All three photographers are donating their time this weekend to help support AWC's mission. 100% of proceeds goes back to AWC to help us fund wilderness advocacy and protection.

Capacity is limited for this trip to keep our impact on the riparian area of the river to a minimum. We will continue to send information about this event via our action alerts and postings on our website.

For more information and to sign up, please contact Kate Mackay at 602-252-5530.

Photos: Arizona Wilderness Coalition; Elias Butler Photography; Jim Witkowski Photography; Mark Miller Photography