Mojave Desert Diary. Treasure your four-wheel drive vehicle....

....for it can take you places that you've never dreamed of.

   Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert Diary- Walt Bickel's kitchen.

    Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert Diary: El Paso Mountains...

Another place that is hard to gain access to without four-wheel drive.  Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert Diary: Bickel Camp.

Bickel salvaged scores of small gasoline engines for use as water pumps (for his mine) and for generating electrical power.  This is Walt's old work shed, and visitors can still see many of the little engines that he kept in his "inventory."

                             Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert: Bickel's cabin..

Home, sweet home:  Inside Walt Bickel's cabin. Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert Diary: The life of Walt Bickel....

Remains of a life; Walt Bickel made his home here, in Last Chance Canyon.  Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert prospector's camp- Walt Bickel...

This is an air compressor that Mr. Bickel mounted on a Packard car chassis.

Photograph by Scott Schwartz..

And below, is the car body that was removed from the chassis.

Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Old mining camp: Walt Bickel's camp.

Old Datsun pick-up, parked at Bickel Camp.  For more information about Walt Bickel and
the life he led, here in Last Chance Canyon, see my much earlier posts.  Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mojave Desert- Bickel Camp..

This old bulldozer is just one of the many old machines that still remain at Bickel Camp.

Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Talc mine-Bonanza Trail..

The pumice in this mine is the fine ash from a volcano that erupted roughly six million years ago.  This is the Holly Mine, which operated from 1939 through the early 1950's.

Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

The mine can be accessed from the Bonanza Trail, in the El Paso Mountains.  Of course, it is best to stay out of any open mines; they are dangerous!

Old Prospector's Cabin...

This is the interior of Walt Bickel's cabin; for more information about the man and his camp in the El Paso's, see my much earlier posts.  Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Mountain Majesty: From the El Paso Mountains.

                                         Photograph by Scott Schwartz.

Kramer Arch.

On course for Kramer's Arch/

Kramer Arch.

I finally found it! Location URL:http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.95068836666667,-116.84341228333334&iwloc=A&hl=en&z=16

Looking for Kramer's Arch...

The search begins.

In Search of Kramer's Arch-again.

In search of Kramer's Arch-once again.

I'm setting out once again.  My Jeep Cherokee is packed.  Notice the six-gallon container of water, on the left.  The blue and white jug in the middle contains potable water and ice, from home. That should be sufficient for one person on a relatively short outing. The big blue container was filled from my garden hose.  I carry a Brita water-filter pitcher, in case I have to drink the water that is in the big container.

Readers will also notice the box that contains a Parrot AR drone.