197207 Desert Magazine 1972 July

8/14/2019 197207 Desert Magazine 1972 July

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Iof the Alabama] Hilts

Photos by Ed Warrensford

The trail to the top of 14,495-foot Mt. Whitney, highest pointof the contiguous 48 states, is not too well marked and is roughin spots, but that did not prevent over 15,000 people, startingfrom Main Street and West Portal Road in Lone Pine, California,from attempting the cl imb to the top in 1970.The road to Badwater in Death Valley, the lowest point in thewestern hemisphere, is an easy 2Vfe-hour drive from the samespot in Lone Pine, California.These two points are not the only attractions of Lone Pine, butthey are certainly the most dramatic. As the point where yourEastern Sierra vacation begins; fishermen, hunters, hikers,rockhounds, bottle collectors, ghost town aficionados, prospec-tors , wildlife observers and for those who just want to relax,Lone Pine, California is the focal point for any and all of thesepursuits. This year plan to attend the Lone Pine Stampede, anR.C.A. Rodeo and Parade, September 23 and 24.Lone Pine is just 186 miles north of Los Angeles on the PanAm Highway 395, which stretches from the Mexican border tothe Canadian boundary.One great point to remember: Vacations never end in Lone Pine.The winter season in Death Valley, year-round fishing in theOwens River, hundreds of back country lakes and streams,reached by pack horse, or on foot, one of the finest 9-holegolf courses in California, are ready and waiting just for you.

Sand D unes Near Olancha

by Lone P ine Cham ber o f Com merce Send for NEW Lone Pine Tourist Guide Map Box 552,Lone Pine California 93545


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PUBLISHEREDITOR

Art DirectorField Trip Editor

Utah Associate EditorLapidary Editor

B O Y N T O N . NaturalistStaff Writer

Volume 35, Number 7 JULY, 1972

CONTENTS

Nevada near

F E A T U R E SINYO'S CRYSTAL RIDGE Mary Frances Strong

NAIROBI, U.S.A.C O N T E N T I O N C I T Y , A R I Z O N A T E R R I T O R Y

O W E N Y O . . .DESERT LANDS FOR RECREATION

DESERT MULE DEERL O O P I N G T H E L O O P S A R O U N D B I SH O P

H I G H , W I D E & H A N D S O M ET IM E IS R U N N I N G O U T !

Ernie CowanJim HuieMary Frances StrongJack PepperK. L. BoytonMary Frances StrongMary Frances StrongImportant Editorial

D E P A R T M E N T SA PEEK IN THE PUBLISHER'S POKE

B OOK R EVIEWSDESERT LIFE

C ALENDAR OF EVENTSRAMBLING ON ROCKS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

William KnyvettJack PepperHans BaerualdClub ActivitiesGlenn and M artha VargasReaders' Comments

ELTA SHIVHI.Y. Executive Secrelan MARVEL BARRETT. Circulation Manager

EDITORIAL, CIRCULATION AND ADVERTISING OFFICES: 74-109 Larrea St . . Palm Desert , California 92260. Telephone Area Code714 346-8144. Listed in Standard Rate and Data. SUB SCR IPT ION R ATE S: Un ited States, Canada and M exico; 1 year, $5.0 0; 2 years.S9.5O; 3 years $13.00. Other foreign subscribers add Si.00 LJ.S. currency for each year. See Subscription Order Form in this issue. Allowfive weeks for change of address and send both new and old addresses with zip codes. DESERT Magazine is published monthly. Secondclass postage paid at Palm Desert. California and at additional mailing offices under Act of March 3. 1879. Contents copyrighted 1972by DESERT Magazine and permission to reproduce any or all contents must be secured in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts and photo-graphs W ILL N O T BE RE TU RN ED unless accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelope.


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P.D.Q. GemDrill Accessories

AS A DRILLBasic unit. Drills clean holes faster. Comes withmotor, chuck, foot rheostat, drill pan and drilling tem-plate. Booklet of operating instructions included.Nickle Plate d $42.50(Does not include price of diamond drill point.)

DIAMOND DRILL POINTSGood drill points are necessary with any drillpress. Two styles are listed below. The solid style hasa drilling point composed of a special alloy and dia-mond bort. This type of drill is delicate and needs carein its use. However, with care, the solid type is muchlonger lived and will drill more holes per dollar. Thehollow core style drill has a hollow steel tip which iscoated with diamonds by a special process. This styledrill, drills very fast and is less delicate and can beused by the beginner with good success. We do recom-mend this type drill for beginners and for extra fastdrilling in Opal, Obsidian, etc.

No. 14 2MM Hollow corediamond drill point _ $5.50 Each

The New "WWZ-Z-Z SinteredDiamond DrillsNo. Point Sin Shank Sii Prict Eack89 1.00 m m 1.00 m m _ _ $5.5090 1.50 m m 1.50 m m . _ _ 5.0091 2.00 mm 2.00 m m _ _ 5.5092 2.50 mm 3/16 inc h 6.0093 3.00 mm 3/16 Inch - 7.0094 3.50 mm 1/8 inc h 8.0095 4.00 mm 1/8 inch _ 9.00

Pr ices o n r eq u es t f o r la r g er d r i l l sup to 8 mmSHIPLEY'SMINERAL HOUSEOn Hwy. 160 in southwest Colorado, 18 mileseast of Durango or IV2 miles west of Bayfield.Mailing; Address:SHIPLEY'S MINERAL HOUSE, Gem V illage,

Bayfield D, Colorado 81122Phone: 303-884-2632LOTTIE M. SHIPLEYPostage charges not included

A P e e ki n theP u b l i s h e r sP o k e

S P E A K I N G E D I T O R I A L L Y , d u r i n g t h esummer months Desert Magazineheads for the hills and the cooler climes.These issues are designed to reach ourreaders in time to aid families to plantheir extended weekend excursions andsummer vacations.

The majority of the May issue was de-voted to southe rn U tah and no rthernArizona. In June we featured two trips toOregon and northern California for rock-hounds and explorers, and Stan Jonesfinished his two-part series on how tofish Lake Powell.

In this issue we capitalized on Mary Frances Strong's knowledge ol the SierraNevada and the areas of interest for fishermen, rockhounds, history buffs and explorersalong U.S. Highway 395. Her material was so interesting and diversified we finally de-cided to pre sen t it in four separ ate articles. Long- time follow ers of Mary Frances Strongknow her detailed articles and maps provide rewarding trips and experiences.

In next month's issue (August) Enid C. Howard, our Utah Associate Editor, fol-lows the New Navajo Trail through Utah, New Mexico and Arizona and provides afirst-hand account of Indian trading postsincluding the Hubbell Trading Post whichwas recently designated as a National Historic Site. She also visits scenic and historicareas such as Canyon de Chelly.

In the Septem ber issue, Edito r Jack Pep per will describe how .1 "dese rt ra t" be-comes a "river runner" as he rides the rapids of Cataract Canyon of the ColoradoRiver whose turbulent waters cascade through the sheer sandstone escarpments of Can-yonlands National Park. These rapids were first explored by Major John Wesley Pow-ell 100 years ago.

And for those who have missed our lost mine and treasure articles, we have somenew ones sche duled the first of w hich will appe ar 111 next m onth's issue. W e wouldlike to print a lost mine article in every issueand would if we were not running intoobstacles. The obstacles are the continual dosing of private and public lands. Manyof the lost mine and hidden treasure areas which were open to exploration only fiveyears ago today are closed.

So our articles on lost mines must be completely researched before we publishthem . W e will not send our readers out on a meta l-detec tor safari only for them tofind an area closed and their weekend trip ending in frustration.

Which brings us to the article in this issue on Secretary Rogers C. B. Morton'sdedication of 19 "recreational sites" and our editorial, Time is Running Out in whichwe urge our readers to express their views. We also stated in the editorial that m anufac-turers of off-road vehicle equipment should join in the fight to keep our public landsopen. The day after we wrote the editorial we received a release from the AmericanMoto rs Corpora tion that they have published a booklet, "Y our Land, You r Jeep andYou," designed to promote awareness among off-road drivers of the need for care andprotection of our environment." It's believed to be the first publication of its kindissued by a vehicle manufacturer.

Written by Ed Zern, internationally-known outdoors writer and conservationist,the booklet seeks understanding of the geological processes in wilderness areas.

He urges careful use of recreational vehicles in off-road situations because "al-ready the agencies that regulate the use of public landsthe Bureau of Land Manage-ment, the Forest Service, the Nationa l Park Service, the Fish & W ildli fe Service and allthe state conse rvation a genc ies have be gun to draw up rules lim iting the use of off-road vehicles."

Copies of the booklet are available without charge from American Motors Cor-porat ion, Dep artmen t JB, Detroi t Michigan 4823 2.


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D e s e r t M a g a z i n e B o o k S h o pby Slim Barnard. Wel l -TV stars, Henrietta and Slim Barnardput together a selection of their tr ipsthe West f rom their Happy Wanderer

of lodging, meals , etc. Perfect for famil iesare large format,150 pages each and $2.95Volume One covers California and Volumeand Mexico. WHEN OR-

by Don Holm. Wildof the Port land Oregonian, the authorhis l i fe explor ing and wr i t ing aboutso his recipes for prepar ing fooda Dutch Oven come from experience. If yoihad food cooked in a Dutch Oven, yoLt l ived . . . cind if you have you wi l lnew and excit ing culinaryas his style of wr i t ing .106 pages, $3.95.by David Muench and Ray At-Two of the West's greatest color pho-

the v ibrat ions of the oceans, lakes,and deserts of California. Theirtheof David Toil, makes this a classic11x14 fo rmat ,200 4-color186 pages, $25.00.OF THE GREAT SOUTHWEST by JohnThe first of Mitchell 's lost mineis now availabte after having been out otfor years. Reproduced from the or ig ina land containing 54 artic les based on ac-Hehis entire adult l ife investigating reportsof lost mines and treasures of 1he175 pages,

AND MINING CAMPSW. Paher. Covering all of Nevada'shas documented 575 miningof which have been erased fromThe book contains the greatest andof historic photographsand map, creates a book9x11 format, 700492 pages, $15.00.

by Henry andThe wel l - known pa in te r ofhas combined his four-colorand black and white photographs toin detai l so the l ayman can easilyand smal l .an outs tandingfor identif ication. Special compressed fibernot stain. 54 full-color i l lustra-72 l i fe-s ize drawings and 39 photo-316 pages, $5.95.by Ruth Kirk. Goodand maps with t ime estimates from placeand geology, natural history and

by Grace andSegregated into categories of red,and yel low for eas ier ident i f icat ion,are 190 four-color photos of f lowers foundthe Mojave, Colorado and Western Arizonaall of which also have common and

EASTERN SIERRAJEEP TRAILS

By ROGER MITCHELLFour-wheel-drive trips into the backcountry of the eastern slope of Califor-nia's Sierra Nevada range are describedin detail by veteran explorer Roger Mit-chell. All of the trails are on governmentland but, regulations vary, so he also de-scribes what you can and cannot do ineach area. Ten different trips with detail-ed road mileage and maps. Designed toput in glove compartment of your vehicle.Paperback, 36 pages.$1.00

DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES by Lake Erie Schaefer.A sequel to BURIED TREASURE & _OST MINES byFrank Fish, the author knew Fish for many yearsand claims he was murdered. Her book addsother informat ion on alleged lost bonanzas, plusreasons why she thinks Fish did not die a naturaldeath as stated by the authorit ies. Paperback,i l lus trated, 80 pages, $3.00.LOST MINES & BURIED TREASURIES ALONG THEOLD FRONTIER by John D. Mitchell. The secondof Mitchell 's books on lost mines which was out-of-pr int for many years is avai lable again. Manyof these appeared in DESERT Mgazine yearsag o and these issues are no longer avai lable.New readers wi l l want to read these. Containsthe or ig inal map f irst published with the bookand one pinpoint ing the areas of lost mines.Mitchel l s personal research and investigationhas gone into the book. Hardcover, 240 pages,$7 .50 .COMMON EDIBLE & USEFUL PLANTS OF THEWEST by Muriel Sweet. A description with artistd raw ings of edible (and those not to touch)plants along with how Indians and pioneers usedthem. Paperback, 64 pages, $1.50.

WHEN ORDERING BOOKSPLEASE

Add 50 cents PER ORDER(Not Each Book)

for handling and mailingCALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ALSO

ADD 5 PERCENT SALES TAXSend check or money order to Desert Maga-zine Book Shop, Palrr Desert, California92260. Sorry , but we cannot accept chargesor C.O.D. orders.

DESERT GEM TRAILS by Mary Frances Strong.DESERT Magazine's Field Trip Editor hos revisedand brought up to date her popular f ie ld guidefor rockhounds. She has deleted areas which arenow closed to the public and added new areasnot covered before. The maps have also been up-dated. This is the " b i b l e " for both amateur andveteran rockhounds and back country explorers.Heavy paperback, 80 pages and still the samepr ice, $2.00.GOLDEN MIRAGES by Philip A. Bailey. Out-ofpr int for more than 20 years, this was a collec-tor's item. A valuable book for lost mines andburied treasure buffs, it is beaut i fu l ly wr i t tenand gives first-hand interviews with old-timerslong since passed away. Excellent fo- researchand fasc inat ing for arm-chair readers. Hardcover,i l lus trated, 353 pages, S9.95.GHOSTS OF THEGLORY TRAIL by Nell Murbarger.A pioneer of the ghost town explorers andwriters, Miss Murbarger's followers wi I be g ladto know this book is once again in p'int. Firstpubl ished in 1956, it is now in its seventh edi-t ion. The fast-moving chronicle is a result of per-isonal interviews of old- t imers who are no longerhere to tell their tales. Hardcover, i l lustrated,291 pages, $7.00.BURIED TREASURE & LOST MINES by Frank Fish.On e of the original treasure hunters providesdata on 93 lost bonanzas, many of which he per-sonally searched for. He died under mysteriouscircumstances in 1968 after leading an adven-turous life. I l lustrated with photos ar d maps.Paperback, 68 pages, $2.00.LAND OF POCO TIEMPO by Charles F. Lummis.A reprint of the famous wr i ter and historian ofhis adventures among the Indians of New Mexico.Lurrmis was one of the foremost writers of theWest. Paperback, 236 pages, $2.45.THE WEEKEND GOLD MINER by A. H. Ryan. Anelectronic physicist "bitten by the gold bug,"the author has writ ten a concise and in format ivebook for amateur prospectors tell ing where andhow gold is found and how it is separated andtested, all based on his own practical ex-perience. Paperback, 40 pages, $1.50.CORONADO'S CHILDREN by J. Frank Doby. Ori-ginal ly publ ished in 1930, this book about lostmines and buried treasures of the West, is aclassic and is as v i ta l today as when f i rs t wr i t ten.Dobie was not only an adventurer , but a scholaran d a power ful wr i ter . A combinat ion of legendsand fac tual background. Hardcover , 375 pages,$3 .95 .SELDOM SEEN SLIM by Tom Murray. Profiles andvignettes of the colorful "single blanket jackassprospectors" who l ived and died as they lookedfor gold and silver in Death Valley. Slick paper-back, exclusive photos of the old- t imers , 65pages, $3.00.DESERT OVERVIEW MAPS by Wes Chambers.Using topographic maps as basic underlays, Weshas compiled two excel lent detai led naps forback country explorers of the Mojave and Color-ado Deserts. Maps show highways, gravel roads,jeep trails plus historic routes and sites, oldwells , which are not on modern-day maps, plusghost towns, Indian sites, etc. Mojave DesertOverview covers from U.S. 395 at Little Lake toBoulder City, Nevada, to Parker Dam to Victor-vi l le . Colorado Desert Overview covers from theMexican border to Joshua Tree National Monu-ment to Banning to the Arizona side of theColorado. $3.00 each. Be certain to state whichm ap (or both) when order ing.

FOR COMPLETE BOOK CATALOG WRITE TO DESERT MAGAZINE, PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 9 2 2 6 0


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Enjoy Moab's

YOU'VE GOT TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT!SPECTACULAR 2-HR. CRUISEON THECOLORADO RIVER!An inspiring interpretation ofNature and history of south-eastern Utah with music andnarration

Enjoy this unique cruise in com-plete safety in 80-passenger JetBoat constructed to our speci-fications. Trained river guidesoperate the craft in quiet, safecomfort, making this a familyexperience you will not want tomiss on your visit to CanyonCountry.Boat leaves nightly from ourColorado River dockOne-half hour after sundown

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Canyon walls come to life under 40,000 WHlnCO, IRC.watts of controlled illumination WELTON B. WIN N, Genera l ManagerFOR RESERVATIONS: "" ' Holiday Haven, Moab, Utah 84532

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R o b e r t C a l l a h a n10050 To.uca Lake Avenue, North Hollywood, California 91602Telephone 213 877-3000

F O R S A L EC A L L A H A N ' SH i s t o r i c Old W e s t

F r o n t i e r V i l l a g eTremendous Income Potential! 790 feet of highway frontage. Only35 miles from Hollywood, California. Situated on 12-plus acres,it includes Indian Kiva, 3 Cottages, Outlaw Saloon, Chapel, School,Hangtown Hall and Museum, Historic Relics, Projector and 17Oldtime Comedy Films. Water well, 2 emergency tanks. Picnictables and chairs. Hiking trail to all-year spring.

B o o kR e v i e w sby Jack Pepper

All books reviewed are available throughDesert Magazine Book Shop

THEMIGHTYSIERRABy Paul Webster

As described in several articles in thisissue, the majestic Sierra Nevada towersinto the Western sky lor several hundredmiles in central California. Once a forbid-ding mountain which claimed the lives ofearly pioneers and argonauts, today it isavast winter and summer recreation land.

Described by geologists as a "faultblock" range, it rises out of the desert tothe east in a steep escarpment and thenslopes gently into California's Central Val-ley on the west. It also contains MountWhi tney , the highest point in the contigu-ous forty-eight states.

Subtitled "A Portrait of a MountainWorld ." th is book is the dramatic story ofmajestic peaks and scenic valleys, lakesand rivers and streams cascading down themountain slopes to the desert valley below.

It is also the story of man and themounta in ; of the Indians who first livedin the Sierra; the emigrants who blazedtrails across its barrier; the miners, ranch-ers and railroaders who sought fortunesin the mountains; and, finally, the conflictbetween the conservationists who want tokeep the mountain in a pristine state andthe thousands ot families who use therange as a weekend playground.

The author, who has spent much of hislife exploring the Sierra, has also includ-ed a Guide to the Sierra, an extensive glos-sary ant) a useful bibliography. It is avol-um e to read and re-read for those whoalready love the Sierra Nevada and a newadventure for those who have yet to dis-cover it.


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Larg e 8'/? x I I format, heavy mat pa-than 70 four-color

plusDec. 31, 1972. then $17.50 .

THERuss Leadabrand

The author ' s Guidebook to the SunsetSouthern California, first pub-

1965, has long been a favorite

Since then Leadabrand has amassed so

H is ne w Guidebook to theMountains is the first of that

Jacinto Moutains but also covers thea portion of

It also has a chapter on the Palm

the area was published. Althoughan automobile travel guide, i t

Several pages of old photographs, alonga history outline, enhance the travel-

s interest as he follows the h ighw aysange in California's Riverside Count).

For travelers coming from Los Angelesto the Palm Desert area or those comingto the desert from San Diego, this bookoffers main interesting summer trips.Heavy paperback, i l lustrated, 102 pages.S I . 9 5.

I T S N E W !

Books reviewed may be order-ed from the DESERT MagazineBook Shop, Palm Desert, Calif.92260. Please include 50c forhandling. California residentsmust add 5 % sales tax. Pleaseenclose payment with the order.

WORLD'S ONLYDOUBLE SWINGINGT I R E C A R R I E R . . .THE ULTIMATE IN STRENGTH,CONVENIENCE AND DESIGN !READY TO MOUNT!PRICED AT ONLY

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CHANGE FROM REAR TOSIDE POSITIONS IN 20 SECONDS

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American ExpressBankAtnericardCarle BlancheDiner s ClubMaster Charge


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>/!! ^ ^Smoky quartz crystals(right)

at Location B (see map onPage 11) require hard-rock

mining. Note large crystals onrounded quartz matrix in center of

photo. Best specimens (below)are obtained by prying into

shattered quartz vein. Authoruses whisk broom to brush away

loose dirt an d reveal crystals.

REHISTORIC: MAN was evidently th efirst collector of gems, since clear,

and to -y they fascinate the rockhound.Quartz crystals are not uncommon but

e infrequent. One such location is Cry-

By using a li t t le patience and persever-rockhounds can add several interest-

rock hunting, they will

The most direct, and best route to Crys-Road), 8.4 miles

Th e road is good except for a shortup a rocky wash a half-mile from

pickup and cars if not too low slung .Black Rock Springs Road is paved and

in the Inyo M o u n -This is cattle country and many cows

the area. When we

with twins andtriplets. Could it be they have

Several sloughs are passed and threemiles from the aqueduct the old railbedof the "Slim Princess," the famed narrow-gaug e railroad, is crossed and a junctionmade with the Eastside Road.

Sixty years ago, the Owens River ranfree and meandered through this greatvalley. It was a region of many meadowsand sloughs. Game was plentiful and In-dians had occupied the area over a longperiod of time.

Only a few sloughs remain but ducksand other migratory birds often rest here.

Late one March we watched several hun-dred snow geese take to the air, circlingand circling ever higher until they wereout of sight and northward bound. It was

thri l l ing sight!The Eastside Road is now crossed and

immediately the road Ys. Keep right. Theleft branch leads to an old shack and goldprospect. We found no gold but did ob-serve a li t t le copper ore. The Inyos havebeen heavily prospected since I860 andnearly ever)' canyon has an old mine ortwo. Some have been abandoned but many

:' d i'


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F i s h e r ' sG E M I N ID E T E C T O Rn o w o f f e r e d toa l l t r e a s u r e h u n t e r s !

Professionals and serious amateursare hard to please. That's why Fisherinvented the Ciemini Detector. It'sthe one for men whose business de -pends on accurate, reliable locationof g old, silver, m etallic objects, andore bodies. An d now the Gemini isavailable for vo n . . . for all amateu rtreasure hunters anil prospectors!d Instantly detects objects up to 22

feet deep![~1 Costs l ess than most to p- of -th e-line loop detectors![ i Searches an area 10 times fasterthan a loop type detector!Don' t de lay! Contact your loca ldealer or write us for free detailedliterature.DEALER INQUIRIES INVITEDMASTERCHARGEWELCOMED

F IS H E R M I N I N G D E T E C T O R SDepl DM, P 0 . Box 490 , Belmont, CA. 94002 -Since 1932

From Crystal Ridge there is a magnificent view of the Sierra Nevada, which issnow-capped most of the year, and Owens Valley below.are still privately owned. Do N O T dis turb under the outcrops yields single crystals

any buildings or equipment. Even though of various sizes. Some are clear and of fa-the property is not posted vandalism is ceting quality. Prying out chunks of theillegal. shattered quartz will reveal the plates and

The road now continues up a broad al- vugs. A ' ,-inch mesh screen, pick, shovel.luvial fan, jogs right then left, enters a chisel and whiskbroom are effective tools.wash and follows it to a small hanging val- The beauties to look for (other than theley and Crystal Ridge. faceting gra de) are crystals I to 3 inches

T he ridge is part of a granitic mass in- in length. They are clear except for theirtruding a series of thick, complexly faulted terminations which arc "sprinkled" withand folded sedimentary rocks, which alon g chlorite or specular hematite. The chloritewith Triassic volcanics, form the Inyo gives the crystals the effect of having beenMountains . The age of the series extends dipped in "gold dust" while the hematitefrom the Cambrian through the Triassic. gives a shiny metallic effect. They are very

Crystal Ridge is an exposed group of showy specimens.parallel quartz veins and con nec ting quartz. Gr oup s of small quartz crystals ( '/> tostringers in a quartz-m onzonite block. I inch) on matrix will be found with ro-Small cavities occur throughout the mass settes of specular hematite deposited spar-and, due to a local abundance of mineral- ingly upon them. Watch for plates of crys-izers, well-defined crystals of com pone nt tals stained a dee p, red-brow n and occa-minerals have formed in the cavities. T he sionally some that arc a pale amethyst inquartz minerals predominate but spectacu- color,lar hematite, chlorite, horneblende andcpidote also occur.

L O C A T I O N AThis deposit contains quartz crystals in a Groups of very dark, smoky quartz crystals

wide variety of forms ranging from very will be found on matrix. Tins is hard rockslender, l/j-inch, doubly-terminated crys- mining. The tools required are a sledge,tals to larger ones four inches long and pry bar. chisel, shovel and strong back, Athumb-size in girth. Generally, deposits few single crystals have also been foundof this type do not yield extremely large here.crystals as the conditions for development Camping at ( rystal Ridge is a bit of amakes them intertwine in the cavities problem for trailers and. possibly motor-where they form a crystal mass. homes due to the short, rocky sections ofNumerous vugs and plates, as well as road near the bead of the wash. W e havesmall clusters and single crystals have been taken a 15-foot trailer into the collectingexposed by erosion. Screening the talus a r e a . How ever, it required a bit of road

LOCATION BThis deposit is a halt-mile south ol the

first diggings near the crest ol the ridge.

10


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We didn't at tempt to take our 22-in this spring.

C ondition of thewash will change afterheavy storm. It's not advisable to take

and motorhomes beyond .7 of afrom the Eastside Road. A fair camp-

g area will he found here on the alluvialBig groups andeven individuals should

using Sawmill Creek Camp-.8oi amile west of Highway 395 .is a nice clean camp with

and sanitary facilities and it isT miles from the collecting area.

There are several other points of inter-t in this general area. Those who enjoy

or trail bike riding,the Eastside Road north to

berdeen Road (approx . I 0 m i l e s ) , c r o s sand join II. S. H i g h w a y 395

n e a r T a b o o s e ( r e e k . W a t c h for o b s i d i a n -ites onthe several, irinute dry lakes alongthis route. We also found a number ofpoints one of clear quartz- in thevicin-ity of the drylakes.

Going south theEastside Road eventu-ally joins Mazourka Canyon Road at thesite of old Kearsarge (Citrus) Station.You will pass the site of San Carlos

( 1 8 6 3 ) before reaching the canyon roadand then, upon turning right you willdrive through the site of Bend City( 1863) asyou head west to Highw'ay 395south of Independence. Bottle collectorshave long ago dug these old sites. But nowand then, someone turns up an old bottle.

If you haven't visited theEastern Cali-fornia Museum at Independence, plan todo so. Though smal l , it is growing andha s a number of outstanding collections ofearly days Owens Val ley memorabl ia .( S e e Desert, fuly. 71.) T h e C o m m a n d e r sHouse is also worthy of a visit. The M u-seum Association hasrecently refurbishedit in I860 style.

The fisherman will find the North andSouth Forks of Oak Creek. Independence,Svmes and Goodale Creeks good streamsin which to try his luck.

Central Owens Valley and its environsoffer the outdoor enthusiast a fascinatingregion to explore: ok] mines and historicalsites to visit; good fishing streams; excel-lent campgrounds and gem for the collect-ing. Spring, summer and fall it is an excit-ing area in which to spend a weekend, aweek or even longer. W h o could ask form o r e ?

CRYSTAL RIDGEIryo Mtns.Calif.

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12/52

Nairobi U.S.A

by Ernie Cowan

IN THEvalley a white rhino slogs into amud hole, as a quick gazelle gobblesup ground in a swift foot race nearby.Around the crest of the hill the W G A S ABush Line Railroad brings its load of pas-sengers into Nairobi. California. That'sright , California!

What sounds like and is a typical Afri-can scene is actually part of an excitingnew development known as the San DiegoReplica of an African fishingvillage (above). White BeardedGnu (left) stand beforesilent-tunning electric monorailtrain which takes visitors on a5-mile guided tour ofthe new park.


13/52

and the wi lds of NorthThis unique new zoo works on the con-

city limits, the park is a

Th e W ild Anim al Park is located in

You can reach this bit of Africa by tak-5 at Esco ndido . It takes abou t 30 minu tes

Zoo director Dr. Charles Schroeder saidthe new wildlife park is

Visitors to the park enter through the

WhiteRhinoceroscharges downa hill in theSouth Africasection of theSan DiegoWild AnimalPark. Zebras(below) areone of themany animalspecies seen.

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Ron davel, patterned after a chief's burialhut of east Africa. From here visitors en-ter the world's largest free-flight aviary,housing a collection of 300 birds. Mostof these birds are from east Africa.

Admission to the park is $1.25 for per-sons 16 and up. Children under 16 arefree. Once inside the park, tickets for theWGASA Bush Line Railroad are $1.50for adult s, $1 for children 12 to 16, and50 cents for 2 to 11.

The entry area of the Wild AnimalPark is a duplication of Nairobi, Kenya,done in turn-of-the-century architecture.Paths in the village take visitors to exhib-i ts such as the Komodo Dragon, lowlandgorillas, a huge lagoon with shore birdsand flamingos and a Congo River fishingvillage. The entry village also contains ascenic li t t le restaurant known as the Mom-basa Cookery. This is one of two restau-rants located here.

But the real safari begins when the1 3


14/52

WGASA Bush Line Railroad leaves Nai-robi Village on its five-mile loop throughthe park. This modern electric monorailtakes visitors on a. fascinating journey intothe bush. During the ride you will seemore than 1,000 animals in their naturalsettings. As the train curves and windsover the hill country you will see zebras,antelope and ostriches of the open plains,and gnu, lions, elephants, giraffes, andmuch more.The park is a photographer's delight.The animals are not in wire cages and thepictures you take could have been takenin Africa as far as anybody can tell.

After the train ride, you return to thevillage where you can enjoy several moreexhibits such as spider monkeys, the ani-mal care center where you can see babyanimals being cared for, and the Kraal, aspecial area where kids can meet face-to-snout with the smaller harmless animalsof "Nairobi."

The May 10, 1972 opening of the SanDiego Wild Animal Park marked thecompletion of over 13 years of planning

and work by San Diego Zoo officialsand members of its zoological society.Ground was actually broken for the zooin 1969 when a baby Asian elephant nam-ed Carol helped shovel the first spade ofdirt in a remote canyon.Four months later the first animals, azebra, and a nilgai, were released intotemporary quarters at the park. Since thattime the animal population has increasedmany times, and there has even been somebirths.Dr. Schroeder said the breeding of ani-mals at the Wild Animal Park could be-come an important function of this vastwilderness zoo. One of the zoo's mainobjectives is to provide an opportunity forendangered and near extinct species to sur-vive and reproduce.Since 1900 more than 40 animal species

have become extinct in the world. It ishoped the park can establish breedingstock of some rare animals and supplyother zoos with these species.The Wild Animal Park now has a suc-cessful breeding program for the Preze-

walski's wild horse, an animal no longerfound in the wild. Such efforts, as beingconducted here could save this animalfrom oblivion.I think you will find San Diego's newWild Animal Park captivating and aplace you will want to see again and again.Frankly, I had my doubts when the parkwas announced. I had wandered the hillswhere it was to be built and I didn't wantto see them rained by a "tourist attrac-tion."But I followed construction carefullyand I met the men who were responsiblefor creation of this park. Men like Dr.Schroeder, Zoo Designer Charles Faustand Zoo Project Manager Harold Barr. Tlearned they cared about what they weredoing. They cared about the animals andthey cared about the environment.The result of this care is a fine animalcollection package in an interesting andhumane environment. I think the San Die-go Wild Animal Park will soon be rankedwith the San Diego Zoo as one of the fin-est animal collections in the world.

Resembling a dragonfly, the ant lionpreys on ants and other insects. It is abeneficial insect (sometimes called adoodlebug) and should be protected.

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15/52

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16/52

C O N T E N T I O NC I T Y ,A r i z o n aT e r r i t o r y

*4*;A-*,

by Jim Huie.MOST AS an aftertho ught, my part-ner and I decided to visit the old

Contention City, Arizona.e had visited m any ghost town s in

but for some reasonsite had never appealed to us. So,

with only an old map and just a

We stopped in Fairbank to ask dir-we must contact to

involved. Fairbank is a small com-a Post Office and a

\ I

few old homes that lies just south of oldContention City. Fairbank can be reachedby going north from Tombstone on U.S.80 and turning west on State 82 for aboutsix miles.

Our search started and ended withCharlotte Blank. She not only runs thePost Office and a small refreshment con-cession, but she is somewhat of a localhistorian. Charlotte gave us directions andpermission, but only after she had warnedus about vandalism and digging for treas-u r e . W e had convinced her that we werearmed only with cameras and not metaldetectors and shovels. She said localranchers had been having trouble becausecattle were getting hurt in the numerouslarge holes that treasure hunters had left.

Her directions were very thorough toeliminate the need of bothering localranchers with questions in case we gotlost. People planning to enter ContentionCity should see Charlotte for the detailedinstructions.

With permission to enter a matter ofrecord, we started off to see ContentionCity, one of the six sister cities of Tomb-stone.

Ed Schieffelin 's 1877 silver strike at

An 1875 dime and unjired.44 bullet were found atContention City site.

Tombstone spawned the need for stamp-ing and processing mills for the ore thatwas being gouged out of the desert floor.Before the mines flooded, six sister citieswere born with the purpose in life ofserving Tombstone. All six cities, Charles-ton, Miilville, Emery City, Fairbank,Grand Central Mill and Contention Citywere on the San Pedro River to make useof the water necessary to run the mill.Contention City was the northernmost ofthese frontier mill towns.

Bumping down the cow trail that serv-ed as a road, we met a car with occupantswho were obviously enthusiastic aboutsomething. It was necesasry for us to backup and pull off the road to allow them topass and as we did, we became a captiveaudience to two men who had just foundseveral treasures at the Contention Citysite.

The finds included an 187^ dime andan old . i-i bullet, corroded but recogniz-able. The dime had been lying on the sur-face in what had been an old street. Nowour interest was picking up and aftershort goodbyes and a few directions, wewere off again.

W e were in a four-wheel-drive and hadno trouble fording the river. People inconventional cars will find it necessary tosplash across on foot. With care, conven-tional cars can cover the entire route up tothe river.


17/52

Contention Cit) turned out to be one ofwe had visited.

any foundations, adobe walls, large tim-and an abundance of junk lay around.

t was obvious that diggers had beenbut the ground wasstill coveredand belts and scores of square

Broken china and bottles were inNow we were sorry

our belated start because weknew frome mapthat a cemetery existed somewherethe southeast.Also, about a mile: to the southwest on

of the San Pedro is a site knownthe local people as the mission." The

is s i on ," upon vis i t ing, contained manyand had been an Indian vil-

age. The mission dates from the late1 600s and the time of the Jesuit priests. Itis listed on an Arizona Historical Societymap as Quibur . One foundation waslarge enough to have been a chapel.

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Remains of (juiburi Missionwhich dates, fromabout thelate 1600s.At one time a railroad spur line passed

the site of Quibur i , but the tracks havenow been hauled away and only the cinderbed remains. This road bed makes a goodaccess road to Quibur i .

According to the men with the olddime. Contention City had contained threemills. We found evidence of two of thembut time didn't permit a length)- search sowe never found the th ird .

The two that we did find were strewnwith old fire bricks, metal plates and oldtimbers. At one site what appeared to be afurnace wasetched into the hillside. Bothmill sites had roads at the top of the hillwhere they apparently drove the wagonloads of ore to be able to dump into thethe stamps. Small assay crucibles werescattered everywhere like leaves under atree.

Contention City had apparently sprawl-ed along the San Pedro River for about100 yards but she had a peak population

of only about 200people. The post officewas abandoned in 1 888 and the town soondied, but in her heyday she had two stagescoming to town, a chine.se laundry, hotelan d the usual frontier bill of fare.

Contention City had been a town in arush, she had existed less than 10 years( 1 8 7 9 - 1 8 8 8 ) , and now we had to rushalso because darkness was fast approch-

ing. So, knowing there was more to beseen, we reluctantly agreed to leave butwe promised ourselves we would returnsomeday and revisit Contention City, oneof Tombstone's six sisters on the beauti-ful San Pedro River. []

M arnIsUandier e

I he t o u r s by the H a p p y W o n d e r e i s con-t a i n exce l lent ma p s , m i l e a g e , h i s to r yof the areas , cos ts of g a s o l i n e c o n s u mp -t i o n , l o d g i n g m e a l s , w h a t to w e a r an dthe best t ime of the y e a r 'o m a k e theh i p s . A f a m i l y can p l a n t h e i r tr ip an dd e t e r m i n e the e x a c t a mo u n t of t ime an dm o n e y r e q u i r e d .V o I u m e N u rn bee On e covers b ? l ou rst h r o u g h o u t C o l i f o r n i a s d e s e r f s , rnount a i n s , l a k e s an d seashores . In V o l u m eN u m b e r Two, Sl im and H e n r i e t t a e x p l o r eA r i z o n a , N e v a d a and Old M e x i c o , w i tht h e a r e a s r a n g i n g f r o m mo d e r n r e s o r t sto g h o s t t o w n s .W h e n o r d e r i n g BE SURE to s ta te V o l u m eO n e or V o l u m e two . Both books are l a r g ef o r m a t , h e a v y p a p e r b a c k w i t h 15 0 p a g e s .

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18/52

...where

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Souvenirs of the 'SlimPrincess" (above, left) werepicked up along the oldrailroad bed. Small gravediscovered beneath thetamarisk was probably thatof a small child.


19/52

arrow gaugemet the standard

byMary Frances StrongPhotos by author

Short section of thenarrou-guage track (above)near Dolomite is one ofthe few left of the Carson

and C oloradoRailroad, which once ranthrough Oivens Valley.

T IIH UTTLE, narrow-gauge train clat-tered down the tracks from Man-zanar. smoke stack belching soot-filledair and steam clouds billowing from be-neath the engine. It matched the Indian'sdescript ion of "Fire Horse ." To the resi-dents of California's Owens Valley, thetrain was a lifeline to the outside worldand they affectionately named her the"Sl im Princess."

"Owcnyo, next stop," called the con-ductor. The passengers traveling south forconnections with Los Angeles or San Fran-cisco, gathered their possessions and pre-pared to depart.

Owenyo was the point where the nar-row-gauge rails met the standard gauge.This had not always been the case, sinceOwenyo came into existence some 30 yearsafter the birth of the Carson & ColoradoRailroad. The C & C planned to span a600-mile distance from Mound House,Nevada to Mojave, California -providinga rail link between Reno and Los Angeles.

The se amb itious plans, as is often thecase, encountered many difficulties and infuly, ! 893, the "end-of-track" was Haw-lex' (later known as Kee ler) situated onthe mid-eastern shore of Owens Lake.

T h e Carson and Colorado was busy thenext two decades delivering ores and haul-ing supplies to the many mines and com-munities along its route through Nevadaand the Owens Valley of California. How-ever, as the mining booms began to fade

and commerce on the line declined, allplans for an extension to Mojave werecancelled.

In 1905, tiie Southern Pacific purchas-ed the (ar so n & Colora do and three yearslater began construction of a standardgauge line from Mojave to the Owens Val-ley. Keeler, however, would not be theconnecting link. Instead, the new line ranalong the western shore of Owens Lakeand joined th e C & C four miles north ofMt. Whitney Station. The junction wasnamed Owenyo. Dignitaries and residentsheld a joyous celebration on October 18,1910, when a silver spike was driven tojoin the "Slim Princess" and "The Jaw-bone" lines.

Hut joined, they really were not. Twolines of rails one narrow and one stan-

Qinlinued mi /'./:;< .3(5


20/52

Pepper

D E S E R T L A N D SINETEEN siTn.s totaling 2.7 millionacres of public lands within the

The sites were dedicated recently by

gement (which is wi thin the De-

The recreation areas, most of which

0

ing and rockhounding lands for local re-sidents and urban visitors for many years.They range from the Yuha Desert belowsea level to the Mecca Hills a few hun-dred feet above sea level to the SantaRosa Mo untains which tower \0 0 0 feetover the Coachelia Valley in RiversideC bounty.

T h e 2.~ million acres which were "de-dicated" are only a small part of the 12million acres of California deserts underthe administration of the United StatesBureau of Land Management . However,they are sites which have a "heavy week-end use and were designated as RecreationLands according to classifications estab-lished by the Bureau of Outdoor Recrea-tion; i .e., for general outdoor recreation,natural environment areas, primitive areasand historic and cultural sites."

These heavily used but fragile lands

must be managed more effectively if weare to live up to President Nixon's man-date for more and better recreational, op-portunities for Americans today and to-morrow." Morton said. "This designat ionis a start in that direction for the Califor-nia Desert ."

At a "Tow n Meet ing " fol lowing thededication ceremonies which was attend-ed by the press, government officials andinterested persons, both California andFederal B.L.M. officials told Desert Ma-gazine the dedication of the sites wouldnot change their status as far as explorers,rockhounds and campers are concerned. . . "at least not for the present."

B.L.M. officials also admitted the longrange multiple use plan for the inventoryand management of the public lands ofthe California deserts as explained in theNovember, 1971 issue of Desert Magazine


21/52

Secretary of the InteriorRogers (',. B. Morton (above)dedicates the 19 sites whichinclude the Mecca Hills (left)near Palm Desert and thePinnacles area (right) nearTrona. California.

O R R E C R E A T I O Ncould not become a reality without addi-tional funds whi( h they do not have.

House Bill H.R 9661. which was in-t roduced by Congressman Bob Mathiaslast July, calls for the appropriation of$28,600 ,000 to mplemen t the B.L.M. 'sCalifornia Desert Plan. It has more than30 Congressional co-sponsors and the sup-port of Secretary F>forton.

f. R. "Russ" Penny, director of theCalifornia Office of the Bureau of LandManagement , has released the followingstatistics to prove :he need for the Cali-fornia Desert Phi : :

There were 4.H million recreation-usevisitor days in the: Calif orn ia dese rts in1968, 6.0 million in 1970, 7.6 million in1971 an indications are that 1972 will ex-ceed 9 million visitor days.

There are 1,650,000 motorcycles, 150,-000 dune buggies and 1 80,000 four-wheel-

drive vehicles in California alone. Of thistotal of 1,980,000 off-road vehicles, B.L.M. estimates that 80 percent are used inthe California deserts.

Penny also states that imm ediate cri-tical management needs" call for controlof off-road vehicles, law enforcement tostop vandalism and destruction of arti-facts, reduction of such hazards as mineshafts and capability for search and res-cue, information and communication sys-tem to educate people for desert use. (Anincomplete survey of accidents disclosed125 deaths and 1,975 serious injuries onthe deserts in 1971.)

The B.L.M. also estimates that thereare 250,000 mining claims in the publiclands of California deserts of which onlyT00 are believed to be valid! More than50 minerals are found on the desert andthese yield Si80 million a year for the

nation's economy.Penny reiterated that as a result of the

above statistics gathered during a two-yearextensive survey the California DesertPlan is needed and that dedication of the19 sites is one of the first steps in thelong-range m ult iple use program. Thesites include:Trona Pinnacle Recreation Lands (19.GOOacres) : Impressive formations of Tufacastles of calcium carbonite. Used inten-sively by photographers, sightseers, pic-nickers, rockhounds and campers.Old Woman Mountains Recreation Land}(93.740 acres) : Archeological values; up-land game bird hunting and camping.Hasten/ Mojave Recreation Lands (713,-4 56 acres): Outstanding archeologicalvalues including a cindercone, petroglyphsite and many pictograph areas. Otherfeatures are the Kelso Sand Dunes, Cima

21


22/52

T r o n a P i n n a c l e s K i n g s t o n P e a kO

W h i p p l e M t n s.

JVecreatlon bands of t h e C A L I F O R N I A D E S E R Te Natural Area, a Joshua Tree forest

20 acres): These scenic mountains in-

archeological values, geologicalCanyon Recreation Lands (4,560

Here the Mojave River flows

Pi/lie Recreation Lands (4,680Features include old Fort Piute,

outstanding petroglyphs and

2

Kingston Peak Recreation Lands (37,-26 5 acres): An important archeologicalarea with rugged mountains that providelimited hiking and riding.Chnckualla Recreation Lands (395,980acres) : An outstanding natural area fea-turing undisturbed ecological geological,archeological and historic values. Camp-ing, hunting, rockhounding and photo-graphy are among the activities suited tothe area.Chnckualla Valle) Recreation Lands(2.040 acres) : A natural biological areafeaturing the rare Desert Lily.Imperial Sand Hill Recreation Lands(252,169 acres'): This area features sanddun es intensively used by drive rs of off-road vehicles and a large potential naturalarea which is an example of dune ecology.

Picacho Recreation Lands (127,450acres) : A rugged area of broad washesdominated by Picacho Peak; above aver-age scenic features, undisturbed ecologicalvalues and hunting of small game, deerand waterfowl.Whipple Mountains Recreation Lands(86.845 acres): R u g g e d , p i c t u r e s q u emou ntains provide a backdro p for numer-ous recreation developments along theColorado River and Lake Havasu. Thearea also has geological and ecologicalvalues.Santa Rosa Mountains Recreation Lands(60,920 acres) : Spectacular view of Coa-chella Valley, Indian ruins and native fanpalm groves; hunting of upland gamebirds and deer; areas for riding and hik-ing.Bighorn Mountains and Whitewater Riv-er Recreation Lands (145,700 acres) : Bio-logical and ecological values range from ahigh mountain desert environment to ex-cellent Joshua tree pinyon pine juniperforests. Petroglyph Springs is an outstand-ing archeological site.

Upland game birds and deer providehunting opportunities and there is poten-tial for riding and hiking.Rodman Mountains Recreation Lands(324,480 acres) : This area is popular withmotorcyclist and off-road vehicle drivers.It has archeological values and receivesconsiderable use from campers, picnickersand hikers.Calico Recreation Lands (136,810 acres) :Includes Murphey Well Indian Petro-glyph Site, Tin Can A lley Recreation Siteand the Rainbow Basin Natural Areawhich has upper Miocene mammal fos-sils. The area also has historical valuesand Joshua View, a place to see large Jos-hua trees.Yi/ha Desert Recreation Lands (147,710acre


23/52

ww

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OISED O N an eminence in the midst ofthe desert's desolation, the stately

antlered head held high, nos-a mirage to be

breathtaking instant be-shimmering away. For how

this great stag, standing

wasteland ' Yet the deer is truly

Long associated with the desert, the

protection for life in the

DESERTDEER

sorbing less of the sun's radiation, thushelping to keep him cooler. The deer isalso well equipped with sweat glands forevaporative cooling and under stress,heat can also be unloaded through respir-atory tissues by panting.

But such water loss is expensive anddangerous in the desert, and the muledeer conserves water and keeps his tem-perature within livable limits by inactivityduring the heat of the day. Lying in theshade of mesquite or shrubs or even in theshadow of a big rock, he stays almost mo-tionless. Only his big ears (from whencehe gets his names of mule or burro deer)are on the job and moving. These big fun-nels made of tough cartilage, are operatedby an intricate group of muscles that turnthem this way and that, scooping upsound and pinpointing its direction. Hismoist black muzzle is working too, testingthe air, for the deer depends on his ex-ceptionally keen sense of smell for safety.

As the heat of the da}- wears off, thedeer leaves his shelter and seeks water,traveling some distance if necessary.

Knowing his territory, he knows where tofind natural reservoirs, smelling them outwhen apparently dry, pawing out holesmaybe two feet deep to get water. Then,ears up and listening, eyes watchful, the.leer is ready to forage for food.

Lightfooted for so large an animal, heplaces his hoofs daintily, moving quietlyfrom shrub to shrub, bush to bush, fromstunted tree to tree. He is a browser bytrade, a nibbler of twigs and leaves, andso careful is he that he can even eat th efruit of cactus, holding his sensitive lipsjp and away from the spines. Much ofthe moisture he needs comes from suchsucculent food.

Odd as it seems, this graceful creatureis as much a cud chewer as stolid old Mrs.Moo, and is equipped with much the samegrocery processing machinery as hers. Likea cow, his front teeth are arranged to cropplants with the assistance of his mobileand protusible tongue, his lower teethworking against a horny pad in his upperjaw, for he has no front: teeth upstairs.

He is also minus canine teeth, a wide2 3


24/52

empty .space showing where they ought tobe. But next in line conies his array ofspecialized cheek teeth, the grinders nearthe hinge of his jawbeing squared off andenlarged to crush herbage. Crescent shap-ed ridges of hard enamel on their surfacesalternate with softer dentine which wearsaway faster, keeping the cutting ridgessharp.

[aw action increases the efficiency ofthese teeth, for the deer 's jaw is h u n g on-to his skull for good lateral motion aswinging sidewi.se movement wherein theteeth on one side only come together at at ime. Those on the opposite side are tem-porarily out of contact until the next chewswings the jaw sidewise to bring them to-gether in turn. This side to side motion,plus some free front to back movement,makes a grinding battery out of thesecheek teeth, smashing the twigs againstthe hard enamel ridges, breaking downthe tough plant cellulose walls, squeez-

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ing out the moisture. The mouthful isquickly read)' to be swallowed.

Lie the cow, the mule deer has a multi-part stomach, the first two chambers ofwhich act as temporary storage bins. Un-der potentially dangerous conditions,quantities of food can thus be takenaboard quickly to be worked over laterand digested at leisure in safety and se-clusion . . . a system, by the way, whichproved exceedingly valuable to cud chew-ers as they evolved through the ages, andis a survival plus for the desert mule deerol today.

Calcium is part icularly im portant to himin the growth of his antlers, for indeedthis handsome headgear is composed en-tirely of bone. Like the leaves of a decid-uous tree, it is shed and replaced eachyear.

The social calendar of a mule deer pop-ulation is closely correlated with the pres-ence or absence of antlers on the gentle-men, which in turn is keyed to the seasonof the year. During the winter, the malesare antlerless, and both sexes mingle in alarge group with their teenage fawns,sometimes traveling to ranges lower downin the hills or out onto the desert floors(even Death Valley) where the wintersare warmer and food more plentiful.

On such journeys they areusually led bya wise old female, probably the grand-mother of many of the band, al though asone observer noted, the gentlemen deer,able to get over the ground faster, are

For^the Birds?HummingbirdDRIPLESS Feeder

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quite apt to be far in the lead when es-cape is in order.

Antlers start growing in the spring andthe group breaks up. The females go offby themselves, the males form small bandsor wander about in friendly twosomeswhile their antlers are growing- far, faraway to be sure from such troublesomematters as the arrival of fawns and theirsubsequent care, duties now1 keeping theladies busy. And so the summer passeswith the spring fawns (usually two innumber) following their respective moth-ers, quickly learning to add green stuff totheir milk diet, and growing bigger allthe time.

Come fall, the picture changes tor theantlers of the males have completed theirg rowth . The Season of the Mad Moon, asthe Indians termed it, is on. Gone is theplacid male of the winter-togethernessdays. Gone is the timid fellow of summer-time, so protective of his sensitive grow-ing antlers. Gone are the pals of the lazysummer days, for each male now regardsthe other as a potential rival.

Haughty and arrogant, the antleredstags begin to round up the females, andfights for their possession are in order.Challenges are snorted, the stags rearingwith sharp hoofs flailing, inflicting slash-ing anil cutting blows. Might)' pushingmatches may take place, antler to antler,ending too frequently in disaster if ant-lers slip anil lock together, for then strug-gl e as the)' may, neither contestant canfree himself, anil both are doomed toperish.

Such a result causes scientists to take avery dim view ol antlers. What good arethey? For examination shows that deerantlers, handsome as they are and battle-hard to be sure, are just not shaped righttor highly efficient weapons. They can-not inflict the terrible damage the goodold pointed horn ol the cattle tribe cando.

Nor are the antlers on adult males anyuse for protection of fresh-out fawns,since papa's headgear is only growing andvery tender when the youngsters arriveand need protection the most. The fe-males, in fact, handle the defense prob-lems very well, by determined attacks withtheir sharp slashing hoofs. By the time thestag's antlers are grown in the fall, theyoungsters are fast footed and can takepretty good care of themselves.


25/52

Darwin said that .Hitlers are a secondary

and hence n.sure the success of the

y, and steal :ln_- fem ale away w hil e

Biologist Isard thinks that antlers maythe antago nist i-. impres sed and bluffed

A recent idea that the growing antlers

r upward and outward,

Increasing in area as they grow, and

Cougars are a real threat. Coyotes try

This peculiar bounding movement pow-

short distance is par, with fawns clockingaround 25. Born and bred in rough coun-try, mule deer are so sure footed they canleave their pursuers far behind in a rug-ged terrain.

Communication between members of adeer population also helps insure theirdesert success communication by soundsand by visual signals of patches of whitehair erected on certain parts of theirbodies. Most important is the silent com-munication of scent. Located on the muledeer's forehead, under his eyes, betweenhis toes, on the inside of the upper part ofhis hind leg. on the outside of the lowerpart of his hind leg and at his tail are"gland" areas. Each has its own peculiar-ities. Physiologists Quay and MuIIer-Schwarze found that the deer marks theenvironment in his area with his foreheadgland, rubbing it against twigs here andthere.

News of his presence or passing is not-ed by other deer. The gland on his upperleg seems to have a prime role in mutualrecognition, deer encountering each othersniffing this area. A deer, spotting dan-ger, spreads the alarm quickly through theband by issuing scent from the gland onthe outer part of his lower leg. The others,sensing it immediately, move swiftly andsilently awaygone long before the ap-proaching predator may even be aware thatdeer were once there. Or, if he be man, be-fore he can be sure that the deer hethou ght h e .saw. was not just a mira ge. [

Minerals from


26/52

"LOOTINGby

Mary FrancesStrong

Photos byJerry Strong

Included in the many pointsof interest in the "Looping theLoops" tr ip are (clockwise)old ruins , Indian petrogiyphs,magnif icent v iews, old rai l roadsand numerous fishing streams.


27/52

AROUND

ALIFORNIA'S OWKNS Valley is a greatfault trough between the formidable

Nevada and the W h i t e and Inyoh gh and lofty moun-

peaks heavily covered with snowoften frosted .veil into su m m er -

ol skiers and snow enthu-to the Valley t uring winter months.

and summer the fishingon lures uncoi ntable num bers of

to try their luck in theof lakes and streams from Lone-

to Lake Crowley.

V


28/52

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S u m m e r a lso f inds fami l i e s enjoy ing va-cat ions in the numerous h igh and lowc a mp g r o u n d s . O f t e n these o u t d o o r e n t h u -siasts arc unaware of the short s ide tr ipsthat ma)1 be t aken around Bishop . Safar i swill give vis itors a g l i mp s e i n t o the area'shistorical past , recall the nosta lg ia of itsearly days and p r o v i d e incomparab le \ iewsof majestic scenery.

1 his year, w h e n you travel I '.S. 39^ inth e O w e n s V a l l e y , plan to s p e n d a fewdays in B i s h o p and ' l o o p the l o o p s . " Youwi l l enjoy ge t t ing acquainted with thefriendly l i t t le t o w n and its fasc inat ingheritage.

Let ' s beg in our e x p l o r a t i o n s by tak ing ami n i - t o u r a l o n g the east side of the va l ley .Turn le t t f rom 39") o n t o W a r m Spr ingsRoad , .'' > miles south ol l a n e Street inBish op. Tins nar row paved road c rossescana ls and sk i r t s severa l ranches as it l eadsto the O w e n s River. The si lver-grey foli -age ol wais t -h igh r a b b i t b r u s h d o m i n a t e sth e f i e lds a long the way and, by S e p t e m -ber , c loaks them with g o l d e n - y e l l o w bioss i > n i s .

T h e O w e n s R i v e r r u n s freely h e r e andm e a n d e r s n o r t h and s o u t h . You can enjoyg o o d f i s h i n g u n l e s s the water is high .H u g e t r e e s o u t l i n e the river's path A\~H\dirt t ra i l s lead to sand b a r s and p o o l s .( l i mp i n g is p e r m i t t e d and. t h o u g h t h e r eare no faci l i t ies , you will f ind shady si tesa l o n g the river's b a n k s . Mo s q u i t o e s canbe a p r o b l e m in s u m m e r , so it is a goodidea to have a r e p e l l e n t a l o n g .

Beyond the first bridge, the road c l imbsou t ol the old river c h a n n e l and cutst h r o u g h the bed of the former ( a r s o n and( o l o r a d o N a r r o w - g a u g e R a i l r o a d . A f f e c -t ionate ly t a i l e d "The Slim P r i n c e s s , " thel i t t l e ra i l road was an integral part of theVal ley ' s h i s tory . As you travel the (railyo u wil l see its g h o s t l y r e m a i n s .

A h e a d , the n a k e d , b r o w n s h o u l d e r s olt h e W h i t e Mounta ins s tand out in s ta rkrelief the i r co lor broken only by a patchof green from .in o c c a s i o n a l spr ing . Thepaving turns n o r t h w h i l e a di r t road con-t inues eas t and g i v e s access to Black Can-y o n . T h i s is e x c e l l e n t country lor t rai lb i k e r id ing and e x p l o r i n g . R e m e m b e rr ide only on r o a d s and t ra i l s .

Less than a m i l e n o r t h are the r e m a i n sol B i g e l o w S i d i n g . A few scraps of pur-p l e , g r e e n and b r o w n g l a s s , p l u s a sha l lowh o l e or two left by bot t le co l lec tors , he lpt o i d e n t i f y t h e s i t e . T h e c r u m b l i n g w a l l s


29/52

PETROGLYPH SITES Chalfant Re d Canyon Chidago Canyon

Fish Slough _-

W

of a concrete hulleast side ol the rwhile to take a )area.

Aging elm andhind where farmThey are sad reigolden days ol \gardens an d orch;gone but the treea hall-century. Tltie for ()wens Vin W. A. C halfahiyo.

ing will be seen on th elad. It might be worth-letal detector over this< ttonwood trees dot th ehcuses formerly stood.linders of the Valley'serdant meadows, truckirdv ['"arm bui ldings are, have lived on for overe story ol the bitter bat-alley water is ably toldit 's book. Th e Story of

A mile beyond, the road climbs up analluvial fan. Park here and take in the viewto the west. The tree-lined course of th eriver will be seen in the foreground.Dwarfed by the bulwark of 1 3,000-footSierra peaks, the Coyote and TungstenHills appear to be snuggl ing at their base.The town of Bishop is hidden in a canopyof green trees.

Look carefully and you will see a natur-al gateway between the foothills and theSierra. Beautiful Lake Sabrina and SouthLake lie above in glacial cirques at eleva-tio ns of ne arly I (),()()() feet. This is sum-mer country where fine campgrounds arefound along aspen-lined trout streams,(rood fishing may also be enjoyed at thekikes in an alpine setting less than 25miles from Bishop.

Let your eyes wander a bit south, aboutI 5 degrees, and you will see Palisade Gla-cier, the southernmost glacier in the Unit-ed States. Cam era buffs take out yourequipment, from this point, we captureda good telephoto shot of the glacier.

Rambling on north well-marked Red-ding Canyon Road appears on the right.Here too. is an interesting area for trailbike riding. The dirt road climbs the allu-vial fan and Ys in about a mile and a half.The right branch leads into Redding Can-yon while the left one heads up Poleta( anyon to the old mine ot the same name.Thi s area was part of the Keyes MiningDistrict in the I 860s and was heavily pros-pected. The Poleta Mine caused quite astir in I ss I with th e discovery of an 8-inch quartz vein which carried 335 perton in gold. Located on the side of theridge .it 5,700 feet elevation, its mill was,i mile south and a thousand feet below.

T h e Eastside Road continues north thencurves west to temporarily become PoletaRoad and finally Line Street.

A little over a mile from Redd ing Can-y o n , our route once again crosses the SlimPrincess railbed. My 1905 topographicalmap indicates this to be the location ofPoieta a small dep ot and siding south of(he road. The site is so overgrown withbrush it is difficult to see. A stroll alongthe railbed disclosed a few ties, rustingpieces of metal, spikes and chips of oldglass. 1 would guess the members of theBishop bottle club long ago dug the area.

W e found Leonard Lance of Bishop go-in g over the site with a metal detector. W echatted awhile and he pointed out the for-

mer locations el well-known ranches.Beyond Poleta. our route1 continues

west, passes the White Mountain ResearchCenter and a junction with the Poleta-l.aws Road, then crosses the Owens River.The mam' sand bars and pools in thisstretch ol the river provide good fishingboth up and down stream.

from this point, we can continue tw omiles west to U.S. Highway 395 or returns Se r v i c e

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29


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31/52

long the East side. Let's do t he lat-conclude cur mini-tour with a

nort 1. turn left at Silvertravel west. The old-

a former movie set give a pictures-western atmosphere to Laws. Though

railroading, the museumexhibits pertaining to

been refurbish ed and gives visitors ang the old station and

on e of the engines of theEven the older folks get a

The Paiute Indians played an importantValley history, and you will

exhibit of their life-style

original residents, now livingPaiute-Shoshone Reservation at

The mmi-toLir t-nd-> at Laws and youprovided a full day of

Schober Lane Campground,south of Bishop, is a good

camping stop. There are rest-motel accommodations

town.T H E P E T R O G L Y P H L O O P

There are several locations north ofsome of the most varied

petroglyphs in Cali-well worth seeing and amade in one day. How-

best LIT joyed if ample timepoking along and making

y with the added bonusfrom the crowds.Today, too main people are prone to

visiting areas such as petro-They jump out of their car,

snap a photo, then hasten away toThey may have been there

have seen little.

streams inRock Creek. Color photo by

Santa

Half of the road is paved the restgood, graded dirt road. Trailers can easilybe taken over the entire route. There areno improved campgrounds but each petro-glyph area has ample room for overnightcamping.

The trip begins by heading north onU.S. Highway 6 from Bishop and follow-ing the ribbon of asphalt up Chalfant Val-Iev. A smaller and higher valley than theOw ens, it is confined betw een the W hit eMou ntains and a great volcanic tableland.

The Whites rise sharply from the valleyfloor and tremendous alluvial fans sprawlfrom the entrances to narrow canyons.Each one is cut by an intermittent streambed and, generally, has a two-track roadto lure back-country explorers .

On the west, the volcanic tableland re-sembles a giant, w edge-shaped mesa. Itstretches north nearly 30 miles beforeblending into the vast pumice beds southof Mono Lake.

From Bishop, U.S. 6 gradually climbstoward Montgomery Pass and MonoCounty line is crossed and the little settle-ment of Chalfant skirted. You will seesome very photogenic old ruins in thisarea which should be of interest" to camerabuffs.

Nearly 171/2 miles from Bishop (see-map for detailed mileages), turn left onto.i dirt road. Follow it to a parking area atthe edge of the tableland. This is the Chal-fant Petroglyph site where unusually largeIndian writings (up to i feet) are to beseen along the bluff. To reach the best ex-posures, walk about 100 feet north alongthe wash. The large figures occur in thelight-colored tufa. Excellent photos can betaken during the morning hours . Do notmark or deface as il is a federal offense.

Returning to the highway, continuenorth two miles and turn left. A smallwooden s ign "Petroglyph Loop Trip"marks the graded dirt road. The establish-ment of the loop trip and the marking ofthe petroglyph sites was accomplishedthrough the efforts of the Bishop Boost-ers, Eastern Sierra Gem & Mineral Cluband the Eastern California Museum Asso-ciation.

The road now rapidly climbs to the topof the tableland and travels northwesterlyto a junction with Fish Slough Road. Asmall hill is dead ahead. Take the dirtroad encircling it to observe the Red Can-yon petroglyphs on the outcropping rocks.There are several of sheep, many hand and

foot prints, plus what appears to be a largeanimal track.

W e now head south on Fish SloughRoad and travel along a section of the oldstage route between Bishop Creek (Bis-hop's earlier name) and the famous goldcamps of Bodie and Aurora. The road be-gins a gradual descent and drops into Chi-dago (shi-day-go) Canyon petroglypharea.

The Chidago glyphs" are located onthe rocky slope on and above the parkingarea. There are hundreds of them. Somany have been crowded onto one boul-der it is called "n ew spa per ro ck." In thecenter of the outcrop is found the "Chi-dago deer." ferry also located an excellent

turtle" glyph. The afternoon sun willgive the best photographs at this location.This area is a good overn ight campingspot.

The last location on the petroglyph looptrip is the Fish Slough site. There aren'ttoo many here but on the low mesa abovethe parking area, you will find deep-holemortars (petates) and slightly concavegrinding surfaces (metates) used by theearly Indians. Chips of obsidian andgroups of circled rocks indicate the In-dians used this area regularly. Water fromthe springs is warm and game must havebeen plentiful, making it an ideal campsite.

Fish Slough Springs has become a sanc-tuary to help save the rare and endangeredpup fish. The spring is posted.

The last tew miles of our trip followsFish Slough down the corridor it has cutthrough the barren tableland to its junc-tion with the Owens River, and our re-turn to U.S. 6. The slough is a green rib-bon of willows; shallow, marshy areaslined with cattails, and mini-lakes provid-ing water for the many animals and birdsof the re gion . It has been, and still is, aquiet refuge for both man and animal.

"Looping the loops around Bishop" hastaken us back in time to when minersstruggled to wrest precious metal from theearth and when brave men and their cour-ageous women came to settle m an un-known land. W e have shared the camp-sites of the Indians and pondered over themeaning of their petroglyphs. Our eyeshave encompassed the beaut)1 of the landand its magnificent moun tains. We havecn|oved our trip into the great outdoorsand, once again, feel at peace with theworld.

31


32/52

The building thaionce housed a generalstore and Wells,Fargo & Co. offices atBenton Hot Springshas been in continuoususe since its erectionin 1868. Today it isstill a general store.

b yMary FrancesStrong

: C H 9O n c e a b u s t l i n g s u p p ly c e n t e r

p r io r t o 1 .9 0 0 , B e n t o n H o t S p r in g sis o f te n o v e r lo o k e d b y t o d a y ' s

t r a v e l e r s . D e s e r t 's F i e ld T r i p E d i t o re x p lo r e s th i s C a l if o r n i a c o u n t ry

o f m a n y c o n t r a s ts .


33/52

Pass in the lkntonen route

to Adobe Valley goesthrough granite

pinnacles. One of theoriginal native stone

cabins (below) atBen ton Hot Springs

still sen es us aresidence.

Photos byJerry Strong

H IGH, WIDE and handsome. High with elevations of over 8,000 feet,wide with long meadows and lakessprawled between the passes, and hand-somewith picturesque rock formations,forests of towering pines and carpets ofsagebrush. This describes the countrythrough which California State 120 passesfrom Benton Station to Mono Lake.

In this region formed by intense vol-'canism there are striking contrasts to befound along the 50-mile segment of roadleading from high desert to alpine land-scapes. It is a country as rich in history asit is "high, wide and handsome."

State 120 begins at Benton Station, a"Johnny come lately" in the historicalchain of the region. It sprang into exis-tence in 1883 as an impo rtant shipp ingcenter on the newly constructed Carson& Colorado Railroad. A good means oftransportation and a supply point had

been sorely needed by the many mines inthe surrounding districts. In (his way,Benton Station was largely responsiblefor the eventual demise of Benton HotSprin gs a busy way station four mileswest.

The years have not been kind to Hen-ton Station. The mines are closed and therailroad is gone. Though it lies along amajor highway to Nevada, lew travelershave reason to stop. It has the look of anold and forgotten community.

You will find pleasant driving alongt h i s b a c k - c o u n t r y hig hw ay. It is pavedb u t , e v e n m o r e i m p o r t a n t , i t u t i l i z e s n a -t u r a l g a t e w a y s , e l i m i n a t i n g t h e s h e e rd r o p - o f f s g e n e r a l l y f o u n d i n m o u n t a i n -ous te r r a in . Th er e i s a l so an absence ofp e o p l e an d fac i l i t i es . This lends to th efee l ing of count ry s t i l l in i t s p r i s t ines ta te .

continued3 3


34/52


35/52

_ r B E N T O N

' For Jeep Tra ilsinto this region see ,U.S.G.S. Quadran gle maps ,' '

Black, McGee, Taylor and Wet Can-It is good country for experienced

to explore i i four-wheel-drive ve-It is also cattle country with many

T he highway skirts the westerly edge ofN o r t h Can-

enters the lino National Forest astops th e 8,200-foot summit at Sage Hen

Pershia, Great Basin Sage andBrush covei the land along the

The latter is often called the "yel-" and bring-, a golde n glo w to the

when it blooms in the fall.Tall pines now make their appearances

Flat. Afeffre) an d Lodgepole pines pro-a b e a u t i f u l s e t t i n g f o r M o n o H i l l s

Site.'I here is not much left of the once bus}'

191 6 ) . Old timbers and a couplethe mill site.

view of Mono Lake can be seenthe historical marker. The bed of the

ie-Ben ton Railroad is still definable.Although it origi uilly was to have serv-

it nevei did. Grading hadAdobe Val e\ when all work wastly cancelled n 882 . A fine article

emb er. I 97 [ issue of Desert. This areaa good stop for an overnight

A mile west, tie trees yield to greatpumice. The dark cones of

craters (known collectively as Mo-Craters) appear. A historical marker

c activity that occurredstanding alone in the beds of

Mono Lake and its vol-

canic islands help make the scene a pho-tographer's paradise.

Three miles farther on, rockhounds willtint] chunks of obsidian scattered over theground. The highway is now in tne sha-dow of the Sierra Nevada and joins U.S.Highway 395 in just four miles.

The route south to Bishop leads throughimpressive mountain country and spectac-ular passes. Side trips could include June-Lake Loop, Mammoth Lakes and the Dev-il 's Postpile National Monument. Thereis good fishing in the swift stream s com-

ing out of the Sierra and many tine camp-grounds tor overnight stops.

The drive from Benton Station to U.S.39 ^ might be called the "lonely road."Lew cars will be seen. There are no townsam i very little signs of human habitation.Though a paved road passes through it,the great expanses of land remain seem-ingly undisturbed. There is a quality ofspaciousness and an exhilarating feelingof freedom. Th ere is adve nture waitingalong the trails in tins high, wide amihandsome land.

DAILY FROM MOAB:* 2-Day Trip Through Westwater Canyon 4-Day Trip to Beautiful Canyonlandt

National Park Through MagnificentCataract Canyon.* 5-Day Trip Through Desolation Canyon.

ALL MEALS, RIVER EQUIPMENT ANDTRANSPORTATION FURNISHED

LICENSED BONDED INSUREDGROUP AND FAMILY RATES

Offices located atINCA INN MOTEL 570 N. MAIN, MOAB, UTAH 84532CALL 801-259-7261

Write for brochure


36/52

OWENYOContinued ham Page 19

dard lay side by side in the Oweny oyardseach with an adjoining loadingplatform . Th e new station had a gallow-type turntable to rotate the engines fortheir return trips, Owenyo was also themain communicat ions center .The procedure for handl ing throughpassengers was simple and reportedly un-popular. Tins was especially true withpassengers from the south. They were re-quired to dine and spend the night at theOwenyo Restaurant-Hotel , boarding theSlim Princess the next morning. Eventu-

BR EAKFASTA N Y T I M E !OPEN 7 DAY S

24 HOURSA D AY

.RO LL -UP SCREENSAUTO WINDOWSShadow Shade Screens al low ful l v is ion.Reduces sun's rays-road glare. Aids air con-di t ioners . On spr ing rol lers .A must for hots u m m e r d r i v i n g . D E A L E R S H I P S O P E N -Ful! -par t t i me . Huge marke t . Wr i te Sha-dow Screen Div. P A N O R A M A P R O -DUCTS 237 S . Pa lm, Hemet , Ca. 92343.

A good campsite (right)is found at the old Owe nyoStation. The 79-year-oldrailroad(below)is graduallydisappearing.ally, night runs were added which om ittedlayovers and improved the service.

While not a town, Owenyo developedinto a sizeable station with a considerablepopulat ion. A number of workers wererequired to operate the yards, station, ho-tel and restaurant, and consequently manybrought their families to Owenyo.

The golden years of the Slim Princesswere from 1923 to 1929. Near ly 2,000carloads of sheep, several hundred of cat-tle, many carloads of hay and fruit plus anassortment of mineral commodities wereshipped annual ly.

The decline of mining in Nevada, theacquisition of the Valley's water by LosAngeles, and the depression caused aban-donment of many sections of the narrow-gauge l ine in Nevada.

The year 1938 saw the section fromTon opah Junct ion to Benton aban doned,followed by the Benton to Laws sectionin 1943. The route of the Slim Princesswas now confined to a 70-mile stretchthrough Owens Valley with stations onlyat each end-of-track and Owenyo. Fewpassengers were carried and Owenyo'sdays as a main terminus were over.

Improvement of the highway throughOw ens Valley and the subsequen t loss of

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197207 Desert Magazine 1972 July