Wrightwood Village – 2010, 2011
Category: Gallery
Archive Albums
Ash Meadows
Amargosa River (Sperry Wash)
Circle Mountain
Cajon Canyon Catalog
/cajon-pass/
Vintage photos of the man-made features of the Cajon Pass. Assorted photographers, subjects, and eras, including Route 66, National Old Trails Road, Railroad, etc. . .
Victorville Vintage
Hesperia Gallery
Crowder Canyon
Crowder (Coyote) Canyon – Cajon Pass
Shoshone, California
Shoshone, Ca. – 2005
Dublin Gulch
Dublin Gulch in Shoshone, California, is a rich historical site filled with the remains of unique cave dwellings. In the early 1900s, miners and other early settlers dug the caves into soft volcanic ash cliffs. The makeshift shelters protected them against harsh desert weather conditions and extreme temperatures.
These caves were the dwelling place for miners in nearby mines during the early 20th century. Over a certain period, it did take on a kind of community presence. Some of the dwellings even had windows, doors, and chimneys added to them, making them rather homely. Today, Dublin Gulch is a quirky historic site where, among other things, one can see the cave homes and feel what life in the desert must have been like over a century ago.
Dublin Gulch is situated near the small town of Shoshone, one of the important points that both travelers and miners had to pass through in the early 1900s. It lies close to Death Valley and several mining areas. A small piece of history, it offers a glimpse into the rugged, resourceful lives that were lived early on.
Dublin Gulch, Shoshone, Ca. – 2015
Dublin Gulch, Shoshone, Ca. – 2003
Rhyolite -Ghost Town
Photos of Rhyolite, Nevada – 2000
Owl Canyon 180s
Owl Canyon – Nikon 990 – 180 fisheye lens – 11/2015
Hesperia Airport
Providence Ghost Town
These photos were shot in 2003 with a Sony Mavica digital camera. Unfortunately, the original full-size (still low resolution) photos were lost. These images have been recovered from 320×240 images that were posted on the Digital-Desert website.
“In the spring of 1880, George Goreman and P. Dwyer, prospectors from Ivanpah, discovered rock that assayed from $640 to $5,000 a ton in silver. Their discovery, about 15 miles south of the old Macedonia District, was the birth of the Bonanza King Mine.”
Providence, Ca.
January 2022 Edits
Canada Geese at Saratoga Springs, Death Valley National Park
Owl Canyon
Owl Canyon
Ambient Sunrise
Coxcomb Mountains
Apple Valley – Joshua Tree Forest
Zzyzx – Desert Studies Center
Techatticup Mine – Eldorado Canyon, Nelson, Nevada – 3/2015
Nelson, Nevada – 3/2015
Lucerne Dry Lake
Tomorrow’s Sunrise
Wild Places – Cougar Buttes
The high country is different than the low country. The high country is higher and of course the low country, lower.
Petroglyphs – February 2011
Lucerne Valley Road Network – 1901
These maps are based on a USGS 1901 base map and overlay onto a current street map. This series was developed to show how the dependence on potable water for man or beast shaped the transportation network in the late 19th Century.
This map identifies various geographic locations, general features, and roads throughout the Lucerne & Johnson valleys as it was in 1901.
The blue marks show reliable water and rest stops as would be used by travelers and teamsters. These water stops are roughly 10 miles apart as the roads go.
The generalized trails connecting the water and rest stops are highlighted. A few redundant and miscellaneous trails have been purposely omitted for clarity.
This map has had the 1901 base map replaced with a current street map.
This map has had the water node locations removed.
Finally, the 1901 trails have been highlighted and the location labels removed for clarity in showing the relationship between the roads then and now.
Soggy Dry Lake
Soggy Dry Lake – Johnson Valley
Playa formation – “A playa is a dry, vegetation-free, flat area at the lowest part of an undrained desert basin. It is a location where ephemeral lakes form during wet periods, and is underlain by stratified clay, silt, and sand, and commonly, soluble salts. Playas occur in intermountain basins throughout the arid southwestern United States. Although playas may appear as featureless plains, they are rich in features and characteristics that can reveal information about climates, past and present. “
Ludlow
Interstate 15 Freeway
Interstate 15 Freeway, San Diego to Salt Lake – through the Mojave Desert
Siberia
Siberia was originally a Santa Fe Railroad water stop and siding. When theย National Old Trails Roadย andย Route 66ย passed by, service stations, cafes, and tourist camps operated out of there, providing the desert traveler comfort, fuel, and mechanic services. (Photos 2001)
Valley of Fire
Leadfield
Leadfield Ghost Town, Death Valley
“Leadfield’s legacy is the road through Titus Canyon. A narrow, twisting canyon that would have been avoided by road builders any other time, but the reports of potential riches were too appealing. . . .
Table Mountain – Snow
Swarthout Valley
Randsburg – 2004
Petroglyph Site – 2004
Photo Edits/Updates 12/2021
Afton Canyon
Ivanpah Dry Lake
Red Mountain
Red Mountain
Bell Mountain, Apple Valley, Ca.
Digital-Desert.com/MojaveDesert.Net — Corporate Campus
Inyo Mine, Echo Canyon, Death Valley
Furnace Creek Wash, Death Valley
We all need a place to watch the world spin . . .
Needles Eye, Echo Canyon, Death Valley
Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park
Devil’s Playground, Soda Lake, Mojave National Preserve
Providence Mountains, Mojave National Preserve
Sunrise Bungalow, Mojave Preserve
Soda Lake, Pacific Coast Soda Company
Winterkind, Inspiration Point, San Gabriel National Monument
San Bernardino National Forest – 2/2010
Marl Spring, Mojave National Preserve
Last Chance Spring – 2010
Lava Field, Amboy Crater – 2008
Bell Mountain Summit, Apple Valley, Ca. – 1/2004
Saratoga Springs, Death Valley National Park
Bell Mountain, Apple Valley, Victor Valley, Ca. – 2011
Kelso Depot
Kelso Depot – Mojave National Preserve – 2006
In Album
Joshua Trees
March 9, 2014
Lake Los Angeles, Ca.
March 9, 2014
Lake Los Angeles, Ca.
March 9, 2014
Summit, Hesperia, Ca
May 10, 2014
White House, Apple Valley, Ca.
May 22, 2014
Flyover, Victorville, Ca.
May 31, 2014
Rock Springs Road, Apple Valley, Ca.
June 2, 2014
Mojave Preserve – NPS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS –
Mojave Administrative History; NPS – Eric Nystrom
Illustration 1 – Joshua tree and buckhorn cholla
Illustration 2 – Prehistoric petroglyphs at Indian Well
Illustration 3 – The 7IL Ranch
Illustration 4 – Stone walls of 1880s-era Providence
Illustration 5 – U.S. Highway 66, Essex, California
Illustration 6 – High-tension power wires and associated infrastructure
Illustration 7 – Visitor’s center for Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
Illustration 8 – Zzyzx
Illustration 9 – Four-wheel drive vehicles traveling the Mojave Road
Illustration 10 – Painted sign opposing S.21
Illustration 11 – Cross on Sunrise Rock
Illustration 12 – Solar panels at Hole-in-the-Wall
Illustration 13 – Mojave National Preserve entrance monument
Illustration 14 – Official logo of Mojave National Preserve
Illustration 15 – Buildings at the New Trail Mine
Illustration 16 – Graffiti on Kelbaker Road
Illustration 17 – The Union Pacific Railroad
Illustration 18 – Kelso Depot
Illustration 19 – NPS visitors’ center at Hole-in-the-Wall
Illustration 20 – Lake Tuendae at Zzyzx
Illustration 21 – Desert cattle
Illustration 22 – Rock walls of the military outpost at Piute Creek
Illustration 23 – The Rock Springs Land & Cattle Company trough and corral
Illustration 24 – Headframe of the Evening Star Mine
Illustration 25 – Morning Star Mine
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Pioneertown
Pioneertown, Ca. –
The town started as a live-in Old West motion picture set, built in the 1940s.
Trona Pinnacles
October 2004. Eddie the dog and I make a study of the Trona Pinnacles.
Marl Spring
/marl-springs/
Marl Springs is a historical site located in the Mojave Desert National Preserve in California. The area has significance due to its role as a water source for travelers and settlers in the desert region. Here’s a brief history of Marl Springs:
- Native American Presence: The Mojave Desert has a long history of Native American habitation. The Chemehuevi and Mojave people were among the indigenous groups living in the area. These Native American communities deeply understood the desert environment and its resources.
- Exploration and Early Settlement: In the 19th century, the Mojave Desert attracted explorers, pioneers, and prospectors seeking new opportunities. The Mojave Road, a route through the Mojave Desert, and Marl Springs became a crucial water source for travelers along this route.
- Military Use: During the mid-1800s, the U.S. Army established a military presence in the Mojave Desert. With its reliable water source, Marl Springs was a strategic location for military operations and a resting point for troops moving through the region.
- Mining Activity: Like many areas in the Mojave Desert, Marl Springs saw mining activity during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Prospectors sought minerals such as gold and silver in the surrounding hills, contributing to the region’s development.
- Railroad Expansion: The railroad‘s arrival led to changes in transportation patterns, reducing the importance of some stagecoach routes. However, Marl Springs retained significance for those traveling by road or seeking water in the desert.
- Mojave Desert National Preserve: In 1994, the preserve was established to protect the unique desert ecosystem and preserve its cultural and historical resources. Marl Springs is now part of this national preserve, allowing visitors to explore its historical remnants and appreciate its role in the region’s past.
Today, Marl Springs stands as a testament to the challenges and opportunities the Mojave Desert presents, showcasing the intersection of natural resources, human history, and the development of transportation routes in the American West.
Afton Canyon
Afton Canyon is a scenic and geologically interesting area located in the Mojave Desert of Southern California, USA. It is often called the “Grand Canyon of the Mojave” due to its impressive and rugged landscapes. One of the notable features of Afton Canyon is its association with the Mojave River.
The Mojave River runs through Afton Canyon, creating a unique riparian (riverbank) environment amid the desert. The river, although intermittent in some sections, has carved a deep and narrow canyon through the surrounding sedimentary rocks, exposing colorful layers of sediment and providing a habitat for various plant and animal species.
Afton Canyon is part of the Mojave National Preserve, a unit of the National Park Service. The area is popular for outdoor activities such as hiking, bird watching, and camping. The canyon also features a historic railroad route, including a section known as the “Afton Canyon Natural Area,” which showcases the old railway trestle that spans the Mojave River.
The geology of Afton Canyon is noteworthy, as it exposes layers of sedimentary rocks, including sandstone and mudstone, which tell a story of the region’s geological history. The canyon’s formation is attributed to the erosive power of the Mojave River over time.
Visitors to Afton Canyon can explore its scenic beauty, enjoy recreational activities, and learn about the unique geological and natural features that make this area a special part of the Mojave Desert.
Virginia Dale
Photos of the Virginia Dale Mine in the Dale Mining District east of Twentynine Palms, Ca. — April 19, 2003.
