Home 7119
- This boxcar cabin at Rex Mine had electricity
- It looks like a tiny flat-roofed addition, just big enough to be a closet, was built on to the near cabin
- The boxcar cabins at Rex Mine have a board-and-batten exterior
- This boxcar cabin at Rex Mine leans to one side, anxious to collapse one day
- An old Copenhagen tobacco lid rusts quietly amongst other, less identifiable, cans at the old Rex Mine site
- The old "cabins" at the Rex Mine site are actually old railway boxcars
- The only signs marking one's arrival at Rex Mine are these no-camping and no-campfires sign
- I check out one of several debris piles at Rex Mine and find an ornate electrical socket
- I finish the hike across the rocky fan and begin the easier walk up Rex Mine Road
- The dense scattering of rocks on the fan east of Kelso induces what I call, "avoidance hiking"
- Oh look, a lost set of four bright-blue ballons tied together, stuck to a young creosote bush, framed by a Kelso Dunes backdrop
- Numerous gulleys need to be crossed while hiking the fan betweeen Cornfield Spring Road and Rex Mine Road
- The sides of the drainages coming down the fan are mostly not very steep, but they do make for clumsy hiking
- Another sunny morning on Cornfield Spring Road; I'm still coughing a lot from my cold, but am ready for another hike anyway
- To get over to Rex Mine Road from my campsite on Cornfield Spring Road requires a 1.5-mile hike across the rocky fan
- Elevation profile of Cornfield Spring hiking route, Mojave National Preserve
- Cornfield Spring hiking route, Mojave National Preserve
- A soft glow illuminates the Providence Mountains behind me as sunset fades away
- It's getting dark, and I can see that the lights are already on down at the village of Kelso
- One last glance back at the Providence Mountains at dusk before there's no light left at all
- Sunset went away half an hour ago, and I arrive back at the tent just past 17h30
- I settle in for the evening and am surprised to hear a small moth outside flitting against my tent
- I boil some water for a cranberry vitamin-C drink, which will hopefully help combat my cold; supper is next!
- I can't stop myself from constantly looking behind me to see the newest lighting effects on the Providence Mountains
- Walking down Cornfield Spring Road toward Kelso at sunset, Mojave National Preserve
- Passing the Cornfield Spring Road corral again, I exit the Providence Mountains for the day
- Behind me, sunset smears reddish light over parts of the Providence Mountains as I walk back down Cornfield Spring Road
- Parts of Cornfield Spring Road are quite rideable; perhaps I could have used my bicycle for part of today's hike
- I'm coming dowwwn Cornfield Spring Road
- Now at the summit of Cornfield Spring Road, I have a nice partial view across to Cima Dome on the other side of Kelso Valley
- I can see Kelso down in the valley, and I'll be staring at it for the rest of my hike down Cornfield Spring Road in the sunset
- A final glance at the little valley near Cornfield Spring, and the unnamed canyon beyond that I was hoping to have time to hike
- Excellent end-of-day light on the Providence Mountains as I walk up a steep hill to avoid one of the switchbacks on the road
- A few barrel cacti dot the hills near Cornfield Spring
- As I leave Cornfield Spring, I think about camping up here some day here instead of pitching my tent so close to Kelso
- I follow the old pipe away from Cornfield Spring and back to the road
- Rock wall at Cornfield Spring, Mojave National Preserve
- Remnant of old switchback road near Cornfield Spring, Mojave National Preserve
- Looking north from the south side of the wash near Cornfield Spring, toward the old water pipe that leads to Kelso
- I step across some rocks in a patch of plants (maidenhair ferns, I think) under which a dark blue stream trickles vigourously
- Sitting here in deep shade pumping water from Cornfield Spring makes me feel like I'm somewhere other than the Mojave Desert
- After filtering 10 litres of Cornfield Spring water in the shade, it's time to climb under that tree again and out of the wash
- Cornfield Spring canyon here is already in the shade; it will be dark by 17h, a bit before I make it back to my tent
- I turn back and notice a grown-in, but relatively flat, spot near the still-invisible stream that I can hear
- Yes, that should be the stream from Cornfield Spring, that green patch right there
- I'm not sure where the old road went because it's grown-in, but I can now hear a trickle of water down in Cornfield Spring wash
- The source of Cornfield Spring is just ahead; I keep getting scratched by catclaw bushes when I try to climb down to it
- I climb down the steep hillside and notice the remnants of a switchback road on the other side of Cornfield Spring wash
- I push my way through rabbitbrush and other plants to get across Cornfield Spring wash
- Coming up what's left of the old switchback road at Cornfield Spring
- I don't see Cornfield Spring yet, but following the old pipe should take me there
- Anticipation: Cornfield Spring is obviously somewhere down there at the upper end of the green area
- I'll follow Cornfield Spring Road around the sharp U-turn at the bottom of the hill just ahead
- Cornfield Spring Road's final switchback takes me up a hill and around a bend to this tripod-like end-of-road marker
- From this hill at 3450 feet, Cornfield Spring Road zigzags down into a gulley and then up along the ridge of the next hill
- Cornfield Spring Road climbs over a few big hills during its final two miles to avoid the flood-prone wash below the spring
- The soil on this steep stretch of Cornfield Spring Road has eroded over decades, leaving just a trail of rocks
- Along the wash near the old Cornfield Spring Road corral is a rock wall with lots of mini-caves carved into it
- It looks flat, but the walk up the fan toward the Providence Mountains is a gentle uphill at about 4% grade
- Looking back down to Kelso Valley, I watch a train slowly climb the Kelso-Cima grade
- About 3 miles up Cornfield Spring Road from my tent, I pass an abandoned corral and the edge of the Providence Mountains block
- The suns feels good as it warms the chilly morning air on the fan near the former Kelso reservoir
- As I start the walk up Cornfield Spring Road, I stop at a concrete box that I missed when I camped here a few months ago
- A former road that connected the old Kelso reservoir to Cornfield Spring Road is still discernable
- The exact location of Cornfield Spring Road has moved a few times over the decades
- Old Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hike elevation profile
- Old Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hiking route
- I arrive at my tent to find that strong Devil's Playground winds have blown it during the day over while I was out hiking!
- Walking the last half mile up Old Kelso Road back to the tent at dusk
- I absorb the last of the red rays of sun as I walk away from Idora Mine Canyon
- Coming down the last switchback in Idora Mine Canyon
- A wash of gold light greets me as I exit the mouth of Idora Mine Canyon
- Pinkish light flows over the Devil's Playground at sunset
- Enjoying the sunset to the left of Cowhole Mountain as I walk down the bottom of the road from Idora Mine Canyon
- A few glints of hot yellow sunshine dart into Idora Mine Canyon as I hike back down
- On the way down, I get a nice view down into the short slot canyon that I briefly explored on the way up
- One could easily spend a whole day, or more, up here leisurely exploring the nooks and crannies of these hills
- I try to imagine an old vehicle driving up this road 50, or 80, years ago
- At the summit of Idora Mine Canyon, at about 2500 feet elevation, is a flat area, perhaps flattened by mining
- Along the road is a post with a white object attached to it
- I can't resist the temptation to open the bottle and see if the paper inside is readable
- Well, it's time to start heading back down Idora Mine Canyon and back to camp
- Approaching the final switchback on the road up Idora Mine Canyon
- The old road is washed out at this last switchback
- A little further is a small tunnel dug into the side of the hill
- Getting closer to the top of Idora Mine Canyon
- Nice views looking back down Idora Mine Canyon
- The road rejoins the wash in Idora Mine Canyon above the slot canyon
- Rising up the lower switchbacks in Idora Mine Canyon away from Devil's Playground down below
- This turns out to be a tight little slot canyon
- Oh good, a couple more bends in this little slot canyon
- The slot canyon is intense, but doesn't continue very far before connecting to a broader wash above
- I decide to follow a U-shaped route from here down the wash and around the hills to get to the road leading up Idora Mine Canyon
- After a bit of walking northwest across the fan, my "U" route is complete and I'm hiking east toward Idora Mine Canyon
- Just as the road into Idora Mine Canyon makes its first switchback (to the left), I'm drawn toward a rock outcrop on my right
- Down in the unnamed wash north of Old Dad Canyon, I do a map and GPS check
- The old road leads me to a nice lookoff point from where I plot my next steps
- From a distance, I thought the rock in the foreground might be a natural arch, but the hole doesn't penetrate completely
- I climb up the hill to get a view of the next unnamed canyon
- Here I am out in the middle of nowhere, and I find an old balloon stuck on a creosote bush
- A little further down the wash, I pass by the old truck again
- I lift up the hood to take a peek inside
- Just beyond the old truck, I stumble upon (and not into) an abandoned mine shaft; it looks like it might be quite deep
- Getting closer back to the mouth of Old Dad Canyon, I walk up the hillside, following a grown-in former road
- A few of the bones look dark and perhaps a bit moist, as if the last remaining meat was plucked off them just a few days ago
- Up the steep rock hillside above Old Dad Canyon are scattered numerous small caves
- This close-up focuses on the teeth and jaw
- Looking closer, I see that a small tuft of fur remains between the two horns
- I look around and notice a few bones scattered nearby
- Part of Old Dad Canyon ahead is now deeply shaded from the midday sun
- In the shaded area, I stumble upon an archeological feature
- I decide that what I really want is to hike back down Old Dad Canyon the way I came, and then hike a bit of Idora Mine Canyon
- I have to put my sweater on for the hike back down Old Dad Canyon
- Walking back down Old Dad Canyon
- Old Dad Canyon becomes a narrow, rocky drainage as I approach the top
- I spend a bit of time at the summit of Old Dad Canyon at 3250 feet, enjoying the views and the solitude
- One option is to continue ahead, down into the south end of Old Dad Canyon and climb up Old Dad Mountain on a known ascent route
- I could also try heading straight west from here up to the top of the Old Dad Mountain range
- Though dry as can be right now, the forces of water and erosion are clearly at work from time to time in Old Dad Canyon
- After the cabin area, Old Dad Canyon widens while it continues to rise
- I stumble across the remains of a very modest old cabin
- Just beyond the cabin rests an abandoned old truck
- Not much remains of the cabin in Old Dad Canyon except the floor and roof
- About 1.25 miles up the fan, the road enters Old Dad Canyon
- Barrel cacti grow in the rocks at the entrance to Old Dad Canyon
- Great views from the entrance to Old Dad Canyon back down to flat (and usually dry) Soda Lake in the distance
- I walk around the bend into Old Dad Canyon and can no longer see back down to the valley floor below
- After a 3/4 mile walk down Old Kelso Road, I turn left at the junction to head up the fan and into Old Dad Canyon
- After two cups of hot coffee and some breakfast, it's time to dig the first cat hole of the trip
- Shortly after 9h, an unusually early hour for me, I'm hiking south on Old Kelso Road toward Old Dad Mountain
- Footprints on Old Kelso Road, Devil's Playground, Mojave National Preserve
- Early morning on the east side of Mojave National Preserve's Devil's Playground, with Cowhole Mountain in the background
- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Baker to Devil's Playground campsite
- Bicycle route from Baker to Devil's Playground campsite northwest of Old Dad Mountain
- Devil's Playground sunset completed, the tent is set up for the next two days
- It's a chilly evening already, and I'm boiling water for tonight's add-water-to-bag meal
- I ride a little further south on Old Kelso Road in the red light of sunset and stop before reaching the next dry wash
- The brilliant pink Mojave Desert sunset is reflecting in the clouds to the east of me
- This Devil's Playground campsite is perfect near Old Kelso Road, with pointy Cowhole Mountain in the background
- Old Kelso Road along the east side of Devil's Playground gets mixed reviews for bikepacking
- Sundown approaches early at this time of year; in 30 minutes it will be almost dark
- A Wilderness marker blocks errant tire tracks on the approach to Old Dad Mountain on Old Kelso Road
- A group of dirt (motor)bikers catch up to me on a sandy stretch of the old Mojave Road and they stop for a chat
- After 5 miles of dirt road and Mojave Road, I take an energy-bar break at the junction of the Old Kelso Road
- Off in the distance, down toward Soda Lake, I can see dust plumes from the dirt bikers that passed me a while ago
- Near 17-Mile Point (the big hill at left) are a few stretches of old pavement that haven't yet returned to nature
- At 17-Mile Point, my road meets up with the old Mojave Road
- Looking back at the hill called 17-Mile Point as I pass by
- I notice a berm of sorts along part of the 17-Mile Point Road, so I climb up it to shoot a photo of the area
- Further inspection shows that the berm is indeed not natural
- From "10-mile bend" on Kelbaker Road, I can see the dust from four-wheel-drive vehicles travelling the old Mojave Road
- About 1.75 miles past "10-mile bend," I turn right at the blink-and-you-miss-it dirt road to 17-Mile Point
- I haven't been down this road before; I'm ready to ride down to 17-Mile Point (the near hill at left)
- A sign on Kelbaker Road alerts me to watch for tortoises
- It's a long, mostly straight, 10 miles from Baker to the hills ahead of me, where Kelbaker Road turns sharply to the right
- I take a short break and sit in the middle of Kelbaker Road for a few minutes to assert my sovereignty over the road
- I'm getting close to "10-mile bend" on Kelbaker Road, where the road turns sharply right after the little dip ahead
- I take a break at Kelbaker Road's "10-mile bend," entering the hills of Mojave National Preserve, sweating lightly
- Across the road from the Big Boy restaurant sits the sprawling Mad Greek, where I had supper last night
- All packed up, I finally leave Baker and ride over the I-15 freeway and enter Mojave National Preserve in the brilliant sunshine
- The Mojave National Preserve entrance sign just outside Baker is my first stop
- About a mile into Mojave National Preserve, I pass a sandy unpaved road (Old Kelso Road) that goes where I'm going today
- I pause to stare toward today's destination: the Old Dad Mountain area on the east side of Devil's Playground
- Morning in Baker, CA after filling up on needed calories from the breakfast buffet at the Big Boy restaurant
- Inside my room at Baker's Wills Fargo Motel last night, the 10-ton bike still waits patiently for today
- The 10-ton bike waits at the Amtrak bus stop at the San José train station
- Map of Mojave National Preserve bicycle and hiking routes
- Bicycle route profile: Button Mountain to Baker via Aiken Mine and Lava Tube, Mojave National Preserve (Day 16)
- Bicycle route: Button Mountain to Baker via Aiken Mine and Lava Tube, Mojave National Preserve (Day 16)
- The last 10-15 miles into Baker on Kelbaker Road are always the most pensive on my bicycle-camping trips
- I roll into Baker and grab a room at the Wills Fargo Motel again
- The morning after my night at the Wills Fargo Motel, I wait at Baker's Amtrak bus stop for a bus to officially end my trip
- I begin the enjoyable 20-mile ride down Kelbaker Road to Baker, and stop taking photos because my camera has run out of memory
- The slight downhill on Aiken Mine Road is just enough that I can ride easily
- I often find myself riding in the furthest-left tire track on the road to avoid the bumpy washboard surface
- Close to Kelbaker Road, I make one last stop along Aiken Mine Road to check out Tank Six
- After a final mile and a half of washboard on Aiken Mine Road, I reach Kelbaker Road's pavement
- Another view with light pouring into the main room at the Lava Tube, Mojave National Preserve
- Another ray of sunshine on the floor of the Lava Tube, thanks to a hole in the ceiling
- Here's the low section that you have to crawl under to get in and out of the main room at the Lava Tube
- At its shallowest point, the crawl-under inside the Lava Tube is only a few feet high
- The Lava Tube was a fun visit; I climb back up the ladder and walk down the trail to the road where I left the 10-ton bike
- Aiken Mine Road winds around a couple of cinder cones on its way down to Kelbaker Road from the Lava Tube
- A recently installed sturdy metal ladder leads down into the Lava Tube
- Bright sunshine at the bottom of the Lava Tube ladder
- A beam of warm desert light shines down through the ceiling into the main room at the Lava Tube
- The Lava Tube Trail leaves the rough road and becomes a short footpath in a Wilderness area (no mechanized vehicles allowed)
- The road winds around another cinder-rock hill and I watch for a trail on my right leading to the Lava Tube, a known landmark
- I reach another fork in the road and follow the lesser right fork, hoping to locate the trail to the Lava Tube
- The short side road ends at a T-intersection at a dry cistern and corral (Tank Five)
- Hmmm... I've done a 360 over several miles and am now heading up a hill back toward Aiken Mine, does this make any sense?
- Patience pays off: after a few hundred feet, I arrive at a camping pull-out and a tiny sign indicating "Lava Tube Trail
- The first couple hundred feet of the Lava Tube Trail is actually on rough road that is open to motor vehicles
- I walk back down the hill from the Aiken Mine equipment to examine a rock wall on the flats
- On the ground by the Aiken Mine rock wall lies an old roof truss
- I return to the 10-ton bike and ride southwest across the red earth away to exit the Aiken Mine area
- My exit from Aiken Mine is official when I cross a cattleguard and begin heading downhill
- During the first mile from Aiken MIne Road toward Kelbaker Road (southwest), the road drops about 300 feet
- In little time, I'm well below Aiken Mine, which is up in the red hills above me here
- Behind the Aiken Mine weigh station, with Clark Mountain in the distance, rest the remains of two mobile homes