Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Spring: Mojave National Preserve / Day 15: Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, Mojave National Preserve via Aiken Mine Road 49
Today's goal is to ride part of Aiken Mine Road and camp somewhere west of Cima Dome. Aiken Mine Road has been on my to-ride list for years, but I never managed to fit it in.
This wasn't part of my original trip plan, so I didn't study the road well before the trip. I also considered riding the freeway from Valley Wells to Baker, but decide against it in favor of one final night of peace before going back to San José.
22 bicycle miles, parts of it walked, from 4875 feet at Pachalka Spring down to 3400 feet, up to 4235 feet, then down to 4150 feet.
In addition to refreshments purchased at the Valley Wells store, I drink four liters of water.
- I'm up early, around 5h30 (practically unheard of for me), to slowly pack up and leave Pachalka Spring today
It was chilly overnight (mid 40s), but I slept well and am glad that I brought long underwear. I'm wearing a sweater and long pants this morning as I refill my water bottles and Camelbak. I have about 8 litres left. - One last look at the Pachalka Spring campsite at about 4875 feet before dismantling the tent
Breakfast is the usual: granola, tamari almonds, dried fruit (pineaple, pear, sour plum and peach), tea and electrolyte-replacer drink. - OK, everything out of the tent! (including those big rocks inside that keep it from blowing away)
Packing up goes well. I wish I had enough time to spend a fourth night here. However, I have an Amtrak bus to catch in Baker the morning after tomorrow and I want to ride Aiken Mine Road on the way back, which will be best enjoyed in two segments. - The 10-ton bike is all packed up; after a few final sips of water, I'm ready to head down Pachalka Spring Road
I'm leaving the Pachalka Spring area via the slightly longer north road, whereas I arrived here via the south road. - I find myself walking the bike on parts of the first mile down the north side of Pachalka Spring Road because it's so rough
This first mile, with its 400-foot elevation drop, was part of yesterday's hike, but I didn't realize how rough the road is because I was walking without a bicycle for baggage. On the parts of this hill that I do ride down, I keep the brakes on and travel very slowly, so as not to rattle the 10-ton bike too much. I don't want to break my bike rack again like I did last year while on Ivanpah Road! - At the bottom of the hill (about 4500 feet), Pachalka Spring Road turns left at the Wilderness barriers and heads down the wash
On yesterday's hike, I walked straight ahead past the Wilderness barriers and up an old trail into the north side of the Clark Mountain Range. Today I turn left and head down the wash. - The next mile in the unnamed wash is really scenic as it winds downward between low rocky hills
Pachalka Spring Road loses another 400 feet of elevation during this mile. It's rather sandy, so I can't ride too quickly, but at least I'm riding again. - Pachalka Spring Road drops down a hill at the bottom of the small wash canyon
Views open up as I coast down the hill onto the fan below. - As I exit the mini-canyon on the way down Pachalka Spring Road, I stop to take a photo back toward the Clark Mountain Range
It's a bit steeper coming down this north road, so I'm glad I chose the south road for my climb up to Pachalka Spring a few days ago. - The two-mile ride across the fan on Pachalka Spring Road is pleasant, with good views of the distant Kingston Range
Elevation drops 400 feet more during these two miles. Kingston Range was originally on my list as a possible destination during this trip, but plans always change and I didn't make it that far. - Still on Pachalka Spring Road, but getting close to the pavement of Excelsior Mine Road, I stop for a Clif-bar break
I got up too early today and my energy is already low! Even though I've been heading in a downhill direction, I've used plenty of energy walking the 10-ton bike, so this is not one of those effortless downhills that a bicyclist experiences on paved roads. - Close to the bottom of the northern road to Pachalka Spring, I stop to take a final look back toward the Clark Mountain Range
I should reach the pavement of Excelsior Mine Road in a few minutes, although I'm not seeing it just yet. Gee, I've dropped down almost 1500 feet over five miles. - I reach Excelsior Mine Road and pull over after a short distance to check out a water tank and cistern near the road
I'm always interested in potential water sources, but the facilities here are dry, as I presumed they might be. The Kingston Range is still in the background. - I haven't seen pavement in a few days, so the six miles on asphalt from Pachalka Spring Road to Valley Wells is a smooth change
This stretch of reddish asphalt in Shadow Valley is ever-so-slightly uphill, rising 350 feet over six miles. I'm facing a strong south headwind, typical for the area, but it's still not as slow as walking the 10-ton bike down a rocky road! - Two miles before reaching Valley Wells, the paved road curves away from a dirt road leading off to my right
The dirt road appears to be a leftover alignment of Excelsior Mine Road from when the paved road was re-rerouted to join the Cima Road crossing of Interstate 15. It probably doesn't get much use these days. - A power-line access road and a petroleum pipeline cross Excelsior Mine Road just north of the Cima Road exit on Interstate 15
Numerous signs are posted along here with messages such as "Call before you dig." A car passes by. - Coyote melon growing along the side of Excelsior Mine Road
It's sporting a couple of blossoms and a couple of young fruits, apparently inedible to humans. - Closer to I-15, a fence along Excelsior Mine Road traps a lot of windblown garbage from freeway drivers
The Mojave Desert isn't always pretty. Prevailing winds from the south push trash from freeway drivers across the land until it reaches this fence. - Excelsior Mine Road rises up a short hill to cross a bridge over the I-15 freeway
Excelsior Mine Road becomes Cima Road on the other side of the freeway. Kessler Peak, near which I camped a few nights ago, is the outcrop in the distance. The gentle curve on the horizon at the right is Cima Dome. - Standing on the Cima Road bridge, I look west down Interstate 15, the source of the garbage trapped on the fence I just passed
I've never ridden any of the I-15 freeway, and considered doing part of it on this trip. However a bike trip across Aiken Mine Road, which I've also never gotten around to doing, is much more compelling and will be more peaceful, though slower. - I ride down the bridge over I-15 and take a long break at the busy (it's Saturday) Valley Wells gas station store
The woman at the store remembers me and asks if I was here the other day. A worker outside also recognizes me and asks if I live in the area now. I chat with a Danish cyclist and his wife who have stopped here for a gas fill-up for their rental car. He's not cycling today, but he normally rides about as many miles as I do. He comments on how bicyclist-unfriendly California is compared to his native Denmark, where bicycles are apparently not seen as inferior to motorized vehicles. I add to my water stash and buy two more gallons of water to get me to Baker tomorrow afternoon. I also drink two cans of Coke for the caffeine rush and two bags of El Sombroso salsa chips: a bit spicy, but not cloyingly salty like most corn chips. I also buy two bottles of Newcastle brown ale, like I did when I stopped at this store on the way to Pachalka Spring, to consume at camp later today. I deposit in a waste bin the garbage that I packed out from Pachalka Spring. - After my break at the Valley Wells store, I'm recharged and begin my way up Aiken Mine Road
I pass one of those small "Entering Mojave National Preserve" signs near the start of Aiken Mine Road. I've wanted to ride up this road for years, but never fit it into my previous trips. The road begins with a hard-packed sandy surface. - Aiken Mine Road has suddenly become quite sandy, so I walk the 10-ton bike along this part of the road
There may be a lot of unridable, slippery sand like this ahead of me, but this might be just an isolated segment. I don't know yet, but I've allowed myself plenty of time this afternoon in case I end up hiking the bike a lot. - I stop briefly to take in the views of the Clark Mountain Range behind me, where I camped the last three nights
A few raindrops fall. The sand on this part of Aiken Mine Road is just a thin layer on a packed surface, so the road is easy to ride here, with fat tires at least. - Aiken Mine Road was getting better for a while, but I've reached more deep sand
That's OK, I just get off the bike and hike it until road conditions improve. The pattern continues: stretches of road that I can't ride due to deep sand, followed by road that I can ride because the sand is just a thin layer on a hard-packed surface. - Four miles up the sandy Aiken Mine Road from the Valley Wells store, I reach the abandoned settlement at Rock Tank
I get off the 10-ton bike and go for a short walk to explore what's here at Rock Tank. I'm curious about the dirt mound in the middle of the photo which, I discover, protects a dugout that was probably used for food storage. - Buildings at Rock Tank, Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
The doorway in the concrete wall leads into the dugout. - A closer view of the dugout reveals that its front wall is not concrete after all, but built of timbers covered in stucco
The structure of the dugout leading into the mound is also built of wood. A ventilation chimney pokes up through the ceiling of the dugout and through the earth mound. - Inside the dirt-floor Rock Tank dugout, sturdy old shelves remain
The ceiling and walls inside the dugout are covered in some kind of plaster. A bit of light coming in from the ventilation chimney is visible at the rear of the dugout. - A relatively modern two-unit building sits at Rock Tank
Perhaps these modest lodgings were used by former ranch employees here. - The two studio apartments here at Rock Tank had carpeted floors and small closets
Fairly luxurious accomodations compared to some of the more crude dwellings that one finds in the Mojave Desert... - The cistern at Rock Tank has two layers: a brick inner layer and a stone outer layer
The brick layer was likely constructed at a later date when the old stone walls began to leak (not much mortar is left between the stones). Of course, the windmill was made by the Aermotor company, like most of the old windmills I've seen out here. - After exploring a bit of the Rock Tank area, I get back on the 10-ton bike and ride further up Aiken Mine Road
I'm happy whenever surface sand subsides and I find myself on a well-graded, easy-to-ride stretch of this slightly uphill road, like here. - Of course, there are many more sandy sections ahead on Aiken Mine Road, such as at this intersection
There are several criss-crossing roads in this area, so I get out my maps and decide to follow the track to my right, which will go past the Cow Cove area. I'm thinking that I might camp somewhere around there tonight. - There's just a bit too much sand on this stretch of Aiken Mine Road for me to ride the bike
A few more raindrops fall. I can almost get enough traction to ride in the tire tracks in the middle of the road, but not quite. - I pop out from under the dark clouds to bright sunshine and a smoother part of Aiken Mine Road, so I'm back on the bike
Valley Wells is no longer visible in the distance, even though I'm only 200 feet or so above it, but I can still see the Clark Mountains rising behind me. - Aiken Mine Road continues to rise at about a 1% grade, with the Cow Cove area to the right and Button Mountain straight ahead
I might do a short hike over to the Cow Cove rock-art area tomorrow before heading back to Baker, but I'm open to change. - Further up Aiken Mine Road I reach the old road to the Cow Cove rock-art area, now a hiking trail closed to mechanized travel
There's a pull-out here where I could set up camp for the night, but it's right by the road and isn't all that appealing. I continue up Aiken Mine Road to see if I can find a better campsite. I haven't seen anybody else on Aiken Mine Road yet today, but the area does receive regular visitation and this is the weekend, when more visitation is likely. - Two miles past the Cow Cove turnout, I pass a second trail to Cow Cove, then a mile later, I spot this road to Button Mountain
The little-used road to Button Mountain looks promising for finding a secluded spot, but I decide to continue on the main road in case there's an obvious nice campsite in the area that I haven't stumbled upon yet. - At the high point of Aiken Mine Road, I still haven't chosen a place where I'd like to camp my last night of this Mojave trip
I've hit another sandy patch, but since there's no more uphill, it's easy. I don't mind walking the 10-ton bike when I have to because I'm enjoying just being here. - Volcanic ash is scattered around here and I can see the cinder cones that I'm used to seeing when riding up Kelbaker Road
I've never been on this "back" (north) side of the cinder cones below Cima Dome before. This is a new area for me and I want to spend tonight up here, somewhere. Startled birds in the joshua trees flutter away when I pass. - Not wanting to descend any further toward the cinder cones, I make a sharp left on a second road to Button Mountain
I pull over and dismantle my rig when I finally locate a decent-sized clearing in the brush that will make a good campsite, not too close to the main road. - My campsite near Button Mountain is a perfectly sized clearing between two joshua trees
After dismantling the bike on the side of the road, I carry my saddlebags and the bike, separately, 100 feet to my chosen campsite. Footprints leading off the side of the road are enough, I don't need to leave tire tracks as well. - Cool winds set in and I put on my sweater and take a lot of photos around sunset with its red-orange glow
I slowly sip on those two bottles of Newcastle ale that I bought at the Valley Wells store earlier today, whose temperature is now somewhere between warm and cool. - With the Button Mountain road 100 feet from my tent, I watch a nice sunset through the joshua trees toward the Cow Cove area
The joshua tree forest here is not as dense as higher up on Cima Dome, but is plenty scenic. I'm surprised by the lack of insects here tonight; they usually make their presence known at sunset. - Red-yellow light is cast across the lower western flank of Cima Dome at sunset near Button Mountain, Mojave National Preserve
All those dark clouds earlier in the day seem to have dissipated or blown away. The quiet is intense; even though I saw many birds on the way here, I'm not hearing many. - The sun goes down, the moon rises, and everything is perfect tonight near Button Mountain, Mojave National Preserve
There's not a soul around but me. On this last of 15 nights of camping in Mojave National Preserve, I'll dine on my last two small pouches of add-boiling-water-to-bag Mountain House Beef Stew, my favourite of the instant meals. I haven't seen a car since leaving Valley Wells earlier this afternoon. Loud winds occasionally pass overhead, but only touch down once in a while. It's probably quite windy over at Pachalka Spring tonight. Several times during the evening, I step outside to walk around a little and enjoy the shadows cast by the bright moonlight. I read more of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire before going to sleep. - Bicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)
22 bicycle miles, from 4875 feet at Pachalka Spring down to 3400 feet, up to 4235 feet, then down to 4150 feet. Average speed only 5.3 miles per hour! - Profile of bicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)
22 bicycle miles, from 4875 feet at Pachalka Spring down to 3400 feet, up to 4235 feet, then down to 4150 feet. Average speed only 5.3 miles per hour!