18 MAY 2023 By Mallory Gleich D ale Shewalter was a Flagstaff teacher in the 1970s who had dreams of a cross-state trail system that would connect communities, historic sites, wilderness areas, forests, public lands and our many biomes. In 1985, he founded the Arizona Trail (AZT) when he made an 800-mile trek from Nogales to the Utah state line, using many preexisting trails. Shewalter knew his vision was possible – he just needed some help. Traveling around the state, he gathered support and coordinated with landowners and agencies. Shewalter became the first paid coordinator for the AZT when he was hired by the Kaibab National Forest to bring the trail to fruition. The Arizona Trail Association nonprofit formed in 1994, and the AZT started taking on a life of its own with formal partnerships between governmental agencies. This brought forth volunteers, hikers, runners, horseback riders, mountain bicyclists, trail builders, nature enthusiasts, cross- country skiers and countless others. They helped map out and close gaps in the routes while discovering water sources, rest and resupply stops, all while spreading awareness. The rugged AZT received State Scenic Trail designation in 2006 and National Scenic Trail status from the US Congress in 2009. The trail was officially completed in 2011, but it is always being improved. In 2019, four moms decided it was their turn to tackle the Arizona Trail. Heather McManus, the Programs Director at the Camelback Village Health Club, was the first to step foot on the trail with members from the club. This was in October 2019. After her hike, she posted photos on social media, which caught the attention of friends Carla Monson, Mary Trent and Alice Cunningham. These four moms became the Mountain Mamas. “Carla and I were elementary room moms 15 years ago and have been friends ever since. Alice and I met hiking with our dogs 10 years ago and hike twice a week together,” Heather said. “Mary was a teacher at our kids’ middle school, and Carla invited her along when we started the AZT two years ago. The nickname ‘Mountain Mamas’ popped up and stuck.” After reviewing logistics and coming up with a hiking plan, the group got ready to hike the 43 passages of the AZT. “To thru-hike the AZT would take up to five weeks, and none of us could take this time off. The trail has 43 passages, which are broken into day hikes. We planned our hikes by hiking northern passages in the summer and southern passages in the winter,” Heather said. It took 18 months of serious climbs, dense trails and unpredictable weather to complete the trail. Throughout that time, they learned about themselves and their will to meet the challenge. And that also came with some pretty entertaining nicknames: Heather said she learned the hard way that you don’t get to pick your “trail name” – she was hoping hers would be Mad Dog, but instead, it’s Turtle. And that has nothing to do with how fast she walks. “Within 10 minutes of a backpacking adventure, I was anointed Turtle as I almost toppled over with my backpack trying to pick something up. Thanks to one of my hiking partners, Jeff McKee, that’s my nickname,” Heather said. Carla was the logistics commander and coordinated the schedules, so she was henceforth known as Captain. Mary loves music and would dance on the trail, earning the moniker Trail Dancer. “Alice never ceased to amaze as she fixed things like the water filter in the Mazatal mountain range, and thus she became Alice the Wonder Girl. Trail names are a must for all hikers,” Heather said. During their trek, the mamas hiked through two national parks, four national forests, two national monuments, and one state park. Before setting off, they trained by hiking long distances and participating in strength training and yoga classes. They also learned how to carry 25+ pounds in their backpacks, which held tents, sleeping pads and bags, Jetboil for heating water, a water filter, personal items and clothes. “The heaviest item to carry is water, as one gallon weighs eight pounds, and some passages had no water. We also bought the proper footwear because blisters are not your friend,” Heather said. She explained that busy schedules with work, family and social obligations were the biggest obstacle. Logistics to and from the trailheads were also a challenge as some of them required four-wheel drive to reach, and at times access roads were closed due to weather. They hiked deserts and forests, through snow, rain, mud and overgrowth. “We planned our hikes around the weather. The last passage of our AZT adventure was Passage 1, and it was opened only a few weeks before our hike,” Heather said. One of the scariest moments during their trip was when Heather’s tent flooded during a torrential downpour in Passage 9. The group also encountered a few critters, like cows, bees and a giant rattlesnake. Mary caught the brunt of it, as she was stung, almost stepped on a coiled rattlesnake and even had a standoff with a bull. “We carried a knife and a Garmin inReach messenger/satellite for emergencies,” Heather said. Her least favorite passages were the Rincon Mountains because of the climbs, overgrown trails, and heavy downpours, and Passage 25 because she realized this was her second time hiking the passage. “At one point, I also had horrible blisters and shin splints,” she said. The Mountain Mamas packed plenty of food and water for the trip – one of their favorite snacks was peanut butter and jelly on a tortilla with dill pickle flavored potato chips. Some of Heather’s best memories include having dinner on top of the Four Peaks, when the steward of the trail left her a Blue Moon in a bear box (a space designed to securely store food outdoors) for her birthday, and trying to get Alice to read to her when they were stuck in their tents due to bad weather. “We met an old timer at Passage 25, and he told us he was hiking AZT to ‘see beautiful natural wonders like Carla and me.’ He called us Clara and Sarah,” Heather said. The group agreed on the benefits of the trip – not only did they complete the hike, but they also gained a new camaraderie within their group and developed appreciation for the diversity and beauty of Arizona. “We were elated and so proud to finish the trip. We celebrated with a barbeque at Passage 1 on May 1, 2022,” Heather said. “We also received a souvenir, as the AZT organization sent us a belt buckle for completing the trail.” After their trip, Carla and Heather went on to hike the John Muir trail in California; Heather and Alice walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, and Carla and Mary are currently hiking the Maricopa Trail. Heather also leads monthly hikes through The Village. On May 6, she’ll be taking a group to the Spur Cross Trail in Cave Creek. “You’ll find the Mountain Mamas on the Phoenix trails, whether together or separate, any day of the week,” Heather said. aztrail.org HAPPY TRAILS, HAPPY MAMAS Four Phoenix moms tackle the Arizona Trail HERE ARE A FEW STATS FROM THE MOUNTAIN MAMAS JOURNEY: • 20 people joined the group, hiking over 29 hikes • 32 hikes were done by Alice, Carla, Heather and Mary together • 10 people shuttled the group to or from 22 different trailheads • 4 primary cars were used: two 4x4s, one all-wheel drive and one two-wheel drive • 1 flat tire • 1 broken exhaust pipe • 4 hikes over 20 miles • 15 hikes over 15 miles • 22.2 miles: longest hike – Passage 4 • 6.1 miles: shortest hike – part of Passage 20 • 5 backpacking trips for Mary and Carla, consisting of 15 days and 10 nights • 6 backpacking trips for Alice and Heather, consisting of 17 days and 11 nights • 2 nights of car camping • 10 nights in hotel rooms Mountain Mamas Mary Trent, Carla Monson, Heather McManus and Alice Cunninghan at Passage 1 at the Mexican border on May 1, 2022. PHOTO COURTESY OF HEATHER MCMANUS • 32 hikes were done by Alice, Carla, Heather and Mary together drive and one two-wheel drive • 22.2 miles: longest hike – Passage 4 • 6.1 miles: shortest hike – part of • 5 backpacking trips for Mary and Carla, consisting of 15 days and 10 nights • 6 backpacking trips for Alice and Heather, consisting of 17 days

MAY 2023 19 By Cassie Hepler With their ability to reach customers around the country, Two Men and a Truck created a donation program called Movers for Moms. It began in Michigan in 2007 and became a national program in 2014. The community-based campaign seeks to make life easier for less fortunate women around Mother’s Day. Since its start over 15 years ago, nearly two million items have been donated to moms in need. “Two Men and a Truck has women in key leadership across the company. Some of our most successful franchisees are women, so the idea for Movers for Moms came naturally to the founder, Mary Ellen Sheets,” Marketing Manager Ashley Frederickson said. The Scottsdale branch opened its campaign in 2014 and has worked with multiple collection partners and donation recipients, including UMOM and the Sojourner Center. The 2023 recipient is Hope Women’s Center, located at 1640 E. McDowell Road in Phoenix. For over 38 years, this organization has provided a haven for women in Arizona to get back on their feet. Hope aims to equip women to build healthy relationships, bring healing and wholeness to traumatized lives and help them discover their value and worth. The campaign needs essential items like diapers, toiletries, soap, shampoo and conditioner, along with used clothing for moms and kids, blankets, disinfectant wipes, hygiene products, books and games. “Being a mother is one of the hardest jobs in the world. I cannot imagine raising young ones without the support it takes, which shows the strength and perseverance these moms have,” Two Men employee Jessica said. “I am so happy to work for a company that supports a cause where we can help these mothers and families in need.” In 2022, over 266,000 items were collected and distributed throughout the Two Men and A Truck system to shelters for Mother’s Day – and they plan to exceed that number this year. “I love the Movers for Moms program because it helps raise awareness in our community as we come together to help with the larger picture of protecting and supporting women in need,” Fredrickson said. “We provide a meaningful Mother’s Day to the participants that they would not be able to enjoy as much if it wasn’t for this program.” Those looking to donate items can drop them off at Two Men’s office in Scottsdale or at The Elks Lodge at 6398 E. Oak St. until May 7. Two Men and a Truck is Northern America’s largest franchised moving company, with more than 400 locations in 47 states, Canada, Ireland, and the UK. In the fall, Two Men and A Truck will run their Movers for Military program, which helps families of those serving overseas by collecting toys for the holiday season. twomenandatruck.com hopewomenscenter.org Making a move to give back to moms Ashley Frederickson