Russ Chung

I didn't take very many pictures. Some rocks: A Joshua Tree: Ladybug followed by Gearhead in Berdoo Canyon:

Happy B-Day Kris!!!

Steroids??? You know that disqualifies you from competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics!!

I DON'T have jury duty tomorrow, so I will meet you when you arrive at Joshua Tree. I suggest that we change the meeting point to Chiriaco Summit. It has the last gas station before the park entrance, a mini-market, a cafe, and the George Patton Museum. If you leave PHX @ 9:30 am MST, you should arrive at Chiriaco Summit at noon PST.

I just got a summons for Jury Duty from Tuesday, Feb 16 - Friday, Feb 19. The way it works in Los Angeles is that I phone in each afternoon and the Jury Commissioner tells me whether I have to report in for jury duty the next day. If I don't have to report in on Friday, I can meet you on Friday morning. Otherwise, I'll get there Friday night and have to find you.

I last ran Morgan City Wash and Tin Can Alley in March, 2006. Here's a link to the Virtual Jeep Club run report; the pics start with post #45: http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=12366 The tracklog is attached as a Garmin .GDB file. TinCanAlley.gdb

Happy B-Day!!!

Four campgrounds take reservations, but three of the four are already booked for that weekend. The fourth one, Indian Cove, does have space, but it is quite far from the center of the park, and it does not have running water. There are six campgrounds that are first come, first served (Cottonwood, Belle, White Tank, Jumbo Rocks, Ryan, Hidden Valley). Cottonwood has water and flush toilets; the others are dry and have vault toilets. Within the National Park, you can only camp in an established campground (no primitive/dispersed camping allowed). The BLM provides "overflow" camping. There's an area northeast of Twentynine Palms and an area near the south entrance of the park by I-10 for overflow camping. Here's a link to a description of the Joshua Tree National Park campgrounds: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/camping.htm Here's a link to a map of the BLM "overflow" camping areas: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/upload/overflow.pdf We have at least two participants who have Senior Discount cards, and possibly a third Senior, so if we share a campsite, and split the savings among all of us, it would average about $6-8 per vehicle per night depending upon which campground we choose.

Black Rock campground is at the northwest edge of the park. It's OK for hikers and rock climbers, but it's more than an hour each way to get to the 4WD trails. I would prefer to take our chances at finding at spot at one of the first come, first served campgrounds closer to the center of the park. My first choice is Cottonwood because it has the best facilities (drinking water, flush toilets). My next choices would be Belle, White Tank, Jumbo Rocks, Ryan, Hidden Valley and Indian Cove. Although those other campgrounds do not have water or flush toilets, we can find water (and flush toilets) at the three Visitor Centers, at Chiriaco Summit, and in Twentynine Palms. If all of the campgrounds are full when we arrive, then we can go to the overflow camping on BLM land south of Cottonwood Spring.

Ziggy and I had a wonderful time. Great weather and great friends. Happy New Year!!

It was still early when we finished the Desoto Mine trail, so instead of heading home via Mayer, AZ-69 and I-17, we headed toward Crown King on the Senator Highway: There were patches of snow in shaded areas of the road: Jack (Macinyart) and Mike (Gearhead) continued through Crown King to I-17 and home, while the rest of us took the back way to Lake Pleasant. The upper section of the road between the Senator Highway and Orobelle has been graded: The graded portion of the trail ended about a half-mile above Orobelle Mine: The creek crossing at Orobelle: Continuing down the trail: We finished the trail after dark: We arrived at Lake Pleasant at about 7:30 pm.

After exploring what remains of the Desoto Mine, we backtracked slightly and continued northwest on FS 9268R. This trail is more difficult and requires high clearance and 4-wheel drive. Kris’ black WJ is in the lead, followed by Scott’s blue XJ, Mike’s green TJ, John’s gray TJ and GnD’s gray TJ (the one with the white roof): Mike’s TJ, followed by John’s gray TJ, GnD’s gray TJ and Jack’s white YJ: Near the junction of TR 202 we met a volunteer who was doing trail maintenance. He invited us to eat lunch by the fire ring: After lunch, we continued on FS 9268R. This is Mike’s TJ climbing a v-notch: The trail crossed an intermittent streambed: We joined FR 89 and continued on an easy, two-wheel drive road until joining the Senator Highway. (continued)

This trail is rated “difficult” in the Charles Wells Guide to Arizona Backroads and 4 Wheel Drive Trails (Trail #35). Seven Offroad Adventures members and one guest traveled the trail in seven Jeeps on December 30, 2009. Kristoffer (Theksmith) was trail leader, in his black Grand Cherokee Scott (ScottL) in his blue XJ Mike (DeadEndJoe) in his green TJ John (guest) in his gray TJ George and Diane (Number 7) in their gray TJ Jack (Macinyart) and Mike (Gearhead) in Jack’s white YJ Russ (Russ Chung) in his khaki TJ The route described in the Wells Guide starts at the Senator Highway and travels southeast to Cleator, but on this run, we traveled in the opposite direction, starting at Cleator, heading northwest on FS 259B to the Desoto Mine, then continuing on FS 9266R and FR 89 to the Senator Highway. The first part of the route, on FS 259B between Cleator and the Desoto Mine is easy and can be done in a stock rig in two-wheel drive. In the distance is Scott’s blue XJ, followed by John’s gray TJ, George and Diane’s gray TJ and Jack’s white YJ: This is the trail as it approaches the site of the Desoto Mine. Mike’s green TJ is followed by John’s gray TJ, George and Diane’s gray TJ and Jack’s white YJ: A view of the trail from the Desoto Mine back toward Cleator: The Crown King Road as viewed from the site of the Desoto Mine: The lower portal of the Desoto Mine: Kris’ black WJ and GnD’s gray TJ are parked near the upper portal of the Desoto Mine, while John’s gray TJ is headed up the switchbacks: The switchbacks as viewed from the upper portal of the Desoto Mine: Exploring the mine: (continued)

I've only been to the area twice; the first time was to the Old Dale Mining District on BLM land just north of the park. We visited the Iron Age Mine, but didn't enter the National Park: Gold Crown Road in the Old Dale Mining District: Iron Age Mine: The second visit was on a moonless night, so I didn't see much of the park. We started in Twentynine Palms, crossed the park and ended up in Coachella. This was on Brooklyn Mine Road: A desert critter on Mecca Dale Road: A Joshua Tree: Berdoo Canyon: Berdoo Canyon by dawn's early light: Palm Springs from Berdoo Canyon Road:

I plan to attend.

I plan to attend. I'll bring some hot dogs and buns.