Trail Report: Another mid-week run 10/19/2011

[Roger]

Well Mitch & I had such a great time last week on our mid-week run, we thought a do-over was in order.

There were a few trails we wanted to check out south of Hwy 247 in the Old Woman Springs general area. The BLM has recently put up trail markers and it turns out that there are more legal trails in the area than we originaly thought.

We first checked out the condition of the Lester Dale mine area. I'm always concerned about vandalism to the houses and other buildings there. It looks like someone has cleaned out most of the junk and damaged walls in the main house and one of the other houses. The roofs are just about history though. I do not know how much longer these beautiful houses will be standing.

We followed a trail south from there until it ended in a pretty canyon. I think the end of the trail is just about at the wilderness boundary.

Next we followed a trail east of there and came across two beautiful springs. they were piped to a water trough for the range cattle in the area. We did not see any cattle today though. Continuing east we came across the remains of a remote rock cabin.

From there the trail went through a canyon and then on to Hwy 247. In the 5 hours or so we we on the trail, we did not see a soul.

All in all, it was a great day and Mitch took gi-normous amount of photos. I know he'll be posting some of them shortly.

Thank you Mitch for hangin' out with me today and as always I have a blast when we go exploring.

[dirtman13]

Forget your camera again??? I need to get up there on a run with you guys.

[Roger]

I did take a few photos Chuck, but they would look stupid after Mitch posts his!

[Mitch]

Well thank you again for another awesome day Jeep and just wandering around the desert. Nice and warm with 100 mile visibility. It is so cool that after dozens of trips to this area just east of Lucerne, we still find new and interesting things every trip. A positive note was the new BLM signs marking trails through out the area that not priviously been signed. Thanks Roger.

Abandoned lime stone quarry above Lester Dale mining camp.



Lester Dale mining camp











Several mines run around Round Mountain



Roger exploring one of the springs we saw





Cool rock cabin remains. A million dollar view. Even has a smoker





A rock quarry and neat canyon on the way back to Hwy247





Funky looking house in Lucerne



And I love the trains going thru Hesperia on the way home

[minisaba]

Those pictures are very cool, specially the train.

[troyboy162]

great pictures! I havnt yet found any substantial underground to support the camp being there. Did you guys find many tunnels? The ones on round mtn that I went into are all small like big bear.

[Mitch]

Troy,

Aside from the small tunnels on Round Mountain there are a couple more short tunnels just south into the canyon on the west side of the limestone quarry at a crossing of the stream bed. One has a steel door on it. Also there were several mines in Arrastre Canyon on the west wall just below the eastern edge of the limestone quarry. Most are washed/caved in at the entrances. There is a faint old trail you can drive there that goes by 5 or 6 mines along the base of the hill.

Mike K told me about this one. Lesa took the pictures for me.





These are a couple of the several mines at the base of the west wall heading up Arrastre Canyon.







20's to 30's ?



Mitch

[Mitch]

I really need another Jeep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[I H8RDS]

Too Cool! Love seeing stuff like that! And Mitch, how are you surviving???! I couldn't do it!

[Roger]

And Mitch, how are you surviving???! I couldn't do it!

He gets by with a little help from his friends!

[Mitch]

Exactly Roger! Family and friends. Plus the goal is in sight. Till then I'm retired and still exploring every week and having fun.

[I H8RDS]

Very cool...and I love your story~ "And they lived happily ever after"..

BTW, I usually always have an empty passenger seat. You'd just have to put up with my heavy metal, country or techno music (depends on my mood and the trail)

[Mitch]

And a whole lot of Yeee Haws! Thank you for the offer Lorie

[I H8RDS]

Anytime Mitch! The offer stands...so if you see I'm doing something and you want to roll with me, let me know!