WHO DAT?
WHAT'S THAT PATCH MEAN? Maybe you've noticed hikers sporting colorful Arizona Hiking Group patches and wondered what they represent. Since they became available in September, several hundred trekkers have attached patches and stickers to their gear in hopes of running into other group members while out on the trails. Members on a group hike in McDowell Sonoran Preserve Arizona Hiking Group is a virtual meeting place, photo-sharing site and educational resource on Facebook. Established in September 2012, the group has grown steadily to over 7000 members. Group admins seek to foster a friendly, nonsense-free zone where hikers of all levels and backgrounds feel welcome in sharing their experiences and asking for advise. Haters, trolls and off-message interlopers will feel the swift swing of the "ban hammer" because the group values on-topic dialogue. Issues such as heat-related hiking tragedies, trail etiquette, land stewardship and preparedness are vigorously discussed...