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| no partners | | Sometimes when exploring a new old area it seems like such a small difference that why bother going "round the mountain" so to speak. I did take the less traveled route and it worked out great.
First a little route finding as the spur road led to a locked private property gate. But just before that a small turn out and a wire gate with no sign. Thru that I went. Misled once again by a faint track up a wash then remembered my map indicated a ridge line route. Back around and up the sandy approach to a tight hill side approach up and up. Lots of wire cattle gates, annoying. I was glad I was in the Jeep. This road only being driven by hunters or ranchers. Lots of bushwaking and angling past holes where the edge of the road had eroded off. Stellar views, in places the road taking up the whole ridgeline. Interesting rock hoodoos and a melted ice cream like mesa that seemed like a sort of mudstone palisade.
I chose to car camp atop another knoll with 360 sky views.
The next day drove on then parked and walked. The road took on some character that I could have taken on but I needed the exercise. The old mining road went thru some beautiful cliff hanging parts, past a spring area with a single now bare cottonwood, and up toward a tank I had been to before. Now I needed a faint road cut far above me near the top of the mountain. I started up thru a mostly open meadow studded with sage and some agave. I gained the old road, heavily overgrown in places. I got to the old mine, massive tailings, some old items, purple glass. The steep angled stope was deep, when I threw a rock it wasn't till on the slow count between 6 and 7 I heard the final faint bounce. This stope was not vertical but I'll bet it was at least 300-400 feet deep. The road continued, catclaw, a few crawling sections and some walking on top of whatever flora sections. At the end some equipment, a circular rock wall, and some other things. Great views. Enjoyable walk back, except for the bushwaking, especially along the sections cut into the cliff face, and overall in still good condition.
Back at the Jeep I had some time and wanted to explore the hoodoo canyon to my south but I was tired and had other goals. So I did some tourist driving and then camped at scorpion mesa. Every rock I picked up had a small scorpion under it so I placed some of my items on the hood of the Jeep rather than the ground.
Next day onto a spring area I had spied on a drive and mused how to get to it. Large sycamore trees crammed into a tight canyon. Well, almost drive there. To the homestead site, saddled up and walked up the canyon on an old Jeep trail. It ended in the sycamore forest, the shed leaves led to comical hiking as in places I stood in leaf litter mid calf. Some massive trees. I meandered clumsily up trying to stick to places I could see some rock, or cattle trails. Fencing appeared which was usually to keep animals out of the spring source. I was not optimistic then looked over and down into the trench and there was a small stream meandering thru the mounds of sycamore leaves.
Of course had to follow it to the source. Very scenic except for the cowpies and multiple iron and plastic piping for bringing the water downcanyon. The water rose in a narrow part of the canyon where rock walls started closing in. Nearby were concrete pilings probably the base for pumps used to move the water. Upcanyon was dry and starting some boulder piles. There was one large boulder choke I was not interested in climbing. Looking around I came across a possible built trail around it; there were mines upcanyon from here and I imagine they wanted access to this water.
Back down was a quick walk and I was satisfied with my exploration over the last couple of days. When new land management is in place, and of course depending on funding, sometimes roads and mines get closed where there might be dangers to the public. That's why I want to see it all, right now. |
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