Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

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CowboySlim
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Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by CowboySlim »

Sandman,

I saw your note on going to the MNP next weekend. I would like to spend a day in the Cronese Valley GPSr mapping out the trails. I prefer not going alone. Any interest?

Oh yeah, had the opposite problem. Over a long time I forgot my user name, handle, pw on the original forum and had to make a new one. But I'm OK here now. Guess I got lucky stopping by hear today. :)

CowboySlim@att.net
S@ndman

Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by S@ndman »

Slim,

I did the trip about a few weeks ago. The WEMO route had been covered by sand in the wash north of West Cronice Lake heading toward the fenceline for Fort Irwin and the Powerline Road. The route is obvious from I 15 across East Cronice and West Cronice to the cattle pens though. You should have no problems. Once you get to the cattle pens/windmill at West Cronice, follow my tracks. There have been no significant rains since then to obliterate them. I hit the powerline road near Bitter Springs. There was no mud on the road, a little soft sand but and it was easily passable.

Have fun. We are meeting some friends and exploring the Preserve next weekend, otherwise I would join you. I want to visit a place called Mesquite Spring in the future. I use the BLM Desert Access Guides. I'm an old school topo map man, not much for gps. (Batteries and satalelittes fail, plus you can also use the map to light a fire or as TP in an emergency!) The Cronice Lakes are in the "Soda Mountain" map. It shows a break in the road across East Cronice Lake but the road is obvious and passable. Make sure you stop at the "Ron Paul" market by Afton Canyon after your adventure. They have a variety of Ice Cream and are soon to open a small homestyle restaraunt. It's owned and staffed by some local desert dwellers, interesting and colorful characters for sure! The flowers are out and in full bloom
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CowboySlim
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Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by CowboySlim »

Sandman,

I read of your trip several weeks ago and that was what got me thinking about going back again. I didn't realize that it was you that went until your response.

Like you, I've been a been a paper map and make a guess type for decades in the Mojave and elsewhere. I pretty much disdained the GPSrs until a while back when I got the new DeLorme upon which one can load aerial map imagery. We first went through from the store back down the I15 for a few miles then across to the power lines to the main wash and then down the wash to the windmill and corral and then out to the I15 at Basin Road about 10 years ago. Repeated that last year Feb, and with the GPSr at that time, I recorded a lot of the track that we took. It's neat, and as you say, there wasn't one to follow, and the GPSr wasn't used to get through. I just went where I thought that it was best to go and used the GPSr to record. But as you noticed, any track we made from the power line to the corral was then washed out. We could follow a track from the windmill back to I15, faint though in many places. Having been through there, I've no doubt about getting lost or stuck, my concern is more than one flat or a dead battery (I've seen 'em die on the trail, and yes, I have the jumper pack - but I don't really trust it).

I mainly wanted to record more track that I didn't get last time and try some other offshoots. However, I just got ahead of myself as she just now reminded me that she is going this weekend and I'm staying home.

That's OK, because we are going to Borrego Springs the following, Easter Weekend. As always, we'll go up Coyote Canyon on Saturday and then let my grandchildren play in the water at one of the crossings. The dinner and more (more for my son-in-law, nephew and me) at Carlee's Place.

However, if anyone is interested after Easter and before the third week of May (when I'm going to the Arizona Strip), then ................ :D

Slim
S@ndman

Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by S@ndman »

Them grandkids are a hoot aint they Slim. I've got three of them with two more on the way.

Where are you going on the Arizona Strip? I've enjoyed my travels there, especially hiking the Tuckup trail. We've stayed at Toroweap a couple of times. I find it most enjoyable during the week. May is a great time to explore before the blazing heat takes over. it really cooks out on the rimrock

The trail through the Cronese lakes is an open WEMO route that transects the designated ACEC and I noticed several carsonite markers indicating a wilderness study area on both sides of the road. There is a brown carsonite WEMO route marker at the junction of powerline road at the top end of the valley along with a rock cairn to indicate the way.

Another place I'm itching to go is the Old Woman Mountains south of old route 66. I'm not exactly sure where in the Preserve we are going to end up this Friday but thats half the fun of it. We usually set up a base camp and then explore from there. My wife likes to rockhound and there are some good places indicated on the desert access guide in the general vicinity. I've never been down that way south of the Preserve so I gotta go check things out. Sometimes we stay in developed sites and sometimes we go remote. It's always something different. There are so many cool places to go out there.
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CowboySlim
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Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by CowboySlim »

Yeah, they really are. Fortunately, mine live but 12 miles so it's no big deal. The boy stayed with us last night, but I have him home now. Haven't done much desert camping with them but we go each summer up to Kennedy Meadows on the South Fork of the Kern and they really love it.

We went into the The Old Woman Mtns about a dozen years ago. We were following the Dennis Casebier East Mojave Heritage Trail book. As I understand it, the BLM has subsequently identified Wilderness Areas and that trail has been cut in several places. Yes, if you haven't been there, certainly needs to be done.

The AZ Strip has been an ongoing, yearly for a dozen years. It's led up by some folks from Kingman, the Mohave Outback Explorations. We frequently make a base camp just south of Poverty Mt., about 80 mi due south of St. George, and then go out on day trips, exploring and sightseeing. We've done Kelly Point twice.

We went to the east side in 2001, mostly south of Pipe Springs along the road to Toroweap and then had a base camp near the Jensen Twin Tanks. We are going back there again this year and will probably repeat sights like Kanab Point, Toroweap, SOB Point, etc. You know, that real boring stuff. :D

It's a sensible group, no maxi lifts, no I'm tougher than you are,......... blah, blah. Number one rule: Everybody gets back to camp at night - nobody left out behind. Folks from Kingman are leaving Wed AM, May 20th and return on the 28th. I leave a day earlier than they and overnight in Pahrump or LV or Mesquite (wherever they have a country band) and stay about 4 - 5 days. Most likely an open spot still.

Yeah, I saw those markers in the Cronese Valley last year, but of course, not 10 years ago. They also didn't want travel across the West Cronese Dry Lake although somebody had put a geocache out there.

It's like that everywhere now. 40 years ago one could dirve up from Hinckley and around Opal Mtn. to Inscription Canyon and not see a sign and now it's fences and wilderness signs on both sides of the trail.
S@ndman

Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by S@ndman »

Slim,

it sounds like your connected with a great group of people. It definatly gives you more security in the back country to be traveling with others, especially in the wilder reaches of the parashant where no cell phone reception is available. I file a flight plan with my family and leave a note pad indicating my daily travel plan at the base camp wherever I go, along with two spares, fix a flat,tools, lots of food, water and emergency supplies

The trail from Hinkley to Inscription Canyon via Opal Mountain is still open. The route skirts the Black Mountain Wilderness but OHV travel on the legal open routes provide plenty of access and multiple routes to explore. One can return to Hinkley via Black Canyon or keep on going to Cuddleback lake, Fremont Peak and on to Red Mountain. There are plenty of trails to explore although we recently lost a chunk of access in the area due to the expansion of Fort Irwin at Superior lake and Copper City road. Unlike Wilderness areas where you can park and hike in, when the Military takes over , access is lost forever to all users.

We stayed at the campground at Owl Canyon on a full moon last fall. I highly recomend hiking the Mud hills and Rainbow Basin area on a full moon night. I like to do it in the cooler months to avoid the snakes which tend to be nocturnal in the summer heat. Although I like remote camping, the BLM has upgraded both Owl Canyon and Afton Canyon to provide potable water in limited amounts.

Have fun with yer Grandkids and take care Cowboy. As my old buddy from Apple Valley used to say, Happy Trails!
SteveS
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Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by SteveS »

Good to see a few familiar names around here, I hope this takes off better than the old format.

Slim; I’ve never found many trails in Cronese Valley, there is a few roads along the Westside of the East lake, and the ‘Cat’ is worth seeing close-up, other than that it's just the road SM traveled.

[quote="S@ndman"] I want to visit a place called Mesquite Spring in the future. ....[/quote]

I take it you mean the one near the Megaphone? Lots to see in that area. Pick up Bill Mann's book for the location(s) of other thing near that. If you camp near Mesquite Sprs bring a backlight, scorpion are plentiful, both in size and species. I’ve never found any ‘good’ Petroglyphs, but some can be found near the springs.

I’d like to hear if you go to any of the other mesquite springs in San Berdo Co.
S@ndman

Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by S@ndman »

Yep...thats the one. Thanks for the info. I hear it's somewhere past Curcero. Can you shoot me a pm with some directions? I need something to do on my day off.
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CowboySlim
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Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by CowboySlim »

Yeah, I see the Mesquite Springs on my USGS. It's right along side of the berm of the T&T tracks running from Ludlow to Crucero. About 3 1/4 miles south of Crucero. Fun ride - nothing technical.

10-4, about the new format. I only posted once or twice on the old one. But this is like a number of the others in which I participate, so I like it.
SteveS
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Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:58 am
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Location: L.B. CA.

Re: Cronese Valley GPSr Trail Mapping Trip

Post by SteveS »

[quote="S@ndman"]...Can you shoot me a pm .....[/quote]

No, I don't know how, but feel free to PM me if you know.


Not sure how you plan to head to the springs, but Slim’s hints will work.
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