2020 Flowers at Flattop and Warm Springs

The saddle at the Flattop

The brittlebush are busting out at Flattop Mtn near Needles and the southern Warm Springs Wilderness.

Stepladder Mountains Wilderness, Chemehuevi

Two main roads come in from US 95. The PG&E road departs at mp 45.6. It's the best. Another road with more sand comes in from mp 37.5 and goes 11 miles along power lines to meet the PG&E road and then on another 16 miles to I-40. These are easy 4wd and might get graded again. Posted 2020.

• STEPLADDER MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 2900 -  a tedious road comes in from the NE. Take US 95 to mp 45.6 and turn on the PG& E and go about 9 miles to a faint road at N34 40706, W114 47469. Go south on that for half a dozen miles to the wilderness boundary. There are a million shallow ruts crossing the road the whole 6 miles, like inverted speed bumps. A 5 mph cruise control is needed here. Walk the flats for a couple miles to a valley at 35157, 50481 el 1800. It's an easy walk up the valley to the peak. A 1964 date is on a left boulder along the way and right after that is the Black Knight wagon reading 35278, 51476. At the peak, get on the NE ridge at 35346, 52300 el 2500. A hiker trail can be seen there and it goes straight up the ridge to ledges that zigzag up to the reg at 35258, 52370. The ledges are wide as a car. No stepladder needed. 4 and a half hours for the whole hike,  800 feet of gain from the base. I was expecting to be hiking on tire tracks, but that wasn't the case. Posted 2016. CONICAL BENCHMARK el 2683 is at the south end of the range. Start at the same parking spot and walk to an Indian trail at 34635, 50238. It comes out of the Mopah Range to ?. Keep going to high ground at 34329, 50687 and up that for a tenth mile to another Indian trail. Go on to the east canyon at 33738, 51347 el 1900 then up that to the south saddle el 2550. Then it's a short walk to the BM at 33774, 51788. 4 hours, 45 minutes and only 800 noticeable gain. It would be a dozen miles to do both peaks as a loop. Posted 2020.
• PEAK 849 (meters) is a huge plateau that dominates the northern wilderness. Take US 95 to mp 45.6 and turn on the PG& E road and go about 17 miles to road #237 at N34 41069, W114 54962. Go SE on that for .7 mile to a fork near a crag and go right. Keep going SW for a couple of miles then walk to the obvious easy north ridge and on to the summit cairn at 37789, 53857 el 2785. I wandered along the summit plateau then saw a good flower show in the SW canyon. I descended at 37216, 54538 el 2400 and walked down to the flats and circled back to the start. The peak is a 2 hour hike roundtrip with 800 noticeable gain, but the loop I made took 5 hours. BIG CHIEF BENCHMARK el 2936 is on the north side of the PG&E road. I parked at a wash reading 40988, 49734 el 2350 and walked up it to avoid cholla. The summit is at 41499, 49828. CHIEF BENCHMARK el 2539 is on the south side of the PG&E road at 40695, 52417. I didn't visit that one. Posted 2020.
• TRAMPAS PEAK el 2987 is what I call the peak at the head of Trampas Wash in the Chemehuevi Mountains. I made a loop up the closed Blue Boy Mine road then down the NW canyon. I parked along US 95 near mp 45 and walked to the mine road as shown on the topo. I followed it up a wash to el 2000 where boulders block vehicular travel. The miners walked from there for a quarter mile thru a narrows then used a trail on the right bank. That fades then the next trail is on the left bank at N34 39038, W114 35099 el 2200. It soon crosses to the right bank then dips into the creekbed a short way then resumes on the right bank then fades again. I stayed in the main wash and followed the topo to get on the NE ridge el 2550 of peak 2828. Then I had a sheep trail to follow on the high ridge running south to survey junk on the summit at 37797, 34954. I then retraced to the north saddle el 2800 and dropped down the canyon to my left. Soon I came to falls so I moved left to 37900, 35083 el 2650 to bypass then had an easy wash back to the mine road. 5 hours and maybe 500 noticeable gain, easy terrain. I rarely visit this range anymore. It's dull and overrun by burros, but this hike ain't half bad. Posted 2020.
• ROCKY 2 BENCHMARK el 3551 seems to be the second highest in the Chemehuevi Mountains yet I can find no info on the internet. A class 2 route goes up the south canyon. Take the Lake Havasu highway to mp 10.4 then go north on a high clearance road that is mtn bikeable and in a mile you come to the wilderness boundary. Go left a tenth mile and park el 1100. Walk to a wash at N34 29319, W114 30871 then another at 29943, 31134. Get on the right bank at 30274, 31291 and it seems to end in a fifth mile but you can keep going a lot more. Stay on the low ground to 31191, 31353 then 31640, 31384 then a trail at 31895, 31181. It goes along the base for a quarter mile to the huge south canyon el 1500. Go up and get on the left bank at 32132, 31181. When that ends, step up to the next level and when that ends cut over to the far right bank. Go up to the east rim of a fork at 32408, 31550 el 1850. Go up the rim for a distance of 200 feet then merge into the canyon. Go up bank to bank and be on the right bank at 32766, 31473 el 2750. Soon comes a fork so stay left to el 3250 then move right for 60 feet to 32895, 31554 where it's obvious how to angle up below the summit ridge to a saddle at 32944, 31515 el 3500. The summit is 200 feet east with the pole still standing. I could find no reg or BM disc. 8 hours with about 2000 noticeable gain. They don't call it Rocky for nothing. The ascent canyon has some bedrock and a lot of bank walking to ameliorate that. Posted 2021.

  

  Rocky 2 BM

  
  

Kofa Indian Trails

Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob.

OLD PALM CANYON TRAIL - this one connects Horse Tank to the Signal Peak area. A good route is to start at Palm Canyon and walk around to the south and pick up the trail then swing west to a second vehicle. Take US 95 to the Palm Canyon Rd near mp 85. Go .8 mile on that to a 4-way at gas road #44. Go south on that for 1.9 mile to a secret road at N33 21336, W114 12465. Take that for nearly 2 miles to Kofa boundary and leave a vehicle or bike there reading 20609, 10967. Cars might make it. Then drive to the end of the Palm Canyon Rd and walk south a tenth mile across a wash to get on a spotty trail running along the base. Follow it around to Old Palm Canyon where faint petroglyph panels are at the mouth. Then go on another tenth mile into a rock field and on to the Indian trail at 20083, 05440. Walk it south to 19850, 05711 then to 19517, 06060 where tire tracks start showing up. It goes on south a mile or so to a stage road where there are choices. I went on to the trail again at 18799, 06792 and stayed on it for 200 feet then started bending right to a low saddle at 18792, 07606. I went thru that and used a game trail on the right bank then at 19100, 08005 I got on the left bank and that lasted a while. I went on to 19820, 09041 then my bike at the boundary. That took 4 hours with no strenuous gain. This is my favorite because it's so easy with good scenery. One good side trip would be a stroll up into Hidden Canyon. Posted 2020. NON SHUTTLE VERSION - a loop can be done starting from the end of the Palm Canyon Rd. Walk the route above as far as the stage road which is obvious. Walk that then leave it at 20047, 08153  and on to 20848, 07625 then 21213, 07209 then a faint road at 21342, 07001 goes back to the start. That took 4 hours, 10 minutes. Good pavement. Posted 2021.

SQUAW TANK TRAIL - I speculate this one runs south from the tank into King Valley and it's no picnic. I started at the end of the easy 4wd road in Kofa Queen Canyon next to the mine el 3150. Jeeps keep going so I just followed their tracks on up the closed road for nearly a mile where it tops out el 3300 then down into a canyon. I went up the canyon and got on the left bank at N33 21043, W114 02077 el 3400. There I turned  south up a fork and dropped a little to use game trails running on the banks. After half an air mile I went left thru a saddle el 3500 on the left bank and started skirting around the east side of  Squaw Peak. I went thru a saddle at 20377, 01671 el 3450 to get into a wash and went up that to a saddle at 20055, 01998 el 3550. I stayed on the right bank for the last quarter mile into that saddle. Then I went down the canyon on the other side but only for 100 feet or so then moved to the left rim. That soon got smooth with a main sheep trail on it. The target drainage to drop to the main creekbed is at 19781, 02301 el 2900 and sheep get in it somehow, but I got lazy and went down at 19877, 02180 el 3150. I hit bottom OK then went downstream a fifth mile and bypassed minor falls on the right side. At that spot I could see a low saddle connecting into the target drainage, so I went thru on a main sheep trail then down that to some potholes with water. One minor fall is there so I passed it on the right and stayed in the creekbed on down to the flats. At 19746, 02745 el 2500 I got on the left bank and walked 400 feet then cut over to the right bank. Not long after that the creekbed gets smooth and it took me all way out to 19323, 03869 el 2200 where I could see the Indian trail for the first time. I went on to 18926, 04244 then 18758, 04356 then at 18449, 04533 I dropped to a wash. I got up on the left bank of that at 18151, 04593 but should have gone up sooner. Then I had no particular route all the way to pavement again at 16844, 04894. I stayed on it to 16448, 04961 then at 16080, 05030 I could barely see the trail. From there, I just headed for the King Valley Rd where I stashed a mtn bike about a mile east of post 60, but it might work better to have it more to the east. That took me 7 hours with maybe 200 feet of strenuous gain and nothing harder than class 2. I wore shorts OK but the canyon has an occasional bush or such to deal with. There are 2 or 3 miles of pristine pavement on the flats. The next canyon south is blocked by a 40 foot fall at el 2600. The following day I parked on the Palm Canyon Rd and walked back for 3 hours to retrieve my cycle. At the end of that road, there is a spotty trail running along the base to Kofa Queen Canyon. Posted 2020.

• KING VALLEY TRAIL - one 13 mile segment of this trail is handy for hikers who are spending a weekend in the area of Polaris Mtn or Kofa Butte. It starts a half mile south of Kofa Deep Well and runs west thru the Hidden Valley Hills. Take US 95 to mp 81.4 and go east on a crude but easy road for 2.5 miles to the end at the refuge boundary. Leave one 4wd there then drive to mp 76 and turn on a graded road and proceed into the refuge. Stay left at forks on the graded road to the trail at N33 12885, W114 00459 el 1250. It's about 17 miles in from US 95 and though graded it has soft spots that might stop 2wds. The trail heads for a feature I call the Shark's Tooth. It takes a lot of waypoints to walk the trail, but just keep heading for the Tooth. I entered those waypoints as I walked and so only had to enter 3 or 4 digits and it didn't slow me down. Here's the order - 13126, 00835 to 13496, 01443 to 13732, 01832 to 14084, 02479 to 14336, 02873 to 14945, 03934 to 15260, 04565 to 15346, 04709 to 15529, 05014 to 15964, 05555 to 16318, 06141 to 16570, 06668 to 17031, 07646. Then comes a choice of two saddles to cross over. The trail seems to go over the highest one at the south base of the Tooth, but I went over a lower one to the south at 17195, 08361 el 1750 using a deer trail. Go down to the other side and walk the flats to the trail again at 17867, 09686 then shortly to your 4wd at 18595, 10969. That took me 5 hours, 7 minutes with hardly any noticeable gain. The first half of the trail runs across the grain, but there's no gully deep enough to require any extra effort. There's a lot of good looking pavement here. The sat image shows the trail near Mohave Tanks at N33 21845, W114 24355. I traced it SE from the tanks for 40 miles to N33 09685, W113 55145. If they were going to the Gila River, that's another 25 miles. There's no water along the way now. Posted 2018.
• MCPHERSON PASS TRAIL - a fragmented trail goes from the pass to Chuchwalla Tank and on to Black Tank. I walked it about 4 miles then looped back on the flats to the south. I parked at the pass then walked SW on faint tracks for 250 feet and found the trail. It soon faded but I went on to high ground at N33 07572, W114 10429. I walked that a short way to a double saddle then found the trail again at the south end. It goes down a canyon to a fall where I stepped up onto the right rim at 07828, 10908 to bypass it. From there I could see Chuckwalla Tank in the main drainage. I dropped down a steep trail and hit bottom then went over one more little rise then dropped into the main creekbed. I soon got back up on the right bank and went over to the tank. Burros have taken it over. They may have been removed because I only saw their calling cards the whole day. 100 feet down from the tank is a trail on the left bank. I walked that to a saddle at 07906, 11401 then across a valley to the trail again on the left bank at 08237, 11829. I was using the right bank for the last quarter mile to the trail. It goes up to a saddle at 08419, 12071 el 1960 then down the other side on the left bank. It fades at the wash and here I stayed in the wash around to pavement at 09130, 13547 then on to another faint Indian trail at 08798, 13618. I walked SE on that following along the base. Plenty of pristine pavement is along here but burros are trying to change that. At 07520, 12768 I started bending left on pavement to a fork in a canyon at 07576, 12064. I followed a burro trail up the right fork back to the tank and out. It's a 6 hour hike with about 500 strenuous gain. The quality of the hike will depend on how big a mess the burros make, if they're still in there. I don't go to Kofa to look at burro shit. I get plenty of that along the river. Posted 2020.
• HORSE TANKS has a trail connecting to Little White Tanks. It's too far for day trippers, but a shorter loop can be made. Leave US 95 just north of mp 76 then drive the graded road to post 42 just inside the refuge. Turn right on easy 4wd and go 2.7 miles to a camp area near Horse Tanks. Walk east on a closed road to N33 12680, W114 11761. Keep going a few more feet and the trail forks left. Follow it to 12383, 11031 where it starts up into a pass. Go thru the pass then the trail runs down the left side of the drainage. When some gullies get in the way the trail drops to the wash and goes back and forth on the banks. At 11994, 10023 the trail gets on the right bank and stays there but gets fuzzy. Get on it again at 11705, 09437 then 11619, 09302 then at 11408, 08991 it forks. Stay left and it goes on to 11219, 08514 where it crosses the road coming south from post 60. If you're doing the loop, you have to choose your own spot to get off the trail and head north to the next canyon at 11954, 09047. I got off at the fork and went up the canyon. It was pleasant walking on pavement near the far left edge of the wide canyon. Aim for a low saddle at 12909, 10007 and it's a just a matter of walking bank to bank for the last half mile to it. Go thru then veer left on a sheep trail. That soon fizzles so drop down across a wash to another trail at 13075, 10227. Follow that along the left side of a drainage and thru a saddle then down to the flats. Now walk the flats back to the start. It took me 4 hours with an easy grade. Lots of nice pavement.  Posted 2015.
• TWIN SPIRES CANYON - this is an easy hike with good formations. Take US 95 to mp 92.7 and turn on a good dirt road. Drive to the refuge entrance then keep going another 3 miles to post 22. Turn right on a high clearance road and go about 2.7 miles to a camp area el 1900. Walk south a tenth mile to an Indian trail along a gully. Follow it around the point to a minor canyon with small tanks. Keep going around the next point into Twin Spires Canyon and go up to the spires. One idea is to circle the spires then return to the start. It's a 2 or 3 hour hike with no strenuous gain. Cars might get to post 22 then mtn bike the rest. Posted 2020.
• LIVINGSTON BENCHMARK TRAILS - a good loop can be done using a trail along the west side of the BM. Turn off US 95 near mp 95 and go east into the refuge then stay right at main forks and park near a trail which is at N33 30722, W114 04646. Walk on to a rock circle at 30271, 05161. Past that less than 100 feet is another trail. Walk it to 30099, 05136 then 29851, 04991  then 29746, 04903 then 29640, 04789 on a right bank. Cut over to a glyph on the left bank at 29537, 04687 and keep going to 29442, 04512. I  stayed on the trail another .6 mile to a low pass south of the BM. I went over it to get back, but could have gone around it. 3 hours, 400 noticeable gain. Posted 2021.






The Indians had to pass thru this rugged canyon to get at Squaw Tank. Only sheep are in there now.






I drew  dashed lines to show the general route of trails.

The 2005 Death Valley and Utah Superbloom

The south end of Death Valley

Near Barstow

Near Barstow

The flower show near Capitol Reef was not so well known. I had it all to myself.

Rains in late 2004 triggered a rare superbloom in 2005 that made national news.

The Cheap RVers

Dave's Sunrader from Colorado

Huh? A DIY fifth wheel

Barry and Denise from Washington

Gary from California

Lynette and Red

The Cheap RVers are camping groups started by Bob Wells of cheaprvliving.com. Schedules can be seen at meetup.com under "caravans". Anyone can attend and there are no fees. Any type of vehicle can be used. Someone might ride in on a skateboard with a cardboard box. They stay on public lands for 2 weeks at a time before moving to the next spot. canyons@gmx.com

Cibola NWR on Christmas 2019. Red and Lynette are far left then Kevin then Mimi then Terry then Robert in the yellow van. Laura's minivan is barely showing in front of the yellow van.