The Painted Pony Resort with its 756 acres is an estate rental with the aim of providing a large facility for gatherings whether it be a wedding, workshop, or family reunion. But the estate is not the only lodging business in the area. Many other businesses offer local lodging targeting different market segments and it only makes sense to provides references to other establishments for online visitors looking for a place to stay in the area. Both the Painted Pony Resort website and the associated Blogging from the Boot Heel maintain listings of other local lodging resources as a courtesy to online visitors searching for area lodging as well as provide a map showing lodging in the area, see below.
A recent analysis of the blogs quarterly visitor statistics showed that exit links to other local lodging sites comprised 17% (82) of the total exit links (483). Of the 17% of exit links to area lodging 83% (68) were to other local businesses while the rest were to the Painted Pony Resort. While the estate is appropriate for groups it does necessarily meet the needs of individuals looking for a place to stay, but the ability to find other more appropriate lodging is important. Meeting the needs of potential visitors and guests is important not only maintaining the integrity of the area but also in promoting visitation. Providing tools for online visitors about the Coronado National Forest and other public lands in the area as well as resources for visiting the area will not only encourage visitation but allow visitors to find the specific resources that best fit their needs.
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Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Tuesday
Chiricahua Mountains Flying Trees: The Interface Between Science and Belief
On the recent outing with the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club another Chiricahua Mountains Flying Tree was encountered, this time on the ridge just west of Barfoot Peak. While photographing during the lunch break on the ridge line the multi image panorama of the tree shown below was captured. Upon returning to the Painted Pony Resort and processing the images in commercially available panorama software the resulting image was produced. Another burned tree bereft of its' trunk and appearing as a collection of limbs floating in mid air. While the mundane explanation, the image is a purely a result of the software, is most likely the correct explanation, a more intriguing notion also presents itself. The possibility that the image represents an adaptive response of Pine trees to intense fires such as the one areas of the high country experienced this summer in the Chiricahua Mountains.
To become a viable scientific hypothesis, based on the image of a Flying Tree, several key points must be addressed. Primarily the application of the scientific method. Observation, hypothesis formation, predictions, and testing.
One - Observation. Panoramic photographs of floating trees were produced from 2 hikes in the Chiricahua Mountains.
Two - Hypothesis. These images of isolated segments of trees are an adaptive response to high intensity fire and are a trees mechanism allowing it to remove itself from areas of high intensity fire.
Three - Testable predictions.
A. Flying Trees will only be observed in areas of high intensity burn.
B. Flying Trees will only be observed at the highest elevations in areas with the highest sustained winds.
C. Flying Trees can be observed between mountain ranges following upper level wind patterns.
D. If a fire related dispersal or escape mechanism, Flying Trees should be observed with seeds (pine cones).
E. Evidence of displacement. Flying Trees on the ground should be evident on mountain ranges down wind, and not associated with stumps, indicating landing .
F. Evidence of displacement. Flying Trees should be found in areas where the species is not normally found indicating a missed landing.
Of the 6 testable predictions, 2 were tested. Predictions A and B relate to location, areas of high intensity burn and high wind conditions. The burn map produced by the BEAR team shows areas of burn intensity in the Chiricahua mountains, Figure 2. The highest elevations of the Sky Islands in southeastern Arizona received the most intense burn and were areas with the highest sustained winds. To test prediction A the location of the 2 Flying Trees was plotted. Both occurrences of Flying Trees was consistent with high intensity burns (red areas). Three roughly north south transects (2-3 miles in length) at 3 different elevations were also examined for flying trees, Figure 3. A low elevation (5200'-5600') transect along the riparian areas in Cave Creek Canyon, a mid elevation transect in the interior of the Chiricahua Mountains (6000' - 6700'), and a high elevation transect (8600' - 9600'). Evidence of Flying Trees were only found along the high elevation transect, Figure 2. No isolated flying pines were seen at mid or lower elevations nor were they observed in areas of lower burn intensity.
Wind speed generally increases with altitude and wind speeds with increasing altitude are available from a variety of sources. In addition wind speeds at altitude may be estimated from lower elevation recordings. Based on the altitude differences between the lowest and highest transect the wind velocity is estimated to increase by 2 fold. Flying Trees were only observed at the windiest high elevations.
Predictions C, D, and F have not been tested. Though preliminary data relating to prediction E (Evidence of displacement. Flying Trees on the ground should be evident on mountain ranges down wind, and not associated with stumps, indicating landing) was gathered from elevations ranging from 4200' - 6900' in the Peloncillo Mountains. Transects of similar length in Mouser Canyon, Gray Mountain, and Skeleton Canyon were all examined for Flying Trees. In all 3 instances no evidence of Flying Trees was observed. Although the elevations in the Peloncillo Mountains examined were similar to the low and mid elevation transects in the Chiricahua Mountains where no Flying Trees were observed. No comparable high elevations exist in any range east of the Chiricahua Mountains and may require examination of upwind mountain ranges with elevations similar to the Chiricahua Mountains.
While evidence is presented that is consistent with the notion that certain species of pine have or have developed a specific flight response to high intensity fires, which may be either an escape or dispersal mechanism, the lack of evidence of Flying Trees down wind cast doubt on the utility of the hypothesis and requires addition evidence.
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| Figure 1. Flying Tree in the Chiricahua Mountains |
To become a viable scientific hypothesis, based on the image of a Flying Tree, several key points must be addressed. Primarily the application of the scientific method. Observation, hypothesis formation, predictions, and testing.
One - Observation. Panoramic photographs of floating trees were produced from 2 hikes in the Chiricahua Mountains.
Two - Hypothesis. These images of isolated segments of trees are an adaptive response to high intensity fire and are a trees mechanism allowing it to remove itself from areas of high intensity fire.
Three - Testable predictions.
A. Flying Trees will only be observed in areas of high intensity burn.
B. Flying Trees will only be observed at the highest elevations in areas with the highest sustained winds.
C. Flying Trees can be observed between mountain ranges following upper level wind patterns.
D. If a fire related dispersal or escape mechanism, Flying Trees should be observed with seeds (pine cones).
E. Evidence of displacement. Flying Trees on the ground should be evident on mountain ranges down wind, and not associated with stumps, indicating landing .
F. Evidence of displacement. Flying Trees should be found in areas where the species is not normally found indicating a missed landing.
Of the 6 testable predictions, 2 were tested. Predictions A and B relate to location, areas of high intensity burn and high wind conditions. The burn map produced by the BEAR team shows areas of burn intensity in the Chiricahua mountains, Figure 2. The highest elevations of the Sky Islands in southeastern Arizona received the most intense burn and were areas with the highest sustained winds. To test prediction A the location of the 2 Flying Trees was plotted. Both occurrences of Flying Trees was consistent with high intensity burns (red areas). Three roughly north south transects (2-3 miles in length) at 3 different elevations were also examined for flying trees, Figure 3. A low elevation (5200'-5600') transect along the riparian areas in Cave Creek Canyon, a mid elevation transect in the interior of the Chiricahua Mountains (6000' - 6700'), and a high elevation transect (8600' - 9600'). Evidence of Flying Trees were only found along the high elevation transect, Figure 2. No isolated flying pines were seen at mid or lower elevations nor were they observed in areas of lower burn intensity.
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| Burn intensity map with 3 transects and locations of Flying Trees (A). |
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| Figure 3. Topographic map of Chiricahua Mountains with 3 transects. |
Predictions C, D, and F have not been tested. Though preliminary data relating to prediction E (Evidence of displacement. Flying Trees on the ground should be evident on mountain ranges down wind, and not associated with stumps, indicating landing) was gathered from elevations ranging from 4200' - 6900' in the Peloncillo Mountains. Transects of similar length in Mouser Canyon, Gray Mountain, and Skeleton Canyon were all examined for Flying Trees. In all 3 instances no evidence of Flying Trees was observed. Although the elevations in the Peloncillo Mountains examined were similar to the low and mid elevation transects in the Chiricahua Mountains where no Flying Trees were observed. No comparable high elevations exist in any range east of the Chiricahua Mountains and may require examination of upwind mountain ranges with elevations similar to the Chiricahua Mountains.
While evidence is presented that is consistent with the notion that certain species of pine have or have developed a specific flight response to high intensity fires, which may be either an escape or dispersal mechanism, the lack of evidence of Flying Trees down wind cast doubt on the utility of the hypothesis and requires addition evidence.
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