SALT President Charlie Goff HisrotiCorps Architect Mardita Murphy, having just met in-person for the first time in the pre-dawn hours Nov. 19, 2024, parked Charlie’s 4×4 PU at the crack of dawn at the north end of Forest Service Rd 203.  Wearing winter jackets and equipped with headlamps in case they didn’t return before dark, they began the 4 mile hike up and over Government Ridge at 4840’ elevation, then descended over 1000’ to the Toney Ranch Cabin at 3830’ elevation. 

The Superstition Area Land Trust (SALT) owns that old log cabin and the 78+ acres that it sits on. The story of that ownership, what that old cabin in Haunted Canyon means to many people, the condition of the cabin, and SALT’s efforts to restore the cabin will be the topic of the Feb. 10th SALT Speakers Series.

The cabin is very remote, requiring a minimum 4-mile hike or horseback ride via either the north or east end of Forest Service Trail 203. The two ends of Trail 203 are accessed from different sections of Forest service Road 287.  Some 2.5 hours after arriving at the cabin the two had sufficiently tested, measured, photographed, drawn and evaluated the circa 1913 log cabin to guide development of HistoriCorps recommendations for the cabin’s restoration.  After a daunting climb back over Government Ridge, they arrived back at the truck late enough to need those headlamps for the last 20 minutes of the trip.

But what about the cabin and its restoration?  Following some additional consultation with SALT, Mardita flew back to Denver to put together HistoriCorps’ recommendations and price quotes for restoration of the cabin.  This process took several months, as Marditia is responsible for developing such plans for ALL such restoration projects of old structures or buildings throughout the entire southwestern United States.

SALT is presently attempting to raise several hundred thousand dollars for this project.  Why so much?

1. Mardita’s testing determined that upward of 70% of the 100+ year old logs are termite infested and will have to be replaced.
2. Where will we get the logs, and HOW will we get them there? The logs, and much equipment and supplies, will need to be delivered by helicopter.
3. Either a number of very large trees will have to be removed; or the restored cabin will need to be relocated?
4. The cabin will be completely disassembled before being reassembled with as many of the original logs as possible.

This presentation is part of SALT’s 2025-26 SALT Speakers Series to be held monthly on the 2nd Tuesday in collaboration with the Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Department as a combined in-person and virtual format.  It will be held in Room 117 in the Apache Junction Multigenerational Building starting at 6:30 PM February 10, 2026.  All those interested in this topic or in SALT’s mission to conserve the Superstition Foothills are urged to attend.

Virtual attendees may register at https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_YmViY2JiNzgtODljZC00MjczLTg1N2MtZTlkZDc0NjgxOTM3%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%229edbc9de-04d0-4d6e-8852-893fd3a7e005%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%220f5b7305-c033-4f47-b038-b2c7d72c8362%22%7d

Thanks,

 SALT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve the natural Sonora Desert open space surrounding the Superstition Wilderness Area.