Winter in the Preserve

With the wet winter that we had, one of the things that I like to do is go out and see how local conditions have changed as a result of the increased precipitation. I enjoy the changes from our normal drought conditions. I decided to go for a hike in the Whitewater Preserve with Charlene for just this purpose. As we started our hike we were treated to a view of Bighorn Sheep on the cliffs above us.

They are just a little below the top

Here's a close-up

This is normally a dry stream bed

After walking along for a ways, the canyon splits and the trail heads east, where it will head up out of the canyon bottom.

This marks the start of the canyon split

My friend Hal hasn't been here recently, he doesn't tolerate ducks very well

From here the trail heads up the ridge on the left

This is where we stopped, San Gorgonio is left of center

The water in the stream was flowing a little too much for us to consider trying to cross

Notice the patterns in the water, it's forming waves and rolling some good sized rocks

On the way back we stopped to look at this rock formation, it's different from anything else in the area.

As we hiked back to the trailhead we kept gazing at the cliffs where we had seen the bighorn, wondering if we'd see them again.

Sure enough, even closer to us than before, we saw one on the ledge below the light colored band. Seeing so much water and the bighorn made for a great hike!

Looking For Rocks In The Desert?

This is part 3 of our trip to Indian Pass, Picacho Peak and the Tumco area.

After the climb, we still had plenty of daylight left, so we decided to check out some more items of interest in the area. As we headed away from Picacho Peak, we stopped to check out some vehicles we had seen from the summit.

Charlene the heavy equipment operator

Not too sure what this was?

While reading old issues of Desert Magazine, Roy found an article about rock hounds looking for a blue rock called dumortierite. I think it's more of a purple color, but to his own... . We stopped at a wide spot on the Indian Pass road and headed over to the closest wash that headed north. If we had been thinking more clearly, we would have combined this part of the trip with our visit to Indian Pass on the first day. The magazine article had mentioned that the source of the rocks were in the mountains to the north and they were washed down the into the washes. Well off we went and walked and walked and found nothing like what we were looking for for the longest time. Then, it occurred to me, the purple rocks that I was seeing every now and then were what we were looking for. After that they were easier to find, never in too much abundance, but enough to keep things interesting.

Charlene searching the wash for dumortietite

At last, we found some pieces

Sunset

After the search for the dumortierite, we set up camp along side the road and had a pleasant evening out under the stars. In the morning we woke, ate breakfast and decided that we would do about a half days worth of exploring before heading home. Our first stop was a small hill, that was a cyanite mine in WWII. The mineral appears to form the entire hill. The most interesting pieces were a light blue to green color.

Remnants of the mining operation

After exploring the mine, we then moved on to the old ghost town of Tumco. It was fairly intact up until the 1950s, at which time vandals systematically burned down all the wooden buildings, including a hospital.

Tumco was a gold mining company town

One of two cemeteries at the old town site

Remnants of a stone structure

One of the things that surprised me was how much broken glass we found

We won't accuse the builders of being master masons

I don't think anyone would call this the most hospitable place to live

Is finding a bullet out here kind of like finding a needle in a haystack?

Charlene standing next to some of the tailings

Hey, it's Vanna!

A chuckwalla among the ruins

I was impressed by the size of these leeching tanks. The gold ore was crushed into a powder and then put in these tanks with cyanide. The cyanide would cause the gold to separate from the rest of the material and then they would extract the gold and dump the rest of the tailings.

One of the tanks

They don't make them like this anymore

Charlene giving scale to the unstable looking tank and supports

With this many tanks there was a tremendous capacity and on some days they crushed up to 167 tons of ore a day, before the mine was exhausted in 1914.

One can't help but wonder how much cyanide is still in the tailings?

After Tumco, we decided to head for home. Along the way I snapped a couple of shots of this building. I've noticed it for some time, it appears to be old and certainly has unusual architecture.

Picacho Peak Again

This is a continuation from the Indian Pass post, this is day two of the adventure. We last saw our fearless trio exploring along the Colorado River and finally coming into view of Pichacho Del Diablo late in the afternoon. We normally camp in a small wash north of the peak, but on our last visit we found that with washouts the going was much more difficult on the vehicle, 4x4 wasn't enough, higher clearance was needed. In order to maintain our reputation as being efficient climbers, that means saving your energy for when you really need it, we tried to find a closer spot to camp. We think we most likely succeeded, but we aren't too sure, the effort in driving to our campsite involved about as much work as hiking the extra distance in the standard wash. We had an unremarkable evening and then went to sleep. Roy slept by the car and Charlene and I went down into the wash to sleep on the sand. I always think sand is more comfortable to sleep on than rocks and gravel.

During the night we found out that we weren't the only ones who like being down in the wash, as a group of burros came through. We were woken up and they were surprised, they didn't know what to do so they stomped around us for a while and then finally went on their way, allowing us to go back to sleep.

As the sun came up, we had our traditional egg breakfast and then started hiking to the peak. For quite a ways we followed the tracks of a Rhino or similar vehicle, I was surprised at how rugged the terrain was that they were able to navigate. Those vehicles must be very capable, or the driver really into pushing it, or both. The hike in seemed to be about 15 minutes shorter than on our last trip, so I guess we were really closer. Soon we reached the base and started climbing up the slopes to the base of the cliffs.

Charlene being a good sport, but the smile shows some uncertianty

As always, the hike up to the cliffs is a grind on those of us who need to get in better shape. You would think that I know I need more exercise and wouldn't go out on these confirmations trips so often.

Youth wins again, Charlene at the base of the cliff

We made our way over to the gully leading to the start of the climbing. Roy had gotten a little behind but soon caught up with us and we started the 3rd class up the gully.

Looking up the 3rd class gully

As we moved up the gully, we took advantage of the views for excuses to stop and catch our breath.

Soon we were on the climb, Charlene on the first ladder

Roy coming up the first ladder

After the first ladder the route works it's way back and forth, always going higher on the north face of the peak. During this time one is always amazed that this route exists. It looks impossible that a relative easy climb could be made when looking from below, but improbable ledges cut into the side of the cliff keep making diagonals ever up towards the top. Soon we were at the second ladder. This one is much more exposed (much better view) than the first.

One of the features that help make it interesting is the fact that it's a very narrow ladder and it wobbles also. Thank goodness for the very tired looking old piece of webbing tied to the top.

Roy coming up the second ladder

As you stand up on the shoulder of the rock, you notice a tremendous view and that you are now on top levels of the rock.

View as you stand on shoulder above second ladder

From this point you walk over a low rise to the middle of the top. Here is a vertical section that blocks your way. For this short section, you have to do a couple of 5th class moves.

Here I am, getting ready to make the 5th class moves up the rock

In the middle of the moves

Finishing the moves

And standing up on the top

After getting up on the block, I quickly secured the rope to some bolted anchors and brought everyone else up. After we were all on top, we then walked about 70 feet to the other end of this block and had to rappel down the other side in order to continue up to the actual summit.

Roy rappelling down the other end of the block

Charlene making the rappel

After the rappel we left the rope in place, since we won't need it again until we head back down the peak and have to climb back onto the block in the middle of the top. From there it's just a few hundred feet of walking along the top, with a gradual elevation gain to the true summit.

Charlene and Roy walking over to the summit

The summit register

Charlene getting me in trouble with her mother, by telling her where we are

After signing the summit register, eating a snack and making important phone calls, we headed back down.

Charlene watches as I get ready to ascend the rope to the top of the block

I'm climbing the rope to the top of the block

It normally takes just a few minutes to ascend the rope, although there have been notable exceptions. We then walked back across to the other end and rappelled back down that end.

Charlene on the final rappel

After the rappel it's then a simple matter of retracing your steps back to the bottom, with the ladders and step across to slow you a little.

Improbable trails along the side of the cliff

Charlene and Roy hiking down the diagonals

Roy on the incredible terrain

A natural bridge

Please stay on the trail

Roy on the famous "step across"

Charlene on the "step across"

Most of us don't have the nerve to come down the ladder like this

Charlene has a much more confident look as we near the bottom of the climb

The view out the opposite side of the approach gully

Once we were off the climb, we changed out of our rock shoes and headed back down the approach gully. Soon we were at the base. We decided to try a different trail and make a shortcut.

Hey, let's follow this trail, it looks like a shortcut

Well, that doesn't make such a good descent route after all, next time stay on the regular trail

This is an impressive formation that we hiked past on the way back to the car, the "finger" is about 100 feet tall.

Once back at the car, we treated ourselves to a well deserved lunch and then continued with our explorations.