Red Rock Backcountry Adventures

Slickhorn Canyon Ruins, UT

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:04:42 +0000

Slickhorn Canyon

offers an alternative for those who are interested in the Anasazi Ruins of Cedar Mesa but want more solitude than Grand Gulch can offer. The ruins are not as extensive as those in Grand Gulch, but Slickhorn does have one bonus: an almost perfectly preserved kiva, with the original roof still completely intact. The BLM has even provided a replica of an Anasazi ladder to give hikers access to the subterranean room through the opening in the roof. Also, the Slickhorn ruins do not appear to have been ravaged by Richard Wetherill and the other pot hunters of the late 1800s who excavated so many of the Grand Gulch ruins. Perhaps they didn’t know about Slickhorn Canyon.

Like the Grand Gulch, Slickhorn Canyon runs in a southeasterly direction from the edge of Cedar Mesa to the San Juan River. There are a number of side canyons which join the main canyon from the east side, and it is through three of these side canyons, First Fork, Third Fork, and Trail Canyon, that most hikers find access to Slickhorn. The hike described here is a loop between First Fork and Trail Canyon.

The hike described here is a loop between First Fork and Trail Canyon.

From the parking area at the top of First Fork, begin by walking down the bottom of the drainage in a southwesterly direction. There are no signs and no maintained trail, but enough hikers use this route that a primitive trail is beginning to form. After a fifteen minute walk you will come to a small pouroff that you can easily get around by detouring a short distance into a shallow side canyon on the left. Another mile down canyon will bring you to a much larger pouroff that cannot be dealt with so easily.

This time you will have to climb up the south side of the canyon to a bench just below the top of the mesa that you can follow around the obstacle. Many hikers before you have taken this route, so look for the cairns they have left behind to guide you.

While you are on the bench be sure to look into the back of the short side canyon on the opposite side of First Fork, and you will see a small ruin near the top of the canyon wall. Also, take note of a large sandstone monolith that stands near the opposite side of the main canyon, about 500 yards downstream from the pour off. This monolith is approximately opposite the point where the trail again descends to the canyon floor, so be sure to watch for cairns.

The monolith will also help you find your second ruin. Look carefully at the opposite canyon wall about 200 yards downstream from the monolith and you will see a large alcove about half way up the side of the canyon wall. The ruin is in the back of this alcove. Once you reach the canyon floor, walk downstream for five or ten minutes until you see a faint trail leading up to the right. This is the way to the alcove. The ruin is not visible from the bottom, and there are very few cairns marking the assent (perhaps removed by rangers?), so it is easy to miss.

Some scrambling is necessary, but the climb is not difficult. You will certainly want to spend some time checking out this ruin because it contains an extraordinarily well preserved kiva.

The Anasazi kivas are of special interest to anthropologists who study Indian cultures of the Southwest. Every Anasazi community seems to have had one of them, and the basic architecture has endured for centuries. Kiva-like structures have been around for at least 1300 years, and they still exist today in a few modern Indian cultures.

The kiva in First Fork, though 700 years old, is almost identical to a modern Hopi kiva. Notice, for instance, the small hole in the center of the floor. Similar holes appear in the seventh century pithouse kivas of Mesa Verde, as well as in present-day Hopi kivas. The Hopis, who call the hole a sipapu, or spirit hole, believe it is an entrance to the underworld. They believe that their ancestors entered and exited our world through a sipapu.

Below the kiva ruin the trail becomes much less rocky, and after 1.6 miles it opens up into a large, sandy meadow where it meets a large canyon coming in from the left (Second Fork). There are two other ruins near the canyon floor at this confluence. The one on the west side of the canyon, a small granary, is particularly well preserved. 0.4 miles further downstream will bring you to the confluence with Third Fork. If you are interested in shortening your hike you can return to the top of the mesa through Third Fork. Doing this will shorten the hike by 2.0 trail miles and 1.3 road miles.

From the confluence with Third Fork, it is 2.4 miles of easy walking to Trail Canyon. Along the way you will pass at least one other ruin site on the west side of the Slickhorn Canyon, and one other major side canyon coming in from the east. There are no signs, so be sure you turn into Trail Canyon and not the one before or after it. Just remember that Trail Canyon will be the fourth major side canyon you encounter coming into Slickhorn Canyon from the east.

About 0.6 miles up Trail Canyon there is another pour off which must be detoured. If you see the pour off you have probably missed the way, and you will have to backtrack a short distance downstream to find a faint trail that climbs about 100 feet up the south side of the canyon in order to get around the obstacle. Again, the way is marked by small cairns. As you pass above the pour off look across to the other side of the canyon at three small ruins perched precariously on a long, narrow ledge. These are the Big Ledge Ruins. Two of them look particularly interesting because they are build primarily of juniper logs rather than stone. What a chore it must have been to haul all of those logs to the high canyon ledge.

After the Big Ledge Ruins the trail again becomes very rocky as it climbs upward toward the mesa top. Occasional minor scrambling may be necessary, and if you are carrying a bulky backpack you will wish you weren’t. Finally, after two miles, the trail breaks over the top of the rim into a large flat meadow of sagebrush. Continue walking eastward across the meadow and soon you will spot the corral where your shuttle car or bicycle is parked.

Trail Statistics & Information

Activity Type: Hiking

Nearby City: Mexican Hat

Length: 10.1 total miles

Elevation Gain: 860 feet

Trail Type: Point-to-point

Duration: 7 hours

Season: Spring, summer, fall

Trailhead Elevation: 6,080 feet

Top Elevation: 6,080 feet

Local Contacts: San Juan Resource Area, Bureau of Land Management, in Monticello

Local Maps: Pollys Pasture (USGS), Slickhorn Canyon East (USGS)

Fort Ruby, NV

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 16:33:33 +0000

A History of Fort Ruby

In May 1860, Co. B of the 4th Artillery assigned to Camp Floyd, Utah, was sent to Ruby Valley to find and establish a camp base to use to protect the Overland Mail Route and its passengers and others from Indian attacks. On Sept. 4, 1861, Col. E. P. Connor organized the 3rd Regiment of California Volunteers. A year later he received orders to patrol the Central Route of the Overland Mail Company. The site chosen for Fort Ruby is on the eastern side of the southern end of the Ruby Mountains in Ruby Valley, Nevada. The Fort was situated about 2 1/2 miles southeast of the Overland Mail Station on a six square mile plot of ground. The Fort’s northern boundary was on the dividing line between what are now Elko and White Pine Counties in Nevada. The site was approximately midway if the 600 miles separating Carson City, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Col. Edward P. Connor and seven companies of soldiers (about 600 men), 55 wagons, 2 howitzers, carriages for some of the officer’s families, 3 ambulances and the regimental band departed Camp Halleck, Stockton, California, on July 12, 1862, and began marching east. They arrived at Fort Ruby on the evening of September 1, 1862. Fort Ruby was officially established pursuant to orders # 8 dated September 4, 1862 by Col. Connor.

Soldiers immediately began to gather stone and timber from the nearby mountains to build store houses and winter quarters. Living quarters were log cabins of hand hewn logs either laid horizontally or vertically and heated by fireplaces. Stables and store houses were built of vertical logs in a stockade fashion with the posts set vertically in trenches. Corrals were constructed of adobe. A good sized pond, fed by a spring, supplied the Fort with fresh water.

The Fort Ruby Spring with several views of the remains of a stone Spring House.

Photographs taken in 1868 by Tim O’Sullivan, a member of King’s Survey party, show that at least two of the officer’s quarters were built with vertical logs, caulked with adobe, had shingled roofs, 2 brick fireplaces, and 2 double-hung windows in each building. When the Fort construction was completed, there were approximately 14 white washed log buildings comprising the Army’s quarters and several other log cabin outbuildings. In 1858, the only two original buildings remaining showed evidence of having 3″ tongue and groove wainscoting in their interiors.

One of the two original building that still existed when they burned to the ground in 1992 from an electrical caused fire. Several structures including a kitchen, recreation area and living quarters had been added on to it by Andy Anderson.

Major P. A. Gallagher served from Oct 1862 to July 1863. Dr. R. K. Reed was the first Post Doctor and then Asst. Surgeon Kirkpatrick took over the treatment of military and civilian patients at the Fort until 1863. Dr. John W. Long served as Post Doctor from 1863 to 1866.

Lt. Col. Jeremiah. B. (P.) Moore served from April 1863 to Sept 1863 (Co. K 2nd Cav. under command of Capt. Samuel P. Smith. Lt. Col. Moore was known to flog soldiers for minor infractions or made them carry heavy sandbags in the hot sun until they collapsed from heat exhaustion as punishment. He hung two Indians at this post when they were identified as having led the Indians at the Gravelly Ford battle and left their bodies hanging to frighten the Indians and keep them in line by using the hangings as an example.

During the Goshute War of 1863, the Overland Mail and Stage Company lost 150 horses, 7 of their stations were burned to the ground and 16 of their employees were killed in Nevada and Utah. Moore stayed in Ruby Valley after mustering out of the Army.

During the summer of 1864, the two California Volunteer companies stationed at Fort Ruby were replaced by a unit of the Nevada Volunteers of Co. B. 1st Nevada Infantry. The lessening of manpower made patrolling of the Overland Route much more difficult.

Capt. G. A. Thurstin was in charge beginning in the fall of 1864 until Dec. 1865. Capt. Thurstin and Dr. John W. Long, the Post Doctor tried to cure venereal disease of some of the soldiers and some Indians by constructing stone chambers at the hot springs on the Old Myers Ranch above Franklin Lake several miles north of Fort Ruby. Patients were required to sit on the stone “pots” and absorb the steam from the hot water. These structures could still be seen in 1957.

Capt. Thurstin wrote to his superiors at Fort Douglas, UT in 1864, suggesting that the Indians were stealing to prevent starvation and it would be beneficial for the Army to gather the Indians of the area together for a conference. The Army did not respond to his idea but the Overland Mail and Stage Company stepped in and told its station keepers to provide enough emergency rations to the Indians to keep them from starving to death.

A Company of 9th U. S. Infantry was in charge from Dec 1865 to Sept. 1867. On January 1, 1867, the name of Fort Ruby was changed to Camp Ruby.

Capt. George Walker assumed command Sept. 20, 1867, immediately took a six-month long furlough, and died upon his return to the command of the Fort of apoplexy about March or April 1868.

Lt. J. T. Trout took over the command when Capt. Walker died.

Capt. Timothy Connelly was in command from 1868 to 1869. Connelly was the last commanding officer at Fort Ruby. He was found guilty and court martialed at Fort (Camp) Halleck on May 20, 1869 for embezzling company funds at Fort (Camp) Ruby.

After 1865, Indian raids became infrequent and in 1869, the Army determined that Fort Ruby was no longer necessary. On instructions of Headquarters, Department of California, San Francisco, dated July 15, 1869, Fort Ruby was ordered to be abandoned. On September 20, 1869, the men of Co. I 9th Infantry and all of their supplies were transferred from Fort Ruby to Camp Halleck some seventy miles to the north.

Most of the abandoned building at Fort Ruby were sold to nearby ranchers. Thomas Short of Cave Creek is said to have bought several of the structures and moved them off the Fort. Some of the buildings or parts of them may still be being used on ranches today.

Fort Ruby was never declared a military reservation by Executive order. In 1961, the U. S. Dept. of the Interior gave landmark status to Fort Ruby. Only two original buildings, an enlisted men’s barracks and the officer’s quarters were remaining in 1992 when they were both lost to history when they were destroyed by a fire.

Fort Ruby Cemetery

This view shows the wooden fence surrounding the two graves along side the east side of the road 1/2 mile north of the Fort on the Old Narcissi Ranch property. – Shaputis photo

Twenty-one or more interments of military men and civilians took place in the Fort Ruby Military Cemetery. This cemetery has several sources saying it was located one half mile to the north of the Fort on the Old Narcissi Ranch. Two graves are fenced and can be seen on the east side of the road near a huge spreading willow tree where a road leads into the marsh. One source states the cemetery was located 1/2 mile to the west of the fort.

One of the burials was likely that of Private or Sergeant John W. Purdy, of Carson City, Nevada, who drowned in the lake in the cave at Cave Creek while exploring the cave.

Another burial may have been that of Post Commander Capt. George Walker who assumed command Sept. 20, 1867, immediately took a six-month long furlough, and died upon his return to the command of the Fort of apoplexy about March or April 1868.

A third burial undoubtedly was that of Pvt. Thomas Conley who was fatally wounded at Egan Canyon Pony Express Station during an Indian squirmish on August 11, 1860.

An erroneous local legend persists that the three fenced graves in the Egan Canyon Cemetery are those of three soldiers killed in a Indian battle in 1860. On August 11, 1860, when the Army arrived in time to save the lives of the two Egan Station keepers from a large party of Indians, during the fight, three soldiers were wounded. According the report of Lt Stephen H. Weed (File U-44, Adjutant General’s Office, Letters Received, Records of the War Dept, National Archives, Microfilm # 567, Roll 634), the three wounded soldiers were: Corpl. John Mitchell (shot in the hip, not serious) and Pvts. Joseph Henry (shot in the neck, serious) and Thomas Conley (shot through the back – serious). On the August 12, 1860, Lt. Weed ordered eight soldiers to take the wounded soldiers back to Ft. Ruby where Pvt. Thomas Conley died from his wounds. The other two survived their injuries and obviously are not buried in the Egan Cemetery.

The Quartermaster Corps authorized removal of the military dead to the Presidio Cemetery in San Francisco, California. Sources conflict on the final disposition of the interments by saying the bodies were removed to Fort Halleck, Nevada, to Carson City, Nevada, to the Presidio Cemetery in San Francisco, or that they were never moved anywhere and are still resting within a mile of the old Fort.

Soldiers who stayed

Several Fort Ruby soldiers remained after being mustered out of the Army to settle in Ruby Valley as ranchers and farmers. Some of these Fort Ruby soldiers were:

Col. Jeremiah P. Moore settled the present Lourinda R. Wines (Mrs. J. B.) Ranch (Buckle D Ranch) after commanding Fort Ruby in 1863.

William Meyers settled the present Lloyd Meyer Ranch

James Meyers settled the present James K. Stonier Ranch. This ranch was owned by actor Joel McCrea at one time.

John Helth settled the present Duval Ranch Company

Mickey Flynn settled the present Shantytown site John Thompson

Fort Ruby is located in the south end of Ruby Valley in White Pine County. A plaque situated in front of the Fort Ruby site located just off the Ruby Marsh Road was dedicated on June 11, 1994 by the Lucinda Jane Saunders Chapter E Clampus Vitus states the following information:

1862 Fort Ruby 1869 ”Colonel P. Edward Conner was ordered to build and command this post in 1862. The Fort was built midway between Salt Lake City, Utah and Carson City, Nevada to protect the Overland Mail route (Pony Express) and emigrant travelers from Indian raiders. Most Army outposts of this time were built in remote areas, but this post was classified by the Army as the “Worst Post in the West.” In 1869 the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad brought an end to the Pony Express, and the need for this Fort.

Post Commander Captain Timothy (last name of Connelly omitted here) was ordered to close the Fort. He and his men returned the “Worst Post in the West” back to the Nevada desert in 1869.”

Fort Ruby 1862 – 1869. Courtesy of Stanley W. Paher from his Nevada Ghost Towns & Mining Camps and Jerry Bowen.

1895 Historical Maps & Populations

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:48:07 +0000

ARIZONA

STATE POPULATION

59,620

CALIFORNIA

STATE POPULATION

1,208,130

NEVADA

STATE POPULATION

45,761

UTAH

STATE POPULATION

207,905

Maps courtesy of www.livgenmi.com

Calico Early Man Site, CA

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:36:49 +0000

One of the most interesting things that tell us about the history of human life in this part of the world may well be at this archaeology site where primitive stone tools have been discovered, originally by amateur archaeologists in 1942.

The site has been classified as a possible stone tool workshop, quarry, and camp site. It is thought that the tools may have been used by early nomadic hunters and gatherers who stopped in this are to fashion the tools they used to survive. The tools may have included stone knives, scrapers, punches, picks, and chopping tools, as well as some saw-like tools called denticulates. The site has revealed no human remains or bones which indicate that it is more of a work site and brief campsite then a home camp.

The alluvial fan deposits in the area are uniquely deep stratum layers that my represent the oldest evidence of human occupation in the Americas. In 1980, Drs. James Biscjpff. Richard Ku, and Roy Shellman estimated that the soils at this site may date back to over 200,000 years, using a uranium thorium dating process on the surrounding strata.

It is usual that to be involved in an archaeological dig you would have to go to the Middle East or South America, here you can stay in the States and explore the past with skilled people that care about history enough to dedicate their lives to the pursuit of proof.

Schedule of Operation: Wednesday 12:30 to 4:30 pm and Thursday thru Sunday 9 – 4:30.

Guided Tours: Wednesday 1:30 and 3:30, Thursday thru Sunday 9:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 3:30. Closed on Monday and Tuesday.

User Fees: $5 Adults (1 or 2 people), each additional person $2. Children (12 and under) $1 each, Seniors (62 and over) $2 each and Bus groups are$2 per person.

Location: about 15 miles northeast of Barstow off I-15. From the Minneola Rd. exit follow the signs north about tow miles on graded dirt roads to the site.

Contact Information: Friends of Calico Early Man Site; Attn: Maggie Foss; 2024 Orange Tree Lane;Redlands, California 93474

Hobgoblin’s Playground, NV

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:16:36 +0000

Like the Valley of Fire, only 30 km away as the crow flies, Little Finland features red sandstone formations that were formed by shifting sand dunes millions of years ago when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. So comparing these formations with prehistoric beasts is actually not that far-fetched.

The dunes were formed by a process known as Aeolian erosion, named after the Greek god of wind, Aeolus. Wind, though less powerful than water, unleashes its full force in vast, arid regions and can erode, transport and deposit materials. Over time, the sand cements into rock and is further shaped by the wind, leaving us with the incredible formations at Little Finland that we see today.

Though most visitors try to reach Little Finland an hour before sunset to play with the hobgoblins while basked in the red light of the fading sun, those who can stomach the soaring temperatures and sun will get some beautiful shots as well.

Pros arrive at sunset to witness the way the sun’s rays turn the sandstone formations into a sea of red, orange and yellow and then camp out in their cars or a tent to sleep under the vast sky and stars. Getting up at the crack of dawn will pay off for watching the sun rise behind the fairytale giants.Getting to this magical place is unfortunately a little more difficult than using fairy dust. Visitors really need an all-terrain vehicle and a tendency for roughing it if they want to enjoy this natural miracle. Unlike the Valley of Fire, Little Finland is not a state park and therefore the facilities usually associated with one are not available.

Follow signs for “Devil’s Throat” – a sinkhole. Where the road forks, take the right branch and follow it until it turns into Mud Wash, the river bed you will drive on. Follow it for a few miles and take the right branch again where it forks. This should lead you to Little Finland. A word of caution to those planning a first visit: The sandstone formations at Little Finland are very fragile, so tread carefully or they may be lost forever. Little Finland’s inaccessibility is what’s saved it so far and it’s probably just as well that it is missing from most maps and travel guides.

Far off the beaten path in southern Nevada’s Clark County lies an ancient treasure surprisingly few know about: Little Finland, also called the Hobgoblin’s Playground. Dragons and other mythic beasts of yore seem to have turned to stone here, reminding us of times long gone by. Witness these beautiful sandstone formations turn red, orange and golden in the fading sunlight.Like the Valley of Fire, only 30 km away as the crow flies, Little Finland features red sandstone formations that were formed by shifting sand dunes millions of years ago when dinosaurs still roamed the earth. So comparing these formations with prehistoric beasts is actually not that far-fetched.The dunes were formed by a process known as Aeolian erosion, named after the Greek god of wind, Aeolus. Wind, though less powerful than water, unleashes its full force in vast, arid regions and can erode, transport and deposit materials. Over time, the sand cements into rock and is further shaped by the wind, leaving us with the incredible formations at Little Finland that we see today.Though most visitors try to reach Little Finland an hour before sunset to play with the hobgoblins while basked in the red light of the fading sun, those who can stomach the soaring temperatures and sun will get some beautiful shots as well.Pros arrive at sunset to witness the way the sun’s rays turn the sandstone formations into a sea of red, orange and yellow and then camp out in their cars or a tent to sleep under the vast sky and stars. Getting up at the crack of dawn will pay off for watching the sun rise behind the fairytale giants.Getting to this magical place is unfortunately a little more difficult than using fairy dust. Visitors really need an all-terrain vehicle and a tendency for roughing it if they want to enjoy this natural miracle. Unlike the Valley of Fire, Little Finland is not a state park and therefore the facilities usually associated with one are not available.

Here’s how you’d get to Little Finland: About five miles from Mesquite, take I-15 exit 112 towards Riverside/Bunkerville (about 1 hr from Las Vegas). Follow directions for Gold Butte Backcountry Byway and take a right onto it. This paved road turns into a dirt road after a few miles.Follow signs for “Devil’s Throat” – a sinkhole. Where the road forks, take the right branch and follow it until it turns into Mud Wash, the river bed you will drive on. Follow it for a few miles and take the right branch again where it forks. This should lead you to Little Finland. A word of caution to those planning a first visit: The sandstone formations at Little Finland are very fragile, so tread carefully or they may be lost forever. Little Finland’s inaccessibility is what’s saved it so far and it’s probably just as well that it is missing from most maps and travel guides.

Keyhole Canyon Petroglyphs, NV

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:54:04 +0000

Keyhole Canyon is located about halfway between Las Vegas and Searchlight, outside the town of Nelson in the Eldorado Mountains. While it is unknown who carved the petroglyphs at Keyhole Canyon, scholars do agree that the Mohave, the Paiute, and the Anasazi/Pueblo were the main groups in the region thousands of years ago.Mark Harrington, famed archaeologist of the Lost City on the Virgin and Colorado rivers, believed the Zunis (a western Pueblo tribe that may have mixed with Yuman tribes) had once called the region directly north of Las Vegas their home. With their strong mythological roots, it is possible that their beliefs influenced the people who actually carved the rocks or they made forays south of Las Vegas themselves.While overlooked as a tourist site when compared to Grapevine Canyon, Valley of Fire, and Red Rock, which are more easily accessible, Keyhole Canyon is a unique site because of the unusually large, round, geometric glyphs that cover several rock faces. These glyph symbols match up perfectly with other glyph patterns in the Southern Nevada region.The over-emphasis on geometric glyphs and the shortage of representational figures at Keyhole Canyon is an interpretive challenge. As with Grapevine Canyon, many archaeologists interpret the mysterious symbols as stemming from the Creation Mythology of the Native Americans who lived in and around the region. In this case, that would mean the Mojave, Paiute, and Anasazi/Pueblo. Creation Mythology consisted of four main evolutionary phases: early creation, the age of the god-people when spirits ruled, the rise of the animal-people when animals were men, and the conquest of the world by modern human-people.Legend says that when entering a trance state, the Indian shaman threw himself into the invisible world where all these ancestors of the modern human-people remained imprinted on the fabric of the spirit realm. Then the shaman brought back the images he had seen and re-created them on the surrounding rocks. By using this Creation Mythology as the general setting for understanding the meaning of the rock art, the following tentative explanations can be given:The Circle: The source of everything, the highest level of spirit

The Bisected Circle: When in combination with a male phallus, this is a female glyph symbolizing the separation of the human-people into man and woman. When in combination with astral glyphs, the notion of the feminine takes on a cosmic level. In Pueblo mythology, the twain worlds, or two, are created before the terrestrial world. That is, the first manifestation from the empty circle, or spirit, is dual, or the bisected circle. In Mojave, Paiute, and Pueblo mythology, the Grandmother of Many, who preceded Coyote, is one of the earliest god-people.

The Cross within the Circle: As already noted, the circle represents highest spirit. The four arms of the cross correspond to the Native American sacred number 4 or completion. For example, the number 4 consistently appears: 4 worlds or ages, 4 Old Men, 4 directions, 4 solstices/equinoxes, 4 migrations, 4 colors, 4 divisions of night, 4 sacred mountains, 4 daughters of Coyote, 4 times for Coyote to repeat an action before he is finished. In Creation Mythology, what is being completed is the evolution of the human-people. Therefore, the cross within the circle symbolizes highest spirit evolving and completing itself through the separation of the human-people into male and female.While these interpretations are tentative, the Creation Mythology approach goes beyond the previous notions of rock art as mere doodling (an unlikely thesis because the same symbols appear over thousands of miles) or as hunting magic (another unlikely thesis because the Keyhole Canyon petroglyphs do not depict big hunting scenes).

Location

Keyhole Canyon is located on BLM land between Boulder City and Searchlight.

Links to Area Map and Site Map.

From Las Vegas, drive south on Highway 93/95 towards Boulder City. Turn right onto Hwy 95 and drive south towards Searchlight for 15.5 miles to an unnamed road (Keyhole Access Road) to the left (Table 1, Waypoint 15). Keyhole Access Road is 5.8 miles south of Hwy 165 to Nelson, and 3.2 miles south of Eldorado Valley Road (the last named road). Watch for a highway sign indicating a road intersection. The road goes through the barbwire fence at a white cattle guard with a “designated roadway” sign. There are no other roads in the vicinity. Lat. Long.

Hwy 93 at Keyhole Canyon access rd

35.74399

114.95439

Keyhole Canyon access rd at Powerline Rd

35.74327

114.91831

Parking Area

35.71534

114.92583

Powerline Rd at second Keyhole Canyon Rd

35.71685

114.92986

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.

Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, UT

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:45:54 +0000

Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, UT

The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm displays some of the oldest and best-preserved tracks in the world. Dinosaur tracks were discovered on the farm in February, 2000, and it has become quite an attraction. The site is in the early stages of scientific study – so far more than 1,000 tracks have been found within a 10-acre area. Most were made by Dilophosaurus-like creatures and are three-toed, 13-18 inches long. There are also some smaller tracks and researchers have identified skin prints and impressions made by tail drags and swimming movements.

The tracks were found in large slabs of sandstone from the Moenave Formation, dating back some 205 million years to the beginning of the dinosaur era. Residents tromped over that very sandstone for years, never realizing it sheltered such treasures. Nobody knew, until Dr. Sheldon Johnson flipped over a slab while trying to level his land. There, on the underside, the tracks were clearly visible.

Most of the tracks are actually “negative impression” casts that appear as bumps on the stone. The area was the bottom of an ancient freshwater lake in the center of the super-continent Pangea. Footprints left in the mud filled with silt and sand, and more sand was deposited over the top. The mixture eventually solidified into sandstone and mudstone, forming the casts. Now, when the slabs are flipped over, the casts appear, much like Jell-O popping out of a mold.

Dr. Johnson donated his land to the city of St. George and the U.S. Congress recently appropriated funds to help construct a science and visitor center. Volunteers do most of the work at the site.

Small groups can just show up during open hours. Larger groups should schedule a tour.

It is easy to find. Take Exit 10 from I-15 onto 3050 East (Pineview Drive). Follow it south until it swings to the southwest and becomes Riverside Drive. Just continue driving until you reach the site, which is marked by a sign.

Open hours: 10 am until 6 pm
Days of operation: Monday through Saturday
Closed Sundays
Open every holiday except Christmas & Thanksgiving
Address: 2180 E. Riverside Drive
Phone: 435-574-DINO (3466)
To schedule tours or to volunteer, please contact Janice Evans, the Volunteer Coordinator

Shauntie Ghost Town, UT

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:13:26 +0000

Shauntie was a boom town during the years 1872 to 1877 . There were over 40 houses of various types, several businesses including a hotel, several saloons, a post office, two stores and a smelter. When the mines gave out so did the town.

Shauntie was a mining town west of Milford flat, based in the foothills. The town burned down twice and when the mine was abandoned and people moved..

Early in 1870 prospectors, drifting east from the boom at Pioche, Nevada, and west from the spectacular strike at the Lincoln mine in the Mineral mountains near Minersville, found silver in paying quantities in the Picachio mountains across the valley from Minersville to the west. On July 8, 1870 the Star district was organized. The silver strikes attracted much excitement in both Utah, and Eastern Nevada. By early 1871 the area was so flooded with prospectors, and so many claims were being filed that the district was divided on Nov. 11, 1871 into two districts, the North Star, and the South Star. By 1880 over 1,600 claims had been staked; and the low mountains were swarming with prospectors and mining men. The mines were grouped in five or six different areas, or canyons, each with it’s own mining camp: North Camp or Shenandoah City to the North, Foothills to the East, South Camp to the South, Elephant City or Middle Camp in the middle of the range, and West Camp and Shauntie on the West side of the Mountains.

Because it was located at the only regularly running water in the area, Shauntie became the smelting center for the two districts. In 1873 the Shauntie smelter was built with two stacks. In 1874, this smelter was torn down and the larger Shumar Smelter was built, with one stack, but having a 20 ton per day capacity; and employing as many as a hundred workers hauling and smelting the ore being brought in from the Rebel, Elephant, Miner’s Dream, Burning Moscow, and other mines. During the years 1872 to 1877 Shauntie boomed. Soon Shauntie was vying with Shenandoah City as the leading town in the area. Shauntie had over 40 houses of various types, and several businesses including a hotel, several saloons, it’s own post office, and stores. In June of 1875 the smelter burned to the ground, but it was quickly rebuilt and pouring out even more bullion than before. In 1876 Shauntie, itself was destroyed by fire. This still didn’t stop Shauntie. The town was soon rebuilt and was attracting the attention of mining men from all over the west. The veins in the Star districts proved to be shallow however, and by 1877 many of them were closing as their veins pinched out. Just as depression set in and the miners and prospectors of Shauntie were wondering where to go next, News of new discovery excited the ears of the investors and miners. A fabulous new mine, the “Bonanza” had been discovered just 10 miles to the Northwest in the San Francisco Mountains. As fast as the camps of the Star districts were built, so they were abandoned. As news of the discovery reached the others in the district, they just picked up and left, flocking to the new mine which had just been re-named the “Horn Silver” hoping to find work, or profit at the new diggings. Shauntie and the other camps were left abandoned for thirty three years. In 1910 there was a small resurgence when the Burning Moscow, Cedar-Talisman, and Harrington-Hickory mines were re-opened to mine out the low grade ore that was left behind during the boom period. Shauntie again was the center of activity. The Post Office was changed to Moscow in honor of the Burning Moscow mine, then to Talisman, but the locals still just called it Shauntie. By 1920 the low grade ore was mined out, the few people that stayed to carry on small time mining moved to Milford leaving Shauntie and the other Star District camps deserted and crumbling. Over the years the townspeople and farmers around Milford dismantled and hauled off everything they could use from around the mines leaving just a few shacks and head frames at the mines. Foundations and broken glass scattered through the sagebrush and junipers area all that is left of what was once the thriving camp of Shauntie.

Map of Location

Dinosaur Tracksites and Fossil Trails in Utah

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:35:43 +0000

Use this guide to locate dinosaur tracksites and trails in Utah. This information is not updated regularly; therefore some tracksites may not be on this list.

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm

2180 East Riverside

St. George, UT 84790

(435) 574-3466

Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm – Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.

Fees: Admission fees required, price varies depending on special exhibits. Please call for prices.

After several years of research and continual discovery, this site has evolved into a world-class dinosaur site that includes the rare combination of fossilized bones and footprints of dinosaurs and many other ancient animals.

When you visit, you will:

Walk through a ‘snapshot’ of a lake ecosystem from Early Jurassic time and observe fish, plants, and animal traces made by invertebrates and vertebrates. See over 2000 tracks made by at least several kinds of dinosaurs, ancient crocodylians, fish, and many other animals. See one of only two fossil tracks in the entire world made by a sitting theropod dinosaur.

See the largest single track block in any museum in the world. This block, weighing 52,000 lbs., has fourteen dinosaur trackways across its surface.

Moab Area Tracks and Trails

Moab Field Office

Bureau of Land Management

82 East Dogwood

Moab, UT 84532

435-259-6111

Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail

Hours: Spring, Summer, Fall, as weather permits

Fees: None

Along this nature trail, which requires a moderate 1/2-mile hike, Morrison Formation dinosaur fossils and petrified wood may be seen in a natural setting. This outdoor museum is a bold experiment, where you, the visitor, are the protector of this valuable resource; collecting is not allowed. Only you assure that this fragile legacy is preserved so those who follow may see, learn, and enjoy. The trailhead is in Mill Canyon on a dirt road, accessible by passenger vehicle, off U.S. Highway 191, 13 miles north of Moab, Utah (near mile marker 141). For a brochure and map, contact the Moab BLM office listed above.

Sauropod Dinosaur Tracksite

Hours: Spring, Summer, Fall, as weather permits

Fees: None

This tracksite includes the first sauropod tracks reported in Utah. It is located in an exposure of the Salt Wash Member of the Morrison Formation north of Moab, Utah. The sauropod tracks are seen making a sharp turn to the right, a phenomenon rarely observed in fossil trackways. They are associated with theropod tracks. There are no guards or fences here. You, the visitor, are the protector of this valuable resource. The site may be reached by a 2-wheel drive dirt road off U.S. Highway 191, 23 miles north of Moab. For more information contact the Moab BLM office listed above.

Potash Road Dinosaur Tracks

Hours: Year-round access

Fees: None

Dinosaur tracks may be seen along the Potash Road Scenic Byway, State Highway 279, which follows the Colorado River south of Moab. The tracks are located approximately 4.5 miles along the road from its junction with Highway 191, which is 4 miles north of Moab. The tracks are visible from the road and a spotting scope is available. For better viewing, binoculars are useful, or you may hike directly up to the tracksite.

Red Fleet Dinosaur Trackways

Red Fleet State Park

8750 North Hwy. 191

Vernal, Utah 84078-7801

435-789-4432

Hours: Park open daily, year round

Fees: Yes

Move than 200 tracks of two different types of dinosaurs are exposed along the shoreline of Red Fleet Reservoir, 10 miles north of Vernal, Utah, just off U.S. Highway 191. The tracksite may be reached by boat, or by a two mile round-trip hike. The tracks could be covered by snow in the winter or covered by water during spring runoff.

Washington County Tracksites

c/o St. George Field Office

Bureau of Land Management

345 East Riverside Drive

St. George, Utah 84790

435.688.3200

435.688.3252 fax

utsgmail@blm.gov

Hours: Monday – Friday 7:45 a.m. to 5:00p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Warner Valley Dinosaur Tracksite

Hours: Year round as weather permits (road impassable when wet)

Fees: Suggested donation of $1.00

The trackways from two different types of dinosaurs may be seen at this site in Warner Valley, southwest of St. George, Utah. This dirt road also takes the traveler to the historic site of Fort Pearce. The route is signed, but for specific directions, contact the BLM St. George Field Office. A short trail leads to the trackways and an information sign.

Washington City Tracksite

Hours: Year round as weather permits

Fees: Suggested donation of $1.00

Dinosaur tracks from the Moenave Formation are also found near Washington City north of St. George. They are exposed in the wash below a new city water tank. The pink water tank is visible from the freeway in the hills north of town, but exact directions are also available at the St. George BLM office listed above.

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park

710 North Reservoir Road

Escalante, UT 84726

435-826-4466

Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (summer) 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (winter) open year-round, closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Fees: Yes

A 1.5-mile long trail at this state park takes the visitor past a colorful array of petrified wood. A Visitors Center and “petrified rock garden” have fine examples of the Morrison Formation’s dinosaur bones, petrified wood, and other fossils. The park also features a reservoir and overnight camping.

Blanding, UT – Anasazi Indian Ruins

Red Rock Backcountry Adventures.com — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:51:10 +0000

Ancient Pueblo People, or Ancestral Puebloans is a preferred term for the cultural group of people often known as Anasazi who are the ancestors of the modern Pueblo peoples. The ancestral Puebloans were a prehistoric Native American civilization centered around the present-day Four Corners area of the Southwest United States.

The civilization is perhaps best-known for the jacal, adobe and sandstone dwellings that they built along cliff walls, particularly during the Pueblo II and Pueblo III eras. An excellent location to appreciate the history of these people can be found at this un-named location of classic ruins

County roads leading to this location is partially gravel and sandstone, this drive may not be a good idea in wet weather. Although a 4WD is not necessary but opens up many possibilities for further exploration of the area.

This un-named location is littered with old anasazi Indian ruins, cliff dwellings and petroglyphs just about everywhere you look.

The GPS coordinates supplied will find you near an old cliff dwelling and close to a cliff face with lots of writing on it.

Remember: take nothing but pictures!

“Just a reminder that the cliff dwellings, petroglyphs and any

artifacts in the area are federally protected. Tampering with them, or removing any artifacts can net you a hefty fine and jail time”

GPS location: N 37° 32.396 W 109° 14.486

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