Carizzo Gorge Pictographs
Overlooking the rocky wash of the Carrizo Gorge, down in Anza Borrego State Park, sits a small rock shelter with a unique set of fascinating pictographs hidden inside.
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Cupule Cave
While on a trip with the late great Roger Mitchell, we stopped to visit a little boulder cave in the Mojave Desert. The cave is only a few feet long, but a large, flat granite boulder is in the center. Its surface is covered with cupules and edges polished smooth
Fort Independence Soldier's Camp
Back in 1862, Owens Valley was not quite as peaceful as it is today. White settlers were just moving in and starting up ranches. Prospectors were combing the hills in search of that elusive next big strike. The Paiute, Shoshone, and Kawaiisu people who lived here didn’t appreciate being
New Years Mine
The mine was a minor producer of zinc, lead, silver, and gold. It was first located in 1913 but wasn’t worked until 1915. It was active only for a few short years and idle by 1918.
Poinsettia Camp
Poinsettia was once a cinnabar mine. Reportedly, the mine was worked from 1929 to WWII, but information on it is hard to find, and no production was recorded. It is doubtful much cinnabar was ever mined here. Cinnabar is a primary ore for mercury, which is important in the gold
Harrisburg Flat Cabin
Back on a cool April day in 2013, Dan and I hiked out to a little cabin ruin near Harrisburg Flat in the Death Valley backcountry. (Harrisburg Flat is on the way to the old townsite of Skidoo.) These days, nothing much remains of that town or its former rival,
Weather Station Cabin
After spending the night at one of our favorite places down in Panamint Valley, we drove up into the mountains and parked the truck along the road. We gathered up our gear, packed a lunch, and started our hike into the canyon. We knew we would be gone the rest