Gielstra, D., Cerveny, N.V., Guerrero, K.A.L., McKee, D., Laplanche, S., Alarcon, A., Ayala, M., Baltierrez, L., Cain, C., Caughlin, A., Dubey, P., Figueroa, K., Fuiava, L., Harvey, M., Kharbanda, A., Mercado, M., Gamez, X.M., Parra, A., Peterson, K., Roman, J. & Venglarcik, J. # **Welcome to See Canyon, Arizona!** See Canyon, Arizona, is located near the edge of the Mogollon Rim in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. These two parcels were separate National Forests initially established in 1908, but these parcels were joined in 1974 (Conservation Education, n.d.). The area is covered in a mixed-conifer forest with Christopher Creek drainage cutting through it, and there is a wealth of wildlife and geology to explore. ## **Land Acknowledgment** Before beginning the field trip, the valuable cultural heritage of this region is shaped by the Native communities that still reside there. We acknowledge that the land on which our data were collected in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Arizona is the home of the White Mountain Apache people (History and Culture, n.d.). We take this opportunity to thank the original caretakers of this land. ## **Site Description** The See Canyon Trailhead is located at a latitude of 34° 20' 9.7296" and a longitude of -111° 0' 50.004" with 1,726 m (5,662 ft) in elevation. Access to the trailhead is from State Route 260 on the Christopher Creek Loop. Turn in the left direction and travel 1 mile further up in the road to Forest Road 284. The site is situated just below the Mogollon (pronounced “Muggy Own”) Rim along the lower, southeastern aspect of Promontory Butte. The hike's difficulty is moderate, with water crossings around Christopher Creek. These crossings are obscured when the stream is running strong. The trail follows the creek off the rim to the community of Christopher Creek.

Map showing the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

Map showing See Spring Trailhead (.) ## **Climate** The temperatures in Christopher Creek have a maximum temperature of approximately 90 ℉ (32.2 C) and range to a minimum temperature of below 25℉ (-3.8 C). The average precipitation is 23” per year, with the summer season receiving the greatest amount of rainfall. The average precipitation is at least 0.1 inch, and this amount falls 41 days per year. Snowfall averages 24 inches per year (10:1 for comparison with rain). Chart, line chart Description automatically generated

## **Geomorphology** See Canyon is a feature created by tectonic forces and incision that is tucked in the escarpment called the “transition zone” of Arizona, which cuts across Arizona like a beauty sash at the base of the Mogollon Rim (pronounced MUG-GEE-ON). The transition zone was formed as California’s San Andreas Fault (right-lateral) moved, stretching Arizona and resulting in a Normal Fault (tensional stress) and creating the fault scarp known as the Mogollon Rim. The lower southwestern third of the state dropped forming the basin and range, or horst and graben geomorphic features, whereas the upper northeastern third of Arizona formed the desert highlands of the Colorado Plateau. The rocks are generally sedimentary Paleozoic (330-540 ma) and younger are capped by tertiary volcanics, underlain by Precambrian rocks (Mazatzal quartzite and Payson granite). Sandstone, shale, limestone are found throughout the area. All of the rock types can be found in the See Canyon Drainage. ## **Ecological Communities** A mixed conifer forest is found at the entrance of the See Canyon trailhead and is the dominant ecological community at the higher and drier elevation. Notable composition of forest species in the See Canyon, AZ area include white fir (*Abies concolor var. concolor*), Douglas fir (*Pseudotsuga menziesii*), Gambel oak (*Quercus gambelli*), and alligator juniper (*Juniperus deppeana*). The understory vegetation found in this location was covered by snow during our visit, but field trip attendees noted manzanita (*Arctostaphylos*, sp.), *Ephedra virdis*, and sedges. Navajo sedge (*Carex specuicola*) is suitable for the area despite the location being further south for the reported distribution of this species. *Pinus ponderosa* variety arizonica, known as the Arizona pine, is the dominant species in this location in the mountains of southeastern Arizona. Because the bark of mature trees is fire resistant, low disturbance regimes result in a climax community of Arizona pine. The tree is easy to identify on the landscape with a straight trunk and symmetric branch architecture with 3 needle bundles that reach up to 7 inches long (Kelly & Jones, 2013).

Photograph by Dianna Gielstra The cone coloration is reddish-brown and with a length of up to 6in with varying sizes holding between 30 to 70 seeds. The seeds are an important food source for birds and small mammals. Young seedling tree bark tends to have a black color. With increased age and size, the bark coloration alters to a lovely yellowish-orange with scalier bark (Kelly & Jones, 2013). The bark itself is fragrant, and the authors report ranges of scents from chocolate to vanilla at close inspection (method of determination was to sniff the bark at close proximity) ![](https://strapi.geoepic.app/uploads/small_ponderosas_scent_69eed55eed.png) Photographs of field trip participants testing the scent of the bark from Arizona pines (Cerveny, 2023)

Photograph of field trip participants testing the scent of the bark from Arizona pine (Gielstra, 2023). The elevation range for this species extends from sea level to 3,000 m (10,000 ft). Arizona pine prefers well-drained soils and can maintain itself on poor, thin soils. As this area receives minimal precipitation in the summer, available soil moisture can limit the species' growth and distribution (USDA, n.d.). ![](https://strapi.geoepic.app/uploads/small_image6_98563804e0.jpg) Photographs of bark with the left image of alligator juniper and the right image of Arizona pine (Gielstra, 2023). ****[Lidar scan of alligator juniper](https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/alligator-juniper-bark-caef462cb3d04147a908c3951d76e662)**** **Fun Fact:** Bark seems solid, but only 18% of the bark is solid. Most bark is pore space that can soak up water during rain events (Siegert & Illek, 2022). The tree is efficient at capturing water from stemflow, the water that flow down tree architecture such as limbs and trunks.**** ****[LiDAR scan of Ponderosa pine with lightning injury and resinosis.](https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/tree-3-825528e78c9643a6a48aef06110a33d5) [Tree bark: A surprising and diverse reservoir for water](https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2022.692203) Because of a firm tap root that can reach downwards of 2 m in depth, the species grows well on soils with parent materials that are metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary, such as “quartzite, argillite, schist, shale, basalt, andesite, granite, cinders, pumice, limestone, and sandstone.”(USDA, n.d.).

Photograph by Mare Czinar (n.d.) **FUN FACT:** The Arizona pine can reach 120 ft in height, and for the first 50 years adds one foot in height per year. [Enter VR](/scenes/see-canyon-hike-example-2) of See Canyon area As one moves down in elevation towards the riparian area adjacent Christopher Creek drainage and See Spring, species of big tooth maple (*Acer grandidentatum*), aspen, and oak trees are found with lower canopies composed of herbaceous species. To name a few species that inhabit these ecological communities are as follows: Rocky Mountain elk (*Cervus elaphus nelsoni*), whitetail deer (*Odocoileus virginianus*), mule deer (*Odocoileus virginianus*), cliff chipmunk (*Tamias dorsalis*), Abert squirrel (*Sciurus aberti*), Javalina (*Tayassu tajacu*), bobcat *(Lynx rufus*), mountain cottontail rabbit (*Sylvilagus nuttallii*), Gambel’s quail (*Callipepla gambelii*), and pygmy owl (*Glaucidium brasilianum cactorum*). ## **Riparian Zone** See Canyon is a feature created by uplift by tectonic forces and incision, and this process spatially isolates the **riparian** areas, or locations near river banks, around Christopher Creek, which is positioned lower in elevation toward canyon bottom. Forests that are concentrated near the water of rivers are known as **gallery forests**, and these tend to be found at lower elevations in drier environments. Species differentiation in Christopher Creek is in part because of the environmental change of river flow regimes, associated geology and soil structure, and competition from other plant species (Malanson, 1995). The stream channel arrangement, erosional, and depositional places along the river are in constant flux with changes in stream power creating a dynamic riparian environment. Species often found in Arizona riparian areas, such as willows (*Salix* sp.) and Freemont cottonwood (*Populus fremontii*). [Enter VR](/scenes/see-canyon-arizona-example-3) ## **Hydrology** See Spring is the perennial headwaters of Christopher Creek. The water seeps through the escarpment, which is made of a porous limestone. Christopher Creek is a tributary of Tonto Creek (which is a tributary of the Verde River, which is a tributary of the Salt River, which empties into the Colorado River near Yuma, eventually reaching the Gulf of California, then on to the Pacific Ocean). The creek is powerful enough that the rushing waters **scour** the **toe** of the river bank slope. The material (soils and rock) are eroded by rushing water, forming a cutbank on one side of the river and a depositional sandbar (point bar) on the other bank. As material wears away in this location, the bank above develops tensile cracks, weakening the structure and causing additional losses of soils above. Vegetation roots that bind the soil material together can help to stabilize the slope. Loss of vegetation due to incidences of fire, overgrazing, or recreation can also accelerate the slope degradation.

Forces that weaken slopes in stream channels (O’Neal and Kuhns, 1994). It should be noted that a recreational trail crosses the creek at this location. [Enter VR](/scenes/christopher-creek-see-canyon-az) of Christopher Creek

Photograph by Cerveny (2023) Christopher Creek also featured **point bar** formations. Stream power and velocity carries sediments and rocks, but as the river widens or narrows, stream discharge changes. [Video of Christopher Creek that includes the point bar feature](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fhNBlUt-Xg). The stream discharge is calculated by multiplying the stream area (width times depth) by the stream velocity (feet per second). Additionally, the thalweg, or fastest moving part of the stream, sling-shots from bank to bank of the river. This causes cutbanks on the side of the river with the greatest stream power, while velocity decreases on the other bank, allowing suspended material in the water to settle to the river bottom. Point bars in rivers mark this location as deposited material accumulates resulting in point bar and bed form development. Point bars also create a vibrant ecosystem in riparian areas. ## **Glossary** ### **Gallery Forests-** Forests situated on river banks in otherwise treeless areas. **Geomorphology-** the science that explores the physical features of the earth’s surface, their formation, and their pattern. **Hydrology-** The science that explores the distribution and movement of water on Earth. **Igneous (Magmatic)- Rock** A type of rock formed by cooling magma/lava **Metamorphic Rock-** Rock formed from pre-existing rocks that has undergone structural and chemical changes because of extreme changes in temperature and pressure. **Point bar-** formations in rivers where material falls out of suspension and accumulates. **Pore Space-** Open spaces that are filled with either water or air. **Riparian-** located near a river bank. **Sandstone** Quartz and sand grains bound together to form rock. **Sedimentary Rock**- Layer accumulations of pre-existing materials. **Limestone-** is a chemical sedimentary rock found in thick, massive layers of lithified sediments. **Scour-** the removal of soil and rock by flowing water. **Stemflow-** Rainwater that moves down the tree architecture (stems and tree trunks). **Toe**- the baseline, bottom of the slope. ## **References** Conservation Education. (n.d.). United States Forest Service. Retrieved from URL: [https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/learning/history-culture/?cid=fsbdev7_012549#:~:text=The%20Apache%2DSitgreaves%20National%20Forests%20were%20established%20as%20two%20separate,to%20increase%20their%20administrative%20efficiency](https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/asnf/learning/history-culture/?cid=fsbdev7_012549#:~:text=The%20Apache%2DSitgreaves%20National%20Forests%20were%20established%20as%20two%20separate,to%20increase%20their%20administrative%20efficiency) (accessed 24 October 2023). Czinar, M. (n.d.). Phoenix. Retrieved from URL: [https://www.phoenixmag.com/2022/11/02/see-spring-see-canyon-hikes-in-the-tonto-national-forest/](https://www.phoenixmag.com/2022/11/02/see-spring-see-canyon-hikes-in-the-tonto-national-forest/) (accessed 25 October 2023). History and Education. (n.d.). United States Forest Service. Retrieved from URL: [https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/asnf/learning/history-culture](https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/asnf/learning/history-culture) (accessed 21 October 2023) Kelly, J., & Jones, C. (2013). Pines of Arizona (Publication No. AZ1584). Retrieved from URL: cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1584.(accessed 25 October 2023) Malanson, G.P. (1995). *Riparian Landscapes*. Cambridge University Press. O’Neill, M.P. & Kuhns, M.R. (1994). Stream bank erosion and flushing flows. Stream Notes July 1994\. Stream System Technology Center, Fort Collins, Colorado. Siegert, C.M. & Ilek, A. 2022. Tree bark: A surprising and diverse reservoir for water. Frontiers for Young Minds. Retrieved from URL: [https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2022.692203](https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2022.692203) (accessed 25 October 2023) United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). The Silvics Manual Volume 1: Conifers. Retrieved from URL: [https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/silvics_vol1.pdf](https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/silvics_vol1.pdf) (accessed 24 October 2023). Gielstra, D., Cerveny, N.V., Guerrero, K.A.L., McKee, D., Laplanche, S., Alarcon, A., Ayala, M., Baltierrez, L., Cain, C., Caughlin, A., Dubey, P., Figueroa, K., Fuiava, L., Harvey, M., Kharbanda, A., Mercado, M., Gamez, X.M., Parra, A., Peterson, K., Roman, J. & Venglarcik, J.