Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Mojave National Preserve Mountain-Bike Camping and Hike / Day 2: Eight-mile day hike from campsite on middle fork Globe Mine Road to Tough Nut Mine via Good Hope Mine and back 58
I won't see any people today. Perched on a hill at 4100 feet in the shadow of the Providence Mountains, about 4 miles from my campsite at 3000 feet, the old Tough Nut Mine sits in a Wilderness area and can thus be reached only by foot or horse.
I fumble cross-country over hills and into washes and eventually find the old grown-in road leading to Tough Nut Mine. However, I only have enough time to visit the lower mine ruins when I get there.
The round-trip hike will take a little more than six hours. Distance is estimated at eight miles, but is probably longer than that because of constant zigzagging to avoid often-spiky plants while hiking cross-country.
Unfortunately, some of today's photos are overexposed due to a camera-setting error.
- Making coffee outside my tent near the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
My first morning of the trip waking up outside in the Mojave Desert. Nice. Silent. Perfect weather: sunny, dry and low 70s perhaps. I'm happy to sleep in late of course, which isn't always possible in the desert in the morning. After all, this is my spring vacation. The morning sun is heating up the tent, but there's just enough wind pushing slightly cool air through the open screens to make it comfortable inside. I haven't seen anyone since leaving the pavement of Kelso-Cima Road yesterday afternoon. That's what I was hoping for. - A bluish-grey moth with subtle peach trim visits my cup while coffee is steeping
This is my first trip using the filterless MSR "mugmate" to make coffee, which works like a big tea bag (the coffee steeps). I'm happy to report that it makes great coffee. I brought a pound of Peet's French roast coffee freshly ground for press pot, which makes my saddlebags smell good. Some small wasp-like insects, as well as a couple of yellow jackets, were also attracted to the vapour of my boiling water and steeping coffee. Other than that, there are very few flies here, perhaps because it's a bit windy this morning. I eat a typical camp breakfast, which is, in addition to two cups of strong black coffee, granola, tamari almonds, dried cherries, dried apricots and some dried rambutan that I'm trying for the first time. - Red cactus flower buds near my tent
I've seen quite a few cactus flowers already on this trip, but these tight red buds have a glossiness that makes them look like plastic. I'm stopping to see if maybe they are just some kind of foreign matter that got stuck to the plant. - Paper-bag bush (aka salazaria mexicana, bladder sage) growing near my tent
A lot of bees are buzzing around the flowers on this neato twiggy bush with almost no leaves. A tiny hummingbird flew up to it as well, but didn't linger, perhaps unable to get any nectar from the flowers. Apparently the bark of this plant is photosynthetic. - It's 13h and I finally get started on today's hike to Tough Nut Mine
My first stop will be the mine remains just ahead at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road (that black box at the bottom of the hill on the right). I walk cross-country instead of up the wash and stumble upon the old road. Hmmm, I thought the wash I came in on last night was the old road. How did I miss this road yesterday? My backpack contains an assortment of the usual items that I carry: two epipens (adrenalin syringes in case of yellow jacket sting), three Clif bars, bag of dried apricots, 1.5-litre bottle of water (in addition to my full two-litre Camelbak), spare empty 1.5-litre water bottle, water filter, flashlight, batteries and sweater). Most of my photos from this mine site are from a second visit here tomorrow. Many of my photos taken today turn out to be overexposed and unusable due to an incorrect camera setting that I haven't noticed yet. - Just before arriving at the mine sits a concrete platform on the side of the road
Some brick remains here appear to be used as a fire ring by campers. I see some recent tire tracks here in the dirt road, but no sign of anyone on this quiet Thursday afternoon. - Approaching the Good Hope Mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
This final stretch of road is really eroded and grown-in, but is clearly still used occasionally, as evidenced by the recent tire tracks in the sandy dry stream that crosses the road. A web site that I found claims that the name of this mine is the Good Hope Mine, but it is unnamed on all of my maps. - I look down at the remains of a structure up at the mine site
I'm also looking for my tent down there in the low area a half-mile from here, but don't see it. - A collapsed structure at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
This must have made a lot of noise when it fell over. - Boulder with heavy-duty wire tied around it
The wire leads down into the adjacent mine shaft in the next photo. Hmmm... - A shaft at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
I'm not getting too close to this one. That big wire running out of the hole connects to the boulder in the previous photo. - Another mine shaft sits nearby
Again, I don't get too close to this one. Many white buckwheat flowers are growing here. I still can't see my tent, but it's down there on the fan somewhere. - Tailings from the mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
Creamy-colored, these piles look like a miniature version of the natural environment at Golden Canyon in Death Valley. - Old concrete foundations for something
This concrete doesn't look as old as some of the ruins in this area. I have not come across any information yet on the years of operation of this mine. - This shaft at the mine site has concrete walls
I'm guessing, due to the poured concrete walls, that this shaft might have been bored later than the other holes in the ground here. - Can dump at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
Several old can dumps dot this area, so it seems to have been inhabited for a while. - Close-up of a few cans at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
The can with the key reminds me of some kind of canned-meat product, while the can at the right reminds me of the tins of evaporated milk that my grandmother used to use. - Federal law prohibits sale
This intact bottle states "Federal law prohibits sale" and "half pint." What might have been in this that can't be sold? - Bluish turquoise glass
I'm noticing a number of broken glass pieces of this colour around this site. - I see what looks like an old road up on the hill above, which is not on my maps
Back to my overexposed photos. I'm finished exploring the Good Hope Mine site, though I could linger much longer, so I'll walk down the gulley and up over that hill as part of my hike from here to Tough Nut Mine. - The old remnant of a road ends here on the crest of the hill at a small mine shaft; I continue walking cross-country
I continue hiking past the end of the road, down into the next wash, then up the next low ridge. I could have chosen a slightly longer, but easier, route that skirts the base of the hills down on the fan, but I like these little ups and downs. I still don't see my tent down there; it must be hidden by some bushes. - From the top of the next low ridge, I look for an easy descent down to the next wash
The Providence Mountains sit behind me and Tough Nut Mine is somewhere between here and there: closer to there. - I walk a quarter mile up the wash, looking for signs of the old road to Tough Nut Mine
The old road should be here somewhere, perhaps just beyond the big hill just ahead. - A pair of butterflies are having a great time in these sage blossoms
Several of these sages (probably salvia dorrii) are blooming profusely in this wash. - I stop at this small side wash and get out my map and compass to see if this might be the old road to Tough Nut Mine: wrong!
I know the old road is probably so eroded that it won't be recognizable as a road. Things aren't adding up... After a few minutes, I realize that I need to be in the next big wash south, not this one. Therefore, this side wash is definitely not the road to Tough Nut Mine! I use this small side wash as a route over the hill to reach the next wash, where I'm supposed to be. - I climb over the next hill and recognize my location as the end of the south fork of Globe Mine Road
At least I know where I am now, but after hiking for a bit over an hour, I was expecting to find that I'm half a mile east of here, beyond the end of this road. - After hiking 20 minutes up the big wash, I'm again getting that feeling that I may have missed the road to Tough Nut Mine
I leave the wash behind and am on my way hiking cross-country up an adjacent hill to get a better view of the area (looking behind me now). - It was a good decision to climb to this crest; I can now see part of the road to Tough Nut Mine in the distance on my left
According to my map, the low area ahead on my right should reveal the vestiges of an old road that connects to the road to Tough Nut Mine. I'll walk down that way and see if I can locate it. - Down at the bottom of the hill live many happy yuccas, some blooming, and spiky cholla cacti
Hiking cross-country through this area traces a very curvy line due to the constant need to edge past and between patches of yuccas and chollas. So far, I've managed not to get stabbed. - After climbing a gap between hills where the old connector road should be, I've ended up above the road to Tough Nut Mine
Yes, that is a pine tree in the desert. I didn't spot any tracks of the old connector road, but I know I'm in the right place, albeit higher up the hill than envisaged. From here, I'll be heading off to my right, up the eastward stretch of the road that rises to Tough Nut Mine (not visible here). My orienteering skills definitely need some practice, and practice is what I'm getting today. It's fun! - I hike up the old road to Tough Nut Mine, which hasn't been used by vehicles in many years and is slowly returning to nature
The road was cut out of the hillside, so it rises quite gently. The old stone support walls that prevent the road from washing out are still in fairly good shape. I check the area around the pine tree here to see if there is any sign of spring water. Nope. I've brought my water filter and empty bottle on today's hike just in case. - There aren't many pine trees up here, so it's odd to see that some of them burned recently
I'm guessing that this damage might be part of the 2005 "Hackberry Complex" fires that burned some of Mojave National Preserve. - It's a bit past 17h when I finally arrive at the Tough Nut Mine ruins
My meandering through the desert during the past four hours has been fun, but now that I'm here, I don't have as much time to explore as I'd like. I'll limit my visit here to 20 minutes in order to get back to camp before sunset. - Overview of the Tough Nut Mine area, Mojave National Preserve
There's a fair amount of debris scattered around here to entertain those of us who like looking at such stuff. - An open tunnel at the Tough Nut Mine
I think I'll get a little closer to see what's inside. - Entering the Tough Nut Mine tunnel
The entrance appears to be made of some kind of poured concrete, which leads to the excavated tunnel into the earth inside. I wonder if that drum of acetone still contains acetone... I don't continue any further into the tunnel than this, as alluring as it may be. - Another view of the Tough Nut Mine site
The road enters this area through a slot that was blasted through the hill just behind the debris pile here. You'll see a photo of the slot on the way out. - Perched up on this hill, the Tough Nut Mine site offers many great views, including this one to the northeast
The flat green area at the upper right between the two hills is the main wash that I hiked up and which leads back to the south fork of Globe Mine Road. - The outhouse here at Tough Nut Mine is a concrete structure
This is more substantial than usual for an old outhouse building. - Apparently, Tough Nut Mine was truly luxurious, with two toilets in the outhouse rather than just one
Culturally speaking, we're not used to two toilets in the same room unless significant partitions have been built between them, so this is an interesting arrangement here. - Not far from the outhouse at Tough Nut Mine rest some rocks and a tiny wooden cross to mark a grave site
I don't see anything indicating the name of the person buried here. I wonder if history has been lost and perhaps nobody knows. - It's 17h20, so I leave Tough Nut Mine and begin the hike back to camp, passing through the slot excavated into the hillside
I really wish I had enough time to continue just 1/2 mile further up the road to Tough Nut Spring to see possible water and anything else that might be there. But alas, time has run out. I'm carrying a flashlight in my backpack in case I need it, but I really don't like hiking after dark in an area that I don't know, especially when there's no moonlight. - These blue flowers are abundant wherever rock support walls exist along the old roadbed
These are probably the same kind of phacelia flowers that I saw earlier. - I continue my descent down the old road from Tough Nut Mine
The old road heads in a downhill direction and is just visible enough that it can be easily followed, so I'm able to hike at a good speed along here. - Reddish-pinkish-orange Indian paintbrush decorates the old roadbed here and there
The color of this plant always seems so intense in this largely green, brown and grey high-desert landscape. - The old road that has been serving as an excellent trail so far drops into a narrow wash and disappears
My map shows the old road as being in this wash from this point downward. It will be easy to just follow the wash downstream, but there's no sign of any road existing here today. I'm always wary of snakes when hiking in tall grass like this. - In this narrow wash, I stumble across some old installations: a waterless cistern and a water tank, probably also dry
I wasn't expecting all this, so I get out my maps and notice that a well is also indicated at this location, which I hadn't seen while planning this trip due to the faint ink. - Close-up of the old water tank and the painted-on names of its owners
"Providence Mill Site, Joe and Al Pauley, P.O. Box 54, Mojave, California" - I find the well that is marked on my map
Flies floating in the well water cast a brackish appearance on the scene, but the water otherwise looks fairly clear. A few yellow jackets are buzzing around, catching the escaping vapour above. This water would probably be fine to use if I really needed more, but the intake hose on my water filter isn't quite long enough to reach the water. I chicken out and leave the water for the flies. The frame of the well appears to be built of old railroad ties. - I take one last look at the old corral and water tank and continue my hike down the narrow wash back toward camp
The rocky Providence Mountains sit in the background and the road to Tough Nut Mine, which I just hiked down, is visible cutting across the hill in the background. - At the bottom of the narrow wash, I rejoin the wide wash that will lead back to the south fork of Globe Mine Road
I look back toward the Providence Mountains and the Tough Nut Mine area up on the hill one last time before heading downstream back toward camp. - After hiking down the wash for 1/2 hour, I exit the Wilderness boundary and start walking down the south fork of Globe Mine Road
Motor vehicles may drive up to these posts, but not beyond. - I walk down the fan on the south fork of Globe Mine Road, enjoying the sun behind the Marl Mountains
The open space here on the fan is a nice contrast to the hills and washes where I've spent the afternoon. - I walk down the shortcut road that I followed last night and arrive again at the junction of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
This time I'll walk up the old road in the middle of the photo, which I missed last night, instead of in the wash to the left. Judging by the tire tracks heading up the wash, I'm not the only one who mistook the wash for the road. - Sunset, my favourite time of day, on the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, approaching my campsite
These orange moments at the beginning and end of the day are always special for desert lovers. - There's my tent, I'm back home and ready to settle in for the evening
It has been a long and enjoyable day in the desert, out hiking for a bit over six hours. I consumed all of the 3.5 litres of water that I brought with me and could have drank more (maybe I should have tried to filter some water out of that old well after all). I also ate three Clif bars. After dark, I make another instant hiker meal, which is Backpacker's Pantry Thai Satay Beef. I hadn't tried this one before, so I'm skeptical about the little pouches of salted peanut butter (I usually only like unsalted) that need to be mixed separately with the spices. It makes a very flavourful rice-based meal that is a bit heavier in the saddlebags and more expensive than many others. As soon as the sun goes down, the temperature drops a bit and within an hour it's time to put on a sweater. The beautiful silence is occasionally decorated by gusts of wind forcing my tent to flap its wings, or the rumble of a train labouring up Kelso-Cima Road three miles down the hill. Late in the evening, it can't be warmer than 60 degrees, and the moon rises. I step outside in the silence under the influence of a few swigs of brandy to ponder it for a few minutes before going to bed. Bliss. - Tough Nut Mine hike route as viewed in Google Earth (8 miles)
- Mojave National Preserve map, Day 2: Globe Mine Road campsite to Tough Nut Mine day hike (8 miles)