Four Wheeling Into History Part VI- Rolling along the Bonanza Trail in the El Paso Montains.. Bickel Camp...

We traveled another seven miles along EP15 until we began to climb the steep grade that would lead us to "Burro" Schmidt's Tunnel.  Since I haven't had the time to edit the photos of this site, I will write about the tunnel at another time.  So I'll skip about ten miles ahead to a place where a resourceful man made his home for over 50 years.

 To be continued.....

Four Wheeling Into History - Part V...The El Paso Mountains...

Driving another three miles, we came to the top of a very steep, rocky down grade.  The soil here is a coppery reddish color, and there is an abundance of plant life.  Water flows under ground here, and during the winter months, additional water from melting snow flows down to the bottom of the hill.  This results in a little stream that crosses the trail.  A mini water-crossing, if you will. 

I once came across a prospector, who, using a "wet/dry" vacuum (powered by a generator) was panning for gold here.

The following video was shot during an earlier trip to the area; I apologize for the poor quality, as I was using my BlackBerry to create the video, while driving.  Obviously, driving the vehicle comes first.

On trip depicted in the footage, we had entered the El Paso's from the other side, and we are climbing the hill here.

To attempt what we have done here requires four wheel drive with "low-range" gearing, as well as off-road driving experience.  It is also best to have at least one other vehicle along, in case you do run into difficulty. 



Catalina take off.MOV

Click here to view this video

My wife and I flew our rented Cessna 182 to Catalina Island on the day after Thanksgiving (2011).  If the take off run seems long, it's because I flew in ground-effect until I reached 75 knots indicated air speed. 

The runway on Catalina is rather bumpy, and I wanted to get the nose off the ground as soon as possble in order to reduce the possibility of a prop.-strike.

The flight from our home airport in Riverside, CA only took 35 minutes. yet it felt as though we were off to visit an exotic, far-away place.

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....
                                                          

Part one of the trip...

                         "Grand Canyon-esque"  This is one of the stunning views that await

                          visitors to the El Paso Mountains, who have four-wheel-drive vehicles.

                                       Photo by Scott Schwartz  All rights reserved.

For over 130 years, people have been searching for gold in California's El Paso Mountain Range.  Deep within these mountains, towns were built, only to vanish after the mines played out.  Many of the hills here are pocked with old mine tunnels. 

Native Americans made their homes here, as well;  their rock drawings and grinding stones can still be found scattered throughout the area...

It had been nearly two months since I'd been able to get out to the Mojave Desert for a little escape.  A minor car accident and the demands of daily life had prevented me from getting out to the desert- a trip I usally make at least once per month. 

October 22, 2011 was a clear day in the desert.  There was a chill in the air when I left my "Inland Empire" home at 7 am.  An hour and forty five minutes later, I was having a breakfast of sausage and eggs (with coffee, of course) at the Road House restaurant.  The restaurant is at the intersection of Routes 395 and 58- an intersection that is known as "Kramer Junction". 

I ate while awaiting the arrival of my friend and his wife (my wife had to work on this day, so I was alone); I'd brought my ham radio walkie-talkie into the restaurant so that I could listen for my friend's call with his ETA.  No calls came on the radio, but I received a text message on my Blackberry from him; he was stuck in traffic due to road construction on Rte. 58. 

Still, he was only a few minutes late, and after we all had finished eating, we got into our vehicles and headed North on Route 395.  I in my Jeep Cherokee, and my friends in their Toyota Tacoma, stayed in touch via ham radio. 

Roughly 30 miles later, we turned left on to Garlock Rd.  Garlock Rd. is named for the old ghost town of Garlock- which sits several miles down the road. 

At any rate, another three and a half miles brought us to the turn off into the El Paso Mountains.  At this point, we had traveled about thirty six and a half miles since leaving Kramer Junction.

More to follow....