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....