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| Hiking | 7.35 Miles |
530 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.35 Miles | 7 Hrs | | 1.05 mph |
| 530 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Puerto Blanco Drive – 51 mile loop
I started the New Year with a major setback – discovered my left eye had a 75% detached retina due to 5 small retinal tears. Surgery was performed January 6th by Dr. David Goldenberg and deemed successful. The 8 week recovery period required pretty much a physical shutdown and restricted me below 2500 feet. Travel to India, Boulder CO and La Jolla CA was postponed and I circled February 25th as my “release date”.
HAZ Forum question posed  [ Puerto Blanco Loop - Organ Pipe NM, ... Randal ] I've biked the 21 mile Ajo Mountain Drive [ photoset ] and look forward to the opportunity to do the complete Puerto Blanco Loop. Anyone else interested? Maybe a 51 mile loop around ORPI is my “release date” aspirational goal!
Received a reply from the ORPI Ranger Station;
The loop is open. It is actually only 41 miles if you don't take the spur road to Senita Basin. To start the drive begin at the visitor center to check road conditions. Take North Puerto Blanco (1 way road due to it being very narrow) to Pozo Nuevo and last South Puerto Blanco. There is a very sandy section on Pzo where you travel throguh the wash. It seems to be getting slightly better or we are just giving people enough driving instructions to make it through. High clearance is recommended.
Enjoy your visit.
Sue Walter
Chief of Interpretation
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
520-387-6849 X7301
ORPI has to be one of my favorite places in the world – just an incredible mix of flora, fauna, geology, geography, history, with a mix of “war zone” and wild, wild, west. The majority of ORPI (see https://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm ) has been closed to the public since 2003, a response to a tragic series of events ( see https://www.nps.gov/orpi/learn/historyculture/kris.htm and https://www.hcn.org/articles/after-12-y ... nt-reopens ). I’ve had the opportunity to get into some of the closed sections of ORPI with Ranger Guided/Border Patrolled group hikes to Dripping Springs (see [ photoset ] and [ photoset ] ) and Quitobaquito (see [ photoset ] ). I was thrilled to hear that the national monument completely reopened late last year.
My latest check-up at the eye surgeon didn’t give me complete freedom (still have a gas bubble in left eye), but did get permission to start light activity. A check on ORPI weather conditions and pet restrictions (see https://www.nps.gov/orpi/planyourvisit/pets.htm ), I booked off Thursday 2/26 from work and headed down to the Mexican border with Lynn and the dogs in my F-150 to hunt down some ORPI wildflowers…
Arrived at the ORPI Visitor Center about an hour later than planned due to a road closure on the highway to Maricopa that necessitated a roundabout approach down the I-10 to the I-8 and across to Gila Bend before traveling AZ85 to Lukeville. Checked into the ORPI Visitor Center, showed my NPS pass, and grabbed an updated map showing the complete Puerto Blanco Loop. Also said hello to Ranger Sue Walters and thanked her for the email exchanges. Think it was 11-ish when we started heading north on the Puerto Blanco 51 mile Loop (includes side treks to Quitobaquito and Senita Basin)…
Some Puerto Blanco Loop trivia;
Victoria Mine – Considered the most productive mine in ORPI and a testament to the 100 plus years of operation and $125K of production https://organpipehistory.com/orpi-a-z/t ... oria-mine/ Also see HAZ description [ Victoria Mine Trail ]
Baker Mine – tbd
Milton Mine – Built in 1914 through 1920, the Milton Mine produced gold and copper. The Loading Platform of the mine is one of the surviving structures associated with the mine. The loading platform was declared a National Historic Place September 1, 1978. See https://www.nps.gov/orpi/learn/historyc ... eID=343286
Dripping Springs Mine – tbd
Golden Bell Mine – Presumed to be a claim by rancher Charlie Bell [ Charlie Bell Road - Cabeza Prieta NWR ]
International Boundary Monument - The monuments are constructed of painted masonry and mounted on a concrete base and includes an exclusive number. The border monuments are maintained and managed by the International Boundary and Water Commission. There are twelve total monuments along the ORPI border, 276 monuments total from coast to coast. See https://www.archives.gov/publications/p ... ico-2.html and https://www.nps.gov/orpi/learn/historyc ... eID=343300
Quitobaquito Pupfish – See https://organpipehistory.com/orpi-a-z/pupfish/
7.35 miles and 530 AEG on FitBit. Redux of Puerto Blanco Loop avec mountain bike is a must. Will post photos when I get the chance… |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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