196908 desert magazine 1969 august

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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 pANZA-BORREGO DESERT GUIDE by Horace Par-ker. Third edit ion of th is wel l - i l lus t rated anddocumented book is enlarged considerably. Topsamong guidebooks, it is equal ly recommendedfor research material in an area that was crossedby Anza, Kit Carson, the Mormon Bat ta l ion,49ers, Railroad Survey part ies, Pegleg Smith, theJackass Ma i l , Butterf ield Stage, and today 'sadventurous tourists. 139 pages, cardboardcover , $3.50.EXPLORING CALIFORNIA BYWAYS by Russ Lead-abrand. There are two separate books underthis t i t le. Volume 1 covers the area from KingsCanyon National Park, near Bishop, to theMexican Border. Volume 2 covers one or two-day t r ips around Los Angeles. Both books con-ta in maps for each t r ip wi th photographs, his-tor ical in format ion, recreat ional fac i l i t ies , camp-sites, hiking trai ls, etc. Excellent t ravel guides.Both volumes are slick paperback, 180 pages,$1.95 each. WHEN ORDERING BE CERTAIN TOSTATE WHICH VOLUME NUMBER.

THE WEEKEND TREASURE HUNTER by A. H.Ryan. A companion book to his Weekend GoldMiner, this volume is also concise and packedwi th informat ion on w h a t to look for and w h a tto do with your treasure after you have foundit . Subjects range from Beach Combing to Sunk-en Treasures. Paperback, 76 pages, $1.95.BEACHES OF BAJA by Wall Wheelock. The au-thor has personal ly explored the beau t i f u lbeaches of Baja, which, unlike those of UpperCa l i f o rn ia , are uncluttered and unc rowded. Hetells how to reach the beaches and what type oft ransportat ion is needed. A companion book toGerhard and Gul icks Lower Cal i forn ia GuideBook. Paperbook, i l lustrated, 72 pages, $1.95.DEATH VALLEY JEEP TRAILS by Roger Mitchell.Al t hough a system of paved roads covers DeathVal ley Nat ional Monument , there is even alarger network of back country roads leadingto old mining camps, s tamp mi l ls and otherl i t t le-known areas of interest. The author hasprov ided a guide to these places for explorerswith back country vehicles. Paperback, i l lustra-t e d , 36 pages, $1.00.JEEP TRAILS TO COLORADO GHOST TOWNS byRobert L. Brown. An i l lus t rated, detai led, infor-mal history of l i fe in the mining camps deep inColorado Rockies. Fif ty-eight towns are includedthe almost inaccessible mountain fastness of theas examples of the vigorous struggle for exist-ence in the mining camps of the West. 239pages, i l lustrated, end sheet map. Hardcover.$5 . 50 .A GUIDE FOR INSULATOR COLLECTORS by JohnC. Tibbitts. Long time collector and author ofseveral bott le books, the author has wri t ten twovolumes on insulators, covering 90 percent ofthe f ie ld . Insulators in Vol. 1 (127 pages) aredif ferent than those in Vol. 2 (119 pages) .Paperbacks, wel l i l lus t rated. $3.00 each. OR-DER BY VOLUME NUMBER.MEXICAN COOK BOOK by the Editors of Sun-set Books. Mexican recipes for American cooks,thoroughly tested and suited for products avai l -able in the United States. Includes comprehen-s ive shopping guide, all cooking techniques andrecipes from soups to desserts and drinks. Largeslick paper format, well i l lustrated, 96 pages,$1 . 95 .

CALIFORNIA NATIONALPARKS

BY THE EDITORS OF SUNSET BOOKSLike other Sunset Books, this newly re-vised edition is beautifully illustrated andgives complete information, including his-tory, description, campsites, availability ofspace, recreational facilities, etc., of thestate and national parks in California.Ideal for vacationers. Large format, slickpaperback, 80 pages.

$1.95METAL DETECTOR HANDBOOK by Art Lassagne,2nd edition. Includes history, operat ing tech-niques, interpretat ion of signals, and Directoryof Manufacturers . One of the most completehandbooks of its kind. Paperback, 65 pages.$3 . 00 .ROUGH RIDING by Dick Cepek and Walt Wheel -ock. Two veteran travelers have compiled an ex-cellent book on how to dr ive and survive in theback count ry . Al though based on dr i v ingthrough Baja Cal i forn ia, the in format ion is ap-pl icable to all areas of the West. Stronglyrecommended for both amateurs and veterans.Paperback, 36 pages , $1 . 00 .REDWOOD COUNTRY by the Editors of SunsetBooks. A comprehens ive t ravel guide and his-tory of the giant Redwood trees of NorthernCal i forn ia, p lus a complete descript ion andguide to the newly publ ished Redwood Nat ionalPark. Accurate maps and more than 1 00 photo-graphs. Large format sl ick paperback, 96 pages,$ 1 . 9 5 .

WHEN ORDERING BOOKSPLEASE

Add 50 cents PER ORDER(Not Each Book)

for handling and mailingCALIFORNIA RESIDENTS ALSO

A D D 5 PERCENT SALES TAXSend check or money order to Desert Maga-zine Book Shop, Palm Desert , Cali fornia92260. Sorry , but we cannot accept chargesor C.O.D. orders.

WILD FLOWERS OF THE PACIFIC COAST byLeslie L. Haskin. A completely revised and en-larged edi t ion, th is guide gives a broad scien-t i f ic basis for a def in i t ive ident i f icaton of w i l df lowers . Wi th descr ipt ions are more than 100fu l l -color photographs, p lus b lack and w h i t e ,descr ib ing 332 f lowers and shrubs. Hardcover,450 pages , $595 .WESTERN CAMPSITE DIRECTORY by the Editorsof Sunset Books. Just published, this book l istsmore than 5000 pr ivate and publ ic camp-grounds in the 11 western states and BritishColumbia and Western Alber ta, inc luding hun-dreds of new campsites to care for the everincreas ing amount of people tak ing to the openr oad . Just r ight for p lann ing a vacat ion. Largeformat , s l ick paperback, i l lus t rated, 128 pages,$ 1 . 9 5 .THE WEEKEND GOLD MINER by A. H. Ryan. Anelectronic physicist "bit ten by the go ld bug,"the author has wr i t t en a concise and in format ivebook for amateur prospectors tel l ing where andhow go ld is f ound and how it is separated andtested, all based on his own pract ical ex-perience. Paperback, 40 pages , $1 . 50 .HAPPY WANDERER TRIPS by Slim Barnard.Television travel personalit ies Henrietta andSlim Barnard have produced two separate vol-umes on the hundreds of t r ips shown on theirpopular television series. Volume 1 has 52t r ips in Southern Cal i forn ia, and Vo lume 2 lists41 tr ips in Arizona, Nevada and Mexico. All ofthe tr ips are i l lustrated with excellent maps andgive prices of l odg ing , etc. Highly recommend-ed for family weekend excursions. Both arelarge sl ick paperback with 4-color cover. Priceis $2.95 each. WHEN ORDERING BE SURE ANDSTATE WHICH VOLUME NUMBER.ROCK DRAWINGS OF THE COSO RANGE byCampbell Grant, James Baird and KennethPringle. Authors use the pet roglyphs found inCal i forn ia 's Inyo County to piece together thehabi ts and act ivit ies of prehistoric people. Al-though us ing the Coso Range carvings andpaint ings, the hieroglyphics are similar to thosefound throughout the Americas. Soft cover, sl ickpaper, more than 100 photos, maps and d r a w -ings. 145 pages, $3.95.CAMPING AND CLIMBING IN BAJA by John W.Robinson. Contains excellent maps and photos.A guidebook to the Sierra San Pedro Mart ir andthe Sierra Juarez of upper Baja Calif . Muchof this land is unexplored and unmapped sti l l .Car routes to famous ranches and camping spotsin palm-s tudded canyons wi th t rout s t reamstempt weekend tour is ts who aren' t up to h ik ing .Paperback, 96 pages, $2.95.A GUIDEBOOK TO THE SOUTHERN SIERRANEVADA by Russ Leadabrand. I l lus t rated wi thgood photographs and maps, this volume coversthe Sierra region south of the Sequoia Nat ionalPark, including most of the Sequoia Nat ionalForest. Paperback, $1.95.EARTHQUAKE COUNTRY by Robert lacopi. Publ ished by Sunset Books, this well i l lustratedbook separates fact f rom f ict ion and showswhere faul ts are located, what to do in theevent of an earthquake, past h is tory and w h a tto expect in the future. H ighly recommended foral l Cal i forn ians. Large format , s l ick paperback,160 pages , $2 . 95 .

FOR COMPLETE BOOK CATALOG WRITE TO DESERT MAGAZINE, PALM DESERT, CALIFORNIA 92 2 6 0


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WILLIAM KNYVETT, PUBLISHERJACK PEPPER, EDITORJACK DELANEY, Staff WriterBILL BRYAN, Back Country Editor

MAGAZINE

VOLUME 32, NUMBER 8 AUGUST, 1969

THE COVER:Sheer walls of Angel'sLanding tower 1500 feetabove the Virgin River -one of the many points ofinterest in Utah's ZionNational Park. Photographby David Muench, SantaBarbara, California.

FEATURESBODIE'S GREAT BONANZA LEDGE

ALONG THE BORDER OF BAJANEW CALIFORNIA HIGH SIERRA CAMPSITES

HITCH HIKING SPIDERSOREGON'S NATURAL CAVES

FORT ROSS RUSSIAN STRONGHOLDARIZONA'S ENCHANTED CANYON

GHOSTS OF TEM PAH UTEBAKER LAKE

BOULEVARD BONANZAPALMETTO, NEVADA

by Marian Harveyby Jack Delaneyby"ElizabethBeebeby Dennis L. Bosticby Jim Woodardby Pat Holmesby Ruth Molthanby Roberta M. Starryby Dorothy Robertsonby Ken Marquissby Sally Lindman

DEPARTMENT S

BOOK REVIEWS by Jack PepperA PEEK IN THE PUBLISHER'S POKE

BACK COUNTRY TRAVELCALENDAR OF WESTERN EVENTS

WOMAN'S VIEW POINTLETTERS

by Bill Knyvettby BUI BryanClub ActivitiesFeminine FactsReaders' Comments

ELTA SHIVELY, Executive Secretary MARVEL BARRETT, BusinessEDITORIAL AND CIRCULATION OFFICES: 74-109 Larrea, Palm Desert, California 92260, AC 714 346-8144. NATIONAL ADVER-TISING OFFICES: 8380 Melrose Street, Los Angeles 90069, AC 213 653-5847. Listed in Standard Rate and Data. Subscription rates:United States, Canada & Mexico, 1 year, $5.00; 2 years, $9.50, 3 years, $13.00. Other foreign subscribers add $1.00 currency for each year.See Subscription Order Form in this issue. Allow five weeks for change of address and send both new and old addresses with zip codesDesert Magazine is published monthly. Second class postage paid at Palm Desert, California and at additional mailing offices under Act ofMarch 3, 1879. Contents copyrighted 1969 by Desert Magazine and permission to reproduce any or all contents must be secured in writing.Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs WILL NOT BE RETURNED unless accompanied by a self-addressed and stamped envelope.


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B o o kReviewsby Jack Pepper

BOTTLES AND RELICSBy Marvin and Helen Davis

This is the fifth book by Marvin andHelen Davis, veteran bottle collectorsand treasure hunters. Among the manyoutstanding features of their newest bookis more than 30 pages of color illustra-tions of bottles. Instead of photograph-ing the bottles against a plain backgroundthey used imagination and set the itemsin natural settings.

In addition to the color photographsthere are dozens of pages of black andwhite photographs showing more than500 bottles with descriptions and cur-rent prices.The book also includes a special sec-tion on the collection and display ofrelics such as guns, horns, cooking uten-sils and other items found in the Westwhich are considered collector's items.Another interesting part of the bookis on treasure hunting and the use ofmetal detectors. Slick paperback, 155pages, four-color cover, $4.50.

BOOK OF CACTIBy Harry C. Lawson

Written for the amateur, this booktells how to plant, care for and identifycactus found in the West. Whether youplan to plant just one cacti in a pot, orstart a cactus garden, it will assure you ofsuccessful planting.Using his own cactus collection, theauthor has included 409 photographs anddescriptions of the plants. As the authorstates: "The person who starts a cactusgarden will never cease to marvel how adusty looking little blob of green, allbristles and defiance, can produce suchu n i q u e and b reath -t ak in gly l o v e l yblooms." Paperback, illustrated, 36 pages,

$2.00.

GHO ST T O WNS O F NE W ME XI COBy Michael fenkinson with KarlKernberger

The history of New Mexico is remin-iscent of the ancient sagas. The conquis-tadors, the gunmen, the miners andfreighters, the merchants and the poli-ticiansall these moved west and carveda home, a territory, and, finally, a stateout of mountains and plains that werehostile and harsh.These pioneers were men of honor aswell as low, mean creatures, and a lengthof rope and a cottonwood limb oftenpromptly solved what the quick flash ofa barroom gun left unfinished.Ghost Towns is not just a tourists'guide to exotic places. The book spansthe history of New Mexico from the pastto the present. Tales of Russian Bill andBilly the Kid are set off against the firstatomic explosion; the unsolved murderof Colonel Albert Fountain and his sonis recounted; and, coming to the present,the reader visits a deserted town in whicha lone astronomer studies the sky for hisown pleasure.The book is exceptionally well writtenand Karl Kernberger's photographs couldbe hung in any gallery. Hardcover, highquality paper, large format, 153 pages.Makes an excellent gift. $7.50.

NOTICEUnless otherwise stated inthe review, all books re-viewed in DESERT Maga-zine are available throughthe Desert Magazine BookShop. Please add 50 centsper order (not per book)for handling and postage.California residents mustalso add 5 percent salestax for the total amount of

books.

TREASURE HUNTER'S GUIDETO THE LAWBy Clair Martin Christensen

Whether you are an avid treasure hunt-er with a metal detector and other equip-ment or merely a casual explorer you maysomeday find a valuable "treasure trove."Would you be able to keep it? Are youin violation of Federal laws when youpick up an Indian arrowhead ? W hat islost property?The Treasure Hunter's Guide to the

Law answers these questions and dozensof others which vitally affect finders ofvaluables. The author also provides hisinterpretation of the controversial Fed-eral Antiquities Act of 1906.

Among the many other subjects coveredare Mining Claims, Income Tax Aspects,Gold Regulations, Trespass and Salvage,and Marking and Recording of Claims.This concise and factual book shouldbe carried by anyone who is exploringthe West and who might someday belucky enough to find a treasure trovewhether it be an Indian arrowhead orgold bullion. Paperback, 46 pages, $2.75.

NEW MEXICO PLACE NAMESEdited by T. M. Pearce

Published by the University of NewMexico, this book lists all of the places,towns, former sites, mountains, hills,mesas, rivers, lakes, arroyos etc. in NewMexico including those settled by theearly Spaniards.In addition to listing the places andlocations it provides a concise history ofthe subjects. Persons traveling throughor in New Mexico will find their tripis much more interesting if they knowthe history of the places they visit.It is also a valuable guide for backcountry explorers, including treasurehunters, bottle collectors and those in-terested in seeing Indian settlements andartifacts.Paperback, 187 pages with more than5000 individual names, $2.45.


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

D URING THE course of a businessday a volume of mail crossesmy desk with requests, regrets andkudos from our family of readers.The degree of variety of these lettersstaggers the imagination. From theEast coast will be a missive from anavid herpetologist inquiring where andwhen is the best time to organize asnake-gathering expedition. From areader in the Midwest is a query as tothe authenticity of a tribe of albinoIndians that apparently inhabited an

area near San Bernardino. A subscriber from Northern California wrote in to say thatsomehow she had received four copies of DESERT Magazine and didn't know whatto do. I had to admit on that one it was a clear-cut case of too much of a good thing.I will not attempt to infer that all the mail is congratulatory, either. Some borderon being nasty. The policy of this magazine is to introduce people to the desert areasof the southwest and at the same time add historical facts to make a pleasing combi-nation for all to enjoy. The tranquility of the desert has to be discovered first hand.Its calming influence is known to all of its lovers and the following letter is testimonyenough for me that thepolicy is a good one.Dear Desert Magazine:

I want you to know howvery much I appreciate your magazine.It has actually restored my mother's good health. Your interestingarticles have so fascinated her that she bought a dune buggy. She hasspent days roaming and exploring. To her the desert is an intriguing andexciting place, a friendly enchanted place, full of golden sunshine.The physical exercise and mental outlook was a therapy no doc-tor had ever recommended. She got so she could walk long distancesin the soft sand; scramble up and down hills and even carry loads ofrock.An arthritic victim for years, she was partially resigned to herwheel-chair at the age of sixty years. Before the arthritis she had beena very active person who enjoyed walking and was an enthusiasticmountain climber.Your magazine started her to thinking, wanting to be able to

" g o " again. Pictures and stories of old-timers gave herhope. If they didit, socould she. So she tried and won out!The golden sunshine; the clean, clear air; walking in the softsand, strengthened and straightened her bad leg. It also brought hera whole new interest in life. She is now due for surgery, but you canbet that after that she will be back out there following the DesertMagazine trails!Thank you, L. L. R.

Thank you, L. L. R. and it would be a banner day for me to meet your motheron one of our "golden sunshine" trails.

Publisher 's Note: Due to a mechanical breakdown of the new wrapping machinelast month's issue was not wrapped as specified. I was heartened by the amazinglyfew books that were reported damaged. All damaged copies have been replacedan d my apologies for any inconvenience.

I N B O W ' SE N D . . .begins with a

T R E A S U R E L O C A T O R '

" C O M M A N D E R " 7 2 0T h i s Go da k T r e a s u r eLocator is unsurpassed forl ocat ing bur ied t reasure,coins. Civil War relics andfor beachcombing. Features"Tell-Tone" Signal. Locatesany metal object under dirt,sand, mud, rock , etc. Nocumbersome co rds -com-pletely transistorized, bat-tery powered.When t comes to ind-ing your pot of gold, gowith the leadergo withGo/dak!E F F E C T IV E D E P T H R A N G E( U n d e r N o r m a l C o n d i t i o n s )

Start out right-send $1.00 pre-paid for authentic gold-platedreplica of a Spanish doubloonfound off Cape Kennedy.T H E G O L D A K C O M P A N Y , I N C .1101-AAirWayGlendale, California 91201

Please send free literature on GOLDAK trea-sure locators.D I enclose $1.00 prepaid for my gold-plateddoubloon replica with pouch.Name.Address -CityState - - Z i p -


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BODIE'SGREATBONANZALEDGE

by Marian Harvey

HIGH ON THE eastern slope ofthe Sierra Nevada ridge inCalifornia lies the town of Bodiewhere chill ing blasts drop the tem-perature to 20 degrees below zeroduring the winter which usualy lastsnine months of the year.The miners in those days were arobust lot, braving the chill ingblasts of winter and the scorchingsun of summer to follow the con-stant rumors of new "excitements"of the gold and silver country.The f irst "e xcitem ent" in Bodiewas played out early, or so the min-ers thought. But beneath their shal-

low mining, lay one of the history'smost fabulous veins of gold ore. Itwould not be discovered for 14 moreyears, and then it would be discover-ed by accident.The exodus from Bodie had be-gun. Some later worked their wayover the top again looking stil l fornew bonanzas, living the life of theone-blanket prospector or renting abed used by one or two others in aregularly-scheduled 24-hour period.

They slept in hastily built boarding6

houses with one layer of wood andone sheet of wall paper betweenthem and the gnashing winds thatswept the mountaintops and the highplateaus.During these years between 1860and 1874, intermittent, hopeful min-ing continued on the 9000-foot Bo-die bluffs.California's Governor Leland Stan-ford, one of the "Big Four" of trans-continental railroad fame, came oneday to look over the Bodie Bluff Con-solidated Mining Company. He hadjust become its president. Since theconsolidation had called for capital,the Governor was going to supply it

to the tune of $1,000,000. But hisbombastic "expert" was so suregold could not be found more than200 feet below the ground, he pro-nounced, "If any gold were founddeeper, they could hang him in theshaf t . "The Governor and his party werestanding at that moment within 10feet of millions and millions in gold.Governor Stanford left in disdain."I wouldn't give $500 for the whole

dist r ic t , " he said. Whereupon the

Governor left, presumably never toreturn.The Bodie Bluff ConsolidatedMining Company fell into the handsof four men. Out of the four, one be-came a state legislator, one died ina mining accident, and the remain-ing two later let the mine go by de-fault to pay their $950 food bill atO'Hara's boarding house. Food wasnot cheap during the gold rush days.A loaf of bread could be $4 to $6and one egg, $1.50. A pound ofbutter was $14. The high cost offood certainly must have beenpassed on to the luckless boarders.Meat was scarce, so were fruit and

vegetables. No one had much time tohunt or to grow food. They were toobusy mining. Al l that was to comelater.When the two remaining owners,Essington and Lockberg, drifted onto other "excitements" thoroughlydisgusted with their ConsolidatedMine, O'Hara reluctantly took it overto pay their debt. Vainly, O'Haraoffered to sell the mine. All he want-ed was $950 for it, but there were

no takers.


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- f f " % ,

, ' -B.-4. * * >

In 1874, Essington and Lockbergreturned to Bodie. They had foundnothing more promising than themine they had left behind, so theydecided they might as well return toit. Making a deal with the relievedO'Hara, they worked out their $950debt and thereby rebought theirmine.

Timber was scarce in those days.Bodie is above the timberline. Lum-ber was rolled down one side of themountain and hauled up the otherby mule and by pulley. The pulleysoften broke under the strain, send-ing the t imber crashing down themountainside again. It often took aslong as 16 hours to raise the lumberup one slope. Some lumber washauled from the Mono Mil l , acrossthe brackish, lifeless Mono Lake onbarges. From the northeastern cor-ner of the lake, the timber was load-ed onto waiting mule teams andtaken the arduous sixteen miles intoBodie. Wood was not only scarce, itwas expensive.

Because of this condition, notenough timber was used to buttressthe diggings and the Bodie BluffConsolidated Mining Company wassupported no differently.Essington and Lockberg had be-gun digging again. One day whilethey were down at the boardinghousepresumably working off their

debta great rumble set in. Itcould be heard throughout thebluffs. Some thought it was an earth-quake. Each involved, thought it washis mine. Essington and Lockbergran to theirs, as all the others did,in despair, afraid to look, knowingsomething devastating had happen-ed. It had.

There in front of their eyes, wasthe Great Bonanza Ledgea fortunein gold. The shattering collapse ofof their shaft had unearthed thisgreat deposit of gold.

It was said the gold was so pure,each pound was worth thousands ofdollars. Though it is also said mostof the gold in the Bodie Mining Dis-Continued on P age 36

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MUCHOF U NA L O N G

T H EB O R D E R O F

Tijuana has many smart shopswith goods imported from

throughout the world. Touristsshould explore the side streetsas well as the main Avenida

Revolucion. The Benito JuarezMonum ent (above) is typical of

the many monuments alongthe highway.


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Mexico todayhas many fineaccommodations.This is theMotel Lucerna" * ^ = - "S in Mexicali.

by Jac k Delaney

A TOURIST IN one of the Mexicanborder towns was happy because hehad just purchased Pancho Villa's skullfor only 100 pesos. Later, while brows-ing through other curio shops in searchof bargains, he saw a smaller skull ondisplay with a placard reading: "PanchoVilla's skullonly 100 pesos!" He ap-proached the shopkeeper and informedhim that there must be a mistake becausehe had just purchased the authentic itemin another shop. The shopkeeper replied:"Oh, that's all right, senor, this is theskull of Pancho Villa when he was aboy!"

If this infers you are likely to becheated in the Mexican border towns,the answer is that anyone who tries hardenough can be "taken" anywhere oneartheven in the United States! In re-cent years, town officials along the BajaCalifornia border have done a wonderfuljob of upgrading their communities inorder to attract tourists. You can nowvisit Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali, and nu-merous small settlements between theseprincipal cities, with confidence you willbe welcomed by our Latin friends andnot be considered as "pigeons" for ne-farious schemes.

In order to prove to ourselves thatthis is true we took the above-mentionedtrip and had a safe, interesting, andthoroughly enjoyable experience. Mrs.Delaney and I had visited Tijuana, Te-cate, and Mexicali before, but we had

R H S I & :

never driven Mexican Highway 2 be-tween these cities. Our trip lasted threedays, with overnight stays in each majorcommunity, to enable us to snoop aroundbehind the tourist curtain and absorbthe thinking and attitudes of the localpeople.After obtaining Mexican automobileinsurance on the U.S. side of the border(a three-day policy cost us slightly over$5.00) we entered Tijuana through thegrand international gate around noonon Thursday. A right turn onto 2ndStreet for about four blocks brought usto the main street, called Avenida Revo-lution. The first half-dozen blocks ofthis thoroughfare are jumping "go-go"places, complete with sidewalk barkerswho assure the passersby that they'llmiss something if they pass by!

However, even along "go-go row" allis not sex. At 4th Street we visited thesidewalk Tourist Information Bureau andfound the personnel to be courteous andhelpful. Also, a variety of tourist attrac-tions are available in this section. Severalarcades display native handcrafts and im-ported item s. On e of the best is the For-eign Club Arcade, located near the Tour-ist Bureau booth. In this area visitorshave an opportunity to be photographedastride, or beside, a striped burro! Thisanimal is native only to Tijuananoother place in the world has striped bur-ros, according to local authorities.

Between 7th and 8th Streets is one of9


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the most interesting exhibits south of theborder. This is the Inco Glass Factory.Here, while resting in comfortable seatson a visitor's grandstand, we watchedmaster craftsmen form objects of glass.This is not a small glass blowing opera-tion. There are a half-dozen large blastfurnaces, using diesel fuel, which attaina temperature of 2500 degrees. Helpersdraw globs of molten glass from the fur-naces and pass them on to the craftsmenwho form the finished product by cut-ting and shaping it like dough, with handtools.

Tijuana has grown from a populationof 500 in 1911 to its present size of closeto 250,000 residents. It is the most visitedcity in the worldmore than 12 millionpeople cross the border each year! Mostcome for the city's spectacular attractionshorse racing, dog racing, bull fights,and Jai Alai games. The Caliente RaceTrack is famous, with its luxurious ap-pointments, restaurant, cocktail lounge,and penthouse (Top O' The Grand). Aspecial feature is the evening conversionfrom a horse track to a dog track forgreyhound racing!

Two bullrings accommodate the manversus beast sports fansthe centrallylocated Toreo de Tijuana, and the PlazaMonumental which is about five milesout of town near the Pacific Ocean. Thisis the second largest ring in the worldthe only larger one is Plaza Monumentalin Mexico City. Jai Alai is reported to bethe fastest moving sport spectacle. It ispresented in the colorful Fronton Pal-acewith pari-mutuel betting. Jai Alaihas been played for years in Spain, Mexi-

co, and other countries. It is a version ofthe Basque sport called "pelota."We stayed at the Motel Leon on 7thStreet, near Avenida Revolucion, becauseof its central location and its typicalMexican design. A ground floor courtused for parking guests' automobiles issurrounded by the motel units on the2nd and 3rd floors, with balconies

around the court. It was fun watchingmaids drop bed linens, etc., over the rail-ings to the parking area below. Whenone emptied a jug of water over the rail-ing and barely missed a man walking be-low, we realized how carefree life is here.The room was comfortable, the settinginteresting, and the cost was only $8.00per night.We enjoyed a delicious dinner at themotel's excellent eating place, the Coron-et Restaurant. This establishment features

many tempting dishes, including abalonesteak, Guaymas shrimp, lobster, wildgame (in season), and flaming desserts,at reasonable prices. Native specialtiesare also offered.Another enjoyable dining experienceoccurred at the Hosteria Polios del Cas-tillo, the new establishment of SenorRicardo Castillo. The building, whichappears to be a castle, is the most artisticand impressive restaurant structure inthe state of Baja California! It is located

at number 130 Boulevard Agua Caliente,which is a continuation of Avenida Revo-lucion. This showplace is Senor Castillo'scontribution to the new, greater Tijuana.The menu includes many temptingdishes: chiles rellenos, tacos, tamales, en-chiladas, etc. We settled for a combina-

tion plate and enjoyed all of them. Theprice for this delicious spread was $1.50each.On the way to Tecate the next morn-ing we stopped at Rodriquez Dam, whichwas constructed in the early '30s. It wasdedicated to General Abelardo Rodriquez,who was the governor of Baja Californiaat the time. A few miles before Tecatewe passed Rancho La Puerta, a well-known health resort that draws manyclients from the United States. It has ac-commodations for 400 guests and offersa reducing program featuring exerciseand a strict diet routine. Don't stop herefor a juicy steakyou would probablybe served a meat substitute covered witha delicious gravy substitute!We found Tecate to be a quiet, pleas-ant, family town with an absence ofnight clubs, race tracks, etc. Althoughit is on the United States border, it hasmanaged to retain its Mexican flavor.Downtown Tecate has several motels andrestaurants, and a number of curio andsouvenir shops. A feature here is thesparkling spring water that is safe todrink directly from the bathroom tap.Also, this is the home of an excellentbeer that bears the town's name.Our choice among the local motelswas the El Dorado which is modern, hasa swimming pool, and an adjacent restau-

rant (the Venecia Dorado). The rate forour twin-bed room was $10.00. We dinedat the Venecia Dorado where a deliciousmeal, including Margaritas, cost about$5.00 for two. This restaurant offers aninternational cuisine everything fromtacos to pizzas!

10


11/44

While having dinner, we observed agroup of 12 or 14 women seated at alarge table next to ours. Their plates wereoverflowing with food and they weredigging into the goodies with a ven-geance. We asked the waiter if this wasa local women's club, and received theanswer: "No, these are guests of RanchoLa Puerta where they are on strict diets!"In the border cities of Baja, the U.S.dollar is used freely for purchases andreturn change. However, prices in shopsare frequently shown in pesos (the Mexi-can dollar). A simple formula for con-verting pesos into U.S. dollars is to mul-tiply the pesos by 8, and point off twoplaces. (Example: 20 pesos times 8equals 160; pointed off this is $1.60 inin U.S. money.)Since speed limits along highways are

posted in kilometers, a simple conver-sion formula came in handy while wewere driving. Just multiply the kilometersby 6, and point off one place for an ap-proximate figure. (Example: 100 Km.times 6 equals 600; pointed off this is60 miles per hour.)Throughout our entire trip we foundeveryone friendly and helpful. It wasearly March when we planned to driveover the mountain from Tecate to Mexi-cali, and were concerned about road con-

ditions, the possibility of heavy snows,e t c . A quick check at the tourist bureauand the police station, both located atthe city hall across from the town plaza,brought assurances that no difficultieswould be encountered. These offices arenotified within an hour when dangerousweather conditions develop around themountain summit.After leaving Tecate, Mexican High-way 2 took us through miles of beautifulscenery; more rolling hills and more

olive groves. We saw many farms, andcows everywhereeven on the highway.Suddenly we realized why the settingwas so enjoyable mile after miletherewere no billboards marring the land-scape! At the summit we stopped at thetown called La Rumorosa for a rest per-iod, then proceeded along a stretch ofdowngrade offering tremendous vistas ofthe desert about 5000 feet below. Uponreaching the desert, the road continuesto the Mexicali Valley, with its greenfields and farms spread out for manymiles.

Just before entering Mexicali we sawa long stretch of shacks along the high-way, built of scrap wood, cardboard, andany other material that could hold themtogether. This might be called "povertyrow," the counterpart of which can befound in any country in the world. Twopoints that attracted our interest werethe apparent happiness of the childrenwho were frolicing around their meagerabodes, and the fact that many of theresidents had flowers growing in front oftheir places! Even in poverty, the Mexi-can people's love of beauty is evident.

We continued on Highway 2 to itsjunction with Highway 5 (the San Feliperoad.) At this point we turned left forabout a mile to a highway circle wherethe choice is a left turn to the industrialsection, or straight ahead on a dividedhighway, labelled "Aeropuerto." This isBenito Juarez Boulevard, and is the bestroute into the Mexicali business district.After a couple of miles we passed JuarezMonument where the street name changesto Justo Sierra Boulevard. Another mileor two brought us to Reforma Boulevard.A left turn here led us to the center ofMexicali.

This city has a population of morethan 300,000, including the Valley, andis the center of a vast cotton producingarea. Mexicali Valley has been called:"The cotton ginning capital of the world"because of its large concentration ofcotton gins. You will find the city to bea wholesome and hospitable community.There are no horse or dog racing trackshereparticipation sports are favored.Boxing, wrestling, basketball and foot-ball are popular, with buildings and out-door parks provided for them. Swim-ming and tennis are offered at the swankCasino de Mexicali, and golfing at thebeautiful Club Campestre.

The central business section of townis slanted toward the tourist trade, withcurio stores featuring native items andimports. Here, we were fascinated withthe colorful pottery, pinatas, Mexicandresses, silver, jewelry, leather goods,and a wide array of other handcraftedmerchandise. Also, there are numerousfine restaurants, an assortment of motels,and an adequate number of nightclubsfor a bit of evening celebrating. TheMexicali Turf Club, on the main street,Continued on Page 37

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N e wH I G Hby Elizabeth B

.

* - * (". - - ^ . - * I


13/44

C a m p s i t e sDURING T H E winter the snow-coveredEastern Sierra Nevadas, toweringthousands of feet into the sky, are insharp contrast to the desert floor below.As spring turns into summer the meltingsnows cascade down the mountains, form-ing hundreds of creeks and filling thelakes for the enjoyment of fishermen andvacationers.

To accommodate the ever increasingnumber of people seeking solace in these

mountain retreats, the Bureau of LandManagement has established five newcampsites along U.S. 395 from Lone Pineto Crowley Lake which are now ready forsummer use.

Driving north on U.S. 395, the mostsoutherly of the five new sites is TuttleCreek Recreation Area. In Lone Pine takethe Whitney Portal Road for three milesand follow the signs to the campground.There are 85 family units and the campcan accommodate 496 people. At an ele-vation of 5200 feet you are in the sha-dow of Mt. Whitney, the highest peakin the United States, rising 14,496 feetabove sea level.

Campsites in the latestBureau of Land Managementareas offer amp le space forprivacy. Many are near fishingstreams and lakes.

This campground is so scenic one va-cationer remarked from the depths ofher camp chair, "I could just sit here allday and do nothing but look at themountains." However, the young frywere exploring nearby trails while fatherwas fishing in Tuttle Creek and pullingin some rainbow and brown trout fordinner.

Mountaineers will be interested indriving back to the turnoff and follow-ing the paved road to Whitney Portal.Park your car there, for hiking now takesover if you want to climb to the top ofMt. Whitney and sign the register in thehut on the mountain's peak. Many peo-ple accomplish this during the summermonths. The round trip may be made ina day.

Tuttle Camp adjoins the AlabamaHills; gigantic and fantastically erodedoutcroppings of granite. A great placeto hike and take pictures, this site hasbeen used many times as a locale for themovies. There is a natural amphitheatrehere called the Deepest Valley Theatre,situated in a spot which was found topossess naturally fine acoustics. Outdoorconcerts featuring nationally known art-ists are held here usually late in thesummer.

Fifteen miles north of Lone Pine onU . S . 395 is the town of Independence.Here you will see the dark redwood signused by the Bureau of Land Manage-ment to designate all the campsites,this one by the curb near the post officesays Symmes Creek. Follow the roadleading through Onion Valley westward

13


14/44

a few m iles to a designated turnoff anda little over two miles farther.Four hundred and forty people can beaccommodated here as the camp contains55 family units. It is situated in ratheropen country so that great expanses ofthe Sierra Nevadas are breathtaking.Underfoot, wild flowers bloom undis-turbed creating a colorful carpet over the

entire area. And this enjoyment will beenhanced by trout limits from wellstocked Symmes Creek.While in Independence visit the East-ern California Museum, a treasure houseof Indian artifacts, pictures and relics ofearly life in the Owens Valley. Near theMuseum is the house of the famousauthor, Mary Austin. This house, con-taining much olden time memorabilia ofthe area, will be open for visitors thissummer. On a prominent corner on

Main Street stands the CommanderHouse. It was brought here from FortIndependence where it had been occu-pied by several of the commanders offorces during Indian uprisings in thisarea. Relics of operations carried on atthe Fort can be viewed on the groundsback of the house.Driving north from Independence toa point about 13 miles, the distinctivesign appears again to announce GoodaleCreek Recreation Area. At first the west-

ward road leading through a rather deso-late lava-strewn area does not look tooattractive. The campsite however, like theother new areas, is inviting with its plant-ings of poplar trees and the High Sierrasfor a background. There are 62 familyunits here with accommodations for 496camp vacationers.Goodale Creek, like the others, is well

stocked with rainbow trout and has theunique feature of winding right throughthe center of the campground. One visitorthere experimented by dipping his baitinto the stream in the midst of campactivities and to his delight pulled out atwelve-inch rainbow. Flushed with suc-cess he tried again and this time landeda thirteen-incher. This is a true story, al-though a repetition of such a happeningis not guaranteed.Besides such reports of good fishing,

the country toward the Sierra is wildenough and unpopulated enough you maysee various types of wild life. You mayhave to chase away Tule Elk who love tobrowse on the poplar's new growth orgraze along the roadside.As an added convenience to campershere the Aberdeen Resort is close by of-fering a store and facilities for storingtrailers.For an interesting side trip drive backsouth a few miles along U.S. 395 where

Night concerts are heldunder the summer skies in the

natural amphitheater in theTuttle Creek area.

there are two fish hatcheries, the BlackRock and Mr. Whitney. Good roads goto both hatcheries and visitors are alwayswelcome to go through them.Still farther northward is the HortonCreek Recreation Area. To reach it stayon the highway through the towa ofBishop. About seven miles north of theTonopah Junction there is the familiarred sign along with one reading InyoMono Conservation Camp. Follow thispaved road for three miles passing theConservation Camp entrance. A short dis-

tance further, another sign reads HortonCreek Recreation Area and driving to-ward the mountains eight-tenths of amile you'll come to the entrance to thearea.This campsite, located almost at thebase of the High Sierras, affords a mag-nificent view of the great slopes ofmountainside and an uninterrupted viewof the wide valley below, clear across tothe long range of the White Mountains.There are 55 campsites here accommo-dating 424 people. Lombardy poplarsare growing briskly while Horton Creekbabbles merrily by. Some of the campsitesare as near as 80 feet. The creek is wellstocked and while fishing is good here,it is possible for ardent fishermen tofollow the creek to a higher level.An exciting aspect of Horton, asidefrom the fishing, is the fact this area wasonce the home and hunting grounds forthe Paiute Indians. A bit of scroungingaround will probably yield an arrowheador two.Farthest north of the five campsitesis the Crowley Lake Recreation Area.Follow U.S. 395 northward as it climbsup the long Sherwin grade. Once on to

A creek runs by the campsitein the Tuttle Creek area. ScenicSierra Nevadas are in thebackground.


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you'll see an old landmark on your right,Tom's Place. About five miles past thisthe big redwood B.L.M. sign directs youto the camp one-half mile from the high-way.This, campsite contains 47 campingunits and some features not to be foundin the other camps such as pull-throughtrailer spaces, a group trailer parkingarea and fire pits. The elevation is 7000feet.While this site is one of tremendousbeauty, the emphasis is on fish. A mile

before you reach the recreation area, youpass the wide entrance to the CrowleyLake parking area and boat dockingfacility. The Lake is so large that eventhough there may be thousands of fish-ing boats on it, you can, in all likelihood,catch the limit from some promisingshoreline spot.Although there are many other camp-sites, both public and private along U.S.395, these are the newest, so take yourpick and forget the cares of the world asyou fish and relax in the Sierra Nevadas.

INFORMATION ON FIVE CAMPSOne dollar per day car fee ischarged. The purchase of a Gold-en Eagle Passport is recommend-

ed. This costs $7.00 and permitsentrance into any Federal recrea-tion area, at no additional charge.An off icial wil l visit the campdaily to collect fees as well asperform necessary camp chores.He will also be happy to answerpertinent questions of visitors.The normal season is from May1st to October 31st. At presentno reservations are necessary.All sites are designed to ac-

c o m m o d a t e c a m p e r s , p i c k u pcampers and small trai lers.Each family unit is equipped

with redwood table and benches.Some have a charcoal stove. TheTuttle Creek Area has nine sani-tary cinderblock toilets. The othercamps have five. Running wateris available at all sites during theseason.In case you wish for m ore infor-mation of any kind write to Rob-ert Springer, District Manager,Bureau of Land Management, 800Truxtun Ave., Room 311, Bakers-f ie ld, California 9 3 3 0 1 .

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16/44

Although less than an inch long,the Missouri Brown Spider

is as deadly as a rattlesnake.Photo b y Buckey Reeves

shows enlarged spiderand pebbles.

H I T C HH i k i n Gs p i d E R Sby Dennis L. Bostic

IN T HE United States, the black w idowspider is considered by most peopleto be the only species of spider danger-ously venomous to man. Yet, for over adecade the Missouri brown spider. Loxos-celes reclusa, a small, innocuous lookingspider, known also as the violin-backedspider, or simply brown spider, hasshared this dubious distinction.The Missouri brown spider is one ofthe more than 20 species of six-eyed,brown spiders occurring in the United

States, but only the Missouri brownspider is known with certainty to bedangerous to man.Potentially the venom of the Missouribrown spider is more lethal than that ofthe black widow, the femme fatale ofthe spider world, which claims seven tonine percent of its untreated victims. Infact, volume for volume, the brown spi-der's venom is more virulent than that ofthe rattlesnake. The black widow's venomis neurotoxic; that is, a poison whichaffects the nervous system and may causerespiratory paralysis in small children. In

16

contrast, the poison of the Missouribrown spider is cytotoxic, causing celldegeneration and death of healthy tissue.Frequently, an ugly ulcer appears at thesite of the bite, and if not treated maybecome gangrenous.The bite of the brown spider is fol-lowed by moderate to intense pain de-pending on the length of time the fangsremain in the skin and their depth ofpenetration. After penetration of thefangs, a blister-like reaction generally

occurs.To date, the Missouri brown spiderhas not been positively linked, in a cause-and-effect relationship, with the symp-toms of spider-bite victims in Los An-rteles and San Diego. However, the ul-cers which resulted from bites weretypical of those recorded in Missouriand adjoining states, following bites ofthe Missouri brown spider.In 1957, the first reported case ofLoxosceles bite was from Missouri; by

1962 cases were reported from Kansas,Texas, and Oklahoma; in 1964 from In-

diana; and in 1966 from Southern Cali-fornia. Is the Missouri brown spider"hitchhiking" west via the householdeffects of westward travelers ?Southern California medical men, how-ever, have not ruled out the possibilitythat many of the serious "insect bites"may have been caused by other species ofbrown spiders that occur naturally inCalifornia.Brown spiders are rather secretive andnon-aggressive, seldom venturing out dur-

ing the daytime. They spin small, irreg-ular webs in undisturbed places as stor-age closets, garages, and other householdsites commonly used for storage. Theyhunt at night, and as one might expectmany reported bites have occurred in bed.The Missouri brown spider is small,less than three-eighths of an inch long.The female is slightly larger than themale. The entire body, yellow-brown incolor, is covered with hair. They arecharacterized by having six eyes and

simple, external reproductive organs. Afurther distinguishing feature is a purple-


17/44

brown, violin-shaped mark on the top ofthe cephalothorax (the fused head andmid-body segments).Most spiders, although venomous bynature, areconsidered harmless since onlythe bite of a few produce symptoms con-sidered dangerous enough for man toseekmedical attention. However, if morevic-tims of "insect bites" would consult adoctor, and bring along the creature foridentification, perhaps the list wouldgrow. In fact, recently added to the listof potentially dangerous spiders in theUnited States, thewidows andbrown spi-ders, were the familiar black-and-yellowgarden spider and the running spider.So next time you are rummagingaround old deserted buildings, siftingthrough the rubbish of a past era, or justspending some leisure time in the wideopen spaces, exercise a little caution.And remember, anyanimal bite treatmentis more effective if the culprit in questioncan be positively identified, so spend a

little extra time and effort in roundingup the critter.

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L OCAL RESIDENTS refer to them as"The Caves" and the official Na-tional Park Service name is the "OregonCaves National Monument." Poet Joa-quin Miller was so inspired he calledthem "The Marble Hills of Oregon."Those who have visited this phenomenonof natural beauty agree in calling it oneof Nature's true works of art.The city of Grants Pass, Oregon, loca-ted on Interstate 5 is the gateway to thecaves and everything in the city informsthe visitor that the local citizenry is proudof this monument. The sign of the "Cave-man" is everywhere, from the "CavemanBridge" which crosses the Rogue Riverin the downtown section, leading thetraveler onto U.S. 199 and to the caves,

to the major industry of the town, Cave-man Campers, Inc.To reach the monument from GrantsPass, U.S. 199 leads to Cave Junction,then the last 20 miles are by State 46 fora total of just under 50 miles. For thosetraveling the coast route, the same U.S.199 leaves U.S. 101 at Crescent City,California, providing a scenic drivethrough tall timber. Cave Junction is just12 miles from the California-Oregonborder. Easy driving conditions prevail

from either highway.The monument is located at the 4000foot level of 6400 foot Mount Elijah.The last eight miles of State 46 climbwith continuous curves, although theroad is good, to the entrance of the cavesand the Chateau.The mountain is named for ElijahDavidson, who discovered the caves in1874, while pursuing a bear. When hisdog chased the bear into the entrance,Elijah made torches of pine splinters

and followed. I have not been able tolearn whether or not he got his bear.Elijah told his friends of his findand during the next few years the moreadventuresome of the local inhabitantsexplored the caves, opening additionalpassages. In 1887, Frank Nickerson, ofKerby, Oregon, discovered four distinctlevels of floors and opened severalrooms and galleries which had beenblocked by stalactites.

18

OREGON'Sby Jim Woodard

A young couple (above)kneel before the altar of

stalactites and stalagmites inthe underground Joaquin Miller

Chap el. The Chateau (right)provides lodging and dining for

overnight visitors. Campingfacilities are available eight miles

from the caves.


19/44

It was not until Joaquin Miller, afterhis visit in 1907, wrote of the caves theybecame well known. On July 12, 1909the National Monument was establishedand now nearly 80,000 visitors a yeartour the two miles of caverns and corri-dors.Guided tours are conducted all year,although during the off season onlyone noon tour is conducted daily. Dur-ing the season, April 1 to October 30,tours are conducted hourly, from 8:00A.M. to 5:00 P.M. for groups of 12 to 16persons. The fee is $1.10 for adults and75 for children, ages 6 to 12. No child-ren under the age of six are permitted tomake the tour. A baby-sitting service andnursery are provided at a cost of 75

per child.The tour takes about one and a halfhours and your guide will point out themany points of interest. He will also

give you historical and geological dataconcerning the caves. The pathways arelighted by electrical lights and the stair-ways and many of the galleries have handrails.

The geological history of the cavesgoes back an estimated 150 to 180 mil-lion years. It is believed than an ancientocean covered the area, containing athick deposit of calcium carbonate whichhardened into limestone. As the moun-tains thrust upward, the heat and pressuregenerated turned the limestone into mar-ble. The marble, in turn was fracturedby the uplifting, allowing the passage ofwater. Rainwater, charged with carbonicand other acids derived from decayingvegetation passed through the fracturesdissolving the marble.

When the water level dropped, allow-ing air to enter the now formed caves,evaporation began. Wherever water drop-lets formed, the evaporation process leftdeposits of calcium carbonate, so that now

the process was reversed. Where a slowdripping of water from the ceiling oc-curred and clung to the rock, some of thewater was lost to the air and the minutedeposit of carbonate remaining was addedto the stalactite. The water falling to thefloor also evaporated, in part, and the de-posit left here formed a stalagmite. Thisprocess is still going on, and as you leavethe exit tunnel your guide will point outa fledgling stalactite less than a quarterof an inch in length, which the Servicehas been watching for over 30 years.

There are many interesting hikingtrails throughout the Monument whichthe student of botany will find most in-teresting. All the plants, shrubs and treeshave identification markers. These trailsrange in length from an easy one hourwalk to a two-day camping trip.

For those traveling by automobile, ac-commodations are available at the Monu-ment. There is the Chateau near the en-trance to the cave, as well as cottageslocated on the mountain nearby. TheChateau is open from approximately thelast week in May until September 10. Itoperates on the European style and ratesare as would be expected at any popularresort. The cottages do not provide forhousekeeping as there is the dining roomand also a coffee shop. No pets areallowed.

For those who decide to spend a fewdays, evening campfire programs are pro-vided. These programs include brieftalks by members of the National ParkService.Although there is a picnic area, camp-ing is not permitted in the Monument.However, Greyback Campground is justeight miles from the entrance on State

46 , in the Siskiyou National Forest. Forthose camper and trailer enthusiasts whocarry trail bikes, I would suggest makingbase camp here and using the bikes forthe trip to the caves. There are also pri-vate campgrounds located in and aroundCave Junction, for those who desire fullhook-ups. Whether you come by automo-bile or camper, you'll find the OregonCaves one of Nature's true works of art.19


20/44

FORTROSS...a russian strongholdby Pat Holmes

ON A ROCKY headland in northernCalifornia where the fog siftsthrough the hills and the ocean thunderson the beach below, there is a fort calledRoss.More than a 150 years ago a Russiansentry stood guard in the blockhousewatching for any hostile move from thenatives. In the year the Company hadbeen here, there had been none. The In-dians were friendly enough and so werethe Spaniards not that the Spanishreally wanted the Russians with theirsmall garrison there wasn't much theycould do about it.The light fog drifting in covered every-thing with a fine mist. The sentry shiver-ed. The dampness penetrated a man'svery bones. But living was better herethan up North where hunger gnawed atyour belly all the time. If he never ateanother devil fish or crow again, it wouldbe fine with him.A shout rang out and an answeringvoice bawled an order. Below the sentry,heavily loaded figures appeared out ofthe mist. The Aleuts were back with

many fur pelts. With catches like this, itlooked like the Company would be herea long time.The Company was the Russian-Ameri-can Fur Company organized many yearsbefore to exploit the sea otter and furseal in Alaska. As the furs of these ani-mals were avidly sought for markets fromChina to Europe, the harvest ran intothousands of pelts a year.A major problem in the Alaska settle-ment was the lack of food. Very little

was grown because of climate and land20

conditions. Perhaps one supply ship ayear arrived, and then, maybe none forthree years. When Count Rezanov, thecourt chamberlain, visited the colony in1806, he found the people starving so hesailed to San Francisco for food.Spain had banned trade with foreignersin California. Although Rezanov's partywas politely received, Governor Arrillagasaid it would be an act of disloyalty toSpain to furnish the Russians with sup-plies. However, the Count and Maria dela Concepcion Arguello, the Coman-dante's daughter, had fallen in love. Thedifferences in their church and country

didn't matter. After the betrothal was an-nounced, the governor relentedfor anArguello relative to behe would allowtrade.

Russian sentries with cannons oncestood guard in this blockhouse.

As Rezanov sailed north, he decidedRussian power should be extended to thesouth, and California could be the an-swer to both a steady food supply forAlaska and new hunting grounds for seaotters and fur seals which were disappear-ing in the north. Off the coast were thou-sands of the animals, they knew this fromthe years of partnership with the Ameri-can Captain O'Cain.To explore this new territory alongwith hunting sea otters and fur seals,Ivan Kuskov led an expedition in 1808.Returning to Alaska seven months laterwith over two thousand pelts, he con-

firmed that the land was indeed unoccu-pied. On his third trip he found, 30 milesnorth of Bodega Bay, a site impregnableto attack. It was several miles long anda half mile wide with the coastal moun-tains on one side and the ocean a hun-dred feet below on the other.The Russians began the felling of tim-ber, all redwood, in the summer of 1812.Soon a stockade 250 by 300 feet waserected. The walls, almost a foot thick,were 12 feet high and topped with sharp-

ened stakes. Double doors called "sallyports" were in each of the four walls.In the north corner, they built a seven-sided two-story blockhouse with port-holes for cannon and in the corner oppo-site, an eight-sided one with 16 portholes.These portholes could be closed by awooden block that when shut was flushwith the wall and could be fastened onthe inside with an iron bar. At first therewere only 12 cannon, but through theyears the number increased to forty.

Near the stockade, the Russians con-


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structed houses for the Aleutians; shopsfor the blacksmith, carpenter, and cooper;a tannery, bakery, and flour mill. On thebeach at the bottom of the cliff, theybuilt a pier, blacksmith shops and shedsto be used in boat building and storingthe baidarkas (skin boats) and lumber.In August of 1812, "Colony Ross"was dedicated and Ivan Kuskov became

the first company manager. A party of95 Russians and 80 Aleutians settleddown to the business of hunting furs andraising wheat.While the native Indians worked asservants and laborers, the Aleutians didthe hunting. And hunting was good thefirst few years. In their baidarkas, theysailed hundreds of miles in good weatheror bad. A baidarka was made of seal orsea lion skins sewed together and stretch-ed over a light wood frame; then oiled

to make it waterproof. The Aleuts at-tached their skin clothing to the boat tokeep out of the water. They hunted offthe coast from Cape Mendocino to theFarallones Islands; then as far south asBaja. Thousands of animals were killedand the pelts stored at Ross until shippedto markets in China and Europe.In an effort to discourage the hunters,the Spaniards sent out armed patrolswho would wait for them to land forwater and dry and oil their boats; thenthey would shoot and either frighten the

hunters offwounding and killing someor capture themto languish in aprison for months. Later, the Mexicangovernment tried to control the slaughterby granting seasonal hunting permits.Trade was important to Fort Ross.They sold articles of leather, wood, andiron they made and goods they imported,such as silks, tools, and utensils, to the

Californians who needed them becauseof the forengn trade ban and slow supplyships. Food was also supplied to shipsthat stopped at Bodega.No formal permission to trade hadbeen given to the Russians. It was all un-official. And whether a governor blewwarm or cool toward the "trespassers,"trading continued.And so it went. The Spaniards keptasking them to leave; the Russians keptstating they were waiting to hear fromtheir superior. But both of them knewthat in spite of the Viceroy's ordertheSpanish garrison was too small to forcethem to go. Uninvited and unwanted theystayed.By the 1830s, only a few hundred peltswere being taken where years beforethousands were. The hunters had donetheir job too well. The farming had prob-lems too. The yield from the crops wasnot enough; there was a lack of trainedfarm workers; and more land was needed.However, most of the land had been

Built abou t 1825 , the chapel at Fort Ross was called Trinity Church . The formerRussian stronghold is now a historical monument on U.S. 1 in Sonoma County.

settled and no one wanted to sell. TheMexican government would thoughfora price. Czar Nicholas would have torecognize the independence of Mexico.The price was too high.Because Ross was neither producingenough furs or food for Alaska now, theRussian-American Company consideredselling the outpost. But Alaska needed

the food. An agreement with the Hud-son Bay Company to regularly supplyfood to the northern colony solved theproblem. The fort was ordered sold.The Californians viewed the sale quitedifferently. No formal permission hadbeen given the Russians to settle the landand since the buildings were made fromtrees that grew on the land, the Com-pany owned neither the land nor thebuildings. The property would revert tothe Spaniards when the Russians left.The Company's answer was the Indiansceded the land and it could be sold. Rosswas offered to the Hudson Bay Company,headed by General Vallejo of Sonoma,and Captain John Sutter of New Hel-vetia. The price was $30,000; one halfin drafts on the Hudson Bay Companyand the rest in produce of the country.The discussions went on and on.Finally, Sutter bought the Ross andBodega properties including livestock,arms, equipment and buildings. After 30years in California, the Russians left.The property changed hands severaltimes and in 1906 the California Histori-cal Landmarks Committee of San Fran-cisco bought the fort and presented it tothe state. Today, the state historic parkconsists of 356 acres with the fort sittingsquarely across Highway 1 in SonomaCounty with the road passing throughtwo openings in the stockade.The buildings the chapel, block-houses, and manager's house have beenauthentically restored and furnished. Themanager's house is a museum whereamong articles on display is a silver Sam-ovar. Russian folk music (recordings)are heard. There is a small fee. The build-ings are open 8 to 5 daily (the museum10 to 5 weekdays.) Summer hours are8 to 6.If you visit Fort Ross and the fog liesthick upon the hills and it is quiet ex-cept for the roar of the surf, it's not hardto imagine heavily loaded figures appear-ing out of the mist, the shouting of or-

ders in Russian, and the answering cry. 21


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The beauty of Canyon de Chellyis shown (opposite page) in thepanoramic view of the valley andcliffs. All photos byHerband Dorothy McLaughlin.

Arizona'sEnchantedCanyonby Ruth Molthan

L EGEND SAYS on the first night of thefull moon, you can stand on the rimof Arizona's Canyon de Chelly and peerinto its depths and see the Anasazi, orAncient Ones as the Navajos call theirancestors, leave their cliff dwellings. Fit-ting hands and feet into grooves chippedin the sandstone, they follow the handand toe trails down to the bottom, cling-ing like spiders to the sheer walls beforedropping onto the canyon floor. Somesay you can also hear old tribal chants,and, if the moon is just right, glimpseshadowy figures clustered around a camp-fire as the Indians feast and dance untilsunrise.

Visit here and you will believe thelegend. Many canyons fringe the mesasof Arizona's high country, but de Chelly(pronounced de Shay) is the loveliest.It is a geologic marvel, cut and carved byancient rivers that broke from the Chuska22

Mountains to the north. Monoliths andtowering cliffs that strike a thousand feetskyward form a rock maze where Nava-jos and their ancestors have lived formore than ten centuries.But it is also something else. Somethingindescribable. Tn this great silent slot,centuries hang lightly on its pinnaclesand time has lost all meaning. Yet its

ghosts speak as plainly as the hawk over-head.It all began nearly 2000 years ago. Intothis world of sun and silence came theAnasazi. They made baskets and raisedsquash and corn, and by the time of thegreat drought in the 13th century, theirprimitive pithouses had evolved into thestoried ruins seen today and their potteryinto an exquisite polychrome of black onwhite. But the canyon was no protectionagainst the drought so they moved on,

leaving behind their paintings of animals,

birds, human figures and the inevitablesmall handprints splashed on sandstonewalls.The canyon's silence was broken inter-mittently during the next few hundredyears by small bands of Hopis. Theyplanted the first peach orchards and re-claimed the long-abandoned fields, buttheir occupation was short lived. Around

1700 a party of Navajos, searching for anew place to settle, stumbled onto thecanyon and the Hopis fled.Thus began the Navajo domination.The area is now a national monumentand is actually three canyons, Canyon delMuerto, Monument Canyon and Canyonde Chelly.An unknown artist, responsible forthe Indian pictographs in Canyon delMuerto showing Spanish soldiers on themarch, may have been a witness to the

massacre that gave the canyon its name.


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One version is a party of Spanish horse-men entered the canyon in the winter of1804, possibly on a slave raid, whichwould not have been inconsistent withpast practices. The Navajos had beenwarned of their approach, and after hid-ing their women, children and aged in acave high on the walls of del Muerto,scattered for parts unknown. The cavewas well fortified and had been usedmany times in fending off Ute raids. Asthe column of cavalry wound its way upthe canyon, an old woman, who had beenmistreated as a Spanish captive in thepast, was unable to control her hatred.Her insulting screams disclosed the In-dians' position. The soldiers fired intothe cave and destroyed the entire group.It is still possible to see the bullet markson the roof of the cave and the bones ofthe victims scattered on the floor.

Today only Navajos live in the can-yon. Thunderbird Lodge arranges toursand travel is limited to four-wheel-drivevehicles, but only when accompanied byan authorized guide. Regulations are foryour own safety. The canyon floor is adry river bed and hazardous, filled withfine, water-borne sand which reachesdepths of 40 feet and turns "quick" whensaturated. Occasional flash floods havetaken more than one vehicle, and in thespring the Rio de Chelly brims up to thewalls, hemming the canyon in on both

sides and leaving no foothold available.The visitor is unprepared for his firstglimpse of the canyon. Its entrance isboth casual yet dramatic. A weapons car-rier, the official tour vehicle, passesthrough a nondescript neck of land,rounds a corner, and a beautiful valleyopens up, bordered by cliffs with wallsas unbroken as if sliced by a mightysword. This is Canyon del Muerto. Thedriver shifts into low gear and the carriertackles the heavy sand.Many small, isolated ruins are visible.As far as archeologists can determine,the canyon reflects a cultural backwaterof sorts which has never supported apopulation greater than today's. From allevidence it appears to have served pri-marily as a sanctuary for the weakertribes.Its architecture reflects this. Cliff

houses cluster near the top of walls thatdip from the plateau in dizzy plunges. Itis neckbreaking merely to stare up andsearch them out and impossible not toexperience a feeling of awe or admira-tion from the courage of the craftsmenwho hung far out in space and daubed

mud and bricks into a home that remainsintact 700 years later.Some of the ruins do not look aban-doned at all. When the sun picks outthe windows in the walls, amid the sha-dows, you brush your eyes to make sureyou do not see a half-naked man climb-ing up a ladder or a sleek-haired womanglide gracefully through a doorway, bal-ancing a basket on her head.The drive continues up the beautifulcanyon, past Antelope House, with thecolor of its prehistoric paintings stillbright, past Standing Cow Ruins, wherehigh, fragrant bee balm begins to crowdthe road. Now and again the driver stopsto hand candy to Navajo children, who,invisible a moment before, wait gravelybeside the road.Clumps of cottonwood extend mileafter mile. Rocks, like cathedrals, stand

guard at every turn, so close together attimes that the sky is held prisoner in awedge of blue. A few acres of corn withbeans and melons between the hills,planted in the Navajo manner, lie at thebase of the cliffs. These are the samelittle farms that supported the Hopis in

24


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the 16th century. While the driver pointsout the wattled huts of willow, whichare the summer hogans of the Navajo,few Indians are seen. It is as if they havepolitely withdrawn for the day, afterturning over the beauty and solitude oftheir canyon to you.After lunch at Mummy Cave, a splen-did ruin which has seen 10 centuries of

desert sunsets, the driver wheels back forCanyon de Chelly, passing Spider Rock,the legendary lair of a great spider thatcarried bad Navajo children to the topand ate them.Not far from the impressive WhiteHouse ruins, the weapon carrier halts be-fore a red monolith large enough to burya city under. It is a shrine. A handful ofNavajos refused to surrender to Kit Car-son and fled to the sanctuary of this rockand died here. In the driver's low tones,

you sense something of their namelessvalor while they waited through a freez-ing night for the next bloody day.Proud, independent, unloved by otherIndians and feared by Mexicans, the Na-vajo had few friends and lived to them-selves. In the spring of I860, they at-

tacked Ft. Defiance and nearly capturedit. For the next three years, they hadthings very much their own way and de-fied any attempts to pursue them backinto their strongholds, which centeredaround the fabulous Canyon de Chelly.In 1863 Kit Carson was given a freehand to bring them in. Orders were sentout to all Navajos to report for transferto Ft. Sumner or be treated as hostiles.Few responded.

By mid-October, cold and hunger aidedthe campaign against them. It was not awar. Carson's men saw few Navajos.Whole bands fled in every direction, join-ing other tribes or hiding in some remotevastness to the north. Behind them, thesoldiers systematically burned their houses,killed their sheep and destroyed theirfields. In a snowstorm on January 6,1864, with a force of 375 men, Carsonmoved against Canyon de Chelly. TheNavajos were in a complete state of star-vation. Many of their women and child-ren died. Canyon de Chelly, which theyhad considered impregnable, was unableto guarantee security from Carson. Hope-lessly outnumbered, a handful climbed

Antelope House Ruins (left)is one of the many cliffdwellings where the AnasaziThe Ancient Ones livedin pre-historic times.Little Navajo children wholive in Canyo n de Chelly (above)shyly pose for photogra pher.Always ask permission beforetaking photographs of Indians.

to the top of the great rock and leapedto their death. The war with the Navajowas over.In the spring of 1864, they began thejourney they will never forget. The Na-vajo call it the "Long Walk" for onlythe old, sick and babies rode the 400miles. Old people still tell their age by

saying they were born so many yearsafter the Long Walk. Near Ft. Sumner,New Mexico, the army tried to settle8000 of them, and the Indians spentfour heartbreaking years in a treeless,flat land to which they could not adjust.The experiment did not work and onJune 1, 1868, a peace treaty was signedand the Navajo started home. Theyfought no more.The weapons carrier pulls away andyou pay a silent tribute to the Navajos

who died here long ago. It is growingdark and time to leave the canyon whosewalls have echoed to the tread of somuch history. You glance back for thelast time. The shadows are deeper. Thecliffs, blood red in the sun, have turnedpurple in the twilight. It is then yourealize that they are eternal and nothinghas changed. It is as it always has beenthroughout the centuries, from the firstAnasazi down through the Spanish con-quistadores, Kit Carson and the LongWalk. Just the same as when it all hap-penedjust the day before yesterday.

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by Roberta M. Starry

26

I HE PLACE and the name have under-gone a number of changes since1868, only the pronunciation has remain-ed the same. Present day Indians ofsoutheastern Nevada say it meant "sickIndian," but to prospectors 100 years agoit meant lead and silverand later itstood for a booming tungsten camp.

For off-the-highway explorers this oncebusy mining camp, high in the TempiuteMountains, offers an ideal camping spotwith scenery and comfortable tempera-tures from May through October. Mostof the buildings have been removed, butparts of picket fences, streets leading no-where, wooden steps without a house and

Jade-type gems tones (above)can be found along the road

to the Temp iute mining area.There are also

Indian arrowheads along the edgeof the dry lake in the valley.

Well-built roads, flumes,hoppers, narrow gauge tracks

and trestles (below)have withstood years of

abandonment and appear to bewaiting for another boom.

crumbling walls spark the imagination.Untrimmed fruit trees, garden flowersgone wild, a once fancy slipper nowcurled and green, and remains of a ragdoll sinking into a long unused path,lend atmosphere.

Tempiute, north of Las Vegas or eastof Tonopah is just five miles off NevadaState 25. From the south a good roadused by hunters has no identification forthe first-time visitor. From the west U.S.6 to Warm Springs then State 25 south-east is marked. At Warm Springs a signreads "Next Gas 140 Miles." It meansexactly that. The road winds through 4

FEMAHTE


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changing desert and mountain scenerywithout noticeable habitation, but thereare ranches far back in the mountains atthe end of narrow dirt roads. Now asmooth and well maintained road, thisonce was a dusty and rutted trail usedby ore freighters and covered wagons.Forty miles from Warm Springs Junc-tion the road climbs out of a long valley,through foothills looking like the wrin-kled hide of an elephant. Queen CitySummit, at an altitude of 5960 feet isusually windy and cool. For the hardythere is a point of interest just off thehighway to the east; a dim dirt roadright at the summit drops down to theruin of a one-room house and a dumpand cinnabar retort. About 30 years ago,partners mining here quarreled over thefortune they expected. One shot theother and was sent to prison. The mineoperation ceased and the elements wipedout the scars created by man.

Fifty-eight miles from Warm Springsthere is a good graded road where a

small sign points east to Tempiute. Anewly developed ranch is to the left asthe road heads for a clump of buildingson the rim of a dry lake. One mile fromthe highway a narrow and less used roadturns south to the mountains and the oldTempiute diggings. Although no longermaintained it is not steep or winding; theclimb is gradual and can be negotiatedby car, camper or vehicle with a smalltrailer. The road ends in a scenic basinwhere remains of the tungsten miningand milling operation assures the explor-er that here is Tempiute. Parking andcarmping areas range from wide openspaces, shelter under pine trees, or nearroofless buildings that provide wind-breaks.Day hours are warm. From the campthe colors and view of the dry lake anddistant mountain range changes with theangle of the sun. Nights are cool andthe stars seem very close. Sunrise is slowin coming, climbing the mountain peaksbefore warming the sheltered camp. Sun-


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sets linger in undisturbed peace andbeauty.Recorded history has a way of over-rating some places and leaving others vir-tually unsung; Tempiute received littlerecognition. Earliest references call itTern Pah Ute Mountain where threewhite men were attacked by an Indianparty belonging to Tem Pah Ute Bill's

tribe.Peter Dawson and Charles Olsen werekilled, William Hannan was woundedbut managed to escape and report theambush. The settlers at Hiko, a few mileseast, formed a scouting party and chasedthe Indians who disappeared into themountains. The mountains were namedafter the elusive Indians.The range received additional atten-tion in 1868 when W . Plush and D . Ser-vice discovered silver. The 10 to 12

inches thick vein appeared on the sur-face at several places and was richenough to warrant hauling it 15 milesto Crescent for milling. A brief item inNevada's Lincoln County records of 1871reads: "William McMurry killed by F. D.Chase and Alex Fraser at Tem Piute. Dis-pute over mining claims; acquitted."Others were finding profitable ore andstaking claims where silver, copper andlead was assaying $874 per ton at thegoing price.

The mountain had a mild boom withover 150 mines located and 50 minersseeking a bonanza that would put themon easy street. But before prosperityreally got a foothold on Tem Pah Utethe stamp mill at Crescent moved away,and the nearest mill was 180 miles northat Tybo. Only 20 miners hung on, haul-ing their ore by long-teams over the dirtroad. They produced thousands of dol-lars in silver despite the hardships, mill-ing problems and low prices.In 1916, two brothers discovered tung-sten where others had searched only forsilver, but the development costs at thattime were too great, so it wasn't untilthe 1930s that activity really started. Wes-ley Koyen and his wife, in an effort toescape the depression, came to prospectwith hand tools, an old one-ton truckand credit for food extended by a mer-chant in Caliente. From local timber theyfashioned a crude mill to process thetungsten. Stockpiled concentrates broughtthem $3200 in 1936 and the attention oflarge mining concerns which leased anddeveloped adequate milling equipment.Tem Pah Ute now became Tem Piute onthe records. Company homes were built,housing for single men developed, tun-nels and shafts were blocked out and a75 ton mill ran full time.

After World War II there was a slump

in activities but 1950 prices brought thecamp back to life. The Wah Chang Trad-ing Co., largest tungsten buyers in theUnited States, negotiated for the proper-ty and the settlement became Tempiute.Modern five-room family houses linedthe streets and along the narrow canyontoward the diggings. A post office, storeand school served the growing commun-ity where a 100 men worked under-ground, 60 men on topside jobs and 1000tons of ore a day was processed.In this modern mining camp there wasonly the lack of telephone service. TheWah Chang Company took care of thatby radio service through their base officein Bishop, California. Messages to andfrom the residents were relayed all overNevada and California and proved onemeans of communication.Tempiute today offers the explorer and

collector a challenge; Indian artifactsalong the dry lake shore in the valley,pink and gray jade for the gem collector,and a road winding up the mountain todiggings that date back to the late 1800s.Construction and materials still at themine date the period of development.Newer methods are evident at the 1950workings which came to a halt 12 yearsago when Tem Pah Ute, Tem Piute andTempiute was not only a sick Indian butturned into a ghost. Picturesque rock and tree forms follow the good dirt road up the mountain to the Tempiute mining area.


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BACK ISSUESPECIALSThe back issues ofDESERT Magazine are as alive todayas the day they were printed . Packed with informa tionand detailed maps on out-of-the-way places

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BAKER LAKEA Sierra Gem

WOULD YOU like to find a quietcampsite high in a mountainmeadow, or in some cool alpine valleywhere you have limitless outdoors all toyourself and where the fishing is superbin little-fished waters andwhere you donot have to fight for camp space? Thenlook to Baker Lake country in the HighSierras.In the Baker Lake highlands you arein the shadow of the glaciers wheresparkling waterways lace each lovely al-pine meadow to its neighbor, andwhere

the shimmering lakes stair-step intoclimbing country.Baker Lake is an early-July-to-early-September region. Here you will findsnowbanks along the trails, and thewinds will be deliciously cool after lowrountry heat. Access into this isolatedarea is over a cattlemen's road into thesky-country and is for four-wheel-drivevehicles only.The switchbacks are steep and nar-

row and the first mountian grade is aone-way road. There are several wide30

by Dorothy Robertsonturnouts on the way up so you won'thave to worry about immovable confron-tations !

When wevisited the Baker Lake areathe first time, our party of two campersand one pickup took the road south ofBishop heading westward through theoutskirts of a fairly new housing develop-ment, then followed the power line pastthe town dump to wind in a southwester-ly direction through some low, roundedbrown hills that appeared to pile upagainst thesteep access road to themoun-tain top. The Standard Station in Bishopwillingly gave directions.

Looking up toward the mountainside,the road seemed like a burro-trail. Thishardpan road is on the north side of theeastern Sierra that lies south andwest ofBishop.Our first twovehicles, both with four-wheel-drive, made the ascent like lum-bering elephants. The third vehicle, aregulation drive pickup without muchweight in theback, had to

196908 desert magazine 1969 august

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