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| no partners | | An unexpected slice of paradise between the sovereign nations. No beta, just a name spring on the map. The jeep negotiated the crumbly edges and washouts of the undriven road just fine. I car camped on a ridge to the great views I love.
Morning I road walked to a saddle, one washout the Jeep could not have done so I was ok with where I had parked. A bit of sleuthing to find the "jeep trail" to the bottom of the canyon. Steep, walkable not driveable. I noted a mine working across on another ridge I would visit on my way back.
I was cheered by the ribbon of green I saw, sycamores, as I was not sure if this area would be verdant or not. The old road ended in a shady area of green, much visited by cattle. Lots of birds, fat gray squirrels and occasional raptor calls. As I started to walk upcanyon to the spring source within 10 feet there was surface water. The canyon was dark and shady early. Conglomerate rock formations. Good benches with road traces. Some rock bound pools that were wonderful to see in this dry year. Acid green sycamore canopy. Easy walking, on one bench homestead traces, some small corrals. At the spring source water was just pouring from under a small boulder at the edge of a rock contact. Here you could get clean water as the rest of the small stream pretty cowed up. I saw a dead fox, and a skull and rack from probably a whitetail buck. Upcanyon was wide and dry. A small cave above the spring source. I noted quite a few old bear poop piles at it's entrance. I crawled in a few feet, heard some distant growling, and promptly crawled back out. It looked like it got small but bear, cougar, rabbit whatever I left it alone.
Back down canyon tagged an old built trail going up I believe to another mine working for another time. Past where I came down on the old road the canyon started to have more rock walls and narrowed up. A bit of scrambling. The water had gone underground, but still a few sycamore trees and some grapevines. I had my fill and turned back. On the way up crossed over on a cow trail to visit the mine working I had seen. Not much there but some pretty rock where they had cross cut some crystal veins. The road from there led to the saddle where the other road took off from and it was in great shape. Back to the jeep and the long drive out. I could see myself throwing on a backpack and spending a few days here. A special place. |
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