dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/6/2017
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Went out yesterday to explore the Island a bit....copy/pasted from my blogger site
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The Island
When you drive the 8 highway between Ocotillo and Jacumba you can see "The Island" between the East & West bound lanes of the highway. There is one exit on the The Island named Mountain Springs. There is a lot of rugged terrain to explore from that exit, Devils Canyon, In-Ko-Pah Gorge, Myer Creek to name just a few places. This trip I decided to go try and find the Devil benchmark located on a peak just east of the Devils Canyon #2 bridge. It was a pretty warm day, maybe 100 degrees or so, not too bad. This is a relatively easy BM to get to, my total mileage hiking was about 2.5 miles and elevation gain/loss was about 800'. Most maps will not have this named as Devil BM but it is marked as peak 2532. There are several other BM's in the area to find as well. There are some great views from the peak, or at least there were...now all you see are wind turbines The migrants coming from Mexico have used this peak as route north as evidenced by the abandoned backpacks and water bottles everywhere. I am still amazed at some of the remote and rugged areas of the desert I find their discards, they are some tough and determined folks. Looks like the BM register was established in 1998 Last entry was 2010 so I guess not a very popular destination. BTW, is there ANYWHERE the Monday Maniacs don't go??? Looking off towards the west you can see the Mountain Springs area, lots of SDG&E power line towers and the infamous Desert View Tower All of the usual desert suspects were around Mortars, slicks, pottery and such Kit Kat Scat Highway vehicle debris And of course our BFF of the desert, mylar balloons Total Mylar Balloons this trip: 2 (1 per mile) --
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tekewin Posts: 368
8/6/2017
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Cool find and obscure! Looks like a Paul Freiman placed register. I'll make a note of this one, but I have a year or two of SD peaks already queued up. Thanks.
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anutami Posts: 491
8/6/2017
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Kit Kat scat, Love it
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/6/2017
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I think that shell will fit my truck...I was thinking about pulling over and trying to pull it up...I could use some Plexiglas and Gorilla tape it in for the windows....
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/6/2017
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anutami wrote:
Kit Kat scat, Love it Isn't chocolate like really bad for canines?? Com'n peoples, lets not get the coyotes sick...keep that Kit Kat in the car!
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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Buford Posts: 456
8/6/2017
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Nice. I've yet to explore the island.
I don't think I've found a summit register in Borrego without the Monday Maniacs in it.
-- Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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tommy750 Posts: 1049
8/6/2017
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Funny how there's not too many August entries in that register, Daren Looks like a nice hike.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/7/2017
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tommy750 wrote:
Funny how there's not too many August entries in that register, Daren Looks like a nice hike. Yeah..noticed that..those two pages were it for the register.
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
8/7/2017
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Great pics Daren, Love that area.
100' and not too bad ...not sure how many people would say that ;-) edited by surfponto on 8/7/2017
-- https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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rockhopper Posts: 668
8/7/2017
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dsefcik wrote:
I think that shell will fit my truck...I was thinking about pulling over and trying to pull it up...I could use some Plexiglas and Gorilla tape it in for the windows.... I had a camper shell just like that back in the 80's. Took it everywhere on my old mini P/U. Maybe the guy(gal) was heading out for a epic desert adventure and the shell came loose. Bummer. That kit Kat scat is hilarious. I need to stop at that "Island" some time. Thanks for sharing. btw That pot drop is huge.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/7/2017
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rockhopper wrote:
I had a camper shell just like that back in the 80's. btw That pot drop is huge. My truck is an '81...the whole olla may have been there, much of it was buried in the ground and under surrounding boulders. Even with a GPS point I doubt I could find it again, I was boulder hopping up the ridge and saw it in the shadows down below, I could barely fit in between the rocks to take a picture.
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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ziphius Posts: 911
8/8/2017
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That is A LOT of pottery! Love the Kit Kat Scat. Good to see someone is walking around out there this time of year.
-- http://www.coyotelearning.org
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ziphius Posts: 911
8/8/2017
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Can't believe you broke an entire, intact olla by dropping your sunglasses on it!
-- http://www.coyotelearning.org
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/8/2017
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ziphius wrote:
Can't believe you broke an entire, intact olla by dropping your sunglasses on it! Best I had for size comparison....there was tons more in the sun lit part but all I had was my 600mm lens and phone, neither one suited to the photo taking job.
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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Britain Posts: 602
8/13/2017
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Nice one of my favorite places. I usually park off the freeway near the bottom bridge. Theres a little turn out that will hide your vehicle. Theres also a couple of mines in which can be seen from the peak looking north. I haven't found as much scattered trash like old back packs up on the island. Passed through the area Saturday was 103 hats of to you!
-- Cant drive 55 Britain http://icorva.com
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Britain Posts: 602
8/13/2017
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This picture of yours shows one of the mines. This one was being worked on to about 5 years ago. In one of the Desert Magazines I think around 1940 or 50 mentions 2 mines , one is near the Hwy 8 exit to Myers and the other in the middle of the Island.
-- Cant drive 55 Britain http://icorva.com
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rockhopper Posts: 668
8/17/2017
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Britain, Do you know what they were mining? I am guessing Gold.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/17/2017
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Britain wrote:
This picture of yours shows one of the mines. This one was being worked on to about 5 years ago. In one of the Desert Magazines I think around 1940 or 50 mentions 2 mines , one is near the Hwy 8 exit to Myers and the other in the middle of the Island. Thanks for that...I may go out again this weekend and will keep an eye out for it.
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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Britain Posts: 602
8/17/2017
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The garnets mines are mentioned in this article. I've found the mine its about 2/3 of the way to the mine in your picture but more east. http://dezertmagazine.com/mine/1957DM06/index.html.
-- Cant drive 55 Britain http://icorva.com
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Britain Posts: 602
8/17/2017
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rockhopper wrote:
Britain, Do you know what they were mining? I am guessing Gold.
I think garnets, the area is loaded with them. Close up of mine.
-- Cant drive 55 Britain http://icorva.com
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rockhopper Posts: 668
8/19/2017
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Britain wrote:
rockhopper wrote:
Britain, Do you know what they were mining? I am guessing Gold.
I think garnets, the area is loaded with them. Close up of mine.
Ok. Thanks. That makes sense. I know there are tons of garnets out on the desert side of the Peninsular range. I came across a bunch of half dollar sized garnets which have been released from the host granite rock at the bottom of a dry waterfall. Unfortunately they were all mostly seismically fractured but still neat. Maybe could get a 2-3ct. solid gem piece out of each one. Lot's of work. I would be also interested in Tourmaline ,Gold and the "Lost Emerald mine of the Santa Rosas"
http://thegeozone.org/treasure/california/tales/ca011a.jsp
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