197106 Desert Magazine 1971 June

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JUNE, 1971 50

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S B H F O RM N E W 1 8 7 1 C A T A L O G

DEPT. DM-111483 Vanowen St., No. Hollywood, CA 91605

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2001 Capitol St. (Downtown Sacramento)Dept. DM -1 , Sacramento, CA 958 14


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WILLIAM KNYVETT, PUBLISHERJACK PEPPER, EDITOR

M A R Y F R A N C E S S T R O N G , Field Trip EditorG L E N N V A R G A S , Lapidary EditorK. L. B O Y N T O N , NaturalistJ A C K D E L A N E Y , Staff Writer

Volume 34,Number 6 JUNE, 197

CONTEF E A T U R E S

T H E C O V E R :California's northeasternModoc County has manyhistorical landmarks suchas the well-preserved Cres-sler and Bonner Trad ingPost, built in 1865 at Ce-darvi l le. Photo by RobertCampbel l , Concord, Calif.

VALLEY OF THEWHALETHE CHUCKWALLA

PETROGLYPHS, PICTOGRAPHS and PHOTOGRAPHYWHITE GHOST OF THE M O UNTAINS

SHAKESPEARE IN UTAH'S COLOR COUNTRYNEVADA GHOSTS

ARIZONA'S LAKE ALAMOBAJA'S BARELY BEATEN BYWAYS

Mike EngleK. L. BoyntonWilliam KletteB. W. BrowneCarol-Ann FullerMary Frances StrongLois Wolf Buist

George Reiger

DEPARTMENTS

A PEEK IN THEPUBLISHER'S POKEBOOK REVIEWS

DESERT LIFERAMBLING ON ROCKS

LETTERS TO THEEDITORCALENDAR OFWESTERN EVENTS

William KnyvettJack PepperHans BaerwaldGlenn andMartha VargReader's CommentsClub Activities

ELTA SHIVELY, Executive Secretary MARVEL BARRETT, Circulation ManagerE D I T O R I A L , C I R C U L A T I O N AND ADVERTISING OFFICES: 74-109 Larrea St., Palm Desert , Cal i fornia 92260. Telephone Area Cod714 346-8144. Listed in Standard Rate and Data. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Uni ted States, Canada and Mexico ; 1 year, $5.00; 2 years$9.50; 3 years $1300. Other foreign subscribers add $1.00 U.S. currency for each year. See Subscription Order Form in this issue. Allowfive weeks for change of address and send both new and old addres-.es with zip codes. DESERT Magazine is published monthly. Secondclass postage paid at Palm Desert, California and at additional mailing offices under Act of March 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 197by DESERT Magazine and permission to reproduce any or all contents must be secured in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts and photo


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This picture shows the P.D.Q.. turned cross-wayson the P.DQ. shaft and how you can use the L3 lapdisks, if you don't care to use them in the 4" lap pan.You can use the grinding disks (No. 42) on these or the3 " diamond cabbing disks (No. 56) or perhaps youwould like the L3-D diamond lap disks that fit hori-zontal on the shaft also.N o , 56 3M Diamond Coated Cabbing Disks For3 " P.D.Q. 1-3 Lap Discs.Medium diamond 4.40 Ea.Extr a fine diamond - 3.50 Ea.The 3" disks are especially cut to use with ItemN o. 40 and No. 41 Model L3 Lap Disks. 75% of the lap--ping done by the average cutter can be done on a 3"less expensive disk. "You will never believe it untilyou try them."Motor speed control recommended on P.D.Q. tocontrol proper R.P.M. of 3", 3M disks. From 1250 to1750 R.P.M. is best for 3 inch. This revolutionary newdevelopment from 3M gives superior grinding and fin-ishing of all types of gem stones!

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N o . 43 3" PELLON DISKS FOR L3 LAP DISKSFor polishing flats. Pressure sensitive backed for quickapplication 25c Ea.Postage charges not includedSHIPLEY'SMINERAL HOUSE

On Hwy. 160 in southwest Colorado, 18 mileseast of Durango or l>/2 miles west of Bayfield.Mailing Address:SHIPLEY'S MINERAL HOUSE, Gem Village,Bayfield D, Colorado 81122Phone: 303-884-263 2LOTTIE M. SHIPLEY

A P e e ki n thP u b l i cITHIN T H E past five years ownership of back country ve

ierswhides such as four-wheel-drives, dunebuggies, trail bikes and camper-truckhas doubled, and so has the numbeof people who spend their vacationdays exploring the deserts and mountains.P o k e For instance, a "wilderness areawhich five years ago was seen by onlya few people today is visited by hundreds, and the number of visitors tmore popular recreation areas has increased by thousands. The vast majority of these people are families who respect othepeople, private property and our public lands.

Unfortunately, there is a small minority of litterbugs, vandals and those whthink their manhood is shown by the amount of damage they can do. These deservarmints are the direct cause of the increasing number of laws being passed todaywhich continually restrict the use of land to all of us.Not only are there new laws, but older statutes, which were not previously ob

served because of infrequent and sometimes excusable violations, which today arbeing rigidly enforced by park rangers, sheriff's deputies and private patrols.A case in point was the recent arrest by two youths who were walking downthe tracks of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad in San Diego County. Theywere arrested by two San Diego County deputy sheriffs who were patrolling the aredue to the increase in vandalism during the past several years.The officers were doing their duty and had no other choice than to cite thyouths. Despite the fact the young menboth students at San Diego State Collegewere not doing any damage and were merely walking down the tracks, they were violating the law by being on posted and private propertywhich they knew and admitted.The areas covered by Desert Magazine in our back country trips are within thconfines of public lands which are supervised and administered either by the FederaBureau of Land Management or by individual states. These lands will remain open tus as long as we abide by the rules and treat them as though they were our ownproperty.However, in many cases, these public lands are directly adjacent to privatproperty, railroads, active mining operations and other restricted areas where trespassing, even innocently, can lead to your arrest.So when exploring the back country, respect your public lands, the rights oothers and DO NOT TRESPASS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. Don't let your weekend excursion turn into a trip to a justice court.

The response from readers regarding the column "Notes From The Fieldhas been very meager. The format is a good one but can be sustained only by flow of information on road conditions, new findings in the field, mine closureand things of interest to all. Let's see those postcards start rolling in !


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D e s e r t M a g a z i n e B o o k S h o pLOST MINES OF THE GREAT SOUTHWEST by JohnD. Mitchell. The first of Mitchell's lost minebooks is now available after having been out ofprint for years. Reproduced from the originalcopy and containing 54 art icles based on ac-counts from people Mitchell interviewed. Hespent his entire adult l i fe investigating reportsand legends of lost mines and treasures of theSouthwest. Hardcover, i l lustrated, 175 pages,$7 . 50 .NEVADA'S TURBULENT YESTERDAYS by Don Ash-baugh. The best book about Nevada's ghosttowns and the rugged individuals who builtthem. 346 pages, $7.95.DUTCH OVEN COOKBOOK by Don Holm. Wi ld -l i fe editor of the Port land Oregonian, the authorhas spent his l i fe exploring and writ ing aboutthe outdoors, so his recipes for preparing foodin a Dutch Oven come from experience. If youhaven't had food cooked in a Dutch Oven, youhaven't l ived . . . and if you have you wil lf ind these recipes new and excit ing culinaryadventuresas well as his style of writ ing.Heavy paperback, 106 pages, $3.95.COLORFUL DESERT WILDFLOWERS by Grace andCnas Ward. Segregated into categories of red,b lue , white and yellow for easier identif ication,there are 1 90 four-color photos of f lowers foundin the Mojave, Colorado and Western Arizonadeserts, all of which also have common andscientific names plus descriptions. Heavy, slickpaperback. $4.50.A FIELD GUIDE TO WESTERN BIRDS by R ogerTory Peterson. The standard book for f ield iden-t i f ication sponsored by the National AudubonSociety. 2nd edit ion, enlarged with new sectionon Hawaiian birds. 658 in full color. Hardcover.$5 . 95 .LOST MINES OF ARIZONA by Harold Weight.Covers the Lost Jabonero, lost mines of theTrigos, Buried Gold of Bicuner and others ofsouthwestern Arizona. Paperback, $2.00.ROUGH RIDING by Dick Cepek and Walt Wheel-ock. Two veteran travelers have compiled an ex-cellent book on how to drive and survive in theback country. Although based on drivingthrough Baja California, the information is ap-plicable to all areas of the West. Stronglyrecommended for both amateurs and veterans.Paperback, 36 pages, $1.00.EXPLORING JOSHUA TREE by Roger Mitchell.Excellent guide to Joshua Tree National Monu-ment in Southern California. Paper. $1.00.THE CALIFORNIA DESERTS by Edmund C. Jaeger.Revised 4th edit ion is standard guide to Mohaveand Colorado deserts with new chapters ondesert conservation and aborigines Hardcover$ 4 . 9 5 .GHOSTS OF THE ADOBE WALLS by Nell Murbar-ger, the well known "roving reporter of thedesert." An int imate chronicle of Arizona's once-booming mining towns, stage stat ions, armyposts, marauding Indians and fantastic humancharacters. 380 pages, i l lustrated. HardcoverS7. 50 .SOUTHWESTERN INDIAN TRIBES by Tom Bahti.An excellent descript ion, history and currentstatus of the Indians of the Southwest, includingdates of their ceremonies and celebrations. Pro-fusely i l lustrated with 4-color photographs ofthe Indian Country and the arts and crafts ofthe many tribes. Large format, heavy paper-back, 72 pages, $2.00.

t 'Himr A T I A H O S T i o n s i' A W u j N I N I ! C A M PS

NEVADA GHOST TO WNSAND MINING CAMPSBy STANLEY W. PAHERCovering all of Nevada's 17 counties,

Paher has documented 575 miningcamps. The book contains the largest col-lection of Nevada historic photographsever published. This, coupled with hisexcellent writing, research and maps,creates a book of lasting value. Large9 x 1 1 fo rm at , heavy s lick paper 700photographs, hardcover, 492 pages.$15.00A GUIDEBOOK TO THE SOUTHERN SIERRANEVADA by Russ Leadabrand. I l lustrated withgood photographs and maps, this volume coversthe Sierra region south of the Sequoia NationalPark, including most of the Sequoia NationalForest. Paperback, $1.95.SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA by the Editors of Sun-set Books. An il lustrated guide to Southern Cali-forn ia, this is another in Sunset Books series. Itpresents in capsule form most of the interestingplaces to visit in the Southland. Heavy paper-back , 8 x 1 1 fo rma t, 128 pages , $1 .95 .LOST DESERT BO NANZA S by Eugene Conrotto.Brief resumes of lost mine articles printed inback issues of DESERT Magazine, by a formereditor. Hardcover, 278 pages. $7.00.SOUTHWESTERN INDIAN ARTS & CRAFTS by TomBahti. Beautifully i l lustrated with 4-color photo-graphs, this book describes the arts and craftsof the Indians of the Southwest and offers sug-gestions on what to buy and how to judgeauthentic jewelry, rugs, baskets and pottery.Large format, heavy paperback, 32 pages,$ 1 . 0 0 .

WHEN OR DERING BOO KSPLEASEAdd 50 cents PER ORDER(Not Each Book)for handling and mail ing

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ALSOADD 5 PERCENT SALES TAXSend check or money order to Desert Maga-zine Book Shop, Palm Desert, California9 2 2 6 0 . Sorry, but we cannot accept charges

or C.O.D. orders.

OLD AR IZO NA TREASURES by Jesse Rascoe. Craining many anecdotes not previously covein Arizona histories, this new book covers haendas, stage stops, stage routes, mining camabandoned forts, missions and other historlandmarks. Paperback, 210 pages, $3.00.GHOST TOWNS OF NEW MEXICO by MichJenkinson and Karl Kernberger. This exceptially well writ ten volume is more than a ghtown guide. I t spans the history of New Mexfrom the past to the present and brings backlife the conquistadors, gunmen, miners, mchants and polit icians who won the West. Keberger's photographs are gallery quality. Hacover, quality paper, large format, 153 pag$7 . 50 . Makes an excellent gif t .GHOST TOWNS AND M INI NG CAMPS OF CAFORNIA by Remi Nadeau. The only good, hacover book on the California ghost towns. recommend it highly. $7.50.LOST MINES & BURIED TREASURES ALONG TOLD FRONTIER by John D. Mitchell. The secof Mitchell's books on lost mines which was oof-pr int for many years is availa ble ag ain. Maof these appeared in DESERT Mgazine yeago and these issues are no longer availaNew readers wil l want to read these. Contathe original map f irst published with the band one pinpointing the areas of lost minMitchell 's personal research and investigahas gone into the book. Hardcover, 240 pag$7 . 50 .INY O M O NO JEEP TRAILS by Roger MitchAuthor of DEATH VALLEY JEEP TRAILS, veteexplorer Mitchell takes you on 18 diffe4-wheel-drive trips into the Sierra NevMountains, where he explores ghost towns, dian territory and scenic canyons and motain passes. Paperback, 36 pages, i l lust., $1.FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HANDBOOK by JamesCrow and Cameron Warren. Packed into volume is material gathered from actual expence and presented in a detailed manner scan easily be followed and understood. Higrecommended for anyone interested in bcountry driving. Paperback, i l lustrated 96 pag$2 . 50 .A TRAMP ACROSS THE CONTINENT by ChaLummis. First published in 1892, this is a print of the personal experiences of the wern historian who, in 1884, walked from Oto Los Angeles, covering 3507 miles in days. Lummis writes in a matter-of-fact mner of adventures w hich m ake fas cinareading and give a keen insight into the peohe encountered. This is a classic of WesAmericana. Hardcover, 270 pages, $8.50.1200 BOTTLES PRICED by John C. Tibbitts.dated edition of one of the best of the bobooks. $4.50.HAPPY WANDERER TRIPS by Slim Barnard. Wknown TV stars Henrietta and Slim Barnhave put together a selection of 52 of thtrips through California taken from their HapWanderer travel shows. Has excellent mahistory, costs of gasoline consumption, lodgimeals plus what to wear and best t ime make trips. Can't be beat for families planriweekend excursions. Paperback, large form150 pages, $2.95.Volume Number Two explores Arizona, Nevaand New Mexico with their areas ranging frmodern resorts to ghost towns. 150 p, $2.


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PALM CAKYOXSBAJA CAUFOILMA

PALM CANYONSOF BAJACALIFORNIAByRandall Henderson

When the late Randall Hendersonfounded Desert Magazine 33 years ago,one of his first projects was to map thefan palms of the Southwest Desert. Dur-ing the following 30 years he publishedhis experiences in searching for the

palmsa search which ended with hisdeath last year.No canyon was too steep, no deserttoo arid and forbidding for Randall whenhe heard from someone that a grove ofpalms may exist in a remote waterholemany miles from any habitation. Manytimes he and his friends risked their livesin their attempts to find and record these

unusual oases.As those who are familiar with hisother books on the desert, On DesertTrails and S/in, Sand and Solitude, Ran-dall not only wrote of his experiences,but of his intense feelings about the des-ert to which he devoted his life. His writ-ings are comparable to those of Thoreauand John Muir.Although the trips into Baja coveredin this book were made from June, 1946to February, 1955, the publisher, Walt

Wheelock, himself a Baja aficionado, re-ports he covered the same areas in 1970and found only two cases where there hadbeen extensive changes since Randall firstexplored the country.Whether you want to follow in Ran-dall's tracks or just go with him from the

The Ilingcwof

arms of an easy chair, you will find thibook an intimate look into Baja from theyes of a man who was known as "MrDesert." Paperback, illustrated, 72 pages$1.95.

THE HINGESOF DESTINY

ByBen Lee Parker

The author presents a first-hand account of what it was like to live as cowboy (not the television version) during the last days of the "wild West.His life in Texas was crowded with oudoor excitement and adventure which hvividly describes. The book's subtitle i"A True Story of Ranch Life in the EarlTwentieth Century."He tells of his youth, during which hcaught and trained wild horses and buros, worked in roundups and brandin

New From Charles Belding!

Reviewers Praise CALIF O R N IA : "T ry in g to convey the feelings andimpressions on black and whitewords of this photograp hic master-piece is as fut i le as attempting todescribe color television to anaborig ine." Desert Magazine (Feb-ruary 1971) "And so it is with special pridethat we take pleasure in recom-mending a magnif icent new booke n ti tl e d C A L I F O R N I A - a p i c tu r efi l led invita t ion to see the GoldenState at its best . . . we predictthis book will rate as one of themost beaut i fu l books anywhere."Arizona Highways (January 1971) "Th is volume can only be describedas exq uis i te . " Los Angeles Times "Probably the greatest color pic-ture presentation in book formever published on that wonderfulsta te . " Oregon Grange Bulletin

Here's California like you've never seen it beforeTwo of the West 's greatest photographers, David Muench and Ray Atkeson,

take you on an exci t ing, ful l color tour of Cal i fornia in this magni f icent newboo k. Explore remote and hidden val leys; visi t historic San Francisco; discoverthe weal th and variety of the land and the exci tement which for centuries hasacted as a golden magnet drawing m en, women and nat ions to C al i fornia .Only photographers l ike David Muench and Ray Atkeson could capture thiskind of beauty. Desert Magazine wri tes: "The color photographs are so capt iveone can almost inhale the smells and touc h the subject ma tter . . . [and ] thehistorical te xt by David W. To l l is as moving as the pictorial pre sen tat ion." Thisis CA LIF OR NIA the book you 've been reading about in Desert Magazine,Arizona Highways, th e Los Angeles Times and a dozen more.

A Special [Lim ited] Offer for Readers of Desert Magazine.As the exclusive mai l -order dist r ibutor for CA LI FO R N IA , here's a specialof fer only for readers of this magazine: C AL IF O RN IA is priced at $25, but i fyou use the handy order blank below (and enclose payment wi th your order)

you can obtain you r copy for $22.50 a 10% discoun t. We also pay all postageand han dl ing and there's no sales tax. You save over $5! CA LI FO R N IA : "abook you wi l l savor for years to come and [w i l l ] wa nt to share wi t h othe rs."Over 190 four-co lor i l lustrat ions. Size: 192 pages, 10- 1/8 " x 13-1 /2" ; 30 day returnprivileges. Order today . . . this l imite d offer expires )uly 1, 197 1.

RICHARD ABEL and COMPANYP.O. Box 4245 Po rtland, Oregon 9720 8 D ept. DM-6Please send me copies o f CA LI FO RN IA at $22.50 each. My check is enclosed.N a m e .Address.


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pens, did a stint as cook on the trail andeven tried to stop a stampede in which"Cussin' Sam" and his horse were trampl-ed to death.Among the highlights of the author'sexperiences were watering elephants in acircus and catching horses for PanchoVilla in the Big Bend area of Texas. Al-though the book contains the reminis-

cences of a man born at the turn of theTwentieth Century, the words do notramble and are not repetitious. He makesthe reader wish that he had been theauthor who lived a life which has dis-appeared with strips of concrete and tour-ists attractions.Since his cowboy days, Parker hastraveled extensively throughout theworld.Today he runs his ranch in the Lone StarState where he raises Longhorn cattle. Heholds an M.A.degree and is president of

the Old Trail Drivers Association ofTexas. Hardcover, illustrated with artistdrawings, 149 pages, $5.00.

MOCKEL'SDESERT

FLOWERBOOK

ByHenry andBeverly Mockel

paper is compressed fiberwas createdand hand-bound in their own studio inTwentynine Palms, California.Care was taken not to use technicalterms where informal English would suf-fice. Plants were selected w hich couldrepresent the major subdivisions. Thespecies generally differ only slightly, notenough to concern the casual observer.

Their observations and illustrations weremade in the field from living plants andhence a number of significant facts, notcommonly recognized, are reported.For easy identification, the color draw-ings and photographs of each flower ap-pear on the right hand page from thetext which describes in detail the flower,and where it can be found, plus otherinformation which could only be learnedby years of intimate search into the"heart" of each desert plant.The artist's color drawings are micro-scopic in detail which make for easieridentification of the flowers than frommany photographsand the color isprobably more true since photographs aredependent upon changing light condi-tions. Again, showing their knowledge ofdesert travelers, they have made thebookeasy to carry.Special compressed fiber which willnot stain or tear and can be easily wash-ed, 316 pages with 54 full-color illustra-

tions, 72 life-size drawings in black andwhite and 39 photographs, $5.95.The well-known painter of desert wild-flowers, whose color sketches are soldthroughout theWest, has compiled a nov-el presentation of his sketches and photo-graphs which should be a welcome addi-tion to flora enthusiasts.Henry Mockel and his wife, Beverly,have spent their lives exploring the des-erts of the Southwest and are perfection-ists in everything they do.This book is noexception. The entire volume - - whose

Books reviewed may be order-ed from the DESERT MagazineBook Shop, Palm Desert, Calif.92260. Please include 50c forhandling. California residentsmust add 5% sales tax. Pleaseenclose payment with theorder.

LET'S GO PROSPECTING! If you want to go gold panning, looking for diatomaceousearth or tungsten, searching for beryllium, rare earths, gemstones, or any of the wide variety of valuable minerals foundin California, the new 1970 edition of LETS GO PROSPECT-ING will give you a wealth of information.0 In addition to complete information on how to look forminerals, LETS GO PROSPECTING includes mineral maps ofCalifornia and gives the occurrence, uses, and marketing dataon 46 commercial minerals with lists of possible buyers.

EDWARD ARTHURplus sales tax P.O. Box 3 9 5 B Joshua Tree, CA 92252

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$. ."

: u*

I N A PASTORAL setting where cattle fatten peacefully beneath ancient oaksand elegant eucalyptus, only a few melting adobe walls remain to draw attentionto the historic Ballena Valley and adja-cent Witch Creek.Now crossed by California State 78this nearly deserted and little known areaof San Diego County is midway betweenthe historic towns of Ramona and SantaYsabel. It once supported an agriculturacommunity of nearly 400 people. Oftenhuge piles of wool, sheep hides, gallonsof honey and fresh picked apples fromthe nearby mountains, accumulated at theWitch Creek Stage Station which doubledas a saloon and hotel.Between the roadside fruit stands, to-day's motorist, traveling the high country

by Mike Engle

of San Diego County, may enjoy vistaof rolling, grazing land and rock-studdehillsides. Only if he travels at a leisurelpace will he be able to enjoy the reminders of the past.Nomadic Indians once inhabiteBallena Valley and Witch Creek. Excavations on a nearby hill have uncovererelics which included arrowheads anollas. Metate rocks and food grinding implements have been found in abundanceThese Indians, for reasons that can onlbe imagined, called the valley by thname of Egepam, which meant strange oforeign.The earliest mention of Egepam by white man appears in the diary of FatheJose Sanchez when he passed through th

Ballena!$ cemetery, with its earliestmarkers dating about 1870, is located


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valley in 1821. In 1846, a quarter of acentury later, on the day before thebloody battle of San Pasqual, GeneralStephen W. Kearny and his Army of theWest met with reinforcements from SanDiego "in or near" the valley of Ballena.When and why the valley becameknown by its present Spanish title, whichis pronounced Bah-yay-nah and meanswhale, is open for speculation. One storysays the name originated when a whale'sskull was discovered on Ballena Moun-tain. Another story is the name waschosen by an early Spaniard who noticedthe resemblance between the predominantmountain and the body of a whale.Two of the first white settlers in Bal-lena Valley were Sam Warnock and Jo-seph Swycaffer. After being mustered out

of the army in the early 1850s, Warnockand Swycaffer carried the U.S. militarymail by mule and horseback between SanDiego and Fort Yuma. Their lonely routetook them through the high back countryof the interior and across the arid sandsof the Colorado Desert. The fresh coldsprings and shady oaks of Ballena werealways a welcome sight.Warnock and Swycaffer gave up theirmail pouches and settled in the valley.Here they built their cabins, planted theircrops and tilled the rich soil. Later, itwas these same two pioneers who built thearea's first schoolhouse and establishedthe first post office. When it opened in

Crum bling adobe walls (above)are all that remain of W itch Creek'sstage station and hotel. A few earlyadobe buildings (right) are still

1870, it was the only post office in thecounty beyond the limits of Old Town(San Diego). In one location or another,it continued to operate for more than aquarter of a century.Portions of Sam Warnock's originaladobe house later became Ballena's stagestation and post office. In the 1860s or1870s, Warnock traveled to Old Townand made arrangements to move a sturdyhouse into the valley. Piece by piece, thebuilding was disassembled and hauledalong the roadway that was little more

than a trail at the time. Days later, it carefully reassembled at its new site whit is still used today.Another early arrival was Bill Wnock, Sam's brother. In 1856 he andbride arrived from their native IrelThey immediately established a temposhelter that was little more than a wigwam. With the bare ground serfor a floor, they planted four sturdy p

into the soil and then tied them togewith willow poles. Smaller poles, streed across this framework, formed


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springs and slats of the temporary bedthat was to last them nearly three years.During the period this primitive hutserved as a home, Bill Warnock built athree room adobe nearby. It was heavilyconstructed with walls that were three feetthick at the base and which tapered totwoat the top. The roof was thatched withmud, straw and native brush. Not long

after they were lodged securely in thisnew home, they watched silently as theirformer tule hut was levelled to foragegrass by theonslaught of a wild rampag-ing bull.Bill Warnock, just as his brother,wasalso a farmer. With the help of Indians inhis employ, heharvested therich cropsofgrain by primitive methods far differentfrom those in use today. Baskets of hidewere cut andshaped. At the time of har-vesting, the grain was cut with knives and

scythes. The Indians placed it in thehidebaskets, each of which was so heavytwomen were required to carry them. Thebaskets were stacked high andthen haul-ed by oxen to the "tramping" grounds.These were fenced areas with hard packeddirt floors onwhich the grain was scatter-ed about. Horses were turned loose intoEnjoy Moab's

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the enclosure and allowed to thoroughlytramp out the grain. Later, after thehorses were setfree, theIndians removedthe straw and raked the grain andchaffinto mounds where it could bewinnowedAs theyears passed, improved farmingmethods were brought to Ballena by thmany newsettlers whocontinued to arive. The need of a schoolhouse soon be-came evident. Before it was built, an olman by thename of Stone had conductedopen air classes under a lean-to ramadabeside a huge oak. The first real schoolhouse was a temporary one room buildingLater, a more permanent structure servefor several years.

Maud Frary, one of Ballena's severaschool teachers, felt the tiny schoolhouswas not up to her accustomed standard"The school was tiny, about 12 by 1feet, and I had thirty-seven pupils there aone time, from four years old up to eighteen," she recalled. "There was no ceiing, andjust rough boards. Mydesk wa carpenter's bench and I sat on a stobehind it. The children's benches werloose and got knocked over now athen, scattering books, papers and iaround."


11/44

Witch Creek's one-room school housewas used from 1884 to 1954.

thatched with native tules which wereheld together by twisted leather thongs.Shortly after the turn of the century,when theproperty had changed handsagain, more refinements were added. Soon

the hotel was catering tomuch of thesocial register ofSan Diego. Finally, inthe mid 1900s, the building was razedand only the lumber was salvaged. Today,the last of itsadobe walls crumble andmelt into the landscape.On a nearby slope, overlooking thepeaceful valley, is asmall fenced squareof ground. Overgrown with weeds andsheltered by astand ofstately eucalyptus,a few markers and monuments pay silenttribute tomany of the early settlers that

once called Ballena Valley and WitchCreek their home.A crumbling adobe or stray stone wall,a flowering oleander or long neglectedgarden are allthat are left tomark thedreams of these stalwart pioneers. In afew years, perhaps these too, may havedisappeared. D

permanent oneroom schoolhousewasbuilt. In 1969, it was still standing ad-jacent to the highway in Witch Creek. Itwas one of the few remaining examples ofthe gingerbread architecture of this per-iod. The doors were opened in 1884 to 11students, some of whom traveled manymiles on foot and horseback to attend theclasses. For 70years this picturesqueschoolhouse remained inuse. In 1954,when the diminishing number of childrenwere transferred to the Julian elementaryschool, thedoors were closed forever.Since that time, the building has beenused for hay storage and as atarget forvandals.

Another landmark building, parts ofwhich may still beseen from the high-way, was the Witch Creek Stage Stationand saloon opened in the 1870s. Cateringto the hundreds of men traveling betweenSan Diego and the new gold mines ofJulian City, business flourished. About1 8 9 1 , itwas sold. The new owners addeda second story toaccommodate overnightguests, and the area had its first hotel. Itwas a sturdy building of heavy timberand thick adobe walls. Below, the match-ed pine floors were held inplace with

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C h a m p i o n at a r i d l i v i n g . . .T H EC H U C K W W L L AB

IG, BULKY and baggy, the Chuck-walla is no candidate for a beautycontest, even in lizardom. His hide looksseveral sizes too large for him. Creasedand wrinkled, it obviously needs press-ing. He's potbellied, double-chinned andindolent, spending most of his time whennot eating, loafing about on warm rocksand soaking up sunshine.That's the way he looks on the outside.But inside this scaly sack with the broadflat head and long blunt tail is an arrayof desert-beating equipment and know-how that causes great rejoicing amongscientists. The Chuckwalla is regarded asa champion at arid living, and as such isinterviewed, investigated and lauded inlearned society journals by a number ofbiologists.Although Shaw's major work some 25years ago described various species of

Chuckwallas to be found in the South-west, almost nothing was known of theirlife history until Johnson's recent studyconducted in the western Mojave deserta region of deeply eroded canyons,cracked outcroppings of bedrock, largeboulders and sand.Determined to get the facts on thedaily doings of these lizards, he out-chased, outsmarted and finally caught agood number of themno small featwithin itself. A big lizardup to half ayard long including his tail and 4 inchesbroadthe wary Chuckwalla is mightyfast on his feet, rushing pell-mell overthe surface, jumping several feet from

rock to rock. Such tribal Olympics werdeveloped through thousands of yearof keeping a snap ahead of hungry neighbors, it being well known by coyotehawk, wildcat, owl, snake and man alikthat these fat lizards taste good. Hencthe tribal proclivity too, for taking uresidence in rocky terrains wherein crevices are everywhere handy for hasty retreats.

i W a w^


13/44

by K. L. Boynton 1971

Diving into a crack headfirst, theChuckwalla presents only a view of histail, which, unlike that of most desertlizards, is exceedingly tough and hard tobreak off. Furthermore, he promptlywedges himself securely in by literallypumping himself up with air, increasingthe volume of his lungs by some 300 per-cent, over half the size of his body. Hehangs on with his toenails, directs hisbody scales outward, pushes his back andbelly up against the rocky crack, and putshis mind on staying there.Finally rounding up the number hethought he needed, Johnson took theirtemperatures, and also recorded otherdata on sex, size and what not. Beforehe let them go, he marked each one dif-ferently with a paint spot for quick vis-ual identification. Then, with spottingscope and binoculars, he began to watchthem as they went about their daily busi-ness in their native haunts.The Chuckwalla, it seems, is a lateriser, coming out of the crevice where hespent the night only when the sun iswell up. Sitting on a rock, he warms upfor activity. His color is at first dark toabsorb light (and heat); then it begins topale as his temperature rises. Ready foraction, he strolls off for breakfast, mov-ing through his home rangesome 350by 125 feet. Male ranges never overlap,

but it seems that the females are not sofussy about boundary lines. Their smallerhome ranges often extend a bit intoneighboring male territories. This tres-passing seems to be all right with every-body, and results in increased breedingchances, a matter of some importance tothe species since not all mature femalesproduce clutches of eggs every year.Breakfast consists ot leaves, buds,fruits, flowersthe yellow blossoms ofthe brittlebush being particularly favored.

The Chuckwalla also eats indigo bush,

burro weed, incense bush. Being vegetar-ian has its advantages since plant fooddoesn't have to be chased and caught. Butbecause the Chuckwalla's diet is so heavyin plants growing on alkali soil, he takesaboard a very heavy load of salt witheach meala load that by all rightsshould be fatal.Yet the lizard thrives and it took the

work of physiologists Norris and Daw-son to show why. It seems that up in eachof the nasal passages of this lizard is abean-shaped gland connecting to ductsthat run forward to pool just inside thenostrils. Collecting fluids is expelled bysneezing, encrustations of alkaline saltsbeing frequently seen on the snouts ofthese lizards.Marine birds and reptiles have similar-ly functioning glands that remove excesssalt they take in from the sea. The Chuck-

walla's also carries away excess potassium,a very important plus, since it enables thelizard to eat and secure water from the

iodine bush and other potassium riplants. Acting as a kind of auxiliary kney, these glands are probably essentto the survival of the Chuckwalla in alkali desert.Being a vegetarian also has its disavantages in another way, for as Johnsfound in his study, this big lizard whis need for an ample food supply ea

day, can be active only when the plahave sufficient moisture to grow. In western Mojave, maximum food is avaable only during the spring and easummer, and since the lizard doecome out of his winter hibernation uat least March 20, this leaves only abfour to five months for him to be in culation. During this time he must do growing. Stuffing himself, he rapiputs on flesh, his tail and legs firmup . Moreover, as a real heat beater, can maintain activity above ground attemperatures of as much as 102 degresquatting unconcernedly on rocks

Although thischuckwalla

appearstame, they are

exceedinglyhard tocatch andshould be

left intheir ownnatural

habitat.


14/44

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hot for a human hand. Feeding, he movesin and out of shady areas for temporarycooling. Further, he has excellent pantingability, employed when the day's temper-ature is soaring, and thus cooling himselfextends the time he can be out foraging.Water loss, always dangerous in thedesert, hits the Chuckwalla, too. Evenat his preferred body temperature of 104degrees, about half his water loss isthrough his skin, probably at the hingeareas between his scales. But here againthe champion has an answer. Under allthat flappy, saggy, baggy hide along his

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sides from belly to heacl region there areaccessory lymph spaces, normally half fullof fluid. After rains or at the end of thegrowing season, these sacks are full. W itha supply of body water aboard like this,the Chuckwalla is more than ever set tocope with desert conditions.He must also take care of his social en-gagements during the short spring and

early summer period of plant abundanceApparently there is little fighting amongthe males; the large one in any encount-er dominating by sheer size. The ladiesselect holes in the bedrock containingsand with an eastern exposure to catchthe first morning sun for egg sitesScratching the sand aside, the female deposits about four eggs, covering themagain. The gal observed by Johnson returned a few days later to cover themfurther, and as his tests showed, the temperature was indeed warmer in holewith sand than those exposed and bareWhile he observed no parental care, hdid find one female under a rock withtwo young, perhaps only there on tolerance.

In spite of egg loss to predators, andindividuals subtracted from society atasty morsels at various stages of growththe Chuckwallas keep a fairly stable number, about seven lizards per rwo-and-onehalf acres, and the sexes about evenlymatched. With good luck, and keepina sharp lookout, this lizard may make to six years.

By August in the western Mojave, aactivity in Chuckwalla circles ceases, fothere is no water, no growing plants, nfood, and therefore no lizards on thscene. Tucked deep down in a bedroccrevice, the Chuckwalla enters a perioof dry weather dormancy, which may laso long that he may coast right into hiwinter hibernation period. He lives on hbody reserves stored in his tail and legand avoids dehydration with his watetanks aboard. Barely alive, his body is sslowed down that the reserves last anlast.

His time out of circulation matchethat of the plants he eats, for they, toare going through a similar period odormancy awaiting the rains when timof plenty can come again. Emerging fially from winter hibernation, the Chucwalla, scrawny of legs and tail, lookinbaggier than ever, is ready to dine wi


15/44

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important things to consider are film andfilters.

Petroglyphs fromGlen Canyon (on thUtah-Arizona Bordenow covered by thewaters of Lake Powewere unusual in thatmany had six-fingerhands.

F ROM TH E lowest California desert tothe top of the Colorado Rockies, theold West is spotted with the graffitiand doodlings of its first inhabitants.Whether they're pictographs, (crudepaintings done in mineral pigments andgrease) or petroglyphs, (fanciful carv-ings incised into the rocks) they've beenof interest to western travelers for hun-dreds of years.For today's adventurer who likes to

view the past through the lens of hiscamera, these ancient pictures can beone of the most difficult subjects tophotograph. Often what shows so sharpand clear in the viewfinder will turnout to be a dull, washed-out print, lack-ing contrast and too indistinct to be ofinterest. What happened?To get a good print the photographermust keep in mind the camera recordson a flat, two-dimensional surface (thefilm) a view that contains objects at

varying distances from his lens. There-fore, depththe relation of one part ofthe picture to anothercan only be shownby contrast or changes in the color tone.While a professional can guarantee agood picture nearly every time, he usessome mighty expensive equipment. He'llhave a tripod for long exposures, severalhighly-polished metal reflectors to placethe light exactly where it is needed, andperhaps an electronic flash with a longextension. These things are all nice butnot necessary. Good prints can be made

Most people think of a filter as being alittle piece of colored glass which insome magical way brings out the cloudsin their black and white pictures. Trueenough, but a filter, if properly used, canalso either darken or lighten any object.For example, if you want a red stickfigure to stand out against its background,use a red filter. This will make the wallappear darker while the pigment willshow up almost white.

In choosing a film the amateur is facedwith rows of brightly colored boxes, eachcontaining a film for a certain purpose.Sales clerks talk knowingly of such thingsas emulsion contrast, speed, latitude, re-solving power, sensitivity and a host ofothers, all intending to confuse. Forgetthem. Use any film you're personally ac-quainted with. Just remember, the slowera film, that is the lower the ASA numberwhich is always printed on the box withthe directions packed with each roll, themore light you'll need on your subject.The faster the film, the higher the num-ber, the less light needed.

While color offers an accuracy that canbe had in no other way, most magazinereproductions call for black and white.Good prints can sometimes be made fromcolor slides, but be selective in yourchoice. Too often a scene which showsclearly because of the colors themselves,will in black and white be nothing more

There are two types of aboriginal pitures; pictographs and petroglyphs. Bopose a problem in that they're usualfound in poorly lighted places, but hethe similarity ends.Petroglyphs, which are sometimes littmore than faint scratchings on a rock abest brought out by side-lighting, placina light close to the plane of the picturbut out of range of the camera, so as form shadows in the grooves. Since neveryone carries a flash equipped with


17/44

P I C T O G R A P H S ,P E T R O G L Y P H Sa n d

P H O T O G R A P H Yby William Klette

Almost obliterated byrain water, thepictographs (above)in the California

Sierras were of redmineral pigmentoutlined in white.Fine pictographs(right) near Escalante,Utah, have been

marred by vandalswho can beprosecuted under\


18/44

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long extension cord in their gadgetbaga light source of asort canoften be improvised byusing asheet of white papeor a piece of cooking foil to act as reflector.

Another way tobring out thegrooveis with chalk, the common schoolroomkind that contains no grit. If you uchalk, ALWAYS wash it off after takinyour pictures so thepetroglyphs are leas youfound them. Perfectionists objecthat photographs made this way are naccurate asthey arepictures of thechalking and not of thecarvings.

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sunlight will tend to wash out the color.A flash is of some help, but bounce thelight so as not to cause a glare.One final thing, always put somethingin the picture for scale even if it is onlyyour old hat. Although a few archeolo-gists frown upon using people, I'vefound that a person makes a much moreinteresting composition than a 12-inchruler.Other than weathering, the only enemy

of these pictures is man. Not only domany of the symbols make attractive tar-gets for any idiot with a rifle, but theflat walls make perfect bulletin boardsfor anyone with a knife, a sharp stick,or a can of pressurized paint. Today,too many of the old sites look like thewalls of a men's restroom, completelycovered with initials, obscenities, and ina few cases the expressions of some re-ligious fanatic.There are laws, but unfortunately

they are woefully outdated and incom-plete. Most state codes are based on theFederal Antiquity Act of 1906, whichprovides primarily for the collection andpreservation of items located on publicproperty. California's Penal Code makesit a misdemeanor to deface or destroyanything of historical or archeologicalvalue anywhere.Just who made these pictures and whyis still a mystery, and most living In-dians deny all knowledge of their origin.

Though the rate of weathering shows

Photograph illustrates how detailis lost when a 35mm color transparencyis converted to black and white.Break in wall was caused by vandalsremoving petroglyphs.found covered over with desert varnishor thin deposits of travertine. They areprobably the oldest existing art form inour country, usually unknown to every-one but a few archeologists, prospectorsand rockhounds. No matter their originor their purpose, they offer a fascinationand a challenge to the photographe r.

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20/44

Headframes of the Silver King Mine (above) are seen behind the large tailings.One of Providence's well-constructed and unusually ornate buildings still stands.

O l h i t e G h o s to f theM o u n t a i n sby B. W. Browne

PERCHED UENEATH the soaring graypeaks of Southern California's Providence Mountains stands one of the mosunusual and best preserved of the oldmining towns in the eastern MojavDesert . Unlike many ghost towns, whichar e no more than a few foundationsProvidence contains some well preservebuildings of white softstone, as well amany half-ruined walls and frame dwelings.

The weathered dirt streets and greasewood gull ies are strewn with fragmenof bottles from late Victorian times.

Beyond the town's rugged, desolathillside, the old wagon road to Fennecrawls across the vast sweep of ClippValley. Clinging to the steep slope behinProvidence is the source of that precioucargo which sent the wagons groaninacross those dusty miles, the BonanzKing Mine. Discovered in the 1870s, anin full production during the eightiethe mine is said to have produced nearlone mill ion dollars during an 18-montperiod. Today the ruins of its officeheadframes and hoists are scattered acrothe face of its monumental tai l ings.


21/44

Serving as a company town for theminers, teamsters, engineers and ownersof the Bonanza King, Providence alsoserved as a commercial center for manyof the other mines lying among the lonelymountain peaks. Nearest of these was theSilver King Mine, about one mile to thenorth. Here, in a wide valley thick withcholla and barrel cactus, tall headframesand gray tailings mark the sites of othervanished fortunes.

Along the edge of this rough gullystand the broken white walls of moresmall buildings. Nearby, the ground islittered with rusting square-nails of allsizes and an intriguing scatter ot sun-colored glass.This dead-end valley provides one olthe many good campsites in the area.Looming above it on one side are greatlimestone pinnacles, with large cave open-

ings showing among them. On the otherside, sandstone cliffs are riddled withcaves of all sizes. Lumps of limestonerock lie all about, like frozen gray mud.Providence's mines and the countrysidearound them provide an area of inex-haustible interest for every known speciesof four-wheeled desert rat. The surround-

Massive ruins of the Bonanza King's ore-shoot, stamp mill and settling tank cto mountain slope behind Providence. Crumbling stone walls are in backgrouing valleys and mountains are rich in his-tory and archeology. Seven miles south isMitchell Caverns. To the north runs theold Government Road west of Fort Piute,with its water holes and stone redoubts.(Desert, Nov. '68.)

Providence is roughly two hours fromBarstow, and one hour from Needles.From Barstow, go east on US 66 to Essex.Then turn northwest on Essex Road for17.3 miles, at least ten miles is paved, therest, graded dirt. At Black Canyon Road,fork left towards Mitchell Caverns for.08 miles. Here, fork right on the gradedroad marked "7 IL Ranch," and follow5.2 miles (beyond this point the road isungraded). One mile straight ahead are

King Well, and one mile north of well is the Silver King Mine.To reach Providence, turn left insof going on to the windmill. Then

only bad spot on the entire route),road dips into a shallow but rough guand then up a small hillside of rocky, soil. At the top of this hill turn right, the white walls of Providence are viabout one mile further up the sloroad.Whether prowling through the buings of Providence, exploring the ruinthe Bonanza and Silver King mineswatching your campfire flicker usilent moonlit cliffs, a visit to the w

walled ghost of the Providence M


22/44

by Carol-Ann Fuller

During the evenings under the clear Utahsummer skies you can watch "The Tem-pes t" and other plays by the B ard of Avonpresented on an exact replica of an Eliza-bethan stage. Your days can be spentvisiting the nearby national parks andmonuments or exploring ghost towns andfollowing Indian trails around Cedar City.

DEEP IN THE heart of Southern U tah stirs the gh ost ofShakespeare! Magnificent canyons and pinnacles oftimeworn sandstone guard the grounds where each night forthree weeks ambitious thespians speak the famous words ofEngland's famous bard.Beneath the stars on warm summer evenings, Cedar

City hosts the Utah Shakespearean Festival on a replica of anElizabethan stage. As you walk through the auditorium doors onthe campus of Southern Utah State Col-lege, you leave today's world and enterthe world of early England.

The stage, set amid the cool, greenpines, is an authentic reproduction.Shakespeare himself referred to the Eliza-bethan theater as "this wooden O." Tous, as modern playgoers, it more resem-bles a small stadium rather than a thea-ter. The bare but basic stage commandsthe center of attention. Arranged in asemi-circle on graduated risers are seatsfor the audience. Even though the nightsare balmy, bring a wrap as the mountainair often cools when the sun sets.Before the play you can wanderthrough the yards and enjoy the earlyEnglish customs geared to set the stagefor the evening's performance. Dancingon the green and winding the Maypole isperformed by a group of spritely, light-


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a r c (in uni n)1 ^ - -

1

Color photo by Max R. Bonzo, Cedar Citywinds and strings provide simon-pbackground music. Mother Nature dthe lights as the sun sets. The techniciturn on spotlights and colored ligTrumpets herald the entry of the playProps and scenery are minimal but costuming is elaborate. Swift scchanges are accented with vigorous spe

Cedar Breaks and gestures. The action is kept moviNational Monument The rich language of Shakespeare, so (left) is one of many ten a challenge to a reader, is transfercolorful areas near to musical phrases by well-rehearsed pCedar City. formers. The plot unfolds smoothly Thespians stage a carries you along with ease.daytime dress U t a h - S first Elizabethan theater oprehearsal (opposite -lts t e n t h s e a s O n this July. Professor Frpage) on Adams, drama director of Southern Uthe authentic state, is founder of the Utah ShakespeElizabethan stage. ean Festival. Out of 400 applications Before the evening non-professional drama students frperformances, players graduate school across the nation, 20 (below) set the mood chosen for the repertory casting e1 on the picturesque summer. Every one of these skilled pi campus of formers have a chance to participateSouthern Utah t w 0 of the three productions and m1 State College. appear in all three. Continu

footed, smiling damsels. Madrigal singerswander leisurely through the group ren-dering the same songs sung by the madri-gals in early England. Tarts and tastiesare peddled through the crowd by fairmaidens.Children love the Punch and Judyshow.; They squeal with delight o r weepreal tears as the little puppets performtheir antics and tell their story. Baby sit-ting services are available. A group ofladies \ come each evening and for a nom-inal fee you may register your childrenwith them. Let the young enjoy an hourof pre-play activities with you and thencheck them into the nursery before theperformance begins. The ladies havestories, games and cribs set up in theroom adjoining your outside location.Now is the time to enjoy the heart ofthe Festival! An orchestration of wood-


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For four weeks prior to production,the students memorize, rehearse and dedi-cate their lives to Shakespeare. An hour aday is spent in movement, learning towalk, sit and stand effectively. Theseexercises are in addition to all other re-hearsal sessions. Guest directors and pro-ducers give the cast a variety of learningexperiences in capsule form.The 1971 season of the Utah Shakes-pearean Festival will be July 15 throughAugust 7. Plans are under way for theproduction of "The Taming of theShrew," "King Henry IV, Part 1" and"The Tempest." It is suggested reserva-tions for motels and tickets ($2.50 foradults and $1.50 for students) be madein advance. The seating capacity of theElizabethan Theater is 600 and they playto a capacity audience each evening. Theplays are produced in daily rotation. Tick-ets and information are available fromthe Festival Box Office, Southern UtahState Campus, Cedar City, Utah 84720,or call (801) 856-9061.To get a full measure of the Festivalit is suggested planning to attend eachevening for three nights. During the daythere are a number of loop trips that arefull of interesting sights and activities.Even older than Shakespeare are theBristlecone Pine trees. They range in ageup to 4,000 years. One of the world'slargest forests of this rare and fascinatingtree is located on the north and north-

west edges of Cedar Breaks NationalMonument. The gnarled, prehistoric treesgrow in small stands on relatively poorlimestone. The oldest Bristlecone Pine atCedar Breaks is about 1,600 years old.Trail hikes may be taken to observe theseancients at closer range.The area is rich in Indian and pioneerhistory. Just a quarter mile southeast ofCedar City is Squaw Cave. Legend saysthis is an historic spot where a Paiute In-dian maiden committed suicide to escapecapture by the Spanish during the Indianslave trade along the old Spanish Trail.There are Indian petroglyphs in severallocations in the vicinity. One of the bestfindings is located at Parowan Gap one-and-one-half miles southwest of the city.Twenty miles west of Cedar City arethe ruins of Old Iron Town. The firstpioneers came here to produce iron. Kilnsand part of the buildings still stand asevidence of their early attempts at ironmaking. This was the site of the firstfoundry built and operated west of theMississippi River. The early blast furn-aces were conical-shaped structures ofrock and/or brick, rising to toweringheights of 15-18 feet.The U.S. Steel Company's open, gap-ing pits of their modern mines are justa short distance from the original work-ings. Iron County, being one of theWest's leading producers of iron ore,ships to steel plants in Colorado andUtah.

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The vermilion cliffs (left) of BryceCanyo n are contrasted against theblue sky and white clouds. On theAlpine Loop Drive, an aspen grovesurrounds a clear pool.

In addition to these historic sites thereare fishing holes, hiking trails, campingsites and museums. Prices of food andlodgings are reasonable. Contact the Foi-est Service or Chamber of Commerce inCedar City, Utah for detailed maps andinformation.

Beyond the periphery of the loop tripsis a world of unique color grandeurfound in Southern Utah parks. Zion andBryce National Parks and Cedar BreaksNational Monument are closely groupedand connected by surfaced highways. Adrive through them is a continuous pano-rama of extravagant color splashed with

abandon on a gigantic mural.Cedar Breaks National Monument isgigantic amphitheater covering nearly square miles. The multi-colored hues reds, oranges, yellows and purples chisacross the western edge of the rolligreen meadows atop the high country Southern Utah, cutting irregular chasmdeep into the earth. Rain, snow, ice anwind have eroded the soft limestone inmillions of fantastic shapes.The name "Cedar Breaks" comes froan early settler's term and an erroneonomenclature. The juniper growing nethe base of the cliffs were mistakencalled cedar. "Breaks" was a commterm for badlands which is fitting fthe areathus we have Cedar Breakwhich could just as easily have be"Juniper Badlands."continued on page

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\Headfram e a nd cabin mark the site (above) of lonely Hannapah. O nly col-lapsing buildings (right) mark locations of many of Nevada's ghost towns.

N E V A D ADesert Magazine's Field Trip Editor eplores interesting ghost towns arounTonopah, Nevada by passenger car.

IN THE immediate environs of Tonopahare a number of old mining campswhich have made their smaller but im-portant contributions to Nevada's fameas the Silver State. Now of ghost townstatusand in some cases only a widespot in the roadthey offer the visitor aglimpse into the life-style of early daymining camps.Life was a far cry from that portrayedby movies and glamorized on television.The rough, barren exterior of a prospec-tor's cabin did not change, upon enter-ing, to flower-papered walls, white, ruf-fled curtains at the windows, hookedrugs on the floor and a cloth-covereddining room table. Even the smallestcomfortsa regular bed, chair and stovewere scarce.Since most of the camps were dry, allwater had to be hauled from a consider-able distance. This was true of all items

during the first crucial weeks or months.The prospector planned carefully to makedo with the items he could pack in on hisinitial trip. The enterprising peddlers ofthe day could be counted on to show upwith a wagon load of miscellaneous sup-plies. The buyer could also count on pay-ing "sky-high" prices.The first business to set up shop usu-

ally was a saloon consisting of a tent witha board between two barrels serving as abar. You took your beer warm and your"likker" straight. Gamblers, promotersand harlots swarmed to the new bonanzasand the tradesmen brought up the rear.There was sweltering heat in summerand winter brought howling winds andfrigid temperatures. Tempers flared easilyand violence often followed. Wives werescarce in a new diggings. It was a man'sworld and they were welcome to it.When a strike lasted through the first

families started arriving. Permanent builings were erected and a semblance social order maintained. Even so, life the smaller camps was one of hard worunder primitive conditions.Five of the many old mining campsGilbert, Millers, Hannapah, Divide anKlondikelie within easy exploring ditance of Tonopah. Let's start the gho

town tour at Gilbert, located 30 milnorthwest in the Monte Cristo RangeGilbert, the "baby" of the ghostly fivrose to prominence in 1924, when lontime prospectors Logan and Fred Gilbehit a rich gold vein on their Last ChanClaim. News of the new strike traveleand a rush to this isolated area begaHundreds of claims were staked. Whthe Gilbert brothers located another golen ledge, the camp was in a frenzy excitement.Clouds of dust could be seen for mil


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-;-

by M a r y F ra nc es S t rongPhotos by Jerry Strong Main producer of the Klondike District was Klondike Mine. Visitors mtour sites, but watch out for open shafts and DO NOT remove equipme

mining equipment, supplies and pros-pectors traveled the dirt road into camp.The atmosphere was conducive for a suc-cessful promotional scheme and the op-portunists wasted no time. An old minewas hastily rechristened the "OriginalGilbert," but the only "ore" it producedwas $50,000 from the stock sold by itspromoters.Gilbert flourished for two years andreached a peak population of nearly 500.Electricity lighted many of the cabinsand street lights marked the main busi-ness district; though any reference to awater system is lacking. Among the three-score businesses serving the residentswere a coal company, barber shop, bak-ery, stage depot and several saloons. Eventhough prohibition was in force, Gilbertwas a "good time" town. But by 1929Gilbert felt its own depression, and by

1933 it was a ghost.

once bustling town. What appears to havebeen an open-sided shelter over a gaso-line pump stands at the main crossroads.Several dugouts will be seen along theroad. Numerous headframes, adits anddumps mark the sites of former feverishmining activity.MILLERS

Twelve and a half miles west of Tono-pah on Highway 95, is the recently re-furbished, overnight rest area known asMillers. Shade-covered tables, stoves, restrooms and water are provided free ofcharge. This has been a popular stoppingplace for bottle collectors, rockhoundsand desert travelers for a number ofyears. In fact, Millers has been a havenof rest since 1866 when it was known asDesert Wells Station an importantwatering stop along the San Antonio-Sil-ver Peak road. The station was also oneof a series along the stage and freight

The completion of the Tonopah Rroad in 1904 brought an end to this of freight wagons. The railroad chose site for its repair shops and the name wchanged to Millers in honor of ChaR. Miller, former governor of Delawand a director of the Tonopah & Gofield Railroad for over 20 years.Tonopah ore wasn't milled locally til 1906 when the Desert Power aMilling Company erected a 100-stamill a half-mile south of Millers. TTonopah-Belmont Mining Company sofollowed suit with a 60-stamp mill. Mler's population swelled to nearly 300 aa small business district developed serve the busy community.Hopes were high at Millers as carlafter carload of rich Tonopah ore arrifor processing. There were dreams ofbecoming the largest shipper of bulin the United Statespossibly the wo


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the first of four mills wasbuilt in Tono-pah; and, by 1912, all the ore from thebig mines was being processed on theirrespective sites.Desert Mill was eventually leased outand operated intermittently through theensuing years. It made headlines again in1927 when ore was milled from theHomestead lease at Gilbert.In the fall of 1969,Desert Mill ap-peared to have long been idle. However,in 1970, I found the mill site occupiedand "No Trespassing" signs posted onmill property. South of themill are a fewold cabins and the site of a former trans-former station.

HANNAPAHThe old mining camp of Hannapahlies in an attractive setting of large juni-pers at the southern end of the MonitorRange. The area was heavily prospectedstarting in 1902 for many years and anumber of claims staked. However, thefirst reported ore shipment wasn't madeuntil 1908 by the Silver Glance mine. Atownsite was laid out in 1906 and effortswere made to found a real town. A "freebarbecue" was advertised to lure possibleinvestors but only a few lots were sold.The proposed town never developed.A brief resurgence of interest in Han-napah occurred in 1927when theTono-pah-Times-Bonanza announced theWorldExploration Company would develop themines. The company reportedly plannedto build a town for the workers that

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"would have all the refinements of cityliving." First construction would consistof bunk-houses, mess hall, engine andpump house and the re-timbering of theshafts. Further plans were announcedwhich included a headquarters buildingand homes for employees with electricityprovided by an auxiliary plant.A short item in theDecember 12, 192

issue of the paper stated the dewateringof the Hannapah mine was in full swingand lowering five feet a day. The December 20edition carried thenews "HighGrade Ore Strike on the Hannapah Ex-tension." iA reported 1600ounces of sil-ver at the 107 foot level with other oregoing $69-00 per ton wasannounced. Tocomplete the story via the newspapera small item on January 17, 1928 anounced the sale of the Hannapah mineto a Los Angeles group.Hannapah today is a lonely place. Aheadframe stands guard over a deep shafand the slightest breeze causes the metasheets on the engine house to creakmournfully. One lone cabin marks theold townsite and a large hole in the rfuse dump shows visits of bottle collectors. Hannapah is easily reached fromHighway 6 via a mile and a half of goo

dirt road. DIVIDELike so many mining camps, Dividhas been known by two names and twstrikes. "Eureka" cried Runge and Rochelle when they discovered a rich goldvein in 1901. The usual rush to the arebegan, resulting in a small but activcamp called Gold Mountain. Numerouclaims were staked but the original discovery, later purchased by the TonopahGold Mountain Mining Company, proveto be the main producer. The news ofabulous strikes at Goldfield and the Bufrog Hills (Rhyolite) is credited witluring most of Gold Mountain's prospetors to greener pastures and the camdeclined.

In 1912, Wilse Brougher (one of JimButler's partners in the Tonopah claimsand a Mr. Winfield reorganized theoriginal claim as theTonopah-Divide MininCompany. Five years later they hit a ricsilver vein while cross cutting for a golvein. Theyear 1919 saw a mining boomat the new camp of "Divide" said trival that of Goldfield. Over 350claimwere filed in an area of 40 square mile


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nesses and saloons along with a news-paper, The Times, flourished less thana year. Exploratory work showed littlepromise of good ore and the camp col-lapsed. The Tonopah-Divide mine wasworked for several years with a reportedproduction of over a million dollars by1923.

Mining has continued intermittently atDivide. The camp was never very largeand little remains except headframes,huge dumps and the foundations of sev-eral buildings. It is an interesting site tovisit and browse around. A refuse dumphas yielded old bottles and relics.Divide also has a mystery. What ap-pears to be an old railroad bed begins ahalf-mile north and continues eight milessouth to Klondike and beyond. It is notthe route of the Tonopah & GoldfieldRailroad whose bed is clearly visible westof Highway 95. Perhaps it was a spurbuilt to serve the Tonopah-Divide mine.However, diligent hours of research havenot found any mention of it in miningor railroad annals. (Any informationDesert's readers may have would be wel-comed by the writer.) Divide may bereached from Highway 95, 4.6 milessouth of its junction with Highway 6 inTonopah.

KLONDIKEKlondike has the distinction of being

the senior member of the "ghostly five,"since its silver-gold-lead-copper ores werediscovered in 1899. No great rush fol-lowed; but a small camp sprang up whichsupported a modest business district andpost office for several years.The majority of the mining occurredon the Original Klondike, which pro-duced for over two decades. The minelies in a steep, narrow canyon near thecrest of the Klondike Hills. It has beendeveloped by a labyrinth of over 25 tun-nels and shafts. The mine is now idle

N e v a d a

termittent activity down through theyears. Several buildings remain includingthe hoist house and gallows frame, acook-house and the superintendent'shome.There are sizable trash dumps in thecanyons below the mine and flood watershave carried 'bottles and assorted items amile or so down the road. The bottlesranged from blob-top to the late '40s.Relics and bottles will be noted through-out the former townsite which is indicat-ed by roads grown faint with time. Klon-dike's claim to fame is recorded in his-

to when he discovered the Mizpah Leat Tonopah."A word of advice to ghost town vors. There is a bit of nostalgia andmance in exploring old mining campis only natural to look for souvenirsthese early days. The camps and towere the result of the mines. The mremain and they are still private propNevada welcomes visitors to its mhistorical sites. Please remember that venir collecting or any vandalism of vate propertyposted or notis agthe law. "Western Law" was, and


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3s*

LAKE ALAiUOS TANDING ON the Overlook Area ofthe Alamo Dam in Arizona, wecould see a wide expanse of raw beauty,progress and the final fulfillment of aprophecy made 134 years ago.

Within our view was Alamo Lakewith its pleasure boats, water skiers andfishermen. To the side of us was thedam blending into the rocky canyonwalls, and below us was the Bill WilliamsRiver, named for the mountain man whotraveled this area in the 1830s. The river,like "Old Bill," has sometimes been quietand peaceful and sometimes a rushingtorrent. In the past it caused great dam-age along the lower Colorado, but now itis broad and peaceful.

Yet, there is no doubt that "Old Bill's"30

by Lois Wolf Buistadventurous spirit still lingers. For, al-though it was in 1837 he made the pre-diction "the time is not fur distant whenthis land will teem with life," this par-ticular sanctuary of Bill Willams' hasremained relatively untouched.

However, due to the Alamo Dam,built by the U. S. Corps of Engineers in1968, the area has opened upand BillWilliams' prophecy is starting to cometrue. Gold and mineral prospectors werein the area after the mountain men, andthey, like "Old Bill," left evidence oftheir rugged and dramatic lives allwhich makes for exciting adventure "BillWilliams style" and a recapturing of thelife of the Old West.

The dam, with its adjacent recreation


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area, is approximately 325 miles east ofLos iAngeles on Interstate 10, then northabout 45 miles from the turnoff at Wen-den, Arizona. It was primarily built forflood control to protect life and propertyalong the lower Colorado River. It alsoconserves water and provides a uniquewater-oriented recreation in the usuallyarid southwest Arizona. Built on the BillWilliams River, six miles downstreamfrom the junction of the Big Sandy andSanta Maria Rivers, the reservoir hasfilled faster than anticipated and willsoon be a sizable and permanent lake witha surface area of about 500 acres.

The Corps leased the land around thedam to the State of Arizona for operationas a 4,000-acre recreational area which isnow called the Alamo Lake State Park.Besides a modern administration area,there are 25 spaces for tents and self-contained campers and 24 trailer spaceswith water and sewer hookups. Flush

toilets and hot showers are also available,but there are no facilities such as grocerystores or gasoline pumps.The lake provides good bass fishing,launching ramp for boats, water skiingand a restricted area for swimming.Wayne Perock, Ranger Supervisor for thepark, told us future plans (dependent onfunding ) may include nature trails and a

new camping area along the water's edge.He said all Campsites would be spacious,and over-crowding would not be per-mitted.We also met Hank Moore, the damtender, who lives in the park with hiswife, Elaine. Hank is an enthusiastic rock-hound and keeps a well-equipped lapidaryshop as a hobby. He has a collection ofmany of the popular stones found in thearea, especially fire agate, and a beautifuldisplay of finished articles rings,

brooches, pendants with individual set-tings to match the shape of the stones.

PhotosbyJames McNown

Backed up by the Alamo Dam,the Bill Williams R iver (color photo)forms one of Arizona's newest lakes.Once a boisterous meeting place,the Signal Bar (above) is now quietand dry. Fishermen find good camping

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We spent our first day at Alamo StatePark just relaxing and playing around thelake. Then, early the next morning, westarted on an exploratory trip throughthe surrounding area. To help guide us,we used a 15 minute series topo map ofthe Artillery Peak Quadrangle which isavailable from the U.S.G.S., FederalBldg., Los Angeles for 50(.

We forded the river at Brown's Cross-ing and drove toward the mining countrywhere Hank told us were some goodhunting grounds for rocks. Our pace wasslow so we could fully enjoy the high des-ert and also be prepared for grazing stockthat seemed to appear just over the crestof a hill, around a curve or in a dip.The scenery in this area proved to beespecially picturesque. It's one of the fewknown regions in the world where theJoshua tree and Saguaro cactus grow side

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197106 Desert Magazine 1971 June

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Transcript of 197106 Desert Magazine 1971 June