197303 DesertMagazine 1973 March

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D e s e r t M a g a z i n e B o o k S h o pTHE NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS by Edmund C.Jaeger. A long-t ime authority on all phases ofdesert areas and l ife, Dr. Jaeger's book on theNorth Ameican Deserts should be carried where-ever you travel. I t not only describes each of theindividual desert areas, but has i l lustrated sec-t ions on desert insects, repti les, birds, mammalsand plants. 315 pages, i l lustrated photographs,l ine drawings and maps. Hardcover. $5.95.OVERLAND STAGE TO CALIFORNIA AND THEPONY EXPRESS by Frank A. Roof. A f i rs t -handaccount of a mail agent who l ived and foughtwith the men who sett led the West throughtheir efforts to establish communication acrossthe wilderness during the 1800"s. First publish-ed in 1901 and just republished. Heavy stockand hardcover, original art ist i l lustrat ions, two1800 maps, 645 pages, this is a book forhistory buf fs, $15.00.GHOST TOWNS OF THE NORTHWEST by NormanD. Weis. The ghost-town country of the Pacif icNorthwest inc lud ing t r ips to many l i t t le -knownareas, is explored in this f irst-hand factual andinteresting book. Excellent photography. Bestbook to date on ghost towns of the Northwest.Maps. Hardcover, heavy slick paper, 319 pages.$6 .95 .

LOWER CALIFORNIA GUIDE BOOK by Gerhardand Gulick. The authors have revised the thirdedit ion to bring it up to date. Veteran travelersin Baja California would not venture south ofthe border without this authoritat ive volume. Itcombines the fascinating history of every loca-t i on , whether it be a town, mission or aban-doned ranch, with detailed mileage maps an~llocations of gasoline supplies, water and otherneeded information on BTJO. 243 pages withthree-color folded map, 16 detailed route maps,4 city maps, 22 i l lustrat ions. Hardcover $6.50.MAPS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA from the LowerCalifornia Guidebook by Gehard and Gulick.Slightly smaller than those in the book but con-venient to carry in glove compartment. $1 whenpurchased with the book; $1.50 when purchasedseparately.TRAVEL GUIDE TO UTAH by the Editors ofSunset Books. Like their other guide books, thisis a concise, factual, i l lustrated and w e l l -mapped gu ide to Utah. Anyone p lanning avacation or tour through the Beehive State shouldhave this along. Large 8x11 format, heavypaperback, 80 pages, $1.95.GHOST TOWNS OF ARIZONA by James andBarbara Sherman. I f you are looking for aghost town in Ar izona th is is your waybi l l .I l lust ra ted, maps, township , range, cor-ord i -nates, history, and other details make this oneof the best ghost town books ever published.Large 9x11 format, heavy paperback, 208pages, $3.95.

GOLD RUSH COUNTRY by the Editors of SunsetBooks. A revised and up-dated practical guideto California's Mother Lode country. Dividedinto geographical areas for easy weekendtr ips, the 8x11 heavy paperback new edit ionis profusely i l lustrated with photos and maps.Special features and anecdotes of historical apdpresent day activit ies. 4-color cover 96 pages.$1 .95 .

1200 BOTTLES PRICED by John C. Tibbitts. Up -dated edition of one of the best of the bottlebooks. $4.95.SOUTHWEST INDIAN CRAFT ARTS by Clara LeeTanner. One of the best books on the subject,covering all phases of the culture of the In-dians of the Southwest. Authentic in every way.Color and black and white i l lustrat ions, l ine-drawings. Hardcover, 205 pages. $15.00.TERRIBLE TRAIL: the Meek C utoff, 1845 by Clarkand Til ler. Narrates the tragic tale of the Meekemigrant train and lays the groundwork for asolution to the Blue Bucket lost go ld . $4 .00 .WESTERN CAMPSITE DIRECTORY by the Editorsof Sunset Books. Just published, this book l istsmore than 5000 private and public camp-ground s in the 1 1 western states and BritishColumbia and Western Alberta , inc lud ing hun-dreds of new campsites to care for the everincreasing amount of people taking to the openroad. Just right for planning a vacation. Largeformat, sl ick paperback, i l lustrated, 128 pages,$1 .95 .UNCLE SAM'S CAMELS, edited by Lewis BurtLesley, This book is the actual jo urna l of M ayHumphreys Stacey, a young man who was partof the "camel corps" under leadership of Lt.Edward Beale. First published in 1929 this isa fascinating account of attempts by the U.S.government to import camels from Asia to pro-vide transportation across the deserts of theSouthwest. Stacey later became a colonel inthe U.S. Army. A good descript ion of how thecamels were purchased; and Beale's report tothe Secretary of War. Hardcover, 298 pages,$8 .00 .GUIDEBOOK TO THE COLORADO DESERT OFCALIFORNIA by Choral Pepper. Editor of Des-ert Magazine for six years, the author has usedher research knowledge and f irst-hand exper-iences to compile this detailed and infomativeguide to the Colorado Desert. Trips also includehistorical background. Slick paperback, i l lustrat-ed , 128 pages, $1.95.

Send check or money order toDesert Magazine Book ShopP .O. Box 1318

Palm Desert, California 92260Calif, residents add 5% sales tax.

GUIDE FOR INSULATOR COLLECTORS by JohnC. Tibbitts. This is the third and f inal book oninsulators by veteran bottle collector John Tib-bitts. This third book has a revised price listand index to insulators described in the pre-vious two volumes. However, each volume de-scribes insulators not shown in the other books,so for a complete roundup of all insulators, allthree volumes are needed. Books are paper-back, averaging 120 pages, i l lustrated withart ists draw ings , $3 .00 EACH. WHEN ORDER-ING BE SURE TO STATE VOLUME NUMBER: ONE,TWO or THREE.SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA by the Editors of Sun-set Books. An il lustrated guide to Southern Cali-f o rn ia , this is another in Sunset Books series. Itpresents in capsule form most of the interestingplaces to visit in the Southland. Heavy paper-back , 8 x 1 1 fo rma t , 128 pages , $1 .95 .THE CALIFORNIA DESERTS by Edmund C. Jaeger.Revised 4th edit ion is standard guide to Mohaveand Colorado deserts with new chapters ondesert conservation and aborigines. Hardcover.$4 .95 .

LOST MINES AND HIDDEN TREASURES by LelandLovelace. Authoritat ive and exact accounts givelocations and fascinating data about a lost lakeof gold in California, buried Aztec ingots inArizona, kegs of coins, and all sorts of excitingbooty for treasure seekers. Hardcover, $4.95.LOST MINES OF DEATH VALLEY by HaroldWeight. This is a new approach to the enigmaof Death Valley Scotty's l i fe and legends andgives addit ional insight into the Lost Gunsightand Breyfogle bonanzas, plus other Death Valleymysteries. Paperback, historic photographs, refer-ence material, 86 pages $2.50.TRAVEL GUIDES TO BAJA CALIFORNIA by Kenand Caroline Bates. Published the Editors ofSunset Books, this is a useful book on Baja andshould be a companion piece to Gerhard andGulick's Lower California Handbook and Clif fCross's Baja by Road, Airplane and Boat. TheBates' book takes the reader to the people withtext, photographs and maps. Anyone going toBaja should have all three books. Large 8x10format, heavy paperback, 80 pages, $1.95.ROAD MAP TO CALIFORNIA'S LOST MINES ANDBURIED TREASURES and ROADMAP TO CALIFOR-NIA'S PIONEER TOWNS, GHOST TOWNS ANDMINING CAMPS compiled by Varna Enterprises.Both roadmaps are 3 8 " by 2 5 " and scaled. Sou-thern California on one side and Northern Cali-fornia on the other. Both contain detailed loca-t ion of place names, many of which are not onregular maps. Treasure Map is $4.00 and GhostTown Map is $2.95. When ordering, be certainto state which map, or both.


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WILLIAM KNYVETT, PUBLISHER-EDITORGEORGE BRAGA, Art DirectorM A RY F RA N CE S S T RO N G , Field Trip EditorJACK PEPPER, Special Feature EditorE N I D C. H O W A R D , Utah Associate EditorG L E N N V A R G A S , Lapidary EditorK. L. B O Y N T O N , NaturalistM A RV E L BA RRE T T , Circulation Manager

Volume 36,Number 3 MARCH1973

CONTENTS

T H E C O V E R .This unusual photo of theRhinoceros beetle was shotin Arizona by EdCooper ofSeattle, Washington.

F E A T U R E S

A REFUGE FORMAN 8 Mary Frances StrongGARNETS FORGRABS! 12 Ken MarquissUTAH'S GHOST GOLD 1 6 George Thompson

VIOLENCE WITH DIGNITY 18 AlPearceCLASSIC PUEBLOS OF THESOUTHWEST 2 3 Enid Howard

DESERT CAMPING 26 Dick BloomquistETHYLANDME 32 Robert CroninLIVING FENCES 36 Phyllis Heald

D E P A R T M E N T S

PEEKINTHEPUBLISHER'S POKE 4 William KnyvettBOOK REVIEWS 5 BooksforDesert Readers

DESERT LIFE 37 Hans BaerwaldRAMBLING ONROCKS 3 8 GlennandMartha Vargas

NOTES FROMTHEFIELD 42 Information for ReadersLETTERS TO THEEDITOR 43 Readers' Comments

CALENDAR OFWESTERN EVENTS 43 Club Activities

EDITORIAL, C I R C U L A T I O N ANDADVERTISING OFFICES: 74 -109 La r rea St., Palm Desert, California 92260. Telephone Area Code714 346-8144. Listed in Standard Rate and Data . SUB SCR IPT IO N RATES: United States , Canada and Mexico; 1 year, $5.00; 2 years,$9.50; 3 years $13.00. Other foreign subscribers add $1.00 U.S. currency for each year. SeeSubscription Order Form in this issue. Allowfive weeks for change of address and send both new and old addresses with zip codes . DESERT Magazine is published monthly. Secondclass postage paid at Palm Desert. California and at additional mailing offices under Act of March 3, 1879.Contents copyrighted 1973by DESERT Magazine and permission to reproduce any or all contents must be secured in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts and photo-graphs WILL NOT BE RETURNED unless accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelope.


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"

y o i m .. m e t a ll o c a t o ro b s o l e t e !

PRECISION'S MARKSMAKES IT SO;Now Precision gives you the better locotorto do the jobs demanded by today'ssophisticated prospector and treasureunterHeres whyit's better. T r u e t o n el o u d s p e a k e r . S e n s i t i v ei n d i c a t i n g m e t e r . 7 " s e a r c hl o o p . B a t t e r yt e s t e r . G r o u n dc o n t r o l . T - R c i r c u i t .

M e t a l - M i n e r a lc o n t r o l . T e l e s c o p i n gs h a f t . S p a c e a g eh e a d p h o n e s V e r n i e rt u n i n g . 2 y e a rg u a r a n t e e .N e w u l tr a s c on w a t e r p r o o f s e a r c h l o o p w i t h up to4 - t i m e s as m u c h c o v e r a g e as o t h e r T - R ' s . Com-p l e t e w i t h P r e ci sio n s g e o - b a l a n c e c o n t r o l , fo r w o r k -in g in h i g h l y m i n e r a l iz e d g r o u n d , s a l t w a t e r , wetg r a s s , e t c .

Order n o w. . . o r sendf o r morei n f o r m a t i o n .

G e n e r a l E l e c t r o n i c D e t e c t i o n C o .1 6 2 3 8 L a k e w o o d B o u l e v a r dB E L L F L O W E R , C A L I F O R N I A 9 0 7 0 6

A P e e ki n t h eP u b l i s h e r ' sP o k e

TH IS M O N T H ' S cover is a startling de-parture from our usual scenic shotsof beautiful areas in the Southwest. Atthe same time, we should not lose sightof the fact that this region is inhabitedby a myriad of animal life and it is myfeeling that we should be aware of allof the beauty that is the Southwest. Thebeetle on the cover is one of the largestin America, growing to a length of 21/2inches and roams the southland fromArizona east. That fact will undoubtedlymake a lot of Californians happy. Otherreaders will be cheered by the fact thatonly the male has this ferocious appearance which is responsible for him being namedthe Rhinoceros Beetle. They are basically scavengers, with the grubs feeding on rottingwood, especially tree roots, although they occasionally invade healthy plants. Aswe here at the Magazine are staunch advocates of anti-litter, it is encouraging to knowthat Rhino is on our side.A walk in the desert sunshinewith good friends, a rare opportun-ity to observe some botanical oddi-ties, breathtaking views of some ofCalifornia's most unusual sceneryall these and more await those whojoin the Anza-Borrego Committeefor its Third Annual W alk forDesert Gardens, at 11:00 a.m. onMarch 18. This year the walk willbe held in the elephant trees area togive garden club members and thepublic a chance to view first-handsome areas where their donations areat work.A committee of the Desert Pro-tective Council, the Anza-BorregoCommittee was formed by a volun-teer group to buy up the pockets ofprivate land isolated inside theboundaries when the park was estab-lished in 1933. The five-year-oldcommittee has been responsible for acquiring and deeding to the state over two square

miles of these "inholdings". To finance the campaign, the committee accepts dona-tions and designates areas as Desert Gardenstwo acres of choice land. Contributionsare made in any amount, and those of $55 or more are acknowledged with a certificate.Those participating in the Walk should wear comfortable shoes for the shortwalk from the parking area to the elephant trees. Bring your own sack lunches anddrinking water; shutter-bugs will certainly want their cameras. A tour of the ElephantTrees Area will be led by park personnel. To find the Walk for Desert Gardens,take Split Mountain Road south from Ocotillo Wells for about nine miles. Signs willdirect the visitors to the Elephant Trees Area.

IMPORTANT NOTICEIn the January issue of DESERTMagazine an article entitled"The Lure of Camp Rock Road"by Lyle E. Fourtner, directed thereadership to an area that isprivate property and permissionto use this property is expresslyforbidden by the owners, Flying-M-Associates. All pictures por-trayed in the layout are on twosections belonging to the abovenamed company. DESERT apol-ogizes to the owners, Mr. andM r s . Don Mulligan and hopesthe readers will respect theirinalienable right t o post theirproperty!


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B o o k R e v i e w sAl l books reviewed areavai lab le throughDesert Magazine Book Shop

GUIDEBOOK 10 THEUIDEBOOKT O TH EFEATHER RIVERC O U N T R YByJim Martin

Another western travel book fromWard Ritchie Press tobetter acquaint vis-itors with this colorful andhistorical partof California.Discovery of gold on theMiddle Forkof the Feather River in 1848attractedan avalanche ofargonauts. Today the areaabounds with outdoor recreation enthus-iasts who are eager to sample its offer-ings from gold panning, fishing, boating,hiking to ice angling. This isa"must"

book for anyone contemplating atripto Feather River country.Slick paperback, illustrated, 128 pages,

$1.95.TH EG O L DHEXByKen Marquiss M

T H EH E X

An avid lost mine hunter, whose workshave appeared in Desert for many years,Ken has compiled 20 ofhis treasure huntsin book form. From gold panning tohard-rock, from gold dredging to electronicmetal detecting, he hasdone it all.Through the hardships and frustrationsthat were hiscompanions onmost of hissearches, the reader will get the feelingthat here is a man who truly has enjoyeda lifetime of "doing histhing."Ken's failure to hit the"jackpot" doesnot mean that he is treasureless, for hereveals to all in the "hindward": "Thepervading peace of night fires beneathbrittle stars, the constant rock formation

DIAMOND DRILL POINTSGood drill points are necessary with any drillpress. Two styles are listed below. The solid style hasa drilling point composed of aspecial alloy and dia-mond bort. This type of drill isdelicate and needs carein itsuse. However, with care, thesolid type is muchlonger lived andwill drill more holes perdollar. Thehollow core style drill has a hollow steel tipwhich is ,coated with diamonds by a special p-ocess. This style ^ ,-i*se- tMpT Idrill, drills very fast and is less delicate and can be 1B"*""mm4~W^V^ '^1 Bo-used by thebeginner with good success. We do recom- M>l # l %t~ \% ^ * *mend this type drill for beginners and for extra fast J^PFT + {E J*IIdrilling in Opal, Obsidian, etc. ^*-


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WandiThe tours by the: Happy Wanderers con-tain excellent maps, mile age , historyof theareas, costs of gasoline consump-t ion, lodg ing meals, what to wear andthe best time of the year to make thetrips. A f am i l y canplan their trip anddetermine theexact amount of t ime andmoney required.Volume Number One covers 52 toursthroughout Cal i forn ia 's deserts, moun-tains, lakes and seashores. In VolumeNumber Two, Slim andHenrietta exploreArizona, Nevada and Old Mexico,, withthe areas rang ing from modern resortsto ghost towns.When order ing BESURE to state VolumeOne orVolume Two. Both books are largeformat , heavy paperback wi th 150pages.

$2.95 eachCalif , residents add 5% sales tax

on sale atDesert Magazine Book Shop

P A L M D E S E R T , C A L I FO R N I A 9 2 2 6 0

Fiesta! That's what owning aSanta Fetravel trailer means. N ever adull momentin the excitement of going places... andstaying in the roomy luxury ofaSanta Fe.Quality construction provides peace ofmind inthe knowledge that this isatraveltrailer bu ilt to last. Or ifit'samotorhomeyou have inmind, seeSanta Fe.Join thefiesta. You'll say, "OU."Write for literature and name ofyour nearest deaer.SANTA FE TRAILER CO., INC.OIV- CN= TRAVELEZE INDUSTRIES, INC.

8130 SanFernando RoadSun Valley. Caiifofnia 81352(213) 875-1408PhUo courtesy oi Bl P-Jcke Cafe. SanGabriel, Califlm

changes around each bend, thediscoveryof a hidden oasis in some deep canyon,the sudden glory of astormy sunrise andthe 'soul color' of spring cactus bloomsand occasional exposed crystalsall thesehave noprice tag."This book is unusual insofar as it isnot areview ofsearches by many persons

for lost mines, but thechronicle of asingle man's endeavors. W ritten in astyle asinteresting asthe manhimself.Slick paperback, well illustrated withphotos and maps, 146 pages, $5.00.

GEM MINERALSO F I D A H OByJohn A. Beckwith

Idaho conceals a dazzling mineralwealth, as yetuntouched by the gemhunt-er. This book contains information onthe physical and optical characteristicsof minerals, facts concerning the history,lore, and fashioning ofmany ofthe gems,and eleven varied andrewarding fieldtrips toevery sort of collecting area, ac-companied byguidelines for recoveringthe gems once you are there.Slick paperback, illustrated with maps

and photographs, 23 pages, $2.95.

M A P OFPIONEERTRAILSCompiledbyVarnaEnterprises

>P OFP I O S K B T R A I L S

Varna Enterprises, whopublish thepopular maps onlost mines and ghosttowns inCalifornia, have just released anew and fascinating large map on pioneertrails which were blazed from 1541through 1867throughout the western halfof the United States.Superimposed in red onthe black andwhite 1867 map the trails include theCoronado, Portola, Anza, Santa Fe, Ar-kansas Route, Comanche, Colonel John-son, Lt. Michler, Colonel Pope, OverlandMail Route, Pony Express, Captain Fre-mont, Hastings, Stansbury Route, MormonTrail, LosAngeles to Great Salt Lake

Route, Canby Trail, Macombs Routes,Simpson's Trail, Sawyer's Wagon Road,Cole, Conner, Mullins, NewEmigrantRoad, Landers Cutoff, Applegate, andothers.The large mapis37 by 45 inches, fold-ed, $4.00.

TH EBEAUTIFULS O U T H W E S TBy theEditorsofSunset Books

This is a pictorial presentation of thescenic and tourist attractions ofthe South-west. The brief text which describesthephotographs also relates the history of theareas covered.The editors have also attempted to com-pare the past with the present by showingmodern-day activities of cities such asPhoenix, El Paso, Albuquerque, Taos, andcommunities below theMexican border.

States covered include California, Ne-vada, Utah, Colorado, A rizona, New Mex-i c o , and West Texas. Major scenic areasinclude theGrand Canyon, MonumentValley, Canyonlands National Parkandthe Sonoran Desert. There are 240photo-graphs ofwhich 47 are four-color scenes.Large format, 223pages, hardcover,slick paper, $10.95.

I N D I A NSILVERWORKO F THES O U T H W E S T ,ILLUSTRATED,V O L U M E IByHarry P.Mera

An illustrated analysis ofIndian Silver-work including bridles, bracelets, con-chas, earrings and necklaces.Each category of silverwork is intro-duced with a brief history. Excellentphotos accompany the descriptive text andmake iteasy toidentify the various meth-ods and styles ofworkmanship.Hardback, profusely illustrated, 122page, $4.50.

All books reviewed are forsale at theDesert Magazine Book Shop. Californiaresidents must add 5% state sales tax.


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EXPLORINGCALIFORNIA BYWAYS Iii . n

EXPLORINGCALIFORNIA BYWAYSI I Inand

EXPLORINGCALIFORNIA BYWAYSIII : . . EXPLORINGCALIFORNIA BYWAYSI V

EXPLORINGCALIFORNIA BYWAYSV I

- V v

GUIDEBOOK TO THESAN BERNARDINOMO U N TAIN S OFCALIFORNIA

GUIDEBOOK TO THEMOJAVE DESERT OFCALIFORNIA

fiuo 1

TRAVEL BOOKS ABOUT THEWEST . . . from

th e W A R 5 Ritchie paessTRIPS BY THE DAY OR THEWEEK.

ALL BOOKS CONTAIN ILLUSTRATIVE PHOTOS ANDMAPS.

EACH BOOK ONLY .

ORDER TODAY FROM

$1.95 POSTPAIDDesert Magazine Book Shop

Box 1318, Palm Desert, California 92260California residents please add 5% state sales tax.

EXPLORINGCALIFORNIA BYWAYSV

G U ID EBO O K TOTHE SAN JACINTOMO U N TAIN SSOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

E X P L O R I N G C A L I F O R N I A^ iimiiuumii

GUIDEBOOK TO THECOLORADO DESERTOF CALIFORNIA

GUIDEBOOK TO THESOUTHERNSIERRA NEVADA.

GUIDEBOOK TO THESAN GABRIELMOUNTAINS OFCALIFORNIA

G U I D E B O O K TO THEF E A T HER RIVERC O U N T R Y

NATURE AND THECAMPER I


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byMaryFrancesStrong

EVERY WEEKEND, more and more peo-ple take to the road in an at tempt toescape the pressures of daily urban liv-ing. They seek short-t ime refuges in thepeace and quiet of mountain and desertback-country. A few days spent in anatural setting will soon calm taut nervesand bring tranquili ty to the spirit.

A l i t t le-known San Bernardino Coun-ty recreational site, the Mojave NarrowsRegional Park, offers a kinship wi th na-ture and will more than provide "refresh-men t for the inner man." Located in highdesert country, four miles southeast ofVictorvil le, California, the park is lessthan a two-hour drive from the heavilypopulated Los Angeles Basin.

Mojave Narrows Park is being devel-oped to provide recreational activities yetpreserve the natural environment alongth e old flood plains of the Mojave River.It is an unusual desert sett ing of smal llakes, marshy sloughs and grassy mead-ows, which are a result of the river 's con-finement by its Upper Nar rows .

Here , the river has cut a deep, narrowchannel through solid granite. Geological-ly, this is not a common procedure whensofter alluvium is readily available. En-counter ing bedrock, a river will usuallychange its course and follow the route ofleast resistance It is assumed that duringthe initial period of channel cutt ing, al-luvium completely covered the spurs ofthe granite hills W he n bedrock was en-


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countered, the river was able to gradually-cut through the granite and form thepresent canyon.During the periods of heavy snow andrain at the river's headquarters, great vol-umes of sand, gravel and boulders arecarried along its course. Watching theMojave during a flood stage (as in 1969)you can almost hear the "scouring action"

as the water rushes through the Narrows.Literally, you can see and hear a riverat work.Mojave Narrows Park offers a varietyof things to do besides the importantones of resting and relaxing. A large pic-nic area lies along the eastern bank ofHorseshoe Lake. Tables and grills offerfacilities for simple or lavish meals. Achildren's play area provides two unusualactivitiesa 10-foot log swing and ahuge stump to climb. Rowboats, pedal-

boats and canoes may be rented. Privateboats are not allowed, nor is swimmingpermitted at the present time.Fishing from the banks is reportedlyexcellent in the early morning and lateafternoon hours. There is a limit of fivefish. N o fee is charged but a C alifornialicense is required. Catfish, bass and blue-gill may be caught the year 'round. Troutare available only is December and Janu-ary.An interesting side-trip may be taken

to the Mojave River Fish Hatchery, a mileeast of the park. The hatchery covers 18March, 1973

Above left: Horseshoe Lake in the Mojave NarrowsPark provides a tranquill setting for man and wildlife.Above right: It is easy to make new friends. A large groupof resident ducks and geese have learned to "panhand le"treats from park visitors. Opposite pag e: Good fishingthe year around, lures the young, as well as long-timeenthusiasts. Below: Fu n for the kidsan unusual log swing.


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acres and has 40 ponds which annuallyproduce a million Rainbow trout. Theyare used to stock 70 streams and lakes infive Southern California counties. For anickel, a dispenser will supply visitorswith a handful of trout feed. They are ahungry lot and will quickly "boil" tothe surface after food.A 45-unit campground is under con-struction along the western banks ofHorseshoe Lake. Plan s include tables,grills, restrooms and water; but hookupswill not be available. Overnight campingis currently allowed for $2.00 per night.Picknicking is 50ii per car,Two nature trails give access to a pro-tected wildlife area along the MojaveRiver. While not yet "signed," the trailsoffer a chance to see numerous birds andanimals in their native habitat. AudubonSociety members frequent the park forbird-sightings and photography.

Bicycling is a popu lar pastime and the reare several trails to enjoy. Motorcycle andtrailbike riding is not permitted withinpark boundaries except on the main road

to and from the campground A workingranch occupies land east of the picnicgrounds. Visitors are welcome to tourthe area and see the animals.

Modern-day campers and outdoor en-thusiasts are only the latest in a longseries of visitors who have found theNarrows a welcome refuge. Petroglyphsand artifacts found indicate prehistoricIndians regularly visited the region. Awell-established Indian trail crossed theMojave Desert from the Colorado River,north of present-day Needles, to the coast-al plain. It followed the Mojave River'scourse from the southern end of SodaLake, passed through the Narrows andclimbed over Cajon Pass to San Bernar-dino Valley. It is believed to have been inuse since prehistoric time.When Padre Francisco Garces traveledover the Indian trail in 1776, becomingthe first white man to cross the Great Mo-jave Desert, he found it was regularlybeing used by the Mohave Indians ontrading trips to the San Gabriel Mission.Jedediah Smith, famed scout, stopped at

Borstow

s^ Upper^v 1


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The cam pground is under constructionand will eventually have 45 units withtables and grills. Camping is currentlyallowed at the site. Bicycling is one ofthe most popular pastimes in the park.

tolerable grass." Fremont's party remainedan extra day at the Narrows to allow theiranimals an opportunity to feed and rest.Fremont also observed that the trailshowed signs of h aving considerable travelover it. although little was known aboutthe actual route.March of 1851 ushered a historicmarch, beginning at Salt Lake City. Nearly500 Mormons embarked on a trip overthe Spanish Trail to found a colony inSan Bernardino Valley. After their epicjourney, travel on the trail began to in-crease.Indians were the only inhabitants inthe Narrows region at this time. Theywintered their stock on the abundant grassand ample water. This was to changewhen John Brown, Sr., homesteaded atthe Narrows in 1867 and established theVerde Ranchothe first major ranch in,the Mojave River Valley. A large ranchhouse was completed in 1870 and servedas a hotel and stopover for travelers alongthe Spanish Trail. Its 4,000 acres wereused primarily for the production of cattle,horses, and alfalfa.The precedent of the Mojave Narrowsas a refuge for weary travelers began inantiquity and continues today. The Mo-jave Narrows Regional Park occupies 800acres of the original Verde Rancho.Future plans for the Park include aswimming lake (which may be open by

March, 1915

summer '73), extensive nature trails, eve-ning programs and a model farm. Con-gratulations are in order for the fore-sightedness of San Bernardino County'sRegional Park system and its Board ofDirectors. They have seen the need forpeople to commune with nature and yetare well aware of the importance of pro-tecting the ecology of the given area.The Mojave Narrows Park allows vis-itors an opportunity to relax and enjoy adesert water-habitat, camp along the oldSpanish Trail and fry a freshly-caughttrout over an open grill. As it has beensince time immemorial, the Upper Nar-rows on the Mojave River is a refuge forman from the frantic pace of a hecticworld. Q

w i t hBOB ALLRED

DON SAUNDERSCHUCK PETTYJOHN

Truck Specialists

Trucks, CarsFleet and Leasing

Bob HicksChevrolet319 W. Holt Blvd.

Ontario, Calif. 91761(714)986-2081

A GUIDE TO TREASURE INCALIFORNIATom Penfield's projected "Treasure Guide Series" will coverall 50 states in just 17 volumesbut California (l ike Tex-as) possesses such a staggering number of buried and sunk-en treasures and lost mines that i t required an entire 160-page book to adequately cover this one state.

THE BIG ONE FOR WEST COASTTREASURE HUNTERS!

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luck,' wear a wide hat, sturdy boots, andwork clothes; and take along your rockpick, a folding, surplus, trenching shovel(or big garden t rowel) and a sturdy sift-ing screenone that is a little coarserthan window screen.

"Another real good spot to look forgarnets is out on Ruby Hill , and I'll markit site 'B' on the map for you. The searcharea on Ruby Hil l is a little smaller thanGarnet Hi l l , but the stones there are gen-erally larger when you find them. It willbe an all-day trip, so take a lunch. Likethe ones on Garne t Hill , the crystals herear e the spessari te (manganese-aluminum)variety.

"T o get to Ruby Hill , you take High-way 93 north out of Ely, past McGill ,until you come to the intersection of thesmall road that goes west to the W a r mSprings station on the Nevada Nor the rncontinued on page 36

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UTAH'SG h e s tGOLD

Do YOU believe in ghosts? How aboutghosts that hide go ld from mortals ?Some Mormons around the ghost town ofHolt in southern Utah do! Many there to-day still believe that nearly one hundredyears ago one of the Three Nephites, asort of Mormon ghost, kept a ledge ofgold hidden from all who have searchedfor it then or since.The little pioneer settlement namedHolt was established in 1874 on MeadowValley Creek, in the northwest corner of

Washington County. James Holt led asmall band of Mormon pioneers to Mea-dow Creek with high hopes of buildinga permanent farming community there,

but farms weren't part of nature's plan forthe Escalante Desert country.Drought or fanners at the settlement ofHamblin further upstream often causedMeadow Creek to run dry before it reach-ed Holt. And, just as disastrous asdroughts, were the years when the streamran bank-full with red silt-laden waterthat washed away homes and floodedhard-won farm land.A few old-timers still recall how theHolt family stayed on, even after their

neighbors moved to "greener pastures,"raising a few head of cattle in the ver-million-colored foothills which line thesouthern edge of the Escalante Desert.

by George ThompsonThe)- tell how one day James Holt wassearching for stray cattle in the foothillsbetween his nearly abandoned town andthe edge of the desert, a few miles to thenorth, when he came upon an out-crop-ping ledge of "pretty looking red rock."Holt picked up several pieces of the heavyrock, noting well the place where he hadfound it. Later, when a friend of his whohad been an assayer examined them, Holtlearned that the strange red rock washeavy with gold!

Now, Holt knew that it was against or-ders of his church leaders to seek fortreasures in the earth, for hadn't BrighamYoung himself said, "We cannot eat sil-

Rttim of theiron smelterat old Irontown,


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Historical markerat the ghost town

of Pinto,built from rock

used in the originalchurch house.

ver and gold, neither do we want to bringto our peaceful settlements a rough fron-tier population to violate the morals ofour youth, overwhelm us by numbers, anddrive us from our hard-earned homes. Theminerals and treasures of the earth arecarefully watched by angelic beings, thatjust as soon as the prospector's shoveltouches the edge of a precious deposit, thespirits whisk it away, while the deludedtreasure seeker is left with enough hope tosweat away the rest of his life in vain. Ifyou see mineral ore, cover it up!"But, despite the Mormon phophet'swarning against seeking precious metals,Holt determined to develop his find andwas preparing to take his sons to the gold-en ledge when he met the Nephite!

The supernatural Nephites are men-tioned in the Book of Mormon, accordingto which, after Christ's crucifixion Hevisited the New World and founded achurch among a race of fair-skinned peo-ple. Three of their number requested thegift granted John The Beloved, that theybe allowed to tarry on earth until His re-turn. Their wish was granted, and thuswas born the legend of the Three Ne-phites.

Strange stories are still told in Mormonhouseholds how one of the Nephites, al-ways an old man with long white hair andbeard, but with the blue eyes and unlinedface of a saint, would suddenly appear ata poor home and ask for food or lodging.Often they would appear at the home ofa widow, whose last cup of flour mustbe used to feed the stranger, or at thehome of a farmer whose meal sack wasMarch, 1973

nearly empty.Not everyone would welcome the unin-vited stranger, but those who did latertold wonderful stories of how after rest-ing, their strange guest would mysterious-ly disappear, leaving no tracks in the newfallen snow of winter, or the deep dustof summer, or how they would suddenlyvanish as they walked down a long openroad which had no turning. And alwaysthose who shared their meager store withthe strange old men would find that theirflour bin would never get empty, or thattheir sacks of meal were multiplied!

Holt later told that it was early morn-ing as he and his sons were preparing toleave for the place where he had foundthe golden ledge when the stranger ap-proached his door. He was an old manwith a white beard, dressed in clean butragged clothing, and riding an ancientlooking mule. The stranger asked forsomething to eat, and, although Holt wasanxious to leave, he invited the old maninto his home. The stranger was no soonerinside the house when, to Holt's amaze-ment, he said, "Forget what you havefound and that you ever saw it, or it willbe the ruin of both you and your family!"

Wondering at the old man's strangewarning, Holt stepped from the room tosee to the preparation of his breakfast,and althoug h he was gone for only a mo-ment, when he turned around not onlyhad the old man disappeared, but the mulewhich had been left in the yard outsidewas gone also. And not only was there notrace of either, but, to add to the mysterythere were no tracks of man or mule in

the deep dust of the roadway!Convinced that the mysterious strangerwas one of the Three Nephites of Mor-mon legend, Holt recalled BrighamYoung's admonition against seeking treas-ures, and never again went near the gold-en ledge, nor would he even discuss itwith his sons or family. His fabulous findwas known to all of the settlers in thearea, for he had not tried to keep it a se-cret, but none were ever able to locate it,although many searched through the rug-ged- red-colored foothills. The story of hisfind died slowly, for many had seen therich samples from the golden ledge.

Today, the site of old Holt can bereached by traveling west from Cedar Cityon Utah State 56 for 17 miles to where adirt road turns to the southwest. Fivemiles along this road brings the travelerto the ruins of old Irontown, a ghost dat-ing back to 1852.Six miles further is Pinto, a fascinatingold ghost town, where century-old Mor-

mon houses still stand. Six miles beyondPinto a poor dirt road goes to the right,climbing steeply over a rocky ridge on topof which is the old Hamblin cemetery. Itis four miles further to Holt, however,little remains to mark its site.So, if you should just happen to beghost-towning around the site of old Holton Washington County's Meadow ValleyCreek, keep a close watch for an outcrop-ping of "pretty red rock." But if youshould see an old white-haired man, rid-

ing a broken down old mule, don't stopto pick up any samples, for they say thatNephites live forever!


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ViolenceA desert gopher snake,preparing to feedon a curious deer mouse.Dignity

Daylight pho to of bobcat. O pposite page: Majestic desert bighorn sheep.

by Al Pearce

S UDDENLY, ALMOST as though a Signalhad sounded, life stopped. The desertiguana froze in its track; the small ante-lope ground squirrel plunged into itshole; the birds ceased chattering, and fora moment, all was still. Even the breezedied. Th e tiny leaves on desert plants hungmotionless. Quail stopped calling andhuddled together beneath a large mes-quite.

Only one thing moved. A huge red-tailhawk soared high above, caught by theair currents which carried it gracefullyover the desert. The hawk was hunting.Soon a careless lizard, or squirrel, orquail would forget caution for a momentand reveal its presence to the hawk over-head.

But the stillness, like an air-raid siren,was all most animals needed in the wayof warning. Not a creature moved. It waslike death.Moments earlier, the desert iguana hadbeen basking in the morning sun, tryingto absorb enough heat to get its cold-natured body in motion. The antelope

ground squirrel, commonly called desertchipmunk, had been nervously scurryingfrom plant to plant, gathering food it


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would store in its underground house forlater use. The birds, which were originallyhushed by the frantic stillness, now re-sumed their duties. They had no fear ofthe hungry red-tail hawk. Even as fast asthe great bird is, its huge wings, adaptedfor soaring, could not carry the hawk soswiftly as flashing wings carried the oriole,or the woodpecker.It's only the quail, or a dove that mustremain hidden as the hawk flies overheadwith eyes sharpened by a hungry stomach.Sometimes, unknow ingly however, th e dis-turbing of the silence by these smallerbirds, creates an air of false security.A young rabbit, only weeks old, saw thesmaller birds fly. The woodpecker re-sumed its rat-a-tat-tat quest for insects inthe slender stem of a nearby agave. Duringthose moments of hiding, its young mindwas torn between fear and the seemingly

plush bush nearby. It's gnawing stomachgnashed at the trigger in its brain and ithopped from its place of concealment andbounced the short distance towards amouthful of tender vegetation.The sharp-eyed hawka veteran hunt-ercaught the movement. He pulled hiswings against his body and aimed his headat the ground. Like a dive bomber, thegreat bird dropped from the sky. Twenty thirty forty miles per hour, heplunged. Then abruptly, only a few feet

above the rabbit, it spread its wings andcast a huge shadow over it's prey.The tender vegetation was forgotten.A scream of fear shattered the stillness.Even the birds stopped for a moment. Thescream was short-lived. The talons of thehawk closed over the young rabbit and itdied instantly as the experienced hawktightened its grip.And even as the rabbit died, a roadrun-ner was cautiously sneaking up behind asmall zebra tail lizard. Then, with skill

that comes from months of surviving onthe desert, the roadrunner made its attack.A short distance away, a gopher snakelunged at a small mouse that had beenhiding from the red-tail hawk. Nearby, asmall, funnel-shaped hole in the groundwas violently disturbed. An ant hadstrayed too close to its crumbling sidesand had slid to the bottom of the "funnel"where it was quickly attacked by an antlion, a small insect that makes its "living"by trapping ants in this fashion.And all this time, a violent sun waspounding upon the desert, scorching the

March, 1975

earth. Only the desert iguana begged formore. This rare lizard will withstand moreheat than any living animal. The hotter itgets, the better he likes it.It's another matter with most desertanimals, however. The blistering sun istoo much for them. They wait, holed upbeneath the ground; wait until the sunhas given up for the day and darkness

falls. When the sun fades, however, therules are unchanged; only the players aredifferent. Instead of the red-tail hawk, it'sthe coyote, or the bobcat, which stealthilycreeps across the desert.Only on the rarest occasions willthese two predators hunt the same range.Throughout the southwest desert regions,the bobcat confines its activities to the

higher desert. It prefers a Joshua treebackground, particularly where it backsup against boulder-covered mountains.As the hawk wings its way back to itscarefully concealed nest, the bobcat liftshimself from slumber, yawns and stretchesits powerful muscles. It may stretch andyawn many times before slowly emergingfrom its den. Unlike the coyote, the catwill perch before its "home" and gazedeliberately across the open country be-low. Its keen mind will take note of everymovement.Unseen by its prey, the rabbits, quails,and mice will scurry homeward, trying toget themselves quietly tucked away beforetotal darkness engulfs them. This is likewaving a menu before the eyes of a hun-


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gry tramp. A decision must be difficult.But the darkness falls, the decision mustbe made. The bobcat must eat if it is tosurvive on the harsh desert.Finally, when the sun completely fadesand the sky is sprinkled with stars, thebobcat drops slowly from its lofty hill-side. Sometimes it may go first to water;depending on how hot the day has been.Generally, how ever, it works its way grad-

ually sometimes taking as long as acouple of hourstowards where it hadobserved a smaller animal bed down forthe night.Unlike most cats, the bobcat generallystays close to home. Unless food has be-come scarce, the bobcat will rarely rangemore than a mile from its den. With someluck, the cat may catch a quail, its favoritefood; or maybe a rabbit which spent theday holed up in the shade and is nowseeking to fill its stomach. If food isbountiful, the bobcat will soon have hadits fill and, after drinking, will turn toits seemingly endless task of thorough-ly exploring its range, reestablishing itsboundaries and guaranteeing that no tres-passer is attempting to encroach upon hisland.

During these same hours of darkness,the coyote, too, is on the prowl. The coy-ote's behavior patterns' are entirely dif-ferent. It gets up, stretches, walks outsideits den and, after gazing around for acouple of minutes, begins its nightlyboundary check.El Coyote is more a creature of habitthan the bobcat. Usually traveling by pair,the male and female are ever cautious,

but can be seen day after day at the sameplace and generally at about the sametime. Working as a pair, the team are ex-cellent hunters. Sometimes the male, orthe female, will start digging at the frontdoor of a rat's home while the other waitspatiently at the back door for the occupantto attempt an escape.In other parts of the country, or dur-ing the winter months when it's cooler,coyotes are frequently seen during theday. When they are seen in broad day-light during the summer, it's probablybecause they are generally hungry, orthirsty. Survival for El Coyote can some-times be particularly difficult. This is oneof the desert's most fascinating animalsto watch. A male and female will gener-ally join together for life. They are excel-

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lent parents, considered best in the animalkingdom by many wildlife biologists.The coyote's distant cousin, the smalldesert kit fox, sometimes called a desertswift, also hunts at night. It's chief prey,is small rodents. But it will feed on quailand smaller rabbits. The swift is consid-ered rare and endangered. But it is sus-pected that its chief reason for being clas-sified thusly is because of its timid nature

which keeps it from being seen.Timid on one hand, but friendly to-wards man on the other. A group ofcampers once spotted the small animal atthe edge of their campfire. They fed it bitsof hamburger meat and within an hourit was snuggled against one of the camp-ers, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Forthe most part, however, the kit fox israrely seen. It comes out after dark and isusually back in hiding long before sunup.As the swift rambles home after a nightof feeding and playing, the most majesticof all animals begins to awaken. T he beau-tiful bighorn sheep slowly rises to its feetand peers cautiously over its steep moun-tainside home. Its eyes, the equivalent ofa pair of eight-power binoculars, are quickto pick up any movement.It may watch the night animals tumbleinto their homes before its gnawing stom-ach sends it forth in quest of food. Avegetarianthe biggest plant eater found

on the desertthe bighorn sheep prefersthe steep mountain sides and perilousrocky crags. Here, it can outmaneuver anyanimal easily; and is, thereby, safe fromthe carnivores which would like to feedon its tender flesh.There probably are more tales and half-truths involving these sheep than there areconcerning all the other desert animalscombined. The bighorns are tremendousanimals, often attaining weights of morethan 200 pounds; but despite this size, it

is rarely seen, therefore leading to storiesof mystery that began to generate whenman first spotted this magnificent animal.Once plentiful throughout the Califor-nia Desert, the bighorn sheep is now con-fined to small patches of land spotted hereand there throughout the mountain ranges.But even here he is gradually losingground as more and more land turns be-neath the developer's bulldozer.

Author on the side of a hill,photographing desert bighorn sheep.

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The habits of these animals are con-trolled by the availability of water. Whenthey arise early in the morning, they.browse slowly, but generally towards adesert waterhole. After cautiously aproach-ing the waterhole and drinking their fill,the sheep will find a shady place to liedown and pass away the hot mid-dayhours. But always cautious, even whileresting, sentries will be posted which arerelieved periodically.Life on the desert is often violent. Itgoes on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,even though many desert animals cannotsurvive that long. If it's not a water short-a g e , it's inadequate food, or a blisteringrun, or bigger, hungrier animals.

All life on the desert is constantly fight-ing for survival and the various, uniqueadaptations these animals have made tolive in a harsh land are both phenomenaland too little understood.The kangaroo rat, for example, neverdrinks water; the desert iguana has builtits body temperature so high that it canhardly move if the temperature is under100 degrees. Many animals burrow intothe earth and fill the hole behind themduring the hot daylight hours. Some liz-

Unusu al photo of chuckwalla lizard and antelope ground squirrel. Their proximityis puzzling, but not nearly so odd as the fact that both anim als are diurnal and thisphoto was taken with a n electronic flash camera after dark.ards turn loose of their tail when it's grab-bed by an enemy. The chuckwalla lizardcan wedge itself so tightly between rocksthat it can sometimes be pulled apart be-fore being dislodged.The animals, like the desert itself, area phenomena; sometimes seemingly inde-pendent, but actually an inherent part ofa delicate and fragile ecology.

It has often been repeated that a man'slove of the great outdoors can be judgedby the number of bobcats he has seen.Understanding desert wildlife, however,takes more than just a glimpse of a par-ticular animal; it requires a thing calledhuman dignity that generates an honestrespect for all living things and theirenvironment.

Fantastic Monum ent Valley trips!MONUMENT VALLEY IN WINTERTIME A t ota lly new HUNT'S MESAA bird's-eye view of Monum ent Valley.face of The Valley when snow mantles the brick-red M Y S T E R y V A L L E y _ P r e h j s t o r j c m j n s a n d a r c h e smonuments. Overlooked by many. HOSKININNI MESAAll day tour through Narrow Can-yon to rim overlook. Indian ruins, dinosaur tracks and]\Ionument Valley unusual rock formations.G o l d e n < & a n d s T o u r s j TELEPHONE (602) 697-3424 ^ ^ ^ - " > ^ ^ BOX 187, KAYENTA, ARIZONA 86033March, 1973 21


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C L A S S I CP U E B L O So f t h eS O U T H W E S Tby Enid C. Howard

THE GREAT Kiva of Aztec! A feelingof reverence and respect over-whelmed me as I stood in the center ofthat silent ceremonial house, created insimple beauty by the vanished peoplewho labored to its ultimate completion.I like to think that a simple faith in thegoodness and beauty of all life formswere practiced there by those originalAmericans.

The Great Kiva of Aztec is a completerestoration of one of the great kivas ofthe Four Corners Countrythe area sur-rounding the point where New Mexico,Colorado, Utah and Arizona meet in acommon boundary at right angles. It islocated in Aztec National Monument onthe outskirts of Aztec, New Mexico,where the builders of the pueblo settledalong the Animas River, a permanentsource of water, which was the life-bloodof the pueblo dwellers, just as it is fortoday's farmers who cultivate nearbyfields.

Aztec Ruin has no connection with theAztec Indians. It acquired its name be-cause early settlers in the late 1800s hadbeen exposed to considerable publicityabout the warlike Aztec and Toltec In-dians of Mexico, and assumed all thingsIndian were derived from that country.March, 1973

The story of ancient man in the SanJuan River Valley in southeastern Utahand the regions surrounding that vastdrainage basin is still somewhat clothedin mystery. Where did they come fromwhat were they likehow did they live-why did they vanish? Some questionshave been partially answered, some notat all.

Archeologists are revising many the-ories, to venture a supposition that manexisted on the land now called the UnitedStates as long ago as 24,000 years, per-haps longer. They have uncovered a primi-tive type of corn which was grown at leastseveral thousand years B. C.For the practical purpose of placing

man as an indentifiable working memberof any type of organized society within theSouthwest Archeological Area, we shouldbegin with the Basketmakers of the SanJuan Basin, for they are, according to re-search, excavation, and study by trainedtechnicians, the ancestors of the pueblobuilders of the Four Corners location,where the Great Pueblo period reached itsapex about 1100 to 1200 A. D .A generally accepted theory is, thatwhile early man and his scattered small

cave shelters, stone tools and baskets inthe San Juan and Colorado Plateau date23


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from the time of Christ, nothing has beendiscovered to indicate the occupancy ofthe Great Pueblo sites earlier than aboutA. D . 700, so it is deduced from refuseheap strata excavation, that the Basket-makers of the San Juan Basin slowly mi-grated to the pueblo sites and became apart of their earlier cultures.

According to acheological data avail-able, the three centers of the Great ClassicPeriod of the PueblosMesa Verde, Colo-rado, Chaco Canyon in northwest NewMexico, and the Kayenta, Arizona loca-tion, had been abandoned by the year1300 A. D., and their inhabitants seem-ingly migrated toward the Rio GrandeValley, and the Hopi Mesas in Arizona.The Navajo Indians, whose reservationencompasses much of this area today, didnot enter the Four Corners Country untilabout two hun dred and fifty years ago, and

are not related to the Anasazi, "The An-cient O nes," their name for the vanishedpeople.To visit the Great Kivas and major Pu-eblo Ruins of the Four Corners Country,all one needs is passenger car or back-country vehicle, a good map, and a con-suming curiosity. Major highways lead in-to the Southwest Archeological Area fromall directions, and in addition to the ruins,the visitor will pass through some of themost scenic country in the world. A loop

tour of six or seven days allows enoughtime to visit all the following ruin sites.Let us begin at Mesa Verde National

Park, located atop a soaring plateau thatrises abruptly from the semi-arid plainsin the southwest corner of Colorado. FromPark Point, six mountain ranges in fourstates can be seen; 30,000 square miles ofAmerica sweep out in a magnificentpanorama.

Entrance to the park is ten miles eastof Cortez on U. S. Highway 160. Over-night accommodations on the mesa topare available at the Motor Lodge, cottagesor campgrounds, but reservations shouldbe made during the summer season. Writeto Mesa Verde Company, Mesa Verde Na-tional Park, C olorado, 81330.

There is an interpretive center at parkheadquarters, and ranger-acheologists con-duct tours into Cliff House, the largestruin, and B alcony H ouse. Nearby is SpruceTree Ruin, third largest and best preservedof the pueblos. A museum features thehighlights of the Indians who lived in thecliff dwellings of Mesa Verde. Informa-tion brochures and interpretive servicesavailable at the park will help the visitorto better understand the story of the an-cient culture which flourished within theFour Corners circle as you visit each ruingroup.

Leaving Mesa Verde, travel east to Cor-tez, Colorado, then on U. S. 666 to Pleas-ant View, half way between Cortez andDove Creek. The turn-off to HovenweepNational Monument is signed, and thedirt road is fine except in stormy weather.

I traveled to Hovenweep on a mildSome of the Hovenweep structures were built around large boulders.

mid-February day, when wispy whiteclouds drew brush marks across a water-color blue sky, and the winter sun warmeda landscape spattered with small isolatedmatches of snow.

As I followed the road through rolling,winter dormant bean fields, a massivemountain dominated the southwesternhorizon. It is called, "The Sleeping Ute,"and is considered sacred ground by the U teIndians. They say it is the profile of agreat Ute Chief who was angry with hispeople, and gathering the rain clouds intohis pockets lay down upon the land andturned to stone. Sometimes, it is said, rainclouds slip from his pockets and rise intothe sky.

The surprise of sighting the Hoven-weep towers above the undulating, tree-less, blackbrush-covered land, has therather dreamy quality of a mirage on thehorizon. It is only when one has walked tothe rim of Ruin Canyon and realizes theextent of this group of pueblo ruins, thatthe m irage becomes reality.

The self-guided trail winds down intoRuin Canyon, and is a pleasant 30 min-ute stroll. W hile not as extensive asMesa Verde, I personally felt the settingwas of much value for close inspection ofthe structures.Most of the ruins are square, oval, cir-cular, or D-shaped towers, and incor-porate any boulders which happened tobe in the path of the masons. The periodof construction must have been contem-porary with Mesa Verde and Chaco Can-yon, as the masonry is of the Mesa Verdestacked block type or like the neatlycoursed and layered Chaco Canyon group.Undoubtedly there was close contact be-tween the cultural centers, or perhapsmigration of an entire clan.William H. Jackson, famous "PioneerPhotographer," visited Utah in 1874 tophotograph the ruins of Hovenweep, thenunnamed. His Ute Indian guide told himrepeatedly that the place he wanted to seewas, "H ovenweep, hovenweep, (m eaning,'deserted va lley') and why go there? Muchmore to see other places." It was Jacksonwho named the ruins.

There are well equipped campgroundsat the Monument; trailers are welcome, nohook-ups. If you are driving a passengercar you should return to U. S. Highway666 and travel on to Monticello, Utah,for comfortable motel accommodations,restaurants, also trailer parks. This route is

Desert Magazine


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suggested for all vehicles because the roadsouth from the Monument is sometimesin poor condition, and the MontezumaCreek crossing is hazardous.The small farming community of Mon-ticello, Utah is located at the hubof the Canyonlands Country, and butan hour's drive from Canyonlands Na-tional Park. Take time out from ruin ex-ploring to visit this unique concentra-tion of nature's lavish mounds of "slick-rock." Within the park are several smallruin sites of the early Basketmaker Cul-ture. A jeep is needed to visit these inHorse Creek Canyon and Salt Creek.Guided tours are available. Inquire atthe Westerner Trailer Park, U. S. 163,south edge of town for information.Resume your circle tour by drivingsouth on U. S. 163 from Monticello toBlanding, Utah, to visit Edge of the

Cedars Archeological Site, now being ex-cavated. Small signs at strategic crossstreets will direct you through town tothe outskirts where the ruins are located.This is an opportunity to observe a "dig"in progress, and, during the summer, uni-versity students excavate at the Cedarssite for credits in related subjects.To date, several homes have been dugto sterile soil, and one kiva has been re-stored. Corner walls of the buried villageare located and cleared to estimate thesize of the ruins. Trav elers are encouragedto visit and inspect the work in progress.Three hours drive south from Bland-ing on U. S. 163, and you will be inKayenta, Arizona, within the Navajo Res-ervation, where there are excellent touristfacilities and it makes an interesting over-night stop. To visit the pueblo ruins atNavaio National Monument, drive southon U. S. 160 twenty-two miles where apaved road leads to the Monument head-quarters.

The three ruins of the Mon ument arenot as accessible as some you have visited,because only one can be viewed at thepresent time from the main Monumentarea. Mith binoculars, you can see Beta-takin Ruin, (Nav ajo w ord meaning,"ledge house") from the viewpoint atthe end of a thirty minute walk alongSandal Trail. Hiking to the ruins is astrenuous three hour hike, and you musthave a Navajo guide.Inscription House Ruin has been closeddue to vandalism and it is uncertain justwhen it will be re-opened. Keet Seel Ruin,March, 1973

("broke n pottery," in Nava jo) is the larg-est cliff dwelling site in Arizona but onlyfor those who care to hike the eight milesto it, or hire a Navajo guide and horse. Aguide is needed for the hike also. It con-tains 160 rooms of living quarters, storagerooms, and five or six kivas. It is well pre-served, and for those rugged enough forthe full day's trip a rewarding experience.There are campgrounds and a picnicarea at Betatakin for the convenience ofvisitors to this truly great group of pu-eblos, in a fabulous setting of space andcanyons.

To continue your circle tour, leave Kay-enta via U. S. 160 east to Shiprock andFarmington, New Mexico, then take U. S.550 to Aztec. Here you will see your firstgreat kiva at the Aztec Ruins NationalMonument.The Great Kiva was restored in 1934under the direction of Earl H. Morris, ofthe American Museum of Natural His-tory, with extreme care to preserve itsauthenticity. The pueblo ruins are adja-cent to the v isitor center where a finemuseum interprets the story of artifactscontinued on page 30

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To ME , O NE of the first goals of adesert camping trip is a feeling ofcloseness to the land. For my tastes, atleast, campground camping and abund-ant equipm ent only serve to separateme from the natural world I am visiting,while wilderness surroundings and sim-plicity in camp gear permit a closer unionwith nature.

With a grub box and bedroll, plus afew miscellaneous implements, I have allI need to camp in a way which is bothcomfortable and satisfying. It is not mywish to change the habits of others in thisregard, for one of the pleasures of backcountry desert travel lies in the freedomof choice it offers. Yet, by describing sometechniques, I may be able to furnish a fewideas for those campers, or future camp-ers, whose tastes run along similar lines.

First of all, the campfire. With a shoveI scoop a small hole in the sandsevenor eight inches deep and about a foot wideand place a metal grill on top. (Inrougher country two flat rocks placed afew inches apart, with perhaps a thirdlarger one to act as a reflector, serve equal-ly well.) I build small campfires, andalways find more than enough deadwoodscattered about the desert floor to cooka meal and keep the fire going well intothe night. This is true even in barren badlands. It takes only a small amount owoodjust a few handfulsto prepara complete meal. Before breaking camp fill in the campfire hole with sand. Thonly man-made signs left behind are footprints and tire tracks in the arroyo.

Most of my desert camping trips areshort ones, lasting only two or three daysTherefore, fresh meats such as steak

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"4f i

e. I like to carry fresh fruits

cup is either burned in the fire or

March, 1973

Illustrations by the author

by Dick Blop.rnquis^1V^ S S W - ^

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A smoke tree frames this view of abroad desert wash in Borrego country.Along the base of the dark ridge in theenter, desert willows and more smoketrees provide sh ade for camping .

and jelly is equally simple to prepare. Iuse aluminum plates to cook and servethe bacon and eggs in, throwing the platesout afterward.

Canned foods are useful on longer tripsand for adding variety to the shorter ones.Bacon, black bread, potato salad, frank-furters, roast beef, and Salisbury steakare available in cans, for example. Cannedtomatoes and tomato juice are a goodsource of liquids. Cheese, hard-boiledeggs, dried fruit, and dates are non-canned foods which keep well .

For snacks a favorite of mine is "land-jaeger," a small smoked sausage which canbe bought here and there in butcher shops.It's a spiced, very chewy sausage which Ioften find hanging down from the ceilingin John Stanley's Meat Market in Julian(San Diego County) .

A few other articles complete my listof basic camping gear. I sleep on theground in an Army surplus, down-filledbedroll . I t 's warm in any kind of desertweather, and, spread on a bed of softarroyo sand, allows me a comfortablenight 's sleep. Th e danger from wildlifewhile asleep on the ground has been muchexaggerated, with many denizens of thedesert having bad reputations which areundeserved. The tarantula, for example, isharmless, and the sting of a Californiascorpion is hardly more serious than a beesting. The only potentially deadly reptilein the desert country of California is therattlesnake, and it tries to avoid manwhenever possible.

To calculate my water supply I estimatehow much water I'd need if my truckbroke down at the most remote pointalong the projected route. Then I doublethis amount. One-gallon plastic jugs makeexcellent water containers, and can behandled more easily than the five-gallonjeep cans. A wooden fruit lug holds fourjugs and keeps them from tipping overwhile travelling. I also bring two can-teens, in one-quart and gallon sizes. Thegallon model would be valuable in caseit becomes necessary to walk out to thepaved highway after getting stuck or suf-fer ing a breakdown.

A natural desert campsite is a specialplace. With a four-wheel-drive pickup tocarry my gear, I am free to seek out thespots which are at once remote and invit-ing. For their beauty, shelter, shade, ac-cessibility, supply of down wood, and forthe level, soft surfaces they provide forcampfire and bedroll, I prefer the sandywashes as camping locations.

Occasionally you will encounter an old-timer who advises against camping in awash under any circumstances because ofthe danger of flash floods. Yet it is onlyduring times of summer thunderstormsand, rarely, during heavy winter rains,that the arroyos can be dangerous. Whenskies are clear the dry stream beds of theCalifornia deserts make safe and pleasantovernight stops, and many veteran out-doorsmenincluding Edmund C. Jaeger ,dean of desert naturalistsname themamong their favorite camping areas.

I can recall many pleasant journeys inwhich camp was made in a clean desertarroyo. Once, late in the afternoon, whiletravelling along the old Bradshaw stagetrail in northern Imperial County, Icrossed an attractive shallow wash. Puttingthe truck in four-wheel-drive, I headednorth up the nameless arroyo and after alittle over a mile came to an ideal camping


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a

site. Because the spot was near the baseof the Little Chuckawalla Range I namedit "Little Chuckawalla Camp." Amemor-able stop on a trip to the Turtle Moun-tains was "Chemehuevi Wash Camp,"with its abundant palo verdes. Still an-other, in the Borrego country, was "SanFelipe Wash," where a desert willow pro-vided the shade.

These camps, and all the others, too,have meaning for me because they wereso close to the desert's heart. Establishedcampgrounds and extensive equipmenthave their place; both have value, depend-ing upon taste and circumstances. But tolovers of wilderness, a simple camp in aremote arroyo has its own special reward,the reward of seeing and feeling thedesert in its purest form.

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CLASSIC PUEBLOS OF THES'WESTcontinued from page 25

recovered from the site. The rangers onduty answer questions, and supply foldersfor your self-guided tour through theruins compounds.If you were disappointed at not gettingclose to the group at Kayenta, Aztec willmore than satisfy. You can stroll throughrooms, peer into small windows, andwalkthrough half-size doorways. You maytakeclose-up photos of the green sandstone

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band around an outside wall, wanderaround the central courtyard and into the"House of the Great Kiva," as ProfessorMorris called it.I have purposely left the Chaco Can-yon, NewMexico, visit for the last. Theruins within the canyon are so entensivea full day should be allowed to enjoythe panorama of ancient man and hisachievements inChaco.From Aztec to Chaco National Monu-ment is approximately 59 miles. Drivesouth onState 44 to Blanco, 36miles, thenState 57 to the Monument entrance 23miles. Be sure to fill tanks with gas,carrywater and lunch supplies as there are noservices available. The Park Service main-tains a campground one mile from thevisitor center. Tables, fireplaces, water,and a restroom are provided, with turn-outs for small trailers (not over 28 feet),no hook-ups, no firewood.If driving a passenger car I would ad-vise returning to Farmington, where thereare many fine motels and restaurants. The64 miles south from Chaco to Thoreau inlate day is tricky for lack of directionalsigns, and the road is under construction.The Chaco Canyon National Monumentof 21,500 acres wasestablished March 11,1907, and contains 12 large ruins andmore than 400 smaller ones in an areaeight miles long and two miles wide.There you will find museum exhibitswhich will add to your u nderstanding ofthe occupation of Chaco Canyon. The trailbooklets with numbered text correspond-ing to the numbered points of interest ateach pueblo, and are a must-have item foryour walking tour.

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tecture, pottery, and jewelry skills is evi-dent over the entire Four Corners area.Skiled masons erected flat-roofed housesof mud, shaped rocks and poles, entirelyabove ground, sometimes five stories high.Potters created a variety of designs thatshow artistic expression, most of" thempainted with strong bold patterns of blackon white.It would appear that the greatest archi-tectural achievement of the Chacoanswere the great kivas, the largest of these,Casa Rinconada, (house without corners)is 64 feet in diameter, and 25 feet indepth. The great kivas in Chaco have beenexcavated to the below ground level floor,but are without roofs, and it is interestingto study the precise masonry which re-sulted in a perfect circle regardless of thesize.The dedication of the work of building

the great kivas could be compared to theconstruction of Egypt's pyramids. To sup-March, 1973

port the enormous arching roof of logs,four central columns a yard square werebuilt up layer after layer of alternatingwood and stone blocks set in mud mortar.Each column at the base rested on fourhuge discs of sandstone four feet across,fifteen inches thick and weighing abouta thousand poun ds.Archeologists have never excavated anytype of tools resembling a block and tacklearrangement, so how did those determinedand tireless builders manage to move andset the stones and heavy roof logs ? Suchquestions tease historians when they tryto complete the picture of the Chacoans.Pueblo Bonito, (beautiful village) isthe largest group of ruins in the UnitedStates. Chetro Ketl Ruin, adjacent to Bon-ito, has two great kivas, the largest meas-uring 62 feet in diameter. Each ruin com-plex is similar, but some show careful

workmanship while others appear to havebeen erected rather hurriedly.

Detail on Pueblo Bonito wall showinghow timbers were set in recesses to sup-port the floors and roofs of the 5-storyhigh construction. Note the doorway onthe right wall that has been sealed off.These walls are approximately 21/2 to3 feet, thick with shaped stones on theoutside courses.

When I visited Chaco Canyon, I set upmy overnight camp in the clean and wellarranged camping area, where one otherparty was camped that late February eve-ning. It was quiet and peaceful as dusksettled over the glowing high-walled can-yon, and I thought of the people who hadbeen involved in building a civilization ofimportance to them. It seemed that theirstruggles should bring forth enormouswords of wisdom and admiration for me,but I could think only of the quote we allknow so well. " There is a time to sow, anda time to reapa time to live, and a timeto die."Chaco Canyon, to me, is somewhat likethe legendary Phoenix Bird who rose torenewed beauty from its own ashes. Itpossesses the timeless beauty of man'slabor, and that is enough!

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. "

E T H Y L A N D M E byRobert CroninT

Down at the bottom of the canyon the suspension bridge connects the KaibabTrail to the n orth side of the canyon . The river now appea rs to be very real ascompared to the thin ribbon winding through the canyon at the outset.32

HE DRIVE from Tucson, to GrandCanyon Village, cross-sections theentire spectrum of Arizona landscapeflat desert areas, roads seemingly carvedthrough rock, snow-capped mountains onthe horizon, unexpected areas of pinetrees. Little did I dream on that leisurely,scenic drive that this trip was leading meto a rendevous with Ethyl.How do you describe your first sightof the Grand Canyona dazzling, yawn-ing chasm washed simultaneously withshimmering shades of pink, blending torose and red, and ultimately to blue andpurple and black? A first-time visitor isnever prepared for the sheer massivenessthat confronts him. What worried me asI viewed the sheer rock walls was thefact that, in a moment of sheer lunacy,I had scheduled a trip down into theCanyonon muleback!The next morning, burying all doubtsbeneath layers of protective clothing, Iarrived at the corral to discover I wasnot alone in my apprehension; many ofthe assembled group of 25 affected anonchalance reminiscent of Susan Hay-ward in her celebrated, "I Want to Live"

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Wrangler preparesthe mules for theirjourney to theGrand Canyon.Below: The guideand a parly on thehead section of theBright Angel Trail.

Photos courtesyFred Harvey's

sit erect in the saddle, especially on theturns. Again the reason came. A suddenshift of weight might throw the mule offbalance and he failed to conclude thestatementI think. By now, my circula-tion had slowed to freezing and I was en-tertaining thoughts of the will I had neverprepared in order to distribute the moneyI never had a chance to make.The first inkling of what was to comearrived when I noticed the absence ofguardrails or any protective barrier alongthe edge of the trail which appeared tobe no more than three feet wide andhardly ample for these cumbersome ani-mals. Our guide did not dispel my fearwith his jovial, "Don't worry, we haven'tlost one yet!" He never did clarify wheth-er he meant mule or rider.Some twenty feet or so later the brushand shrubs which lined the outer edgebroke away and we thrilled to the dazzling

spectacle of a sheer, 3,000-foot drop. Myrole. The riders were ready, but the muleswere nowhere to be seen. Soon, however,an endless line of broad-boned, sway-backed creatures arrived.

From that moment activity increased.The group was divided into three sec-tions, and the members of the first partywere assigned mules, a decision deter-mined by the weight of the rider. Thenthey were off, across the road and out ofsight. Our party entered next, and withthe same efficiency, mounted. I watchedwith some misgivings as each of my com-panions were matched with a mule. ThenI was escorted across the corral to whatappeared to be a very reluctant animal.The guide finally persuaded her to faceme and we were introduced. Her nameEthyl. I should have known.

With little dexterity, and less aplomb,I mounted her, deciding at the same timeto drop my "know-it-all" facade. Whilethe guide adjusted the stirrups, I casuallyinformed him that I had never ridden amule (or anything else for that matter)and hoped he might offer some generalguidelines. He did and they were suc-cinct. First, he instructed me to drive heras I would a car. (I thought it best not toreveal that folly at the moment.) Second,to be sure that she faced into the canyonat all times. The reason, which I didn'tsolicit, is that the mule will not be in-clined to step over the edge if it is con-stantly aware of the drop. And third, toMarch, 1973


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heart reverberated on the bottom, for itcertainly escaped my body. I looked ahead,searching for my wife who rode near thehead of the train along with the rest ofthe women, thankful at the same timethat I didn't have to adopt a guise ofbravery to calm her fear. Then we stopped.One last commercial venture awaited usa group picture in which Ethyl smiledfor both of us. A last-minute check fol-lowed the portrait. Those who felt faintor faint of heart were urged to turn back.Since no woman or child, and especiallymy wife, accepted the offer, I, too, de-clined. My spirit dismounted; my bodyremained.We were off again, on a trail that sud-denly seemed to evaporate. It turned. Ahair-pin S curve and beyond that anotherand another. It didn't matter that all thoseother mules maneuvered the turns; I wassure Ethyl was incapable of it and I knew

I could never direct her. Thus, when wereached the edge of the first turn, I didthe only sensible thing. If Ethyl and Iwere to see the Gran d Canyon via a 7,000-foot plunge, she could look. I'd seenenough.A few seconds later the already famil-iar bone-ache of straddling Ethyl signaledour success. We were plodding along withthe rest, the third to last member of theparty, but still breathing. At least, Ethylwas still breathing. Another curve loomed

ahead and I sat erect in my saddle; all myconfidence rested on Ethyl, all my prayers,and most assuredly, my life. Again, shemaneuvered the turn, which shouldn'thave surprised me. Although the turnsbecame more frequent and Ethyl's footingmore secure, I still doubted. My eyesopened and shut with a will of their ownfor I had succumbed to reflex action longago.We continued the descent although Ipreferred not to look and settled for bor-ing a hole into the head of the man infront of meone Mr. Greene who wasriding on an awkward-looking beastnamed Buford. He had apparently decidedthat the way to handle the mule was toreassure Buford (and himself) with arunning commentary of praise. So I lis-tened to "Nice Bufordgood boy, Bu-ford, you're doing fine, Buford" as weproceeded down the trail.Since the mules require frequent rest

stops, we soon halted and then I under-stood why the mule must face into the34

canyon at all times. Ethyl and her cohortswere always hungry, and any stop meanttime to gnaw and devour the tufts of grassalong the trail. Unfortunately, these grewnext to the canyon wall, and in order forthe mule to graze, it had to face awayfrom the edge. I succeeded in forcingEthyl to look into the canyon, and welined up with everyone else, gazing di-rectly into space.The rest stop was brief. Time enoughfor a cigarette to be sure, but I was notabout to release those reins. Why I hadthe idea Ethyl might mistake this for asignal to go forward I don't know, but Iwasn't going to test her. We proceeded,then, through a rock tunnel and out again,along the narrow trail which had ruts intwo places, one on the extreme edge, theother snuggling the wall. Ethyl invari-ably chose the more hair-raising alterna-tive.

TRIP INFORMATIONReservations are a must as the num-ber of mules available are strictlylimited.One-day trip leaves at 8:30 A.M.,down Bright Angel Trail.Luncheon, which is included in the$17.50 per person trip, is enjoyedat the oasis-like Indian Gardens.The two-day ride to the PhantomRanch at the bottom of the canyon,for an overnight stay is a GrandCanyon highlight. Central ranch-house accommo dates up to 55 guestsand serves family-style meals.

- M l *

By now, I could feel some life return-ing. And then I noticed that the distancebetween Ethyl and Buford was widening.The guide noticed also, for he shoutedback to keep the ranks closed, that we weregoing down together. Somehow "g iddyap"seemed out of place, and I desperatelycombed my memory for the right phase.I was content with the slow, ploddingpace we were maintaining for althoughthe distance between turns was increasing,I certainly didn't want her to lunge for-ward anywhere near those curves. Theguide again urged me to move Ethyl upbehind the mule in front. Since Ethyl andI were now close acquaintances, I triedthe intimate approach. She failed to re-spond when I casually urged her to movealong. I then spoke louderto no avail.

I resorted to reason. After all, we weredetaining two others behind us and therewas no need for that. Still no response."Kick her," the guide urged. Kick her!I could now endure a trot, but a kick wasa sure invitation to a gallop and for some-one who had just opened his eyes for thefirst time going around the fifteenth turn,this was definitely rash.I pleaded further, assuming a harsh

note. I threatened with my fingerscrossed. I cajoled. I demanded. Still noresponse from Ethyl. The gap by now wasembarrassing and the patience of the guideexhausted. We stopped once more whilehe dismounted and approached her."What's her name?" he demanded."Ethyl," I volunteered. He nodded, tookthe reins, and led us to the back of theline. There couldn't have been enoughroom on that trail for two mules to passbut he maneuvered it. Then he cut aswitch, advising me to use it liberally tokeep her moving, and abruptly departed.For a reaso

197303 DesertMagazine 1973 March

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