BABBITT TIMES REVIEW · BABBITT TIMES REVIEW C LEARNING—UNDERSTANDING w JOINING—SHARING w BECOMING A PART c The Constitution of Bab-bitt Ranches highlights the characteristics

ues and principles associated with Awareness, Responsibil-ity, Obligation and Account-ability. These core values and principles foster and encourage individual recreation activities

BABBITT TIMES REVIEWC LEARNING—UNDERSTANDING w JOINING—SHARING w BECOMING A PART c

The Constitution of Bab-bitt Ranches highlights the characteristics and val-ues by which the organiza-tion operates. Articles of the Constitution can be found correlating with the news stories in the Babbitt Times Review.

August 2014

Through our efforts of learning and understanding, Babbitt Ranches, a family business and pioneering land company, raises livestock, manages natural resources, promotes science and

participates in the broader community in order to join, share and do the very best we know how.

Article IIICowboy Essence

Section 14.

Confidence Demonstrate respect without fear. Being

prepared and keeping all things in proper

perspective creates self-assuredness.

Promoting An Outdoor Recreation Ethic Attitude

Early hikers, the CO Bar crew, take a break after hiking to the top of Humphreys Peak around 1900.

Overview The Outdoor Recreation

Ethic Attitude is a commu-nity-based, self-imposed rec-reation management strategy. It calls for develping core val-

Runners and cows shared the landscape as the 9th annual Gaspin’ in the Aspen 5K and 15K runs took off on Saturday, Aug. 23 from the Flagstaff Nordic Center.

Gaspin’ in the Aspen with Cattle

that emphasize respect and appreciation for the larger land community.

History of Recreation on Babbitt Ranches When pioneers began inhabit-

ing the West, neighbors relied on shared values, respect for others and self-regulation to maintain harmony in a region where law enforcement officers were scarce. Thus, the Code of the West was an unwrit-ten agreement that centered on hospitality, fair play, loyalty and respect for others and the land.The Outdoor Recreation

Ethic Attitude is a return to the Code of the West as Babbitt Ranches encourages opportunities for people to enjoy and appreciate the land through activities such as: scenic viewing, bird watching, wildlife viewing, camping, snow sports, hiking, hunting, fishing, rock climbing, bicycling, picnicking, distance running and environ-mental education outings.

Outdoor Recreation Ethic Attitude Defined Aldo Leopold famously wrote

of the need for a land ethic in his novel, A Sand County Almanac, advocating for an ecological conscience. He wrote:“All ethics so far evolved rest

upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of inter-dependent parts. The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants and animals, or collectively the land.”Drawing on the ideals of Leo-

pold’s land ethic, we adopt an Outdoor Recreation Ethic Attitude; a conscience to guide the outdoor recreational conduct of individuals in a manner responsible to the land and its many uses and users. Today, on public lands, there

… Gaspin' continued on page 6

Adventure continued on page 2

“It’s part of the feel of running here in Flagstaff,” said race di-rector Ian Torrence. “I think it’s fun to see cows grazing near-by. I grew up back east on my

Regis University Men’s Cross Country Team who was par-ticipating with family members. “Also, this is a good bonding experience.”“It’s a great way to get out

in nature,” added 19-year-old Thomas McCullough. Coconino County Health In-

spector Eric Boehn of Flag-staff, a Salomon-sponsored runner, won the half marathon in 1:34:00. “I liked the hill in the middle and the wide open spaces,” said the 32-year-old.

“The vastness is pretty unusual.”Proceeds from

the SP Crater Marathon benefit the Flagstaff Ul-trarunning Club. Event organizers Scott Bajer and Ludo Pierson be-gan scouting the area last fall. “The Babbitts have been great to work with,” said Bajer. “We have a lot of pro runners in Flagstaff and this

run means having another local race.”

the Arizona Trail, and to run all the way to the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff, it can’t get any better than that,” said Arizona Trail Association Executive Director Matthew Nelson.Hosted by Babbitt Ranches,

the Kaibab and Coconino National Forests and the Arizona Trail Associa-tion, ultrarunners braved high alti-tude climbs, sub-freezing overnight temperatures and rocky forest trails by the light of an almost full moon. Aid stations, fea-

turing relics from a century ago such as wagon wheels and restored cab-ins, dot the land-scape every eight miles or so at his-toric points. The Nature Conser-vancy’s Hart Prai-rie Preserve was

an original stagecoach stop, as was the CO Bar’s Cedar Camp and the Moqui Stage Coach Stop Interpretive Site in the Kaibab National Forest.

Another stop, the 1884 Hull Cabin, is the oldest stand-ing cabin on the Tusayan Ranger District. “The whole

stagecoach route is like a step back in time,” said Neil Weintraub, Kai-bab National For-est archaeologist, distance runner and Arizona Trail volunteer. “There hasn’t been much change except more trees that

have grown in. Runners get a feel for what it was like to live here 125 years ago.”Dick Mangum says most of

the stagecoach trips of the late 1800s left Flagstaff early in

Character, Nature and Community have been bred into Babbitt Ranches for more than a century. The values that have made the people of Babbitt Ranches who they are and the characteristics that have shaped the organization into a lasting legacy are captured and articulated in The Con-stitution of Babbitt Ranches. It defines the organiza-tion’s Multiple Bottom Line, Conversation Council Creed, Cowboy Essence, Cowboy Essence Character Qualities, A Land Ethic, Sustainable Community Principles, Human Dimension and Science, Equity Model Fundamentals, Priceless Values and Constitution Commitment. These guide Babbitt Ranches’ organizational, ecological, eco-nomic and community decisions.

The Flagstaff Nordic Center, primarily known for its 25 miles of premier cross-country skiing trails, is meeting year-round de-mands from recre-ationists including keeping up with the latest trend in mountain biking—fat bikes—while sharing the out-doors with run-ners, campers and Babbitt Ranches livestock, that have been grazing at the base of the San Francisco Peaks for 130 years.“The CO Bar

runs cattle out here, typically on a three-year rotation self-imposed by the Babbitts to give the land a break,” said Nordic Center Owner Wendell Johnson. “For a lot of our visitors, seeing cows is exciting. Many have never seen cattle before. They have the same kind of reaction that I would have if I were to see a herd of large bull elk.”Johnson rents skis, snowshoes,

cabins and bikes. The trails are also used for distance run-ning events such as Gaspin’ in the Aspen and the Flagstaff Marathon.Fat bikes, also known as snow

bikes, are mountain bikes with wide, under-inflated tires that float on the snow. “Some peo-ple are more comfortable on a bike than on classic skis. You can ride a fat bike around like a mountain bike. They are a little bouncier, a little cushier and are relatively easy to ride. They’re

Cattle, Runners, Riders, Campers Share Landscape

Article IIICowboy EssenceSection 4.

CooperationListen if you want to be heard. Be interested in

finding the best way, not in having your own way.

Cinder cones, lava flows, grazing cattle, roaming coyotes, miles of grassland and a majes-tic view of the snow-cov-ered San Francisco Peaks are some of the sights runners experienced Sat-urday, March 8, in the first SP Crater Marathon north of Flagstaff.One hundred and two

runners, some from as far away as Alaska, joined in the race. In less than three hours, 37-year-old Adidas-sponsored Flag-staff runner Jason Wolfe won the marathon that took runners across the shoulder of SP Crater and alongside lava flows.“It speaks well of the

running community in Flagstaff for showing people different places,” said Wolfe who finished in 2:56:18. “I saw a coyote dash across the trail. He, no doubt, was running a lot faster than I was.”A team from Kids Run Flag-

staff also participated. “The wind and the washboard roads were tricky,” said 11-year-old Alexandra Zavala who ran the 5K race in 25 minutes. “There was nice scenery and it was fun to see cows galloping across.”The course was

completely on Babbitt Ranches land some 30 miles north of Flagstaff. “Races like this give us the opportunity to participate with the community and promote healthy activities,” said Babbitt Ranches President Bill Cor-dasco. “It’s won-derful to be able to integrate geology, wildlife, scenery, ranching and recreation.” “Running around a crater

First SP Crater Marathon Attracts 102 Runners to Babbitt Ranches


Section 15.

Competitive Greatness

Be at your best when your best is needed.

Enjoy a difficult challenge.

Jason Wolfe of Flagstaff’s Adidas Ultra Team displays his prize, a Babbitt Ranches Pendleton blanket, in front of SP Crater. Wolfe won the first SP Crater Marathon with a time of 2:56:18.

It may well have been northern Arizona’s first ultimate wildland adventure for tourists and the start of organized tourism in Flagstaff. In 1892, the Flagstaff Board of Trade in partnership with the railroad promoted the Stagecoach Line from Flagstaff

to the Grand Canyon. Pub-lic relations efforts included a free trip for travel writers, who praised the journey and the views, and even an appearance by Buffalo Bill!That historic

route – through majestic ponder-osa pine forests, alpine meadows, aspen groves, the wide-open spaces of the Bab-bitt Ranches CO Bar Ranch, and the south rim of the world’s larg-est canyon – has been rediscov-ered by historians Dick and Sherry Mangum, Arizona Trail blazers and now, extreme runners. The first Flagstaff to Grand Canyon 100 Mile Stagecoach Line Ultra & Relay occurred the weekend of Oct. 19 and 20, 2013 and will happen again on Sept. 27.“This is one of the most beau-

tiful spots in the state and on

Flagstaff’s Original Tourism Adventure Retraced

Ultra Runners Follow Historic Stagecoach Route to Grand Canyon

Cowboy EssenceCowboy Essence is the self-satisfaction in know-

ing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.

The cowboy culture has long been admired for many won-derful characteristics: hard work, integrity, ambition, self-reliance, family values, confidence, honesty, loyalty, having a relationship with the seasons of the year, and persever-ance through hard times as well as gratitude during the good times.

We are fortunate to have the cowboy culture to remind us of Cowboy Essence. But no matter who we are or where we are in our lives, we all have the opportunity to demonstrate these qualities.

Examples are everywhere as the spirit of the American cowboy filters into all aspects of our communities, culture and society whether we’re a schoolteacher, physician, fire-fighter, law enforcement officer, businessperson, civil service worker, outdoor recreationist, student or family member at home.

The character qualities that make up Cowboy Essence are defined in The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches and reflected in the Babbitt Ranches core values. They have guided the lives of Babbitt Ranches owners and employees for more than a century.

Cowboy Essence creates that peace of mind that comes from knowing our heritage and that we are at our best.

The definition of Article III Cowboy Essence in The Constitution of Babbitt Ranches was inspired by the leadership philosophy of

Hall of Fame Coach John Wooden.

the latest things on trails.” Johnson says the popularity of

fat bikes has grown exponen-tially in the last two years. “They

work well when we don’t have great snow, like last year, and still offer the opportunity to en-joy being out in the woods. You could ride on the snow and also hit sec-tions of rock and dirt.”Skate skiing is

also a popular trend, he says of the shorter skis. “As the name im-plies, you move in a

skating motion. It’s a faster style of skiing than cross-country ski-ing.”Meanwhile, traditional snow-

shoeing and cross-country ski-ing continue to grow nationwide, he says. “The unique thing to our area is a lot of people have never seen snow. Being close to Phoenix, there might be 40 percent of our customers who are experimenting with snow for the first time. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are less daunting than downhill skiing or sledding.”Educating recreationists about

outdoor etiquette is part of the job, says Johnson. “Most of the people are pretty good and most have the desire to do the right thing, but there are people who just don’t know what that is. We get a lot of first time every-thing—campers, skiers, bikers – and we’re out there every day talking to them.”

where the Apollo astronauts trained is cool,” said 21-year-old Will Sabin, an athlete on the

Recreation continued on page 6

World-class runners Ian Torrence, Emily Harrison, Kate Papen-berg and Michelle Wessen mark the end of the race.

Michael Versteeg is congratulated by Ian Tor-rence.

page 2 August 2014BABBITT TIMES REVIEW

171 in the U.S. Fountain House reports that the num-ber of people impacted by the organization, including family members, are in the millions.

“They have found sensitive ways to provide employment , training and, above all, com-munity,” said Crossman. Other groups

who have been granted this award include Doctors with-out Borders and Heifer International. “It is a great

honor and car-ries with it a $1.5 million

dollar grant. More than the money, the recognition of this fine program will make a truly significant differ-ence for a population that is often ignored or stigma-tized,” said Crossman. “We are so tremendously thank-ful to see this valuable work (and by extension, Ralph himself) receive acknowl-edgment!”

Through commu-nity support, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is able to continue with wildlife con-servation projects. Its annual fund-raising banquet, held on Saturday, Aug. 9 raised some $63,000. RMEF projects

include water i mp ro vem en t s ; freeway corridor projects; juniper woodland thinning projects; and, pre-scribed burns.Flagstaff Chapter committee

member and retired Arizona Game and Fish Department Region 2 Supervisor Tom Britt credits Babbitt Ranches for being a longtime friend of conservation efforts.“Since the day of David

Babbitt, the Bab-bitts have always been good work-ing partners with wildlife,” said Britt. “They are very respectful of wildlife’s place on the land, which has carried on all through the gen-erations.” Former RMEF

Flagstaff Chap-ter Chair Darren Choate agrees. “The people of Babbitt Ranches are great stewards

of the land and their heart is in the same place as ours. They donate something every year to help us raise money. This year it was their Pendleton blanket.” The RMEF also teaches

hunting education camps and recreation land ethics.

three rooms with dental chairs and equipment, along with two medical examination rooms. The building and all the equip-ment is completely paid for and owned by the nonprofit organi-zation.“It is one of only three den-

tal/medical clinics in Arizona. We’ve been open a month and already we’re busy,” he says.Each year, the Poore’s host

the Beans and Rice Fundraiser to support the health care clinic and services. The Sunday, Sept. 7 event was an evening of mu-sic and storytelling with Henry Poore & the Poore Boys (Henry plays guitar, mandolin and ban-jo), plus special guest Tony Nor-ris. There was also a silent auc-tion and a live auction conducted by Col. Russell Mann.“We packed the Orpheum.

They had to open the balcony,” said Poore. “Babbitt Ranches always supplies us with a steer, quartered, vacuum packed and frozen. We auctioned it off for $2,800. With all the donations, we are able to make enough on

Beans and Rice to carry us for a long time.” The name, Beans

and Rice, is a car-ryover from a tradi-tion started by the late Dr. Charles Sechrist. He had kept a 50-pound sack of pinto beans and a 50-pound sack of rice, along with a stack of paper bags at his practice. “He said, ‘Help yourself.

That’s for my poor people,’” said Poore. Henry says the Poore Medical

Clinic and Sid David Memorial Dental Clinic are indeed com-munity facilities. “Everything we do is community based, supported financially by the community.”

Country Beef is to provide the opportunity for the entire com-munity to participate and enjoy healthy food. During this event, some $1,500 was raised for Northland Hospice.

“Babbitt Ranch has been helping our organization, as well as the com-munity, by their significant contri-butions that they have raised,” said Northland Hospice CFO/Interim CEO Russ Anderson. “These charities allow Northland Hospice to guide the community through end-of-life care with quality and compassion-

ate hospice services along with bereavement counseling.”

With dozens of volunteer doc-tors, dentists, nurse practitio-ners and student dental hygien-ists rotating through, Dr. Henry Poore believes he has one of the best medical staffs in town.Poore, who with his wife,

Nina, have been operating the Poore Medical Clinic on Hum-phreys and Fine for three years, opened a satellite clinic on Isa-bel Street this summer. “We have known that there

was a group of people on the east side of town, in Sunnyside, who did not have access to healthcare. They are uninsured and below the poverty level,” said Henry. “We’ve been trying ever since we opened on Hum-phreys to find a decent place for another clinic. We’ve also known that there is no place in the county that a per-son without insur-ance or money can get dental care, so we’ve thought about that.”The new clin-

ic, across from Coconino High School, is called the Sid Davis Memorial Dental Clinic, named af-ter the late dentist who owned the building and died in a motor-cycle accident. He had provided dental care for hundreds of pa-tients between Flagstaff and the Hopi Reservation.Through the generous sup-

port of the Davis family, private donations and help from lo-cal dentists, the new clinic has

Babbitt Ranches is a Community within a Community integrated with broadly diverse groups of individuals with varying thoughts, interests, skills and history. With yourself, with family and friends, with the community and with the environment, one way or another and in the end, relationships are all there is. Thus, it’s simply not just about things and doing things, but about the meaning of things. With a genuine consideration for others, LifeScapes provides a venue through which Babbitt Ranches participates with the community.

A few went home as successful bidders on legendary Hashknife horses on Saturday, July 12 during the Annual Colt Sale at Spider Web Camp. Many more went home with a package of Babbitt Ranches CO Bar beef and the satisfaction knowing the price they paid served as a donation to Northland Hos-pice.Through the

LifeScapes Open Hands Country Beef program, more 300 pounds of the grass-fed, h o r m o n e - f r e e ground beef, wrapped in one-pound packages, were made available with the theme, “Your Price Not Ours.”The premise of Open Hands

Open Hands Country Beef Supports Northland Hospice

Norman Sharber 1925 – 2013Flagstaff businessman and active community member Norman Griffith Sharber

died peacefully at home on Oct. 28, 2013. Mr. Sharber grew up in Flagstaff, attended Emerson School, Flagstaff High School and Arizona State College. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943. When he returned to Flagstaff, Mr. Sharber renewed his childhood friendship with Rayma Babbitt, daughter of Viola Passey and J. R. Babbitt, Sr. They married on Dec. 28, 1951. After his father’s death in 1955, Norm assumed the Texaco distributorship. He expanded the business, Arizona Trails, Inc., throughout northern and eastern Arizona under both Texaco and later Shell brands. One of his proudest honors was his appointment to the Arizona Board of Regents by Gov. Samuel P. Goddard. He enjoyed picnics in the woods, collecting firewood with family, hiking, playing golf, photography, classical music, rafting the Colorado River and having coffee downtown in the mornings with his friends.

Mary Simpson 1946 – 2013Mary Phyllis (Nelson) Simpson of Flagstaff passed away Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013

in the arms of her husband of 50 years in her beloved Grand Canyon following a boating accident on the Colorado River. Mary Phyl was born in Winslow. Her par-ents operated the Park Service concession for the Thunderbird Lodge and Trading Post in Chinle. She and her sister, Jeanie, lived in Flagstaff during the school year with their grandparents, Joe and Viola Babbitt. During the summers, Mary adventured in the canyons of northern Arizona. In 1976, Mary and her husband, Robert, began operating the fam-ily grocery store in Cameron. She knew most of the community members by name. Mary Phyl is remembered as a person who lived life with gusto, both in her love of family and love of adventure, She loved to read, and she loved to teach children and adults alike.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Helping Wildlife

Article IIICowboy EssenceSection 3. Friendship

Mutual esteem, respect and devotion are the

ingredients of an endur-ing friendship. Like

marriage, it must not be taken for granted but requires a joint effort.

Article IXPriceless

ValuesWith yourself, with

family and friends, with the community and with

the environment, one way or another and in the end, relationships

are all there is.

— Bill Cordasco


LoyaltyBe devoted to yourself and to all those who depend on you. Keep

your self-respect.

Poores Open Eastside Medical and Dental Clinic with Community Support

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has awarded its 2014 Hilton Humanitarian Prize to Fountain House/Clubhouse International, a pioneering organization that has created a successful model to help those suffering from mental ill-ness to reclaim their lives and realize their potential through work and the sup-port of a caring community.“This is

the work to which my dear brother, Ralph Bilby (of Bab-bitt Ranches), has devoted his life.” said Meg Crossman.Fountain House (begin-

ning in New York City where Bilby served) has been working since 1948 along-side people struggling with chronic mental illnesses. Today, the organization directly impacts more than 100,000 people through more than 340 clubhouses in 32 countries, including

Bilby’s Work with Fountain House Honored

by Hilton Foundation


Section 12.

Ranch SpiritA genuine consideration

for others fosters an eagerness to sacrifice personal interests and

glory for the betterment of others. It is not about

I but We.

Babbitt Ranches Community Prayer

We thank you Lord, for this place in which we live; for the love and friendships that unite us and for the peace accorded to us this day: for the hope with which we expect tomorrow—for the health, food and the bright skies that make our lives happy—for our friends everywhere.Let peace abound in our families. Purge out of our

hearts the hidden grudge. Give us the grace and strength to practice self-control. Give us the will to accept and to forgive each other. Give us brave, joy-ous and peaceful minds. Bless us in all our honest and sincere endeavors.If it may be, give us the courage to face that which

is to come—that we may be brave in risk, constant in difficulty—temperate in anger—and in all changes of fortune; loyal, true and loving one another.

© 2012 Chris Couture

The presentation of a single yellow rose is a tradition of Babbitt Ranches. This tradition allows us to reflect and to embrace our passed loved ones and to share this embrace with their families.

Our thoughts are with those lives lived well, who will forever stay in our hearts.

A Yellow Rose

A Yellow RoseIts gentle beauty reminds us of the love our family and friends have for us… Its soft yellow hue symbolizes the

hope and joy that comes with tomorrow’s sunrise… Its loveliness lives on in our hearts and reminds us of those who have wonderfully graced our lives and who will always remain in our thoughts and prayers.

The community of Babbitt Ranches fondly remembers beloved friends

928.774.6199

P. O. Box 520 Flagstaff, AZ 86002

www.babbittranches.com

Adventure continued fromfrom page 1

Article IVCowboy Essence

Character QualitiesSection 8.

IntegrityPurity of intention.

Coconino Plateau Forecast

National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Kli-mowski, Ph.D., is predicting another beautiful fall sea-son for northern Arizona. “Storms in the fall are typically few and far between,

and don’t have a great impact,” he says. “A weak El Niño is likely to develop, which may bring a bit of an increase in our precipitation, but most of the time it takes a strong El Niño to make a significant difference.”Klimowoski’s forecast calls for the normal variance of

conditions typical of autumn but skewed slightly toward wetter conditions. “There’s not too much out there to tip the scales, but near normal or slightly wetter than normal is a good bet.”

the morning and arrived at the Grand Canyon in the evening. Travelers could purchase the excursion for about $15 when they bought their train tickets at stations in Chicago and other big cities or their way to and from Los Angeles. Guests rode in, and on top of, elegant Con-cord coaches. “These were the stagecoaches

you’d see in old Westerns,” said Mangum. “They were consid-ered quite elegant with wood finish and plush, upholstered seats. The ride was probably fun for about the first hour. Passengers were dealing with intense sun, rain at times, bugs flying into their eyes and a lot of dust. Also, the wheels were wooden and suspension

was just non-existent. You felt every bounce in the road. You can imagine by the time they got to the Grand Canyon after 12 hours in a stagecoach, they were whipped!”It was a great honor, says

28-year-old Michael Versteeg of Prescott about winning the inaugural Stagecoach Ultra. “I was very emotional at the end of the race, not just because I finished first, but because I finished at all. Whether it’s 100 miles, 50 miles or a 5K, each race is a huge, personal accomplishment for each indi-vidual.”“This is a wonderful event

for ultrarunners, history, the Arizona Trail, Babbitt Ranches and the Forest Service. We’re highlighting the very landscape that everybody’s working to preserve,” said Weintraub.Babbitt Ranches President

Bill Cordasco says the Stage-coach Ultra 100-mile run is an extremely difficult race that requires a great deal of per-sonal commitment from par-ticipants. “It’s a top notch event that will continue to encour-age more people to experience

the area. Through the Babbitt Ranches Foundation and our Open Hands program, we’re able to share this awesome countryside with others.” Cordasco had long hoped for

a race across Babbitt Ranches. He worked with Ian Torrence, an accomplished ultra runner, coach and event director, Wein-traub and Nelson to make the vision a reality.“Without Babbitt Ranches’

support and permission, this event would have never hap-pened,” said Torrence. “You cannot get from here to there without setting foot on Babbitt land. They provide ideas on aid station locations and access points, and also sponsor the event.” “Babbitt Ranches is one of

the best land managers in the state,” said Nelson. “At the Ari-zona Trail Association, we work with every land manager you can imagine. Babbitt Ranches is an exemplary steward of the land.” Cordasco says he hopes the

Stagecoach Ultra will become as much of a signature event for Babbitt Ranches and visitors as the annual Colt Sale.

August 2014 BABBITT TIMES REVIEW

long-term partner-ship in which we can support each other’s missions.”The Arizona

Trail, completed in February 2012, was 30 years in the making. Nelson calls it “record-breaking.” It was the vision of Flagstaff resident and educator Dale Shewalter, known as the “Father of the Arizona Trail.” Shewalter died

two years and 50 miles before the trail was fin-ished. His favorite section was the passage through Babbitt Ranches. When the Arizona Trail Association created its stewardship program, Shewal-ter adopted this portion.“Most long distance

trails begin as a con-cept. Then they rely on federal dollars spread out over a hundred years to slowly build the trail,” said Nelson. “In Arizona, we have always done things differently. The Arizona Trail was built primarily by vol-unteers and through handshake agreements with federal agencies and ranchers alike. We have a huge community of people who believe in the trail. They put in many hours of time to make sure this resource

ret research and recovery efforts; and, managing prai-rie dogs by incorporating Sylvatic plague vaccine imple-mentation and research.Jennifer Cordova, a wildlife

specialist who leads north-ern Arizona’s black-footed ferret release program with the Arizona Game and Fish Department says the plague is generally transmitted by fleas

and can have dev-astating effects on prairie dog colo-nies. “We use a kib-

ble-like bait laced with the vaccine and we have evi-dence that the prairie dogs are eating it,” she said. “There has been plague on the Espee with prairie dog die-offs in the past. If you don’t have prairie dogs, you can’t have black-footed ferrets.”

Other animals can contract the deadly disease by eating infected prairie dogs. Black-footed ferrets are highly sus-ceptible to plague, as they live in the dens of prairie dogs and prey on them, as well.Babbitt Ranches Presi-

page 3

One of only three completed National Scenic Trails in the coun-try, the Arizona Trail continues to attract hikers, run-ners, backpackers, mountain bikers, cross country ski-ers and equestri-ans. Although the trail covers 800 miles from Mex-ico to Utah, only about 1 percent of trail users attempt to complete it all at once.“It takes up to three weeks

on a bike, two months on foot, and four or five months on horseback,” says Arizona Trail Association Executive Director Matthew Nelson. “So, 99 per-cent of trail users are day users. They’ll do a small segment of the trail at a time and it might take them 10 years to complete. It’s on a lot of peoples’ bucket lists.”Because there are many trail-

heads accessing the trail, even remote areas such as stretches on Babbitt Ranches are experi-encing an increase in the num-ber of day users. “Babbitt Ranches is unique.

It’s the only stretch of private property that the trail traverses. The rest of the Arizona Trail is on public land or right-of-ways held by the county. The trail would not exist without the support of Babbitt Ranches and we’re looking forward to a

Arizona Trail Growing in Popularity


Intentness Set realistic goals.

Concentrate on achievement by

resisting temptations. Be determined and persistent.

Wide and Varied Science is promoted, supported and acknowledged by Babbitt Ranches across the Coconino Pla-teau. The goal remains to affect a land ethic so that private and public land managers have science-based knowledge and technologies to support the sound stewardship and conserva-tion of their lands and natural and cultural resources. Focus areas include:

Community and Relationships ◆ Sustainability Land Use Ethic ◆ Cross-Disciplinary Programs

A Blend of Natural and Social SciencesScience and a Sense of Art ◆ Information Dissemination

Regional Planning.

Conservation Projects support efforts to reintroduce the nearly extinct black-footed ferret: establish a golden eagle conservation area; and develop habitat for pronghorn ante-lope and other wildlife species.

Conservation Easements preserve open spaces for the enjoyment and participation of generations to come.◆ Cataract Ranch, 34,000 acres to The Nature Conservancy◆ Cataract Ranch 6,000 acres to Coconino County◆ CO Bar, 640 acres to Coconino County

With elected officials, wild-life managers, scientists and news media representatives in attendance, some 25 to 30 black-footed ferrets, North America’s most endangered mammal, will be released on the Espee Ranch near Tin House Camp on Wednesday, Oct. 1.The Arizona Game and Fish

Department, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-vice and Bab-bitt Ranches are working together in an effort to return a missing part of the grass-land ecosystem to northern Arizona. The project also includes field tri-als to determine the effectiveness of an oral Sylvatic plague vaccine on prairie dogs. If proven effec-tive, the vaccine potentially could thwart the spread of plague in human populations in develop-ing countries.The three main goals of

the release include: inte-grating collaborative land-scape-scale conservation; conducting black-footed fer-

Article VIIHuman

Dimension and Science

Section 4. Communicate activities to other agencies and

landowners with whom Babbitt Ranches has

relationships, and to the owners of Babbitt Ranches.

More Black-Footed Ferrets to be Released on Espee Ranchdent Bill Cordasco says the October release is a perfect example of interagency and nongovernmental cooperation. “This represents the founda-tion of the things we do: work with volunteers, demonstrate good stewardship on private land, participate with the com-munity and advance wildlife

conservation. It’s important to recognize when these efforts have been successful. Also, this is an economical way to address plague with pos-sible global impacts on human health.”To date, more than 70 ferrets

have been released on Espee Ranch.

is available for future genera-tions.”Meantime, trail running is

exploding as the fastest grow-ing outdoor sport, says Nelson. And the Arizona Trail Asso-ciation is establishing distance-running events such as the Flagstaff to Grand Canyon 100 Mile Stagecoach Line Ultra & Relay to highlight the best parts of the trail and introduce people from outside the area to the natural wonders of Arizona.“From Saguaro National

Park, through the Sky Islands of southern Arizona, up the Mogollon Rim, across the Colo-rado Plateau and the wide open skies of Babbitt Ranches, and through the heart of the Grand Canyon, you would never see the types of landscapes that are featured along the Arizona Trail anywhere else in the world.”

Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfits Recreationists

Keith Harris, owner of Bab-bitt’s Backcountry Outfitters, has been in the business of outdoor recreation for nearly 30 years. He’s experienced changes in the recreationist, activities and gear.“The recreationist has defi-

nitely changed, as far as the type of user,” said Harris. “A good example is camping. When the recession hit, over-night camping became more popular. A lot of folks stay-cat-ioned. They bought tents and went traveling. We saw that transition with the family back in the woods. It’s so much cheaper than the European vacation.”He says the

industry has seen a shift from long backcountry overnight hikes to quick outings such as day hikes, mountain biking, snow shoeing, disc golf, cross country skiing and rock climbing. While some of

the top selling items at Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters are for sun protection, such as hats, shirts and sunglasses, Harris says products that use the sun are the latest trend in recreation gear.“Creating energy is so

big right now – anything that can charge an elec-tronic device. There are power pots that transfer the heat from a cook-stove surface to elec-

tricity. They have USB ports on the side so you can charge a phone. We’re seeing this solar panel tech-nology in kids’ backpacks. Even-tually it will be on tents.”Harris said the

recreationists he sees have a good understanding of outdoor recreation ethics like stay-ing on trails and picking up after pets. He credits

the Forest Service and local groups for educating people about the outdoors.“What really helps is that

companies that sell outdoor gear are committed to the envi-ronment. If an employee buys from a brand we carry, they receive a discount but it’s also mandatory that they donate to a cause that helps the environ-ment.”Harris says last year’s best-

selling Christmas gift purchase from Babbitt’s Backcountry Outfitters was the $14 inflat-able solar powered light. He expects this to be popular again during the 2014 holiday season.

While improved technol-ogy is driving some of the lat-est outdoor recreation trends, activities that require the least amount of gear continue to rank among the most popular. One of the

newer outdoor activities is can-yoneering, says Brian Poturalski, Coconino National Forest Recre-ation Staff Officer for the Flagstaff Ranger District. “It’s a form of rock climbing. It’s high-end hiking with gear that you use when you need to climb.” Another growing sport is

downhill biking, an offshoot of mountain biking. “The bikes are beefier, almost like a motor-cycle without an engine,” says

Poturalski. “Downhill biking is done on very steep terrain, places that are hard to walk down. Usually a vehicle, like a pick-up truck shuttles the bike and the rider up to the starting

point. Also, this activity is popular at ski areas where ski lifts are used to transport moun-tain bikers up the hill.Utility Task Vehi-

cles, or UTVs, are becoming more common on the landscape, as well. “They are more of a small car or jeep than you’d think of for an All-Terrain

Vehicle (ATV). They used to be used in farming, but they are getting bigger and faster. They come out in hordes. Hunters are using them a lot more now.”

But many forest users don’t require a lot of gear. Results from a recent survey about the Mount Elden/Dry Lake Hills trail system by the Northern Arizona University Forestry Club reveal that walkers and hikers far exceed any other type of trail user, including mountain bikers, horseback riders and rock climbers. Further, some 70 to 75 per-

cent of survey participants say they are using the trail system for recreation with friends and family, and for health and exer-cise. Regardless of the kind of

activity, Poturalski says the biggest challenge forest man-agers face with recreational use stems from user-created and unauthorized trails. “A lot of activity happens in remote areas where there are no trails, which can negatively impact wildlife and sensitive plants.”



ReliabilityThe consistency and trustworthiness that

create respect.

Recreation Activities Trending in the Forest


Alertness Observe constantly. Stay open-minded. Be eager to learn and improve.

Exploring SP Crater Volcanofound here, too, and attract golden eagles that prey upon them. More than a hundred years ago, the black-footed ferret lived among the prairie dog colonies. That particular ferret is now the most en-dangered mammal in North America and is being reintro-duced on Babbitt Ranches’ Espee Ranch to the west of SP Crater. Today, recreationists of all

types blend with the fabric of the landscape. The SP Cra-ter Marathon attracts world-class distance runners in the spring. Bird watchers, hikers and mountain bike enthusi-asts also enjoy the open range.“We encourage

people to come out and appre-ciate the land through differ-ent recreational activities,” said Babbitt Ranches President Bill Cordasco. “As more of us par-ticipate with na-ture and the out-doors, it’s only natural to want to care about the land and develop what we call an Outdoor Recreation Ethics Attitude.” Scientists also can be found

conducting research in the grasslands. Through the Landsward Discovery Coun-cil, Babbitt Ranches has

created the Antelope Prairie Ecological Research Area near SP Crater. “Babbitt Ranches has al-

ways demonstrated this strong desire to integrate the best and most current science into day to day management activities,” said Goodwin. “It’s really quite remark-able the amount of scientific studies occurring on Babbitt Ranches, from plants and animals to wind energy and climate change.”Goodwin has been invento-

rying the plant life on Babbitt Ranches for several years and has found several rare spe-

cies. “Out there, I

am just so im-pressed with the area, how unique it is and what good con-dition it is in. I’m hooked. I just have to go out there every so often for the feel of it, the quietness and the surprise of what you might see including the rare saw

phacelia that grows in the cinders.”Goodwin discussed the

volcanic field, grassland, science, history and wildlife during a Flagstaff Festival of Science field trip hosted by Babbitt Ranches.

SP Crater is one of hundreds of basalt cinder cones in the San Francisco Volcanic Field north of Flagstaff. Although scientists say it likely erupted 70,000 years ago, it’s famous because the lava flow is so big astronauts can see it from space, 300 miles away!But SP Crater may well have

been an important landmark for prehistoric people who likely were searching for ob-sidian (volcanic glass) that they could use for knives and spear tips. Archaeologists say they hunted here, where pronghorn roam.Early ranchers also were

familiar with SP Crater, as the grassland is desirable for sheep and cattle. Babbitt Ranches purchased the land around SP Crater in 1921 to become part of the CO Bar Ranch where grass-fed cattle still graze.Biologist Greg Goodwin

says SP Crater, some 30 miles north of Flagstaff, is located at the southern tip of the Colorado Plateau. “The thing about the grassland out here is it’s not pure grass-land. It has a shrub compo-nent – small woody plants and sages – mixed in with the grass. It’s an unusual con-vergence of plants from the Great Plains, like you’d see in New Mexico and Texas, and plants you’d expect to find in the Great Basin, in places like Utah or Nevada. And it’s particularly important food for pronghorn.”Other grassland creatures

like rabbits and mice are Greg Goodwin

Article VIIHuman

Dimension and Science

Section 1.

Ensure that Babbitt Ranch land and natural resources are managed

in accordance with Babbitt Ranch values.

August 2014BABBITT TIMES REVIEWpage 6

Babbitt Ranches is a Family Business, as such, the work of business and the complexity of relationships have had a significant impact on each other. Through the years, Babbitt ventures have included cattle, sheep, trading posts, grocery stores, department stores, lumber companies, a livery stable, an automobile dealership, mining operations, farms, an ice plant, a funeral parlor and many others. As the 21st century organizational community carries on the spirit of adventure, exploration and love for the land, the CO Bar, Cataract and Espee Ranches remain bustling with activities that bridge the business ventures from the pioneer age to the space age with a commitment to quality and long-term decision mak-ing. Cowboys ride, rope and brand while researchers study climate, explore renewable energy and simulate conditions of the moon.

w 730,000 acres of grazing land w 275,000 acres deeded w 7,500 head; mostly Hereford cattle w 150 American Quarter Horses;

carrying the historic Hashknife brand

Not since the late 1950s has Babbitt Ranches locally grown, grass-fed beef been available to northern Ari-zona. But with the opening of Proper Meats + Provisions in downtown Flagstaff, beef lov-ers are able to once again pur-chase CO Bar Hereford beef.“We are so excited about

Proper Meats providing quality products from local agriculture,” said Babbitt Ranches President Bill Cor-dasco. “This is a great oppor-tunity for Babbitts to partici-pate with the agriculture com-munity, joining in the effort to promote healthy foods and healthy lifestyles.”Babbitt Ranches Hereford

beef is free of hormones, ste-roids and antibiotics. “I think it’s wonderful to be able to offer this finest-quality beef to the locals,” said Jim Bab-bitt, who tells the story of how his grandfather, C.J. Bab-bitt – one of the original five brothers who began Babbitt Ranches – brought a young butcher to Flag-staff to work in the Babbitt Meat Packing Plant.“When they

were opening that operation there weren’t any local butch-ers that he knew of. St. Louis was one of the centers for meat pack-ing so he went to St. Louis and found a young man interested in coming to Flag-staff to become a butcher.”Babbitt says C.J. hired him.

“He offered to pay for him to go to school to learn the meat-packing trade, which he did. He worked his entire career as a Babbitts butcher. ”C.J. also paid the educational

expenses for the man’s son, Herbert Hilkins, to become a skilled butcher. Herbert’s son then followed the family tradition and also worked as a

Babbitt Ranches CO Bar Beef Available at New Butcher Shop

Nina Ronstadt blogs about the Colt Sale.

butcher in the Flagstaff meat packing plant, marking three generations of Hilkins butch-ers. The plant opened around

the turn of the last century, in 1899 or 1900, on Leroux Street and Birch Ave-nue where the Old Town Shops are now. “The meat would arrive with car-casses on hooks from the Bab-bitt slaughter house, where SCA Tissue is today. Vari-ous cuts would be wrapped or ground and made into sau-

sage,” said Jim Babbitt.The Babbitt Meat Packing

Plant also rendered and sold large buckets of lard. Under the label, Silver Pine Pure Lard, it was sold all over the Southwest.“The company was served

with a copyright infringement by Swift, which had the label, Silverleaf Brand Pure Lard,” said Babbitt. “The court found that Babbitts couldn’t

use that name. That’s when they decided to get out of the lard making business in 1923 or 1924.”The meat packing plant

closed in the late 1950s.Since that time, John Win-

nicki and Mario Mendoza of Flagstaff Custom Meats, along with Babbitt Ranches employees Fred Diumenti and Rick Jones, expended a great deal of energy trying to develop a Babbitt Ranches beef program for Flagstaff.“There were certainly many

challenges ahead of us,” said Cordasco.Others who helped in the

effort were Northern Ari-zona University finance and accounting professors Lisa Majure and Kathy Savage who took on the beef program as a business case study to identify the market, as well as the h u r d l e s and chal-l e n g e s a s s o c i -ated with such an endeavor. “From all

that effort

and all that we’ve learned, today, along with our LifeS-capes Open Hands Country Beef program, which makes beef available to the commu-nity for whatever price people determine for themselves, and through the Proper Meats butcher shop, Babbitt Ranches is able to offer qual-ity, local beef to the commu-nity,” said Cordasco.Proper Meats + Provisions

is located at 110 S. San Fran-cisco Street. Brix and Criollo Latin Kitchen restaurateur Paul Moir, along with his wife Laura and Executive Chef David Smith, are transform-ing the early 1900’s historic building into a butcher shop and 10-seat eatery to show-case Arizona’s finest farm-raised meats, poultry and cured products.


Industriousness There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile

results come from hard work and

careful planning.

Article VA Land Ethic

Section 3.

The land ethic then reflects the existence

of an ecological conscience, and

this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land.

Health is the capacity of the land for self-renewal.

Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity.

Recreation continued from page 1

are regulations in place intended to bal-ance these uses in order to preserve the resources for the enjoyment and use by all. On ranches, lands are primarily man-aged for livestock, but many have diversified beyond the traditional intent to maximize livestock yield, and now manage for other interests including ecologi-cal integrity, hunt-ing, fishing, out-door access and off-highway vehi-cle (OHV) use.Leopold opposed

exploitive uses of nature with-out regard for the health of the land. Some forms of recreation can be exploitive and env ironmenta l ly damaging. Bab-bitt Ranches maintains that the Outdoor Recre-ation Ethic Atti-tude will reduce negative impacts to the land by creating aware-ness and sensi-tivity, and con-tinue to provide opportunities for people to inter-act and connect with the natural environment.

grandparents’ active dairy farm, so I’m really comfort-able around cattle. We let the runners know about it in the pre-race literature.”Some 425

people signed up for the event and 300 fin-ished. Andrew Benford set a new men’s record for the course while Emily Harrison set a new wom-en’s record.“ B a b b i t t

Ranches came to my aid and I really appreciated that!”

said Torrence. “One of my sponsors fell through for

the awards so Babbitts sup-plied four of their Pendleton blankets, which were key to making people happy.”Torrence says

he’s a big believ-er in tradition and is thrilled to be able to con-tinue the race at the Nordic Cen-ter. He’s making plans for the next Gaspin’ in the Aspen

scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015.

As more people move to Arizona for its wide-open spaces and rec-reational oppor-tunities, Arizona State Parks’ chief public information officer says the outdoor recreation ethic continues to grow along with the number of vol-unteers eager to protect the natural resources.“ S i g h t s e e i n g ,

driving around looking at things, always has been at the top of public rec-reational activities,” says Ellen Bilbrey. “People like to stop and look at plants and all kinds of animals such as elk, deer and birds.”She says birding is becoming

a strong national trend. “We’re in a bird migratory area. Birds come from Mexico and fly over the lands all across Arizona to go north. People love to see all kinds of birds, especially eagles and herons.”And mountain biking con-

tinues to grow in popularity. “People can ride mountain bikes in the parks on some of the trails. Also, the Great West-ern Trail, a motorized 4-wheel drive road, goes up through Babbitt Ranches. Many OHV groups ride together and then riders are not afraid to take off and ride many of the trails. It’s very challenging but popular for many ages.”Bilbrey says Off-Highway

Vehicle (OHV) activity also is increasing statewide. “Off high-way does not mean off road. With the Forest Service Travel Management Plans you have to be sure you are on a designed road, and be careful to use the new maps.” She advises recre-

ationists to pick up a new map specific to the National Forest they are visiting, which will have very specific

information about where to camp and how far from the road campers need to park.Ethic-based rec-

reation behavior includes avoiding driving on muddy roads. “This ruins the roads and there are no funds to repair them. One of the big-gest problems we see is people driv-ing on extremely wet roads, which

creates ruts.” For hunters, Bilbrey empha-

sizes understanding and prac-ticing the rules of fair chase. “Trail cameras used to scout the location of game animals or track their daily movement reduces the opportunities for other hunters. Permanent blinds near tanks also should be taken down right after the hunter finishes using them as well as trail cameras.”Bilbrey reminds recreation-

ists that anything harvested on public lands requires a permit, including picking up antlers, gathering firewood or cutting down a Christmas tree. She also encourages recreationists to be aware of fire restrictions and make sure campfires are out, coals are cold and rock fire rings are taken apart.“We need everyone to take

personal responsibility of car-ing for the land,” says Bilbrey. “Take a garbage bag with you on every road trip and pick up trash wherever you encounter it. We should all keep Arizona beautiful, including the scenic Babbitt Ranches.”

ranchlands. Driving from Flag around the north side of the San

Francisco Peaks, you drop in eleva-tion from fir trees to a high prairie of dried grass. The Painted Des-ert sits off in the distance. The sky was blue and huge and white puffy clouds floated across it as picturesque as it was cliché and it was like step-ping right into a postcard of a ranch.”Every year, hun-

dreds of specta-tors like Ronstadt

come out to see the latest gen-eration of proud, strong, spir-ited Hashknife horses. Some of them are buyers and some, like Ronstadt, dream about being buyers. “That day I learned that the

most desirable physical traits in an (American) Quarter Horse

men doing work with Bab-bitt Ranches and the rancher controls the shipping date and the weighing condition,” said Nelson. “However, with Inter-net technology, our customers have the opportunity to buy and sell cattle every day of the week on Roundup’s silent auc-tion or on the monthly live auc-tion, where the sale is called by an auctioneer that is broadcast over the Internet, maximizing the energy and excitment of the competative bidding process. So we’re able to have the best of both worlds.”RoundupCattle sells approxi-

mately 50,000 head of cattle per year with some 500 ranching customers. “The value added is in the buyer feedback Babbitt Ranches receives from what customers want, which makes the cattle more valu-able and more people want to bid on the live-stock. With their premium vaccina-tion program and long-standing rep-utation for quality, grass-fed cattle, Babbitt’s cattle are a premium

product.” Babbitt Ranches has been

doing business with Roundup-Cattle.com since the company began in 2010. The Roundup’s management team has been in the cattle marketing business since 1999.

For Babbitt Ranches Colt Sale fans, the annual event is not just a day of doing business. The whole western experience, including the barbeque and panoramic views, is treated like a holiday by cowboys, equestrians and spectators.Nina Ronstadt of San

Diego visits Flagstaff often to see her sister, Cathy Jolma. For the past year, the two of them have been planning their trip to the Spider Web Camp. On her blog she writes:“Since my daugh-

ter and I started horseback riding together a year-and-a-half ago, I think about horses about 20 percent of the time. You can call this a mid-life obsession, I guess, crisis seems too harsh a word. The Hashknife Ranch Colt sale has given me more to think about.”She says Babbitt Ranches

encompass some of the pretti-est country she knows. “Last year when we took the train to the Grand Canyon, I fell in love with the sweeping yel-low grassed mesas and rolling hills of the northern Arizona

The Internet has revolution-ized the business of buying and selling cattle as companies like RoundupCattle.com offer live-stock marketing and bidding from a computer screen. Through photos and video,

Babbitt Ranches, which runs nearly 4,000 head of horned Hereford cows, sells multiple loads of yearling cattle by both the live and silent auction meth-ods provided by the online com-pany. While this is happening, anyone interested can watch, which allows for greater partici-pation from the public and Bab-bitt Ranches board members. RoundupCatt le

General Manager Chris Nelson says the company offers a daily cattle mar-ket with unlimited buyer exposure and dedicated personal service. “With online auc-tion technology, we can offer a potentially much broader market than the ranch has experienced in the past and connect with buyers all over the country.”Nelson says

another benefit to the online technol-ogy is that the cat-tle don’t have to leave the ranch and ranchers don’t have to be concerned about them becom-ing stressed or losing weight in the process. “Essentially it’s a country

deal setting because our rep-resentatives are Arizona cattle-

Colt Sale Offers More Than Horses

Babbitt Ranches President Bill Cordasco and Ranch Manager Victor Howell watch the live auction from Babbitt Ranches conference room in downtown Flagstaff as bidding on the ranch yearlings takes place.


Section 10.

Conditioning All aspects of our lives

must be developed: mental; spiritual; and, physical. Rest, exercise and diet must be con-

sidered and moderation must be practiced.

Moving Cattle with a Click on the Computer

Article IPhilosophy

and Multiple

Bottom LineSection 1.

Through our efforts of learning and

understanding, we are better able to join, share

and be a part of the Babbitt Ranches’

organizational, eco-logical, economical and community decisions.

are a big butt, clean, upfront neck and a horse that sits up high on its legs.”Mike Tulloss, his wife Kelly and

their three daughters love the Colt Sale as well. “They have horses of their own,” Tulloss says of Canon, 14, Maci, 12 and Carson, 9. “We are completely pleasure riders. They are in the Pony Club and 4-H.”Tulloss says the Colt Sale

gives his family a chance to enjoy a day together, mix with friends and see the babies. “Babbitt Ranches is such a big part of Flagstaff,” he says. It’s a fun social event with a lot of nostalgia behind it. So far, I

have precluded my wife from making any more indulges here, but there could be one in future.”Ronstadt, too, considers the

possibility of a Hashknife colt in her life someday. “Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to wake up and find a horse in my yard. Not some ratty bike. I tell my husband this every Christmas. That is why he was very afraid when I went to the Hashknife Colt Sale.”Nina Ronstadt’s blog can be

found at www.ninagarden.com. She writes about the Annual Colt Sale on her July 15 and July 30 submissions.

Keeping America and Babbitt Ranches Beautiful



HonestyDoing the things we

know are right.

Gaspin' continued from page 1


Section 11.

SkillBe prepared with knowledge and the

ability to properly and quickly execute the

fundamentals. Cover every little detail.

August 2014 BABBITT TIMES REVIEW page 7

Hunting is about appreciating nature, spending time with family and friends, passing along a skill to the next generation, roasting marshmallows over a campfire, unplugging and decompressing. It’s also about matching wits against wildlife, but longtime hunters say tagging an animal is not the measure of a great trip. “As I get older, I don’t feel like

I have to be successful at bring-ing home an animal. We love the meat, but 99 percent of the experience is enjoying the sheer beauty and wonder of nature,” says Jeff Wilson of Phoenix, a longtime northern Ari-zona hunter.Steve Vargas

has been hunt-ing on Bab-bitt Ranches for some 30 years. “Being able to enjoy the outdoors is a gift,” he says. “It’s the way for me to recharge with fresh air and the wonders of nature, but also it’s appreciating the lives that we have each day and not forgetting where we came from.” Like any sport, hunters say

they enjoy the challenge. “I enjoy tracking animals and trying to figure out where they might be," says Wilson. “You're using your instincts and your brain in a way you don’t use every day, tapping into your senses of sight, smell and sound. You try to improve your game, improve your shot every time. It’s an individual thing. You’re not in competi-tion with anybody else. And it’s a challenge to get everything together that you’ll need."

Powered by steam, carried on bicycle tires and fueled with a British sense of humor, Nick and Chris Howell accom-plished what they set out to do. The brothers, ages 63 and 61, drove their 1901 Toledo Steam Car roughly 70 miles from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon on Aug. 26 and 27.The English gentlemen had

never seen the Moqui Stage Route or the Grand Canyon before, but the vehicle had. Nick bought the steam car at auction in 2004. It was made by the American Bicycle Com-pany of Toledo, Ohio, and used a boiler to heat water and create steam to move the pis-tons. Upon extensive research he learned last November that this was not just any cool old car, it was the very first auto-mobile to successfully make

the journey from Flagstaff to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in January 1902; Los Angeles photographer Oliver Lippincott was the driver.Upon learning this, the How-

ells knew what they had to do. Nick had spent eight years restoring the car, but now, with an invitation to bring it to the Pebble Beach Con-cours d’Elegance, he decided to also re-run the 1902 trip to the Grand Canyon. In May they teamed up with folks who could help them plan the route like Matthew Nelson from the Arizona Trail Association and Tom Martin of the Grand Canyon Historical Society. Like the first journey 112

years ago, this one had its challenges including run-ning out of steam, catching on fire and needing a tow for

the final 15 miles (in 1902 it was towed by horses for the final stretch). The brothers endearingly referred to the antique as “temperamental” and as “an old lady whom we had to treat with respect.” The Howells took the trip in

stride, driving from Highway 180 and Forest Road 151 through the pines the first day, hauling the car back to Flag-staff for the night and taking it back out again in the morning. “Our second day started at

Babbitt Ranches and at first it looked similar to the ter-rains, which we had crossed the previous day. However, I was soon proved wrong,” said Chris. “We dropped gently down from the heights and entered an open plain, stretch-ing out into the distance, with a few cattle here and there

looking very uncertain at the approach of this spindly vehicle puffing away gently and then accompanied by a gentle intermit-tent shrill of the burner injector. This was coun-try we had never experienced and my thoughts went straight to Al Doyle’s 1902 description of the route (Doyle was Lippincott’s local guide). ‘Then you take off across the desert and follow the old sheep trail till you get to the mouth of Red Horse Canyon.’ Well, here we were, retracing the footsteps, or rather the tire treads of history. It was a moment where we pondered our solitude and gazed in wonderment at this vast open space, whilst we sedately pot-tered along.”Martin, who documented the

trip and served on the sup-port team, said three cowboys from Babbitt Ranches caught up with them. “They (the Howells) got them out of their truck and were showing them how the steam works, how the burner works. Anyone who was interested, they were right there with them. They are very personable people.”

Chris said the Toledo drove along happily on the open plains. “It was almost as if she knew she was back home,

happy to carry us along to our final destina-tion. However, the flat open trail ended with a rocky twisting climb and then the little car ran out of puff. So I jumped out of the car and placed the wood block behind the rear wheel and then waited for a head of steam to build up. I selected

other rocks to place behind the other wheel as there was a real danger of the car not making progress forward and running out of control back-wards to a rocky destruction. Nick pressed the single con-trol forward. Lots of steam and no movement. I heaved and pushed to rock the car back and forward. More steam enveloped me and I feared the car would overrun the block and on to the rocks. I thought, ‘would they stop her in such an event?’ Another huge effort and then with one gasping chug, she moved for-ward, chug........chug..chug.chugchugchugchug. I was left gasping in the road as Nick

moved forward, up the hill and over the rise to crest the ridge.”Martin said they had esti-

mated the journey would take two days. “After two-thirds of the second day, we realized we weren’t going to make it. We had to tow the car for the last 15 miles by a 400-horse-power car. We got to the South Rim, just at sunset.” The Howells say re-creating

the historic event in the origi-nal unmodified vehicle was a real challenge, not appreci-ated at the time they came up with the idea. “So would we do it again?

No, because the car is really too valuable for us to do it for our own egos. Perhaps a future guardian will do it in 2102. Who knows, but I would like to lay down the challenge now to whomever that may be…go on!” said Chris. The brothers say they had a

lot of fun and are grateful for those who took up the chal-lenge with them.“Too many people gain their

possessions and then hide them away from the rest of the world,” said Chris. “Bab-bitt Ranches has been truly gracious in allowing strang-ers to traverse their land in an astonishingly designed and robust vehicle to re-run this historic trip and for this we extend our heartfelt thanks.”

Hunters Seek Challenge, Time with Nature

It’s as much a part of the holi-days as going to church and Christmas dinner for Fire Cap-tain Ray Gonzalez and the fire-fighting families of the Flagstaff Fire Department.For nearly two decades, Gon-

zalez, his wife, Amy, and their three sons Trent, Todd and Trey, have headed to the woods with their Christmas Tree cutting permits from Babbitt Ranches. Sometimes there are as many as 100 people joining in the tradi-tion with them.“We just get up in the morn-

ing, meet at the country store on Highway 180, everybody loads up on coffee and drinks and we head out,” he says. “We circle the wagons and build a big fire in the middle. We have hot chocolate and tables full of food, and we play Christmas music the whole time.”The great Christmas Tree hunt

happens on Babbitt Ranches through November and Decem-ber. Some camp out. Others make it one big day, even driving from Phoenix. “I just remember all the faces

every year,” says Gonzalez. “We’d always get a little tree for the upstairs where the boys’ rooms were. They would pick it out, dig in the dirt and cut it down. That was always really special.”Longtime friends and fellow

firefighters Scott McDonald and Dave Ondrejech are part of the tradition. Their annual Christ-mas Tree event has a name: McGonzoJech X-mas Tree Cut, a combination of the three last names posted on a sign, which marks the turn to Cedar Ranch

for the day.Gonzalez says the ritual is

all about family values and the importance of carrying on tra-ditions. “Christmastime is such a busy time, but this annual gathering is very important for our family and extended family, especially in our line of work. After years of working together, we still call each other ‘brother.’ And every year, Babbitt Ranches supports the Flagstaff firefight-ers with a great experience. It’s a tradition of family and Christmas that will stay with us forever.”

The Great Christmas Tree Hunt: A Firefighting Family Tradition


Character Qualities

Section 11.

GratitudeThe art of being

grateful for all things.

Darren Choate spent much of his childhood as a young hunter in the White Mountains of Arizona. He continues hunt-ing and collecting antler sheds, but for the past 10 years he has enjoyed wildlife photography. He has a special affinity for Babbitt Ranches. “There’s the allure of the

ranches. They’re intriguing and they have always drawn me to that area,” said Choate. “It’s difficult to explain. I enjoy interacting with the past—the his-tory of the ranch and the people who have been there before—the present, and the future.” Choate’s favor-

ite wildlife photo shoot happened u n e x p e c t e d l y . “I was out with another photog-rapher, Randy Servis, in an area covered with huge



PatienceThe ability to wait and

calmly persevere.

rocks and cliffs. I looked up and saw a bobcat perched on

the rock above me, watching us. I took several shots of it. It’s something I’ll always remember.” Wildlife photog-

raphy is one way Choate says he can express and docu-ment his love for the outdoors. “It’s about the beauty of that day and know-ing you are inter-acting with what will be moving for-ward as well.”

Wildlife Photographer Focuses on Babbitt Ranches

© Darren Choate

Article IIICowboy Essence Section 8.

Initiative Cultivate the ability to make decisions and

think alone. Do not be afraid of failure, but

learn from it.

Rock climbing is a good rea-son to be outside and a good reason to be healthy, says Flagstaff Climbing owner John Doskicz. “It’s a pretty low-impact sport because you’re pulling your own body weight around. It helps with mobility and is a full body work-out. You set goals in climbing and the way to reach them is if you live a healthy lifestyle.” Since the 1990s,

Doskicz has seen rock climbing evolve and grow. “More and more people are being introduced to the sport at a much younger age. We’ve had kids as young as 2 climb the walls and members in their 60s. So you see the difficulty of the grades being pushed. Folks are climbing today what was thought impossible 20 years ago.”Doskicz came to Flag-

staff to attend Northern Arizona University and for the rock climbing opportunities in the area. “We certainly see more and more of the college popula-tion already being climbers. In 1995, when we opened our doors, we were always devel-oping the climate for climbing. Now college students expect to have an indoor climbing gym nearby.”Doskicz bought the downtown

gym in 2003. By 2013, the



AdaptabilityThe ability to adjust to

any situation.

Rock Climbing Encourages Healthy Living, Goals

business was “bursting at the seams,” he says. So he opened Main Street Boulders on the east side of town last Decem-

ber. Flagstaff Climbing also pro-vides a guide ser-vice and conducts courses for NAU Outdoors. “We educate

people about climbing etiquette and sharing the outdoors with other recreation-ists. Of course, we stress the Leave No Trace ethic, making sure we’re packing out every-thing we pack in.

Beyond that we teach how to respect the other users, not just climbers we’re sharing the cliffs

with. We’re aware of our noise and our visual impact.”Flagstaff rock climbing is still

under the radar on the national scene, says Doskicz. Climbers often find out about places to go on the National Forest or on Babbitt Ranches by word of mouth.

Toledo Steam Car Revisits Babbitt Ranches After 112 Years

Wilson has been on hunting trips since he could walk. In his game room are javelina, deer, pronghorn and elk. “Most of the reason for stuffing an animal is to remember the trip and the people you were with,” he says. “When I look at the wall in my house, I’m not seeing the deer, I’m thinking about my dad, and the adventures we had together, what he taught me. And now I can have those experiences with my children.”He also enjoys walking in the

woods and looking for antlers. “It’s kind of like an Easter egg

hunt, or finding a shiny rock. Some people make chandeliers and tables out of the horns. I like to look at them, like any collection.”Wilson shares

a story about camping with his family. It was archery season and he had got-ten up early to hunt. His young

daughter, Teresa, woke up and wanted to go, too. They came across some deer and watched as a buck pushed a fawn out of the way. “I had been practicing for that very shot. I knew I had it, but Teresa tugged at my jacket and said, ‘He’s got a kid. Let that one go.’ So I did. And the mem-ory of seeing the animals with my daughter on that early morning in the woods is what counts.” Longtime hunter Tim Cordasco

of Flagstaff has been hunting with his 14-year-old son, Nicho-las, for four years. His son, Jus-tin, age 10, has just passed his hunter safety test. “Taking the kids out and show-

ing them what it’s all about – a true respect for animals’ lives and appreciating nature – it’s an experience I couldn’t have imagined ever having. You set up camp, hang out with friends, sit around a campfire and really talk,” he says. “The kids learn a skill, the social aspect of hanging out. When they have to deal with a problem, they know where they can go if they need a break. And they learn respect, not just for nature, but respect for oth-ers. They bring it back to society.” Vargas agrees.

“Time together is key.” Wilson, Cordasco

and Vargas all talk about the importance of fair chase and the relationship hunters have with ranchers. “It’s a big partnership. You have to respect their water holes, their tanks, gates and fences,” says Wilson.“It is absolutely critical to

respect the land,” says Vargas. “Being a hunter you fight the

perspective others may have about hunters tearing up the land and abusing the privilege. We pick up after others, give directions, help others when they need help. We work hard to change that perspective by dem-

onstrating the right way to treat the land and others. It’s our responsi-bility.”“I hope my kids

remember the fun times they had with their dad, appreci-ate the work that goes into hunting and remember that they can go out and have a really good time just with nature,” said Cor-dasco.On a recent

northern Arizona antelope hunt, Wilson is reminded of why he takes the time to leave the city behind. “We were driving around Sunday morning. It was an overcast day. The sun was beaming through one hole in the clouds. It’s out here in the rain and the fresh air. This is my sanctuary.”



SincerityThe genuine earnestness

that binds friendship.

It’s an Outdoor

Recreation Ethic

Attitude!

Babbitt Ranches Flagstaff, Arizona

Gaspin' in the Aspen Photo by J. R. Biggs

August 2014BABBITT TIMES REVIEWpage 8

928.774.6199 w P. O. Box 520, Flagstaff, AZ 86002 w www.babbittranches.com

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BABBITT TIMES REVIEW · BABBITT TIMES REVIEW C LEARNING—UNDERSTANDING w JOINING—SHARING w BECOMING A PART c The Constitution of Bab-bitt Ranches highlights the characteristics