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| no partners | | Looking at some spots near the border. Wanted to see how things were faring with the less than stellar rain for about a year+ now. First up the huge swim pool like tank, resembling to me a small cenote in the old country. I was very surprised to find it with a lot of water yet. Down 3 feet from it's high point but still fish swimming about and enough of a rock apron so animals and humans could water there. The water was not stagnant looking. Makes me think this thing is fed from an underground source; which leads me to think about the water table in the area. A lot of the old mines here at a certain depth are wet. So, on to some old mines. One I had been in 2 or three times they have now gated. No great loss to the mine explorer. The lower tunnel looked dry, so it's moisture simply run off. The canyon tank areas dry. Since I could no longer access the upper tunnel not sure if damp or not.
Some interesting road improvements going on. One made sense, as it is a derelict 4x4 route but it gets you to the border and close to where there is newer section of wall. The forest service left their nice Cat parked where they had torn up the road. I drove up onto the shelf to see how far they had gone. Only one place to really turn around on the shelf portion of this road. I wonder what they will do. Sections of this road is against a cliff face with a fairly vertical drop with no rolling hill to use to fill on. Going higher looks like a major pain. I guess a few months from now I will see.
Next up a road grader parked and I drove out; major improvement on a narrow brushy part but he blew it on a rocky section. If it ever does rain this will wash big time and you will need a rock crawler or my Jeep to get by it. The tank with the water fountain still operational and nice cold water although not tippy top full. The solar powered pump running and pulling water out of the gated mine tunnel. Several deer ran off as I approached but at least the water is there for them.
Another water tank nearby had several cows gulping it down. The road improvement ended at a ridge line and turning the Jeep around was a pain.
Next, another spot I didn't intend to hike but when I popped over the hill and saw all the blackened areas of recent fire shouldered the pack and away I went. Large retardant dump streaking the hillside just above the private land area. I hiked down to the mine tunnel and sure enough, water still, I didn't have a good light with so didn't pursue it but again likely supported by ground level water, and possibly a non porous floor of mud and rock in the tunnel.
The drive out looking at the desolate hot landscape, so many brown leafed oaks and no grazing for the animals. The ranchers have left out lots of new salt blocks for the cows; someone must have gotten a pallet load. Reassuring though that some of the water sources are good even if the man made dirt tanks are dry. |
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Route Editor
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