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Intergalactic Hash House Harriers presents

The Slab City Talent Show

Campout

When? Where? January 25-27, 2013. Slab City USA, the last free place on Earth.

Slab City is located about 3 miles northeast of the town of Niland, California.

Why? How? How Much? To see the Slab City talent show In your tent or RV. $5 covers porta-potty rental and goof around in the desert. Bring everything else yourself

Who? What? Dr.Dive, Gorilla Whorefare, and others Do we have to explain everything?

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What are we going to do out there? The trip is about seeing the annual Slab City talent show and some sights around the Salton Sea. There is a lot of strange stuff out there and some odd people. Friday evening people arrive and setup, and there are a few bands playing at the local stage. On Saturday morning we do a hash run (a hare and hound chase) around Slab City and see some of its sights. Saturday is the main day of the talent show but the afternoon music gets a little dull, so later we go for a drive and see some sights near the Salton Sea. On Saturday night have a potluck dinner and sit around the campfire and talk bullshit and have fun, then we go see the Talent Show again. Afterwards we return to the camp for more craziness. Sunday morning we do another hash run, then pack up camp and head out to see more of the Salton Sea. At this point you can either join us or go explore places on your own, just use the maps below, or ask for directions. Be prepared if you’re heading into the deep desert. What might you see while you’re out there? Slab City, Salvation Mountain, the talent show, the Salton Sea, old ruins, mud volcanoes, the town of Niland, slabbers, hippies, tweakers, the San Andreas fault, hot springs, thousands of birds, Bombay Beach, geothermal power plants, palm oases, and much more. What should I bring? Your $5 fee only covers porta-potty rental. In true Intergalactic style you’ll need to bring everything else yourself. Bring something to share for potluck dinner on Saturday night. Remember that Slab City has no electricity, water, shade or sewage, so be prepared. Supplies can be restocked in nearby Niland: food, beer, ice, gasoline & propane. Be aware that stores close at 6pm. Things you’ll probably need to bring are: • RV or tent. Shade pop-up. Lawn chairs. • FIREWOOD! The more we have of this stuff the better. • Water. Cooler with ice, food, beer, wine, booze, liquor. Food is not supplied, bring all you need. • Something to share at potluck dinner on Saturday night. Gas stove to cook if you need it. • Bicycles highly recommended for getting around. All hash runs start at camp. • Snacks. Toilet paper. Flashlight. GPS to navigate. • Warm clothes for night, cool clothes for daytime. • Musical instruments (highly recommended), games, entertainment. • Pyrotechnics to throw on the fire, they’re fun. Don’t build up pressure or set your friends on fire! • Donation money for the Talent Show (to buy fuel for the generator). How do I get there? The first step is to drive to the town of Niland, CA on the southeast side of the Salton Sea. Here’s a map link: http://goo.gl/maps/8Sfak From coastal areas anywhere between Los Angeles and San Diego the drive time is about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Keep that in mind if you plan to leave Saturday morning and arrive late.

1. Once you reach the town of Niland, turn east on Main St. 2. Continue on Main St and follow it out of town. You’ll cross the railway tracks and pass a power plant

as you leave town. Main St will become Beal Rd.

3. Follow Beal Rd for 2½ miles to Slab City. It may seem like you’re driving to nowhere, just keep going, the road is paved all the way. The entrance to Slab City is well marked. You’ll pass a farm and cross a canal. At the canal you’ll see a guard house that says “Slab City - Almost There”. Keep going. Feel free to stop at Salvation Mountain and have a look around if you have time. The entrance to Slab City is just a couple of hundred yards beyond Salvation Mountain.

4. Just after Salvation Mountain you’ll see a guard house that says “Slab City - Welcome”. At that point our campsite is immediately on your right, about 100 yards off in the dirt. We’ll put a big white chalk arrow on the road, look for it if you’re coming at night. Turn off onto the dirt and look for us. Yelling “Are You?” will get a response of “On-On!” from our camp.

5. If you get lost call Dr.Dive on 858-212-6042

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Itinerary (not carved in stone) Friday afternoon Early arrivals set up. Call Dr.Dive on 858-212-6042 if you get lost. At some point the porta-potty will arrive and we’ll gaze at it with awe, like it’s the obelisk from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Saturday Morning hash run. This walker friendly trail will explore Salvation Mountain, the old water tanks above camp, and various other sights of Slab City. The talent show starts at noon and goes on into the night. The talent show is held at “The Range”, which is a stage about 10 minutes walk along the main road from our camp. Please donate a few dollars to help fuel the generator. Once you get bored with the talent show you can hang out at the camp or use the map to go explore the other sights of Slab City. A bicycle is an excellent way to cover a lot of ground and see everything. At 3pm we will convoy by car to see some ruins, the mud volcanoes and sunset at the Salton Sea. When we return there will be potluck dinner and campfire craziness. Then we’ll go check out the talent show. Later we return to camp for more campfire fun. Sunday Morning hash run. Then pack up and go see anything you missed so far, Slab City, Salvation Mountain, water tanks and so on before you leave. From here we drive north on Hwy 111 and explore more of the sights of the Salton Sea. There may be different groups going to various locations. Find a group to go where you want, or go out on your own to explore. You can also circumnavigate the sea, stopping at places along the way. See below for info on things to see and how to get there. After that we drive home. If heading back to San Diego, we suggest going through El Centro via Hwy 86 and stopping at the “Golden Corral” (corner Hwy 86 and Cruikshank Dr, near the Wal-Mart). For about $15 they have an endless steak buffet. Imperial Valley is a major agricultural area so enjoy the food. If it’s still light and you have time, stop at the Desert Tower off I-8 on the way back (take the In Ko Pah exit), pay the $3 to go to the top, and explore the boulder park. Important safety tips - READ!!

• RVers should keep an eye out in Slab City for holes covered with plywood etc where previous occupants have dug holes to dispose of gray water. Don’t drive into one.

• Occasionally desert weather can turn bad and it can get windy, and it will be cold at night, so bring warm clothes. A sturdy tent is advised, or a car you can sleep in.

• Do not swim in irrigation canals, fast flowing water can suck you into pipes. Coachella Canal is posted no trespassing or swimming and has a fence along most of it. However there are bridges and sections without fences, and there is said to be good fishing.

• Most of the area beyond the Coachella Canal is an aerial gunnery range. Aircraft drop bombs there for target practice and there is live ordnance on the ground. The Chocolate Mountains are strictly off limits. The Gopher Flats area around the golf course is safe.

• Keep in mind the possibility that low lying areas near mud pots may be filled with asphyxiating levels of carbon dioxide.

• Beware of any mud at around the Salton Sea. It looks safe but you may sink and even get stuck. It’s also very hard to get off your shoes and it stinks really bad.

• Keep your stuff locked up. While most slabbers are pretty honest, some of the others who visit may not be.

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Directions to sights beyond Slab City. Use the maps below to explore the area around Slab City and the town of Niland. For other sights beyond this area, here are some directions. Health spa ruins, mud volcanoes and Red Hill Island. From Niland, go south about a mile on Hwy 111 and take a right on Pound Rd. The sign for Pound Rd is barely readable, but it’s the next road after Alcott Rd as you go south on Hwy 111. On Pound Rd go west 3.5 miles, turn left on Davis/Wister Rd, and the health spa ruins are immediately on your left. Here you will see the remains of a restaurant, indoor and outdoor baths, and guest houses. For the mud volcanoes go another 1½ miles south and you will see them in the field on your left just before you reach Schrimpf Rd. To get to Red Hill Island turn right (west) on Schrimpf Rd and go for a mile, cross south over the bridge at the Alamo river, turn immediately right after the bridge and go another ¾ miles to Red Hill Island. On the island take the left fork to the Salton Sea. Wister Mud pots. North end of Davis/Wister Rd, west on Ruddy Rd. Take Ruddy Rd on the south side of the canal. It should be well sign posted. There is an extensive field of mud pots here ranging from a few feet to a hundred feet across. Be aware that low lying areas may be filled with carbon dioxide. Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge and the Salton Buttes. From Red Hill Island follow the shore of the Salton Sea as closely as you can. Rock Hill is near the Sonny Bono Wildlife Refuge visitor center. Obsidian Butte is the next hill to the southwest. Obsidian Butte is on Imperial Irrigation District property where there is no access from March 15 to June 15 for bird nesting. Niland Marina. 11 ½ miles north of Niland on Hwy 111, take a left on Niland Marina Rd. The marina is a couple of miles from the highway. There are some ruins by the Salton Sea, not much else. Alien Portal. 14 miles north of Niland on Hwy 111, just before Hot Mineral Spa Rd and on the west side of the highway. There is an old “homestead” visible from the freeway. There are some sheds, a trailer and a water tower made from a WWII aircraft drop tank. The name comes from sheet metal alien nailed to the fence. Bombay Beach. 17 miles north of Niland on Hwy 111, exit the highway and take the road into town. Drive up onto the levee that protects the town from the Salton Sea to see lots of old ruins. Have something to eat and drink at the “Ski Inn” near the entrance to town. Add a signed dollar bill to the bar. Salton Sea State Recreation Area Headquarters, San Andreas Oasis and Dos Palmas Oasis. 32½ miles north of Niland you’ll see one of the big blue signs for the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. There is camping here as well as RV hookups, hot showers and access to the Salton Sea. On the other side of the highway is Parkside Dr, which takes you towards the palm oases. At the end of Parkside Dr, turn right on Desert Aire Rd and follow the road along through a couple of left turns to the oases. There is a parking lot and bathroom at the end, and San Andreas oasis is a short walk from here. There is a gate and another mile to Dos Palmas oasis from here (it’s big so bikes are recommended for exploring). To get closer to Dos Palmas by car, turn left on Desert Aire Rd at Parkside Dr and right at the Coachella Canal. Navigate your way onto a road that leads down towards Dos Palmas oasis. Indian Fish Traps and Lake Cahuilla shoreline. Located at the far west end of 66th Ave where it meets Jackson Rd. Park at the dirt turnout at the corner of these roads and follow the dirt path west along the fence toward the hillside. At the hillside turn right and follow one of the trails along the base of the hill above the orchard road. On your left you will begin to see boulders on the hillside. Go up into this area and look for the circles of rocks that were used as fish traps. Above you can see the ancient shoreline of Lake Cahuilla. Below is a county park that is marked on maps but not on the ground. Enjoy a shady walk in the palm nursery across the street, admire the date farms, and on the drive back along 66th Ave check out the spooky looking dead orange grove on the south side of the road. Salton Sea Beach. On the west side of the Salton Sea between Desert Shores and Salton City. Exit Hwy 86 at Brawley Ave and go east. Check out the ruined trailer park at the northeast side of town by the Salton Sea. There are extensive ruins elsewhere throughout the town. Burrowing Owl habitat. Corner of Hoskins Rd & Walker Rd. Probably easiest to head north and west from the town of Westmoreland.

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Further Information (you don’t need to print this, just print pages 1 to 7) What is Slab City? Slab City is a camp used by recreational vehicle owners and squatters from across North America. It takes its name from the concrete slabs and pylons that remain from the abandoned World War II Marine base Camp Dunlap. After the war military operations were scaled down but a skeleton crew was maintained until the base was dismantled in 1956. A group of servicemen remained after the base closed and the place has been inhabited ever since. Several thousand campers, many of them retired, use the site during the winter months. These "snowbirds" stay only for the winter, migrating north in the spring to cooler climes. The temperatures during the summer are forbidding but nonetheless there is a group of around 150 permanent residents who live in the Slabs all year round. Most of these “Slabbers” subsist on government checks and have been driven to the Slabs through poverty. Some of the slabbers also have a strong desire for freedom from the American government. The site is both decommissioned and uncontrolled, and there is no charge for parking. Supplies can be purchased in nearby Niland, which is located about three miles to the southwest. Slab City was featured in the book Into the Wild and also in the 2007 movie of the same name. Slab City has no water, electricity, or sewage, so be prepared. There is a “shower” that consists of a drain hole with spring water piped into it. Slab City also has a golf course and a library among other things. These are located at the back of Slab City on the northeast side. You’ll probably get some cell phone reception in the area, certainly in Niland. There is a hot spring about half way between Niland and Slab City, about ¼ mile after you cross the canal coming out of Niland. Slab City has a stage area known as “The Range” where musicians play each night, starting around sunset. This is where the annual talent show is held every January. There is a makeshift toilet there. For RVers, water is available behind the grocery store where you turned onto Main Street in Niland, and also at the SOCO gas station at the south edge of Niland. Propane and ATM are also available there. There is an RV dump station at Niland fairgrounds located west of highway 111 at the south edge of Niland. The charge is $3.00 payable at a red post located at the exit (slot on top of post). There is also a dump and water pickup station at a rest stop about 12 miles south of Niland on highway 111 (3 miles south of Calipatria). There is no fee. Garbage can be disposed of at the disposal area north of the road entering Slab City (Cuff road) What is Salvation Mountain? Salvation Mountain is a colorful artificial hill northeast of Niland near Slab City. It is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of paint. The mountain was created by Leonard Knight to convey the message that “God Loves Everyone”. Leonard began building the mountain in 1984 and worked on it for 27 years until he moved to a nursing home at age 80 in December 2011. Salvation Mountain is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Imperial County. Steps cut into the side of the hill lead to the summit, which is topped by a cross. Leonard lived full-time at the site in a small cabin mounted on the rear of a 1930s Chevrolet truck. Like Salvation Mountain, Leonard’s truck and a collection of other vehicles and machinery are entirely covered with paint and biblical quotes. He estimates that more than 100,000 gallons of paint have gone into the creation of the mountain and that every California-based paint manufacturer has donated paint to the project. Friendly and accessible, Leonard would welcome visitors to Slab City and Salvation Mountain and gladly accepted donations of both labor and paint. Today volunteers work to protect and maintain the site. Salvation Mountain is a truly epic work of folk art and must be seen to be appreciated. Although the project is an unauthorized one on state land, Salvation Mountain was entered into the Congressional Record as a national treasure in 2002. Salvation Mountain was featured in the 2007 film Into the Wild. Salvation Mountain sits exactly on top of the San Andreas Fault, the top of the mountain is on the North American plate and the bottom is on the Pacific Plate. Full details on Leonard Knight and the history of Salvation Mountain can be found here: http://www.salvationmountain.us

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What is the Salton Sea? The Salton Sea is an inland saline lake in Imperial and Riverside counties. The lake covers a surface area of about 380 square miles, making it the largest lake in California. The surface of the sea is currently about 230ft below sea level. The deepest part is about 50 feet, and its bottom is only 5 feet higher than Badwater Basin in Death Valley, the lowest point in North America. The creation of the Salton Sea began by accident in 1905 when heavy rainfall and snowmelt caused the Colorado River to swell and breach a dike in the Imperial Valley. It took nearly two years to control the river flow into the dry Salton Sink. The sudden influx of water and lack of drainage from the basin resulted in the formation of the Salton Sea. Each year, six feet of water has evaporates from the sea, but this is offset by six feet of water flowing into it annually from rivers and agricultural runoff, so the water level has remains fairly constant. However, this annual inflow also carries four million tons of salt into the sea, so it has been getting saltier. The Salton Sea currently has 45,000ppm (parts per million) of salt, compared to 35,000ppm in the ocean. In recent years more water is being drawn from the Whitewater River for irrigation, so the lake level has begun to slowly recede and the salinity problem will probably get worse faster. Meanwhile, the lake supports many fish including Tilapia and Corvina, as well as a huge population of migratory birds. Despite some myths, the sea does not have any significant levels of toxic pollution. The massive fish and bird die-offs you may have heard about are not caused by toxic pollution. Fish die here in summer because the high temperatures combined with the sea’s high salinity causes the oxygen level in the water to drop, killing the fish. Birds die off because of natural diseases, or because of botulism caused by eating the dead and dying fish. Regardless, the Salton Sea is “dying” due to increasing salinity. When the salt level reaches 60,000ppm, the sea will stop supporting life and become “dead”. Many solutions have been proposed to save the Salton Sea such as diverting the Colorado River into it again or building a sea level canal from the Gulf of California, but few solutions are feasible and none have received any support. It’s disappointing that such a huge fish and wildlife resource as the Salton Sea will probably become a dead sea. On a side note, the Salton Sea is the only saline lake in the world with a resident barnacle. The Striped Barnacle was most likely introduced to the sea on navy seaplanes and buoys in the 1940's. You can see entire beaches of barnacle shells along the shores of the Salton Sea. Why all these ruins? From about 1950 onwards the Salton Sea became a major tourist resort area, sometimes referred to as the “Salton Riviera”, California’s equivalent of the French Riviera. People flocked to the sea from far and wide for the incredible fishing and its smooth surface that’s perfect for water skiing. A lot of money was spent building facilities and resorts in the area. However by the late 1970s storms, flooding, mismanagement and other mishaps took their toll on the resorts. Salinity in the sea rose, fish and bird die-offs began to scare people away, and the myths about toxic pollution in the sea caught on. By 1980 any hope of a return to the boom era was gone. Eventually the Salton Sea was forgotten and Palm Springs became the resort town of choice for people from the California coast. Congressman Sonny Bono (of “Sonny and Cher” fame) made a commitment to save the sea in 1997 but was killed in a skiing accident in 1998. Few solid commitments to save the Salton Sea have been made since then. The ruins you see around the Salton Sea today are the relics of those early boom days. Drive along any of the back roads around the Salton Sea and you’re sure to come across some ruins. What’s with Niland? Niland was the gateway to the Imperial Valley when it was first settled, and the train station brought many people to the region. The Imperial Valley produces about 90% of the country’s winter vegetables, and Niland was once known as the “Tomato Capital of the World”. Today however, most of the tomato growing has moved to Mexico. While Niland is still a hub for thousands of visiting fisherman and bird hunters coming to the Salton Sea, the town now barely survives as a relic of its former past. Despite this, the annual Niland Sportsman & Tomato Festival continues to be held, celebrating local agriculture, holding onto its name and heritage, just as it has since the 1950s. Events at the Tomato Festival include the Tomato Festival Parade, the Tomato Packing Contest, and the selection and crowning of the Royalty of the Tomato Festival. Why are all these birds at the Salton Sea? The Salton Sea has been termed a “crown jewel of avian biodiversity”. It is a major resting stop on the Pacific Flyway, funneling in birds as they migrate along their north-south routes. Nearly 400 species of birds have been documented at the Salton Sea, which is almost half the total species of birds known to live in the United States. About 3 million birds use the Salton Sea every day. You’ll see incredible numbers of birds while you’re there. There are even a dozen or so pink flamingos there, probably escapees from San Diego zoo.

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Geology of the Salton Sea Area. The Salton Trough is the north end of a much larger rift valley that runs the length of the Gulf of California. To the north, the San Andreas Fault marks the boundary where the Pacific and North American tectonic plates slide against each other. At the south end of the Salton Sea the San Andreas Fault ends and the plate boundary transitions to the divergent boundary of the East Pacific Rise. Here the two plates are spreading apart and the land between them is sinking. At the same time new crust is being formed between the plates by magma from below. Over millions of years, sediment from the surrounding mountain ranges and the Colorado River filled in the sinking land between the plates. Eventually the Colorado River delta blocked the entire north end of the Gulf and prevented the ocean from filling the Salton Trough. As the trough continued to sink, this sedimentation continued until thousands of feet of sediment were built up over the spreading crust. This river delta sediment is what makes the southern Imperial Valley such a fertile farming region. As the Colorado River meandered across its delta, it sometimes drained south to the Gulf of California and sometimes north into the Salton Trough. When it drained northward it filled up the Salton Trough with a

massive freshwater lake. When the river redirected south again, the freshwater lake would evaporate leaving an empty basin. There is evidence this process repeated many times. The most recent freshwater lake, Lake Cahuilla, appears to have formed before the year 1200. It extended for about 100 miles, from the Mexican border to Indio, and was about 25 miles wide and 300 feet deep. However, by the 16th century when the Spanish began exploring the area, Lake Cahuilla was gone and the Spaniards found only Native American legends of its existence. Evidence of Lake Cahuilla's shoreline can be found around the Salton Trough at about 40 feet above sea level, although it can range from 25 to 50 feet due to plate movements. Since Lake Cahuilla dried up, the Salton Trough has remained a dry basin, only occasionally filled with rainwater during exceptionally heavy rains. That is,

until the accident of 1905 that created the Salton Sea. Because the crust of the earth is thin between the spreading plates, magma from deep in the earth comes relatively close to the surface. This magma heats surrounding rocks and groundwater, and the pressure under the ground allows the water to become superheated. At 3000 feet below the ground the temperature is over 570ºF. At geothermal power plants along the southeastern shore of the Salton Sea, wells have been drilled down to tap this superheated water and bring it to the surface. Once there, it is depressurized into steam to power generators. Periodically, the magma below forces its way up to the surface and erupts. About 16,000 years ago, lava erupted through the sediments to form five volcanic hills now found at the southeastern end of the Salton Sea. These lava domes are known as the Salton Buttes and consist of Red Hill Island (two domes), Rock Hill, Obsidian Butte, and Mullet Island. These domes are currently the only ones visible in the area, however deep wells drilled for the geothermal plants have encountered various layers of lava rock that have been buried by the Colorado River sediments. This shows that the area has been volcanically active for a long time and that we should expect future volcanic activity in the area. More information on the geology of the Salton Sea can be found here: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/geology_of_the_salton_basi.htm

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What are the mud pots and mud volcanoes? Mud pots and mud volcanoes are caused by liquids and gasses bubbling to the surface of the earth and bringing up mud. The mud pots and mud volcanoes at the Salton Sea are caused by ground water seeping through the earth to an underground layer of limestone, dissolving it, and producing (among other things), carbon dioxide gas. The heating provided by the underlying magma helps to accelerate the process. The carbon dioxide then returns to the surface bringing with it water containing dissolved minerals, mud, and a small amount of oil. In most places where the carbon dioxide bubbles to the surface a small crater-like depression is formed that becomes filled with mud or water. These are known as mud pots and there are hundreds of them around the east side of the Salton Sea. Some mud pots are only a couple of feet across while others are over 100 feet across. The mud volcanoes are slightly different and only occur in one location. Here, the mud has piled into mounds that hiss and bubble and spurt mud. Geologists call small mud volcanoes like these mud cones or gryphons. They look like small volcanoes and smell a bit like diesel from the hydrocarbons bubbling up from the underground limestone. Hot springs, Fish Farms and Oases? Numerous hot springs can be found around the Salton Sea area. These hot springs result from water seeping into the ground where it is hot from the magma close to the earth’s surface. Many of the mud pots and mud volcanoes are also hot for the same reason. Other cool springs arise from artesian springs and seepage from the nearby Coachella Canal. In several locations the water from the springs is used to fill pools to farm Tilapia and other fish. In other locations the springs produce lush oases. The Dos Palmas oasis is the largest of the oases in the Salton Sea area. It is a lush wetland area with hundreds of fan palms that offers sanctuary in the midst of the dry Colorado Desert. This exceptional habitat shelters a variety of threatened, endangered, and more common animal species. In thick stands of cattails, the elusive and endangered Yuma Clapper Rail builds its nest, while in the warm waters of the pools swims the Desert Pupfish, a relic species from the Pleistocene era. The preserve is also home to the endangered Orocopia Sage plant. The 1,400 acre Dos Palmas Preserve is at the heart of the 20,000 acre Salt Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern, created to protect important biological resources. What are mineral spas and carbon dioxide wells? At one time it was believed that the mineral laden waters of the hot springs were good for the health. Mineral health spas were set up around the Salton Sea. The carbon dioxide was also harvested to produce dry ice for the nearby railway back in the days before refrigeration. During the weekend we will go see the ruins of an old mineral spa, including the remains of a restaurant, guest houses, and indoor and outdoor baths. At this same site you can also see a large bubbling pool. Nearby you’ll see carbon dioxide wells, which tapped the CO2 to be piped back to the dry ice plant. What is the Salton Sea State Recreation Area? The Salton Sea State Recreation Area covers 14 miles of the northeastern shore and has long been a popular site for campers, boaters and anglers. Increasing salinity in the Salton Sea basin has limited the number of types of fish that can be found there, and most fish currently caught are Tilapia. Varner Harbor within the SRA provides easy access to the sea for boating and water skiing. Kayakers, campers, birdwatchers, photographers and hikers can enjoy the site's many recreation opportunities. The area contains six campsites with various facilities ranging from primitive camping to paved sites with RV hookups and hot showers. The headquarters are located near the northeast corner of the Salton Sea, just south of the town of North Shore. Due to budget constraints Bombay Beach and the upper loop of Mecca Beach are closed until further notice. Camping at Headquarters Camp, the lower loop of Mecca Beach, Salt Creek, and

Corvina Beach remain open. Want more information? If you don’t have information overload yet, you can find out more about the Salton Sea and specific features around it by searching on the internet.

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Beyond the Salton Sea

For those who want to explore beyond the Salton Sea, here are a few more points of interest. The Chocolate Mountains

The nearby mountains at Slab City are known as the Chocolate Mountains, and stretch more than 60 miles in a northwest to southeast direction. Most of the Chocolate Mountains lie within an aerial gunnery and bombing practice range used by the Navy and Marines. Sometimes you will see planes bombing the mountains. Other times you will see strange lights in the sky at night. The area is off-limits to the public. Some people make a living collecting scrap metal there, sometimes to their detriment. The Chocolate Mountains also contains a rich gold rift estimated to be worth $40 to $100 billion. When the gunnery range closes in the future and the mountains are cleared of unexploded ordinance, mining will most likely begin. The Chocolate Mountains and other nearby mountain ranges contain some well known mining and rock hounding sites. The desert surrounding the Chocolate Mountains, to the Colorado River and beyond, north to Parker and south to Yuma, is rich with mining and rock hounding opportunities. The area experienced a gold rush in the late 19

th century and several ghost

towns can still be found in the area. Semi-precious stones, mineral specimens and fossils abound. Items that can be found include thunder eggs (geodes), fire opal, agate, jasper, chalcedony, petrified wood, fossils and more. Some well known locations include Wiley’s Well, Little Chuckwalla Mountains, Colorado River Terraces, Opal Hill Mine, Hauser geode beds, Black Hill, Hidden Saddle, Rainey’s Well, Midway Well, Earp Badlands, and many more. There are too many rock hounding sites in the Colorado Desert to list here. The Blythe Area Chamber of Commerce has more detailed information and maps available to the rock hounder or you can search for information on the internet. Imperial Sand Dunes

Southeast of Slab City and east of Brawley on the 78 highway lies the Imperial Sand Dunes, also known as the Algodones Dunes. These are the largest mass of sand dunes in the southwest. This dune system extends for more than 40 miles along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley and is about 5 miles wide. The dunes reach up to 300 feet in height. Most of the dune field north of the 78 Hwy is the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness. This area is closed to motorized use and access is by hiking and horseback only. Here you have a chance to view several rare plants and animals that live only here, including Peirson’s Milk-Vetch, the Algodones Dunes Sunflower, the Colorado Desert Fringe-Toed Lizard, Andrew’s Dune Scarab Beetle, and if you’re very lucky, the flowers of the strange Sand Food plant (Pholisma sonorae). South of the 78 to the border, most of the dune field is open for off highway vehicle (OHV) activity. Glamis, on the east side of the dunes on the 78 Hwy, is the center of OHV activity in the area. From 1916 to 1926 there was a road made of wooden planks that crossed the dunes. A Plank Road monument and interpretive display, including a several hundred foot long section of the road, lie about three miles west of the Sand Hills rest stop, at the west end of Grays Well Road, the frontage road south of Interstate 8. Center of the World

Located just off Interstate 8 east of the Imperial Dunes lives the French-American Jacques-Andre Istel and his wife. Jacques-Andre Istel is considered the “father of American skydiving”. Jacques saw this barren wasteland while serving as a Marine in the Korean War and fell in love with it. With the money he made from his successful parachuting schools he bought thousands of acres stretching from I-8 northward to the Chocolate Mountains. In the 1980s Jacques somehow convinced Imperial County to legally recognize a spot on his property as the official Center of the World (it is also recognized as such by the National Geographic Institute of France). Next, he had the town of Felicity incorporated, naming it after his wife, Felicia Lee. An election was held, and Jacques-Andre became the first (and thus far only) mayor of Felicity by a unanimous vote of 2 to 0. The Mayor needed a way to mark his Center. Felicia had an idea: “It's in the desert, why not a pyramid?” Jacques-Andre was delighted, and had a 21-foot-tall, hollow, mirror-lined, pink granite pyramid built over “The Spot”, which is marked by a dot in the center of a bronze disk set into the pyramid's floor. Placing your toe on the spot is an occasion for ceremony in Felicity, with a town official recording the exact moment on your certificate and ordering you to make an obligatory wish. Other landmarks in Felicity reflect the eclectic tastes of the Istels. A sculpture of God's arm from Michelangelo’s Dawn of Creation painting in the Sistine Chapel acts as a sundial. A 25ft spiral metal staircase salvaged from the Eiffel Tower stands near the parking lot. The Center itself is only open from December through March. Geoglyphs.

Long ago the native people of the region created images on the desert floor. Unrecognizable to those on the ground, these images made of rocks stretch for hundreds of yards across the desert in a variety of shapes. They were constructed by removal of a surface layer of darkened rock, exposing a lighter soil underneath, and are similar to the famous Nazca lines in Peru. Some are abstract shapes, while others appear to depict people or animals. They’re one of the few unsolved mysteries of modern archaeology. There are two main sites nearby the Salton Sea, the Blythe Intaglios north of Blythe, and the Yuha Glyphs south of Ocotillo. The geoglyphs vary in form, style and size. The largest figure in the Blythe area is a man over 165 feet long and is thought to be a giant hunter. Many are surrounded by chain link fences to prevent vandalism. The figures were fashioned by Indians possibly thousands of years ago, but their cultural significance is uncertain. Various Indians inhabited the area but no concrete evidence linking the figures to any particular group has been discovered. There are similar geoglyphs located near Yuma, southwest of Blythe at Mule Canyon and around Quartzsite, AZ.

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Selected Links. This document is far from exhaustive. There is more to know, see, and do around the Salton Sea than is found here. Below is a list of selected links with more information. Further information can be found by doing an internet search for specific items of interest. • Here’s a trailer of a documentary about the Salton Sea that’s quite funny:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atgg7t4XbPk • Slab-City.com is a website put together by full time permanent residents of Slab City. It is updated regularly and is

the most accurate representation of what’s going on at Slab City: http://www.slab-city.com • Roadside America is a great site for finding the tacky and unusual sights along the way:

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ • Atlas Obscura is another great resource for finding oddball places: http://www.atlasobscura.com • Desert USA is practically an encyclopedia of everything about the American southwest: http://www.desertusa.com/ • Desert USA has a three part section on the Salton Sea, Salvation Mountain and Slab City:

http://www.desertusa.com/mag09/aug09/salton-sea.html • The Imperial Valley Chamber of Commerce has produced this excellent brochure on the area:

http://www.imperialchamber.org/CMS/Media/ESCAPE.pdf • San Diego State University has a “mother site” that collects information on every aspect of the Salton Basin:

http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/SaltonBasinHomePage.html • Within the SDSU mother site is this section on the Salton Sea:

http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/SaltonSeaHomePage.html • A timeline of the history of the sea can be found here: http://www.saltonsea.ca.gov/history_chronology.html • Ghost Towns is a website for finding ghost towns and includes pages on Bombay Beach and Mullet Island:

http://www.ghosttowns.com/ • Eugene Carsey has photos of his extensive travels throughout the southwest, including the Salton Sea area:

http://www.eugenecarsey.com • City Data provides detailed geographic information on cities. Here is the entry for Niland: http://www.city-

data.com/city/Niland-California.html • Geocaching.com is a site for finding and logging geocaches. It can be useful for discovering unusual places:

http://www.geocaching.com/ • This document was produced for the San Diego chapter of the Hash House Harriers, a drinking club with a running

problem: http://www.sdh3.com/