Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Smoke has lightened, somewhat

If you've been reluctant to head to the Gila lately, it might be time to reconsider.  The Gila National Forest is a pretty big place, and while the Whitewater-Baldy complex fire is huge, it is now 87% contained and the smoke in the area has abated quite a bit.  The Gila Cliff Dwellings are once again open for visitors and there are lots of trails in the southern and eastern sections of the Gila that are open and waiting for visitors.  Check here, for current news related to trails, the fire and conditions in the forest.

The dogs and I went out for a nice, short, evening hike with our Lab buddies last week, and everyone had a great time.  Keep in mind however, that temps have been pretty high here and plenty of water needs to be packed along for dogs if you are not hiking along running streambeds.

Another thing to consider, related to dogs, is their feet.  The trails can get pretty hot in the daytime sun, so if you are bringing a dog along, it might be wise to stick to the shadier trails. Dogs can burn their pads, if you aren't careful.  Really, you'll be more comfortable on the shady trails too, so it's a win/win.

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