Susan Strom
EF5
Arizona Offers Much, but Concerns Persist in the Borderlands
7/15/04 Phoenix, Arizona USA
by Susan Strom, Arizona Lightning Photographer
I would like to preface this article with a sidebar to all Monsoon chasers: There is no need to chase the Arizona borderlands. It is not recommended to enter these areas of concern at present, however, compared to the rest of the state this is a relatively small area. Arizona encompasses 113,998 square miles of potential Monsoon chase country (that is approx all of New England + New York combined). Arizona is sixth in state size, with a mean elevation of 4,100 ft due to a labyrinth of canyons, mesas, playas and sky islands. The Colorado Plateau is also a massive and obvious feature, stretching across the state.
The Mogollon Rim alone houses the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. Arizona is also home to the largest county park system in the US with thousands of acres of parkland to enjoy, as well as more well known landmarks such as Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and Painted Desert. In addition, points north of the borderlands offer a dramatic beauty, canyons and mesas to work with the Monsoon in relative safety. However, if you are considering chasing Monsoon in Southern Arizona, particularly the borderlands, please read the following which includes information directly from US Border Patrol for this article. (This article contains strong information, but is necessary to properly communicate the issues.)
Borderlands Still Concern for Monsoon Chasers...
Spectacular topography and Monsoon storms continue to lure chasers and photographers to the mountains and deserts of Arizona each summer. Storm hunters also visit from the Plains each year to prolong their season after chase operations in May.
Generous monsoon moisture particularly present in Southern Arizona makes this region a tempting hunting ground as well. However, until US border issues, which continue to negatively impact the lives of Southern Arizonans, are resolved, prudent chasers and photographers should restrict movement in certain areas, particularly at night.
The days of carefree roaming of desert borderlands like Organ Pipe National Monument are on hold for the foreseeable future, until a political polar shift resolves the border issues of this area rife with problems. Many believed that the rugged Sonoran Desert itself would weed out potential crossers and drug smugglers by default, held back by Nature’s extreme landscape and weather conditions. This did not prove an accurate assumption.
Fortunately, Arizona is a big place, a vast region encompassing multiple vegetation zones from desert to alpine. There is no need whatsoever to venture to the Southern Arizona borderlands for chase success. With the exception of Yuma, the KofA range, Parker and the Western deserts/Colorado River, Monsoon storms can provide generously in a wide range of locations, some even much better for photography and favorable chasing.
Reasons to stay away from the Arizona/Mexico border are compelling. They include the threat of robbery, assault, being approached with a deadly weapon, running into drug traffickers or human smugglers (the latter known as "coyotes"), violence and sexual assault reputed to be rampant perpetrated against illegal crossers by their coyotes, and a higher risk of personal harm. Evidences of these crimes are found among the trash, clothing, goods, and footpaths left in the desert’s open air. “We apprehend 1,500 individuals per night,†states Rob Daniels, Public Information Officer for the Tucson Offices of US Border Patrol in an interview for this article.
Lesser reasons, such as vehicle stops by the various authorities, (US Border Patrol or Shadow Wolves, American Indian unit of the U.S. Customs Patrol) are reasons enough for some to stay away for now. Just being present in those areas almost guarantees being stopped and questioned, and with good reason. However, some just do not want to be disturbed when conducting their photography, hiking or other pursuits in Nature, so choose to travel elsewhere in the State.
In my interview with Daniels, he points out specific areas of the Arizona borderlands where being present is highly discouraged and especially not recommended for any night activity whatsoever (which includes lightning photography). Many of the illegal drug and smuggling activities take place under the cover of darkness and cooler temperatures of desert nights. Daniels suggests that these specific regions be considered off limits for chasers and photographers. Remember, this list may not include all the problem areas, but is provided a general guide:
Recommended Areas to AVOID
South of State Route 86 (this is called the “Ajo (pronounced Ah-ho) Highwayâ€)
West of State Route 286
East of State Route 85
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
The entire Tohono O’Odham Indian Community (they are on constant watch for drug traffickers. A chase vehicle on Indian land might lead them to believe there is activity. It’s best to just stay away and let them do their jobs. The Tohono Community deploys a highly-skilled, elite team of trackers known as Shadow Wolves, for this purpose. “They don’t like outsiders,†Daniels says.
Ironwood National Monument
Silver Bell Mountains
Organ Pipe National Monument (known currently as the most dangerous park in America)
Towns of: Nogales, Douglas, Sells, Naco, Lukeville
ALL roadways along the Arizona/Mexico border
Any area out in the open where trash, goods, or clothing is present. This may indicate a staging area for human or drug smuggling activity.
One area recently mentioned on a separate Web site was the Waddell Dam, in a surprising location, north of Phoenix. Illegal aliens are often housed by their coyotes in “safe housesâ€, sometimes plain houses in average neighborhoods. But Phoenicians are wising up and cracking down, identifying these and reporting them to law enforcement and media. Because of this, an outside staging area in the desert might offer better camouflage. Daniels could not confirm any issues with the Waddell Dam. However, he did offer advice to stay out of any area where trash, goods, or clothing or human waste is present, as this may indicate a staging area for human or drug smuggling activity. “These areas will be infested with trash, you can really tell,†he points out. Food wrappers or bottles of Mexican products are also a dead giveaway. Evidences of sexual assault, such as women’s undergarments, are also found among other telltale signs of criminal activity.
Willcox, Tombstone and the Willcox Playa, which are very desireable chase areas during Monsoon, were not among the hotlist mentioned. Although Daniels indicated less activity there and in the Chiricahua Mountains due to simple remoteness, it is best to be on guard when traveling anywhere in Southern Arizona at the current time.
Veteran Chaser Offers Advice
Tucson-based chaser Warren Faidley, who has been chasing storms since 1984, contributes his thoughts to this article, with safety tips for others: "Here are some suggestions I've applied for years," Faidley offers.
1: Stay away from known smuggling routes, especially right along the border.
2: Don't chase alone if possible.
3: If you are parked in the middle of nowhere, watch for approaching people and cars. I will usually get back into the car, with the engine running if I see a car coming down a deserted road. This way, I can blast off if necessary.
4: If out of the car, take your keys, lock the vehicle and CARRY YOUR CELL PHONE WITH YOU.
5: Just like in tornado chasing, always have an exit strategy. In other
words, don't park at the end of a road with only one option out.
6: I try to keep as inconspicuous as possible. I don't leave the car lights
on and I try to blend in with the vegetation. (Thus, the purpose for the black truck is revealed!).
7: Know the area. This is especially important for photographers from outside areas.
8: Don't go into Mexico unless you know what the heck you are doing.
Firearms are strictly forbidden there.
9: Stick to populated, well traveled roads, but still be aware of what is
going on around you.
Southern Arizona is Faidley’s all too familiar chase country, where he began his chase career. His wisdom is appreciated.
The purpose of this article is not to scare or cause alarm, but rather to make Monsoon chasers aware that borderland areas are problematic of late. I have been chasing the deserts, driving thousands of miles through deserts, mesas, mountain regions and high country of Arizona for eight years now free of incident. Like Warren, I practice my safety codes religiously, and also stay away from borderland areas. I plan to chase and enjoy many Monsoons to come and since there is no shortage of fantastic terrain to work with in Arizona, I have an infinite number of vantage points.
Personally, I can't get enough of Four Peaks Wilderness, the Mazatzals, Superstitions, and Bradshaw ranges. These areas are hours away from the border and offer hauntingly beautiful desert foothill terrain.
Writer bio:
Susan Strom started studying the Mexican Monsoon in 1995, and shortly thereafter set out to build her portfolio of lightning photojournalism. Still at it with the same fervor, Strom’s favorite chase state is Arizona, close to her heart even as stormchasing has taken her to 11 other states. Strom holds photography shows in support of desert wilderness areas and also supplies photography to Sierra Club. She works at a graphics and digital video college as well and in her spare time assists as a volunteer in the production of crime prevention programs for Scottsdale Police Dept. As an avid hiker, Strom is constantly amazed by the life the desert holds. “Although some of Arizona is alpine, the Arizona Desert is a special gift, and needs to be protected. Arizona is fantasy terrain.â€
7/15/04 Phoenix, Arizona USA
by Susan Strom, Arizona Lightning Photographer
I would like to preface this article with a sidebar to all Monsoon chasers: There is no need to chase the Arizona borderlands. It is not recommended to enter these areas of concern at present, however, compared to the rest of the state this is a relatively small area. Arizona encompasses 113,998 square miles of potential Monsoon chase country (that is approx all of New England + New York combined). Arizona is sixth in state size, with a mean elevation of 4,100 ft due to a labyrinth of canyons, mesas, playas and sky islands. The Colorado Plateau is also a massive and obvious feature, stretching across the state.
The Mogollon Rim alone houses the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. Arizona is also home to the largest county park system in the US with thousands of acres of parkland to enjoy, as well as more well known landmarks such as Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and Painted Desert. In addition, points north of the borderlands offer a dramatic beauty, canyons and mesas to work with the Monsoon in relative safety. However, if you are considering chasing Monsoon in Southern Arizona, particularly the borderlands, please read the following which includes information directly from US Border Patrol for this article. (This article contains strong information, but is necessary to properly communicate the issues.)
Borderlands Still Concern for Monsoon Chasers...
Spectacular topography and Monsoon storms continue to lure chasers and photographers to the mountains and deserts of Arizona each summer. Storm hunters also visit from the Plains each year to prolong their season after chase operations in May.
Generous monsoon moisture particularly present in Southern Arizona makes this region a tempting hunting ground as well. However, until US border issues, which continue to negatively impact the lives of Southern Arizonans, are resolved, prudent chasers and photographers should restrict movement in certain areas, particularly at night.
The days of carefree roaming of desert borderlands like Organ Pipe National Monument are on hold for the foreseeable future, until a political polar shift resolves the border issues of this area rife with problems. Many believed that the rugged Sonoran Desert itself would weed out potential crossers and drug smugglers by default, held back by Nature’s extreme landscape and weather conditions. This did not prove an accurate assumption.
Fortunately, Arizona is a big place, a vast region encompassing multiple vegetation zones from desert to alpine. There is no need whatsoever to venture to the Southern Arizona borderlands for chase success. With the exception of Yuma, the KofA range, Parker and the Western deserts/Colorado River, Monsoon storms can provide generously in a wide range of locations, some even much better for photography and favorable chasing.
Reasons to stay away from the Arizona/Mexico border are compelling. They include the threat of robbery, assault, being approached with a deadly weapon, running into drug traffickers or human smugglers (the latter known as "coyotes"), violence and sexual assault reputed to be rampant perpetrated against illegal crossers by their coyotes, and a higher risk of personal harm. Evidences of these crimes are found among the trash, clothing, goods, and footpaths left in the desert’s open air. “We apprehend 1,500 individuals per night,†states Rob Daniels, Public Information Officer for the Tucson Offices of US Border Patrol in an interview for this article.
Lesser reasons, such as vehicle stops by the various authorities, (US Border Patrol or Shadow Wolves, American Indian unit of the U.S. Customs Patrol) are reasons enough for some to stay away for now. Just being present in those areas almost guarantees being stopped and questioned, and with good reason. However, some just do not want to be disturbed when conducting their photography, hiking or other pursuits in Nature, so choose to travel elsewhere in the State.
In my interview with Daniels, he points out specific areas of the Arizona borderlands where being present is highly discouraged and especially not recommended for any night activity whatsoever (which includes lightning photography). Many of the illegal drug and smuggling activities take place under the cover of darkness and cooler temperatures of desert nights. Daniels suggests that these specific regions be considered off limits for chasers and photographers. Remember, this list may not include all the problem areas, but is provided a general guide:
Recommended Areas to AVOID
South of State Route 86 (this is called the “Ajo (pronounced Ah-ho) Highwayâ€)
West of State Route 286
East of State Route 85
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
The entire Tohono O’Odham Indian Community (they are on constant watch for drug traffickers. A chase vehicle on Indian land might lead them to believe there is activity. It’s best to just stay away and let them do their jobs. The Tohono Community deploys a highly-skilled, elite team of trackers known as Shadow Wolves, for this purpose. “They don’t like outsiders,†Daniels says.
Ironwood National Monument
Silver Bell Mountains
Organ Pipe National Monument (known currently as the most dangerous park in America)
Towns of: Nogales, Douglas, Sells, Naco, Lukeville
ALL roadways along the Arizona/Mexico border
Any area out in the open where trash, goods, or clothing is present. This may indicate a staging area for human or drug smuggling activity.
One area recently mentioned on a separate Web site was the Waddell Dam, in a surprising location, north of Phoenix. Illegal aliens are often housed by their coyotes in “safe housesâ€, sometimes plain houses in average neighborhoods. But Phoenicians are wising up and cracking down, identifying these and reporting them to law enforcement and media. Because of this, an outside staging area in the desert might offer better camouflage. Daniels could not confirm any issues with the Waddell Dam. However, he did offer advice to stay out of any area where trash, goods, or clothing or human waste is present, as this may indicate a staging area for human or drug smuggling activity. “These areas will be infested with trash, you can really tell,†he points out. Food wrappers or bottles of Mexican products are also a dead giveaway. Evidences of sexual assault, such as women’s undergarments, are also found among other telltale signs of criminal activity.
Willcox, Tombstone and the Willcox Playa, which are very desireable chase areas during Monsoon, were not among the hotlist mentioned. Although Daniels indicated less activity there and in the Chiricahua Mountains due to simple remoteness, it is best to be on guard when traveling anywhere in Southern Arizona at the current time.
Veteran Chaser Offers Advice
Tucson-based chaser Warren Faidley, who has been chasing storms since 1984, contributes his thoughts to this article, with safety tips for others: "Here are some suggestions I've applied for years," Faidley offers.
1: Stay away from known smuggling routes, especially right along the border.
2: Don't chase alone if possible.
3: If you are parked in the middle of nowhere, watch for approaching people and cars. I will usually get back into the car, with the engine running if I see a car coming down a deserted road. This way, I can blast off if necessary.
4: If out of the car, take your keys, lock the vehicle and CARRY YOUR CELL PHONE WITH YOU.
5: Just like in tornado chasing, always have an exit strategy. In other
words, don't park at the end of a road with only one option out.
6: I try to keep as inconspicuous as possible. I don't leave the car lights
on and I try to blend in with the vegetation. (Thus, the purpose for the black truck is revealed!).
7: Know the area. This is especially important for photographers from outside areas.
8: Don't go into Mexico unless you know what the heck you are doing.
Firearms are strictly forbidden there.
9: Stick to populated, well traveled roads, but still be aware of what is
going on around you.
Southern Arizona is Faidley’s all too familiar chase country, where he began his chase career. His wisdom is appreciated.
The purpose of this article is not to scare or cause alarm, but rather to make Monsoon chasers aware that borderland areas are problematic of late. I have been chasing the deserts, driving thousands of miles through deserts, mesas, mountain regions and high country of Arizona for eight years now free of incident. Like Warren, I practice my safety codes religiously, and also stay away from borderland areas. I plan to chase and enjoy many Monsoons to come and since there is no shortage of fantastic terrain to work with in Arizona, I have an infinite number of vantage points.
Personally, I can't get enough of Four Peaks Wilderness, the Mazatzals, Superstitions, and Bradshaw ranges. These areas are hours away from the border and offer hauntingly beautiful desert foothill terrain.
Writer bio:
Susan Strom started studying the Mexican Monsoon in 1995, and shortly thereafter set out to build her portfolio of lightning photojournalism. Still at it with the same fervor, Strom’s favorite chase state is Arizona, close to her heart even as stormchasing has taken her to 11 other states. Strom holds photography shows in support of desert wilderness areas and also supplies photography to Sierra Club. She works at a graphics and digital video college as well and in her spare time assists as a volunteer in the production of crime prevention programs for Scottsdale Police Dept. As an avid hiker, Strom is constantly amazed by the life the desert holds. “Although some of Arizona is alpine, the Arizona Desert is a special gift, and needs to be protected. Arizona is fantasy terrain.â€
