Hello All!

I’m an almost 40 year old single lady RN who has taken a liking to Tucson for an assortment of reasons. I am researching the area to see if it will offer the things I like and need.

I currently live in Alaska, which, as I’m sure you know, is vastly different in terms of weather and flora/fauna. I imagine the culture is similar.

I enjoy hiking, camping (both car and backcountry), fishing, shooting, galleries, etc. Here, when I go hiking with my two small dogs, they’re largely off leash unless there are eagles overhead. I don’t worry about bears attacking me, because I’m smart and aware of their behaviors—fellow people worry me more. I am actually kind of terrified of hiking in AZ! Scorpions. Poison snakes. Cacti and other types of pricked bushes. Dehydration. Sunburn. These are all things I am exquisitely unfamiliar with.

—What do I need to think about/how do you prepare for this new environment?

—What kind of menace do the javelinas, Gila monsters, coyotes, cacti, etc really play to a couple of small dogs off leash in the backcountry?

—I guess I need to add water weight to anything I do when thinking of camping?

Thanks for the answers in advance.