El Paso Mountain Trails....

CAUTION:  I cannot take responsibility for readers who might follow my directions and get themselves lost, or worse.  I say "or worse", because the desert is very unforgiving toward those who travel through it unprepared.  At some point, I'll go into more detail on the some of the preparations and precautions relating to travel through the desert.
Those who wish to plan a trip to the El Paso Mountains should contact the Jawbone Station Visitors Center -see the following link- http://www.jawbone.org/foj/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=26&Itemid=173

The visitors center carries a wide variety of trail maps, books, and souvenirs, and I have found the personnel to be very helpful over the years.

Four Wheeling Into History - Pt. IV...

After driving about one tenth of a mile past the Goler town site, we turned left on to the trail that is marked as EP 186.  I placed my Cherokee in to four wheel drive "low" range, because we were about to climb a long, winding, dirt grade, and "low" gives me more precise speed control, places less strain on the drive train, and allows me to to slow, which I prefer, with minmal braking.  In a stock vehicle, excessive speed when driving off-road is an enemy. The reasons should be obvious.  I have no desire to assuage this issue by modifying my vehicle, because I prefer to go slow and enjoy my surroundings.

Another five tenths of a mile brought us out on to a plateau that is strewn with igneous rocks- many of which are embedded in the trail. 

The author's Jeep, which is stopped along the trail: this photo was actually taken a few years ago, but little has changed since then.  Notice the large volcanic rocks on the right side of the trail. 

Looking to the east, you can see the Lava Mountains.  Note the large volcanic rocks that are strewn about.  Photo by Scott Schwartz.



Four Wheeling Into History The El Paso Mountains - Part III...... The Vanished Town of Goler.

After looking around the inside of the Edith E. Cabin, we drove on.  There wasn't really that much to see inside the cabin- it was virtually empty.  There is room for several people in sleeping bags to spend the night here.  Personally, I'd rather sleep outside under the stars, but the cabin does provide shelter against the elements.

About a mile past the Edith E. site, we came into the old town of Goler.  Well, actually, it used to be a town.  Long ago.

Ther year was 1867.  A blacksmith/wagon maker by the name of John Goler was on his way from Death Valley to Los Angeles.  He stopped in the El Paso Mountains for a drink of water.  And, I don't mean water of the bottled variety.  Goler was drinking from a spring, when he supposedly noticed some gold nuggets lying on the ground.  Fearing hostile Indians, and figuring that there was a lot more gold in the area, Goler kept moving.  His plan was to return at another time, and he stuck his rifle in the ground in order mark the spot.  Why a man who was afraid of hostile Indians would abandon his rifle is any one's guess. 

At any rate, Goler did return to the El Paso's several times with another prospector by the name of Grant Cuddeback.  They did find gold elsewhere, but they were never able to find Goler's spring, nor his rifle.  Still, Goler never forgot about his "lost" gold.  He went off on his search again - alone, this time- and disappeared into the mists of history.

Although Goler never found his "lost" gold, others flocked to the area that Goler initially explored.  In fact, gold was ultimately found in the area that is now known as "Goler Gulch".  By 1893, several hundred people were living in and near Goler Gulch; several saloons and a school were built.  Sadly, there wasn't enough gold to support the town for very long, and today, all that can be seen of Goler, as we drove the 1/2 mile past the Edith E. site are some dugouts, a few crumbling foundations, and a few sections of rusty pipe scattered about.

A piece of history....during its heyday, the town of Goler

featured a school and several saloons.

Photo by Scott Schwartz. All rights reserved.

One of the few remnants of the town that is recoginzable

as having once been a building...

Photo by Scott Schwartz All rights reserved.

Virtually nothing remains of Goler...the author

drove his Jeep Cherokee where horse, or mule-drawn wagons once tread!

Photo by Scott Schwartz.  All rights reserved.

To be continued...

Four Wheeling Into History: The El Paso Mountains... Part II of the trip.

After passing what appeared to be a permanent campsite on the left (a large group of trailers and vehicles that have been parked here on every trip I've made over the past ten years), we descended into a sandy wash.  I"d engaged my four wheel drive as soon as I'd turned off the pavement, as is my standard procedure.  It costs nothing, and if I were to wait until four wheel drive was actually needed before engaging it, well, it would probably be too late at that point. 

At any rate, our first stop was the so-called "Edith E." cabin. The "Edith E." is one of many old cabins that speckle the El Pasos. It was built during the 1930's by some miners who were working the Edith E. mine. 

The "Edith E" site lies along the "Bonanza Trail", which is so named by the Federal Bureau of Land Management ("BLM"), because it links several of the historic mining camps in the El Paso Mountains.

At any rate, the Edith E cabin is maintained in habitable condition by volunteers under the auspices of the "Adopt-A-Cabin" program.  Visitors are allowed to sleep inside the cabin on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Keep in mind that "habitable" means that the cabin is relatively clean; there are no amenities like running water or electricity.

                               Once a home to miners working the Edith E. Mine, the Edith E. cabin 
                              (the building on the right) is now preserved and maintained by
                             volunteers.  Photo by Scott Schwartz  All rights reserved.

To be continued....