Mobile Camp

Another aspect to No More Deaths is the Mobile Camp, a smaller camp where longer term volunteers focus more on mapping new/previously unknown trails using GPS, to later be mapped and the coordinates distributed to the other camp to then place water and conduct patrols along. There has also been some attempts to start bicycle patrols which I am excited to see happen, though often the trails are just too inaccessible for bikes to be useful



Mapping new trails often means coming across a lot of unexpected things. Some trails fade out to nothing, others continue on for much further than expected. Some are incredibly narrow and dangerous, passing through hill ranges, or along the tops of ridges. Sometimes its clear they havent been used for years, but others are different. Occassionally you come to a rest spot or 'dump site' (a waiting area before being picked up by car) where there are mountains of trash - clothes, backpacks, water bottles, toothbrushes and so on.

While out in the hills and remote desert areas you come across some pretty random stuff, either contributed to by the local meth-addicts, or by bored people hiding from the Border Patrol

Theres a bunch of abandoned mines about that are fun to explore, or use as refuge from the monsoon rains


Random wind-chimes near squatted buildings at an abandoned mine shaft


We also discovered a ghost house one day, I guess someones parents had set it up for a party, but it was wayyy out in the middle of nowhere





Occasionally I spotted a bicycle used to cross, this one was in bad shape and still many miles from Tucson


This 4 plot cemetary was literally in the middle of nowhere. While standing to take a look at a tombstone my foot fell about 10 inches into a grave because of some gopher holes underneath, scared me kinda bad...


You also come across a lot of random wildlife (at least for me) such as the local tarantula population


and then just random things like this...