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anutami Posts: 491
10/15/2012
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Took advantage of the cooling weather last week, and have always wanted to do the Chariot Canyon, Oriflamme to Rodriguez loop on my Mountain Bike. This ended up being about 16 miles and I was huffin and puffin
Parked right off the road and headed up
Gate was Locked! I thought this was always open, and I would have hate to have been a jeep coming from the opposite direction to find it locked. I guess with the fires? they are keeping it locked
Nice gradual climb through the mine district
Pretty crazy to still see water out there this time of year
This is right about when you enter ABDSP going south on Chariot Canyon and would be a cool "boondock site" when the seasonal stream is running
Mandatory Scat photo
on the decent down oriflamme the road is VERY Rough and washed out from the recent rains, but is still accessible by jeep
highlight of the trip was this spot here, can you see what is in the picture?
Radio Collar
and bone fragment
headed up rodriguez canyon
the powder shack?
the trek up canyon was pretty sandy in some areas but is easily accesible by jeep
Nice view from the top looking out north
I ended up returning the radio collar and bone fragment to the park headquarters...
here is the park rangers reply
Thank You for dropping off the collar and bone fragment. What you found was one of the Buck collars that was placed on deer during our Mountain lion study (just concluded) in the park. Our partners at CA Fish and Game, and U.C. Davis who undertook the study, were able to determine the preferred prey species for lions that exist within our boundaries based on the data received. What we retrieve from this collars download will now be entered into that data base.
The bone fragment (vertebrae) is well weathered but looks to be associated with the collar. Likely more fragments will show themselves as the remains continue to weather out of wherever they came they came to rest.
Thank You again for your find, and for returning this important scientific data for use in our on going wildlife studies.
Ranger Steve Bier
Anza Borrego Desert State Park
(760) 767-5311
edited by anutami on 11/29/2012
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
10/15/2012
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Great trip report
Did you do it solo?
May have to do that on my new MTB at some point. 
Great find on the collar.
Bob
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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anutami Posts: 491
10/15/2012
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I did it solo but was a bit on edge the whole time with the thought of mountain lions stalking me
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ziphius Posts: 911
10/15/2012
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Man, that's quite the mountain bike trip! Nice find and collar return. Did you encounter any motorized dirt bikes in the area? The last time I hiked/camped up Oriflamme / Rodriguez, there were a bunch of guys riding through, kicking up all kinds of dust. Also a bit of gunfire towards the Chariot mines area.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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anutami Posts: 491
10/15/2012
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didn't see a soul...of course it was Wednesday when I went....Lots and lots of ammo, clay pigeons, shotgun shells,etc all over BLM land!
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
10/15/2012
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Nice trip and great collar find. Looks like some burned brush in one of your pics. Any significant damage from the Banner Fire in Rodriguez/Chariot/Oriflame? The Cal Fire map looks like it was all to the NE on Granite. Thanks Tom
Banner Fire by tomteske, on Flickr
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rockhopper Posts: 668
10/15/2012
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Superb ride! Are you sure the gate was locked? I usually pull up to the gate and looks locked with the chain but the lock has never been fully shut . Maybe some bozo closed it.
In 25+ years of going out there ,I have never been locked out ( or in ). That would be a BUMMER coming all the way up from Oriflame or Rodriguez canyon. Looks like I need to carry my B.A. Bolt cutters in my rig now. Done those routes many times. There is a cool tourmaline mine near the PCT on the Rodriguez side. Lots of gold mines on the other side. The shack I belive was a rancher and toll shack. Lots of deer out there. I prefer to go mid week also, to avoid the week end yahoo's. Nice report.
<em>edited by rockhopper on 10/15/2012</em>
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anutami Posts: 491
10/16/2012
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The fire burned all the way to oriflame canyon. It did not jump the road,, and stayed on the north side. It came a few hundred yards to that sweet camp spot by the creek.
Also, the lock does not appear to be set, good to know
[IMG]http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac329/anutami/4462191A-6A2D-4919-B1E0-FB89746F03E7-9937-000010BF79C777C8.jpg[/IMG]
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AdventureGraham Posts: 170
10/16/2012
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Nice find out there! I enjoy heading out on that trail in the snow or for a night run every now and then.
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