On a cold autumn morning, the quiet of the sprawling plains on Babbitt Ranches pulses to life with the pounding hooves of cattle and horses racing toward Tin House Camp. Shipping Day, also known as Fall Works, is a time-honored scene out of the Old West. Cowboys ride herd from all directions, bringing in cattle the same way it’s been done since the 1800s. “It really does look choreographed,” said fourth generation Arizona Babbitt family member Roberta “Birdie” Wallace. “It’s amazing how these … [Read more...] about ‘Super Bowl for the Cowboy World’
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Babbitt Ranches Calls Wind Farm a ‘Promise for the Future’
As crisp white wind turbine blades rotated gently against a clear blue Northern Arizona sky, more than 100 people, representatives from Salt River Project, NextEra Energy Resources, Arizona State Land Department, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Coconino County and Babbitt Ranches, along with dignitaries, business owners, consultants and scientists, gathered to celebrate the completion of Arizona’s newest wind energy center and the meaning behind the steel. “When I consider the future of … [Read more...] about Babbitt Ranches Calls Wind Farm a ‘Promise for the Future’
Promoting Space Travel with a Land-Use Ethic
Once again, cows and astronauts shared the high desert landscape of Babbitt Ranches as NASA, assisted by geologists from USGS, tested equipment, conducted moonwalking drills and practiced geology in preparation for Artemis 3, a crewed mission to the dark lunar south pole region, anticipated for 2026. The cattle seemed untroubled by the slow-moving visitors in spacesuits, a recurring event throughout the last half century. “I smile when I think about my grandad, John Babbitt, a quiet, … [Read more...] about Promoting Space Travel with a Land-Use Ethic
Standing for Renewable Energy
Stretching across miles of historic grazing land, 53 wind turbines are being lifted into place on Babbitt Ranches north of Flagstaff. They are scheduled to be operating in early 2024, delivering enough wind-generated electricity to power 40,000 Arizona homes. For Babbitt Ranches Community members on a recent trip to the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center, standing next to the 220-foot blades was surreal. “When I think back to the enthusiasm we had about the first anemometer being set up on Babbitt … [Read more...] about Standing for Renewable Energy
Managing for Renewable Energy and Wildlife
Wildlife managers and researchers from across the country gathered in Flagstaff last month for the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) conference to discuss deer and elk movement and the latest technology being used to track the ungulates as projects are planned for land uses such as public recreation and renewable energy. The conference at Northern Arizona University included a field trip to the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center north of Flagstaff. “There were overwhelmingly … [Read more...] about Managing for Renewable Energy and Wildlife
Construction Underway on Babbitt Ranch Energy Center North of Flagstaff
With a passion to move the state forward with renewable energy while protecting open space, creating jobs, boosting the Northern Arizona economy and planning for generations of Arizonans to come, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, SRP, Babbitt Ranches and the Arizona State Land Department have announced that construction is underway for the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center. The 161-megawatt (MW) wind project, featuring 50 wind turbines across 669 acres on the CO Bar Ranch about 25 miles north of … [Read more...] about Construction Underway on Babbitt Ranch Energy Center North of Flagstaff
Flagstaff’s Past Revisited Through Ghost Adventures
A young bellboy continues to stand duty, a caring doctor walks the street outside his office and a bride and groom remain united in the afterlife. U.S. Ghost Adventures brings a whole new perspective to “Till death do we part,” and lists Flagstaff among the nation’s most haunted cities. The company initially launched on the East Coast with tours in 20 locations before the pandemic. In December, it added 12 more cities, including Flagstaff. “Flagstaff has two very vague types of hauntings, … [Read more...] about Flagstaff’s Past Revisited Through Ghost Adventures
Babbitt Ranches Supporting Artemis Missions, Promoting Land-Use Ethic on Other Worlds
On land commonly occupied by Hereford cattle, pronghorn antelope and mule deer, a moon rover prototype cruises at a top speed of eight miles per hour near Black Point Lava Flow. It is here on Babbitt Ranches that NASA, Japan’s space program, JAXA, U.S. Geological Survey scientists, along with engineers and technicians, set up a space camp of sorts. They have been preparing for the Artemis Missions to the moon, with the first launch window for the un-crewed Artemis 1 rocket opening Nov. … [Read more...] about Babbitt Ranches Supporting Artemis Missions, Promoting Land-Use Ethic on Other Worlds
Astronauts are Back, Training in the Dark
Space-suited astronauts are training again on Babbitt Ranches, preparing for the manned Artemis mission scheduled to explore the lunar South Pole in 2025. The goal is to find ice, which may enable future explorers to set up a space station on the Moon and serve as a launching pad into deeper space. “Because of where Artemis and VIPER [a planetary rover set for launch next year] are landing, the angle of the sun is really, really low. Craters may contain ice that never sees the sun. The … [Read more...] about Astronauts are Back, Training in the Dark
SP Crater Closed to Recreationists through May to Protect Nesting Golden Eagles
A two-mile area around SP Crater, known as the SP Crater Golden Eagle Conservation Complex (SPEC), currently is off limits to recreationists including hunters, hikers and UTV-ers in an effort to protect golden eagle nests. Babbitt Ranches, in collaboration with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, has announced special rules in effect for the Complex on the CO Bar Ranch. Under the special rules, lead ammunition is strictly forbidden, no target shooting is allowed and no … [Read more...] about SP Crater Closed to Recreationists through May to Protect Nesting Golden Eagles