From the Arizona Trail Association listserver:
Dale Shewalter, the founder of the Arizona Trail and guiding spirit for the Arizona Trail Association, died on Sunday, January 10. After a many year fight against cancer Dale succumbed to the disease yesterday in his hometown of Flagstaff, Arizona. With a vision of a continuous path across Arizona, in 1985 Dale walked across the state. After that experience, Dale began sharing his trail idea throughout Arizona to many people and agencies. The idea quickly took hold and within a few years the Arizona Trail idea was born. Today the 819 mile Arizona Trail is nearly complete and was congressionally designated a National Scenic Trail in 2009. Dale?s positive spirit, sense of cooperation and refusal to give up are still the Arizona Trail Association?s operating style. Funeral details are forthcoming and will be posted on the ATA website.
Dan