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| no partners | | This all started with several trips back and forth to the Death Valley area. I would go this way and always look over to these interesting volcanic hills and spires and go " what mtn
range is that; it looks really neat". Finally did some research and with a four day weekend decided to drive over, camp and explore.
This area is BLM and has some mining history, and fortuitously a network of easy to rough dirt tracks in and around it. I will put a caveat here---if you go to the BLM website some of the written information is wrong or outdated. There are some nice maps you can download and print. I have California Natl Geo Topo and a California Gazetteer which proved useful for this trip.
Day 1--Drive over, a little hunting to find Turtle Mtn road as you are whizzing along on Ca hwy 95. The markers are not easily seen at 65mph with a semi on your bumper. The sandy road is a linear 10 miles into the front range of the Turtles, fast and easy. The land is open and strewn with volcanic rock and healthy green greasewoods and some Palo Verde. Getting into the foothills at a wilderness sign you have a choice of roads, the Lisa Dawn ( named for a mining claim) and the road to the Lost Arch Inn, an intact cabin and some mining debris. The BLM has done a nice job with the Trailheads, this being a multiuse area, and with some covered picnic table sites situated in the rocks. I saw no trash , and the area seems to have light use.
I drove around a little then stopped at the Lost Arch Inn for pictures and to try and find the arch---of which are several in the area. I then drove up a little hill and parked at a TH, to try to find Mohawk Spring, which is supposed to have an unusual petroglyph. Here I found out the map and the BLM directions are askew. This trip took me to some more old mining remains though and closer to the rise in impressive cliffs and hoodoos. I retreated, having sustained a deep cut in my finger that took half a pain pill and some work to close and compress. Drove back to the TH area of the Lisa Dawn claim. Hiked a very nice old burro/jeep trail back up into the mtn range here through a break in the hills. I was just carrying a camera bag, no pack and had my hand elevated in a strap. It was getting late but I got into an enchanting open valley whose one end was closed by a massive cliff face. I took another saddle after walking perhaps a half mile still in this huge valley , now bordered by bigger rock walls. Hard to sleep with finger throbbing but got it settled down by propping on my clothing bag.
Day 2- Realized looking over my map where Mohawk spring was---very close on my previous hike the evening before. Back on the trail and I quickly found the tunnel; it was dry but you
could smell the wetness. There had been a recent rock fall by the opening. I did not find the petroglyph unless it was some faint lines I took a pic of just inside the entrance. The tunnel was only about 7 feet deep. I wanted to go back to the valley but this day planned to hike to Coffin Spring about a mile or so south from where I was. Drove to a deep wash crossing, this will require 4wd to come back up and there are a couple of short hard spots. Less than a mile another nice BLM TH and parking with an information placard that looked brand new. You follow an old jeep trail up a huge braided wash. Lots of neat rock in this area, the "desert rose" or chalcedony pieces everywhere. The views of the rugged mtns are super nice. Eventually the road just goes into a wash and you hike up that. It goes to a huge bowl like area with amazing mineralization and colors. I forgot about the spring when I saw a large area of pink rock up the the head of one wash. Had to go there. Amazing views, clouds from the storm passing thru sailing in and drizzle for 2 min and that was it. Noticeably colder though. From the pink gravely rock area, I took a big horn sheep trail that kept me fairly high on a traverse over to more interesting areas. I dropped down coming in right above Coffin spring. The BLM information says it is usually dry. Good water was found, along with a steady dripping seep in an alcove. Old cans testified to this place as being a source for water. I roamed around some more, locating a bit of old road then headed back. I saw a few more areas that are worthy of seeing another time. Back at the car I drove out and down Hwy 95 again to another dirt road about 13 miles south of my previous location. I drove in on the Mopah Spring road, again the information here is not correct-- drive till you get to the TH, lots of camp spot options along the way or primitive camp at
the TH. The road dead ends here.
Day 3 -Mopah and Umpah peaks are seen from Hwy 95 like two giant teeth on the skyline. From the TH the peaks are largely hidden. Walk up another closed jeep road, easy and fast, then
drop into a wash near the remains of an old stone house with a nearby unusued runway. The wash is big but pretty. It is lined with palo verde and the lovely smoke trees. Some desert
lavender bushes were trying to bloom. This would be a pretty walk in the spring. The wash cuts down some, with some weird conglomerate rock formations and colors. Rounding a corner
the grandeur of Mopah peak smacks you in the face. No pictures I have does this rise of rock justice. It is climbable on the backside, check out some pics if interested on summit post.
I was going to Mopah spring this day, and to size up the peak for maybe future attempt. Another few turns and the heads of palms in the distance. The wash braids, the right or main wash takes you to Mopah spring. I just walked up the nose of a little low ridge and came in above the palms. This is a really pretty area, with some volcanic platforms to lounge on over the spring and evidence of the old ones everywhere. A game camera is set up at the small spring, which had probably 20 gal of water in it. About 10-15 palms, moderate height. Some bushes were blooming yellow flowers, and eating an early lunch in the sun seemed just perfect. I spent some lazy time here, then back ran into a young couple coming up the wash. They had a poor map and asked where the spring was. It was rather refreshing, they didn't have a GPS or iphone app, or anything much. Out for adventure. I told them what to expect and hoped as I walked back to my car they could find theirs on the return, as they were camped down in one of the washes many tributaries.
The Turtles are well worth some time if you have it, and a suitable HC vehicle. |
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