Dumont Dunes and on thru Kingston Wash - 2/1/09

Vic wanted to see if we could access the railbed out of Sperry Wash near Dumont Dunes. We began in the wash with many water crossings where we ended on a previous day.

As we aired down we were passed by a group of four ATV'ers heading up the wash. In a short distance we turned off and found the old RR bed in no time at all. So picturesque!

Dumont Dunes are a sand lover's paradise! The tallest dune is an impressive 700 ft high. Five dune species are evident making it a very unusual spot. One sees everything here - sandrails, dirtbikes, four wheelers, even a few 4x4 trucks. Holiday weekends are crazy, especially Presidents Day, when over 20,000 people are in attendance. Rarely does a weekend go by that MediVac people don't helicopter in to provide medical assistance and airlift for casualties. It's a wild and sometimes crazy place.

Here, campers have a nice spot all to themselves... ...with this wonderful view. We have found some remote places to camp. It doesn't get much nicer than this.Dumont Dunes

We followed the railbed for several miles and turned at the site of the Valjean Depot where we entered the Kingston Wash. The wash is referred to as a "cherry stem", a narrow corridor for vehicular travel. The wash itself is 21 miles in length with the Kingston Range Wilderness Area on both sides. According to the California Desert Wilderness Act of 1994 a wilderness area can only be traversed by foot or horseback. Vehicular use is prohibited. There is talk of closing the cherry stem as well.

The reddish-brown here is the dried remains of last year's Desert Trumpet. Never have we seen them growing so densely. I can only imagine the spring color. This is also a Wilderness Study Area making me wonder if the vegetation is the focus of the study. This is a very remote and little used portion of the Mojave Desert and we had it entirely to ourselves.

Imagine the thump!

The rock wall was built to divert running water at Kingston Spring. Kingston Spring was an important stop on the Kingston Cut-off according to Spanish Trail historians. Now it's little more than a seep in a half acre of dense, entangled undergrowth. We failed in our search to find water.

Brittlebush, in the Sunflower family, abounds. It's too early just yet but the area will be alive with large yellow blooms later in the month.

Desert Mistletoe has decimated the mesquite. Mistletoe is the habitat of the Phainopepla (looks like the cardinal but is shiny black in color) which nests and breeds at the time of the mistletoe berry crop. At least 1,100 berries are needed per bird per day. It rarely drinks water as its needs are mostly met with berries.

The fragrance was sweet and powerful as the mistletoe is beginning to bloom. Although we saw no phainopepla, bees were abundant.

These cliffs would be difficult not to notice - buff-colored at the bottom and capped with reddish brown lava and volcanic ash.

The base.

Balanced and waiting.....

At the top end of the 'cherry stem' and a higher elevation we encountered a Joshua Tree forest.

We had many more miles, some on open range land, before we were back to civilization.

Chinese RR Workers' Camp

In 1914 350 Chinese laborers and 150 mules built the Death Valley Railroad from Death Valley Junction to the new mine in Ryan. Because trestles had to be built and the heat was severe, it took 11 months to complete the 17 miles of track.

A trestle was built across this expanse. The mine tailings came later. One train a day ran taking in water for the miners and hauling colmanite (borax) ore out. Working, eating and sleeping occupied almost all their time. This hillside is covered with remains of their living quarters. The walls were low. They put a tent or canvas tarp over the top and crawled inside to sleep. Most of these were large enough for only one man. Frequently we found a rock with wire wrapped around. This was how they kept the tents from blowing away. We found none of the telltale bean cans found at other mine sites however there were innumerable tobacco cans.

This is the only larger building. We're guessing the cook shack - maybe the advent of Chinese Take-Out? Or an office or....

An interesting story has surfaced since exploring Sperry Wash and reading the available history of the 12 miles of rail in Amargosa Canyon. A crew of 100 Japanese laborers only lasted a few weeks in the heat. An account reads that when the author visited he saw just 17 laborers of which only 8 were wielding picks and axes. The other 9 were spraying those workers with water to keep them from overheating. The method? They filled their mouths with water and sprayed. While not hygienic, it may have saved lives.

Scouting for a Jeep Junkie Run

West of Death Valley Junction is a wonderful area with incomparable views and dozens of mines. It was a nice day to go scouting for a special route on which to lead the Jeep Junkies for a day. This was steep with washed out areasand some big rocks. It was wise to check it out on foot first.

The Jeep had less trouble with this climb than we did. More of the wonderful desert colors.

Are you sure this is a road?

Road? The GPS says there is one here somewhere..... Perhaps we shouldn't believe everything we read? That was quite a drop before quite a climb. After miles of no discernable roads, what's one last big climb. There is a real dirt roadway up ahead. Must pick around the cacti with the BIG thorns, the boulders and then get over the really big hump at the top.

Once up and over, and before heading down the real road, it was time to stop and check out the drag mark made climbing that last several feet onto the road - whew! This is NOT the route on which to take a group.

This was just a nice place to take a break and enjoy the fabulous view. Weather has been moving our way for the past couple of hours. A light mist is beginning as we get back to the highway.

Sperry Wash

A drive through Sperry Wash turns up amazing formations. Huge boulders that weigh many hundreds or even thousands of pounds are held up by columns of "fanglomerate". This, too, is an ACEC (Area of Critical Environmental Concern). In this portion of the canyon we had been advised that petrified wood and fossilized plants have been found as far back as the 1950s. Although we looked, we were not so fortunate.

The Amargosa River travels underground for over 100 miles and here in the Amargosa Canyon comes to the surface. We understand that this water is to be found year round. It is not a seasonal happening. There were nine river crossings this day.

Naturally the boys had to play! And the gals, of course,

had a great time too.

The Tonopah & Tidewater RR once passed through Amargosa Canyon for a distance of twelve miles. The road down Sperry Wash from the Western Talc mine to the siding was 10 miles. The road was paved when the railroad ceased operation in 1941 as the trucking distance to the then nearest siding increased to 80 miles. The building of those 12 miles of rail is a story in itself. The first 76 miles went smoothly as the workers built their way north. Amargosa Canyon proved to be much more challenging. Trestles had to be built, cuts dug and long fills made. Bankruptcy claimed the contractor. The summer heat took its toll on the workers. Many worked only a few days. A crew of 100 Japanese worked just a few weeks to be replaced by Mexicans who were off the job in a month. With the advent of cooler weather, and a year after work in the canyon began, the 12 miles was completed in May of 1907.

Flash floods have washed away most of the asphalt roadway; vandals have burned the trestles and ties while sand and gravel have buried any other remnants. All that remains today is the raised railbed.

The desert trumpet again. Prior to this day I've not seen any so large as these. It's easy now to see why they were used as tobacco pipes except, if they were dried, why didn't the pipe burn as well as the tobacco? Did the Indians soak them first? Or coat them with something? Another mystery to solve....

Western Talc Mine, Sheep Head Mtn, Dead man Pass

Looking closely one can see the profile of a desert bighorn sheep. He/she is on the face of the taller mountain. The face is reddish and has an eye.Dead Man Pass

3300 ft. elevation reads the sign. The body of a dead man was found at this location and the pass was so named. We are taking the Jeep Junkie name to a whole new level. These abandoned mine properties are just too much fun. The search for historic cans and other memorabilia took some time but we did find a decent carbide can.

Death Valley National Park and Furnace Creek Inn

Another trip to Death Valley to do research took me past the Furnace Creek Inn once again. What a beautiful place!

More photos of the variety of colors and textures that are so hauntingly beautiful.