Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2012: Mojave National Preserve bicycle-camping and hiking, Lanfair Valley loop / Day 3: To the Lost Campsite in Lanfair Valley from Slaughterhouse Spring, via Hart Mine Road 50
Despite traveling on some well-used roads (by Mojave National Preserve standards), I won't see any other people. I take a wrong turn near Hart and end up camping in a remote spot in Lanfair Valley. 19.4 bicycle miles and about 1200 feet of elevation gain.
- Another morning at Slaughterhouse Spring; nice!
I've decided to pack up this morning and ride toward the Piute Range area. We'll see how far I get with these short autumn days and my love of procrastinating and packing up slowly. Despite low energy, I'm inspired after yesterday's hike! - I walk down to the wash for my morning toilet run and notice the tracks of an old road no longer used
I'm surprised that I didn't notice this while walking around here yesterday morning. (A jet flies by overhead.) - A big sage is sprouting some fresh-looking growth
Smells great; probably Salvia dorrii. - I've had breakfast, done my toilet run and lazed around a bit: now it's time to pack up the tent and move on
Breakfast was the usual granola, tamari almonds, dried apricots, vitamin C drink and two cups of instant Starbucks coffee (much better than regular instant coffee). - Packing up done! I ride the 3/4 down the bumpy hill to Ivanpah Road
I've left camp before 11h; that's pretty good for me! It's always nice to start with a downhill, however brief, but it's so bumpy that I don't accumulate any speed on the way down. - I arrive at Ivanpah Road and turn right to head up into the New York Mountains
Compared to the worn and battered track I've been riding, Ivanpah Road looks like a very modern engineered road. - There's that threatening sign again on Ivanpah Road: Rough Road, Next 23 Miles
Indeed, my overloaded rear rack snapped on the stretch ahead several years ago. That taught me to not overload it (the sign didn't help me though)! However, this road isn't so bad compared to the rougher back roads in much of Mojave National Preserve. - I ride a short distance up Ivanpah Road and turn back to take in the great view across Ivanpah Valley behind me
While hiking and biking, never forget to stop and take a look behind you! The tall peaks over in the distance are in the Clark Mountain Range, also part of Mojave National Preserve. An old structure from the former Goldome Mine sits in the middleground. - I pass the old stone foundation of something near Ivanpah Road
Those are the Bathtub Spring Peaks in the background, where I hiked in May 2011. - Riding up Ivanpah Road, Mojave National Preserve
I'll turn off soon to stop at Bathtub Spring to filter some water. This part of the road is a bit more level, and easier to ride. This is good because my energy is still not as high as I would like this morning! - I ride a short distance up the road to Bathtub Spring, stash the 10-ton bike in some bushes and hike up to the spring
Bathtub Spring is just 0.5 miles up the road, a nice short hike. It was getting dark when I hiked here yesterday after sunset. - On the way to Bathtub Spring I pass several small, colourful butterflies
I see these from time to time out here, but wasn't expecting to see butterflies on this autumn trip. - Before Bathtub Spring Road rises up to the old Ivanpah railway grade, I notice a drainage tunnel under the old track bed
I walk over to check it out. - I'm surpised that this drainage tunnel is in such good condition
...then it occurs to me that the tunnel has likely been maintained here because the important access road to Bathtub Spring passes over it. Most other parts of the old railway grade are apparently being allowed to return to nature. - Close-up of the tunnel under the old railway grade
Some nice stone work here! I'm guessing that most of the stone work is original, despite the apparent recent restoration work. - I arrive at Bathtub Spring, Mojave National Preserve and proceed to filter about two gallons of water
There are a lot of bees buzzing around today, which weren't here when I filtered water here at sunset yesterday. I'm not allergic to bees, so I don't mind, and luckily there are no yellowjacket wasps here, to which I am allergic. - After filling up on water, I hike the 1/2 mile back to the 10-ton bike and resume today's journey toward the Piute Range
The days are short at this time of year; I don't know how far I'll get. A jet flies by in the sky. - Back on Ivanpah Road, I'm at about 4600 feet elevation, almost at my high point for the day
I remember riding this stretch of the road at sunset, trying to ignore heat exhaustion, during last May's trip. But it's scenic under all circumstances. - Ivanpah Road passes through a blasted slot through the rocky landscape
This segment is part of the original Ivanpah railway bed, later converted to be part of today's "modern" road. Most of the old railway bed in the area is unmaintained and is being allowed to deteriorate naturally. - As I approach the old settlement of Barnwell, I'm compelled to stop and look at the old private automobile graveyard there
... history, but it's on private property. - At 4800 feet elevation on Ivanpah Road, my high point of the day, I'll turn left on Hart Mine Road at Barnwell, 100 feet ahead
I always enjoy the views of the New York Mountains from this area. They look blue today in the autumn shadows, rather than their usual green. - I take a peek at one of the old houses at Barnwell while riding by, as I like to do
The property sports a new gate! - Parts of Hart Mine Road have a tendency to get a bit washed out
Hence the "Road Not Maintained" sign here. - This sign explains why Hart Mine Road is sometimes in rough condition
"Road subject to flash floods." - Open range on Hart Mine Road
No cows here today however. I believe the this area was part of the old OX Ranch, whose ranging allotment here has been retired. - I ride toward a defunct windmill and water tank on Hart Mine Road
- This part of Hart Mine Road follows an old railway grade that dates back to the old mining days
Views of the Castle Mountains and Hart Peak open up. - I like riding this straight stretch of Hart Mine Road and gaining a tiny bit of speed
I manage to reach 10 mph along here, which is pretty fast for today! Much of this road is just rough enough that I've had to take it slowly, even on the non-uphill stretches. - I stop for a Vietnamese-deer-jerky break in the Joshua tree forest along Hart Mine Rd
In a few minutes, I'll be leaving this old railway grade that I like so much, to ride over to the Hart Mine area. - At this point, I'm now outside the Mojave National Preserve boundaries, and will be for most of the rest of the day
I pass a couple of BLM (Bureau of Land Management) signs that one doesn't see inside national parks, such as Mojave National Preserve. NN144 refers to the network of BLM-inventoried and -numbered routes that are open to vehicle travel. - I pass Waterwell Farm, which appears to be a defunct modern water reservoir
I'm guessing this was used to store water for the nearby and recently closed Castle Mountain Mine (Viceroy Mine). - As I approach the Castle Mountains, the choice of possible routes to follow increases
I opt for the left fork in the road here because one route I have mapped through the Castle Mountains passes through the gap between the hills at centre-left. - It's funny to run into a stop sign in the middle of nowhere near the old Hart Mine
I haven't seen any other traffic today, but all the tire tracks around show that people do come here fairly often. - I come across another old reservoir along Hart Mine Road
This one appears to be of slightly older vintage than the Waterwell Farms reservoir I just passed. - Corral remnants along Hart Mine Road
Due to roughness and a bit of a loose surface on this road, I've been riding along here mostly at a slow 6-9 miles per hour. - I stop at another junction near Hart to decide how I want to proceed
I'm tempted to camp somewhere around here and check out the remains of the old Hart Mine nearby. But I also want to continue through or around the Castle Mountains toward the Piute Range and, ultimately, Piute Spting. - Before continuing, I look back to the New York Mountains, the area where I spent the last two nights, some 15 miles away
I decide to continue toward the Piute Range, as much as I'd like to explore the old Hart Mine nearby. I don't want to get sidetracked and perhaps not make it to Piute Spring on this trip. - I decide to try this fairly well-maintained road as a route around the Castle Mountains, even though it's not on my map
The original route I mapped out passes over rough old trails, so this might be easier (unless it doesn't go where I want it to go!) - The road narrows and I find myself riding along a chain-link fence
I believe there is more mining land beyond the fence. - I've decided to call this The Lost Road, since I'm not exactly sure where it's leading me
The Lost Road is now heading toward the Castle Mountains, as hoped, but it's deteriorating significantly. - I'm not able to ride this faded road any longer, and the tire tracks I was seeing here have all but disappeared
I walk around a little and try to decide whether to follow this fading road, or follow a set of equally faded tire tracks nearby. - Contemplating my route here on The Lost Road...
I decide that following the tire tracks through the creosote-bush scrub might be easier than pushing the 10-ton bike up the hill to my left. This is one of those moments where it's best to just go with the flow. - The 10-ton bike follows the tire tracks through the creosote bush scrub
To my surprise, the ground is often firm enough here that I can ride on the tire tracks. I was expecting to need to hike the 10-ton bike. - The tire tracks are really faint in some places and hard to follow, like here
Perhaps the beautiful sunset glow is distracting me as well... - I arrive at a dried-up cattle pond, just before sunset
So peaceful and beautiful here, but I do need to decide where to go from here. It will be dark soon and it's so much easier to navigate by daylight. - The dried-up cattle pond at sunset is a nice place to get some thinking done
I spend a few minutes at the dried-up cattle pond pondering my next moves. I notice a nearby former road on my GPS that will lead me to a real road less than a mile away, so I go looking for it. It's not all that easy to find. - I locate The Lost Road by the dry cattle pond and start riding it
The Lost Road here hasn't been used in a very long time, so it's quite grown in. However, I do manage to ride some of it. A voyage of discovery! - The 10-ton bike pushes ahead on The Lost Road, with significant GPS assistance
The Lost Road is so grown-in on some stretches that I would never be able to follow it without my GPS (I can't always tell when I'm on it!) - The Lost Road takes me into a wash briefly, with many tire tracks, before I return to the faded trail and find a campsite
It's after dark when I set up camp. My unplanned campsite is on a slight mound, and I immediately notice that this corner of Lanfair Valley accumulates cool air; it's a chilly evening. But so quiet way out here. And so dark too, except for a bit of moonlight.<br><br> I have the mouse problem again tonight, with a small critter scratching at my tent floor, perhaps trying to get in.<br><br> Supper is Mountain House Chicken and Rice, really good, and I'm hungry enough now that it's the first backpacker meal on this trip that I've fully enjoyed so far. I'm not overly exhausted today, but my legs are a little tired.<br><br> My upper body is a bit tired from the extra water I've been carrying on my back to avoid loading it on my front rack. I spend a lot of time this evening just thinking, and occasionally stepping outside to look at the stars.<br><br> An amazing bright-yellow moon just before moonset makes it feel like headlights from some unknown vehicle are shining on my tent. Startling! I've been hearing owls cooing off and on all evening, and fall asleep before midnight. - Elevation gain of bicycle ride to Lost Camp, Lanfair Valley, from Slaughterhouse Spring
19.4 slow bicycle miles and about 1200 feet of elevation gain. - 19.4 slow bicycle miles and about 1200 feet of elevation gain.