I started out the day trying out a little road that scared the heck out of me 10 years ago.... Looks like it has been improved in those areas that made me pucker. SO I took the road to it's end, some old mine workings, and then I had to back out a hundred yards.
Then I dropped down into Lower Eagle Creek...
There is a church just before dropping down into the canyon bottom...
These Cottonwoods are my church...
My destination...The bat cave! Tens of thousands of Mexican Freetailed Bats make this their summer abode. When I got there some work men were just finishing up building a barricade to the entrance of the cave. Apparently some yahoos started a fire in the cave and nearly incinerated the site!
Lower Eagle Creek
Moderator: Jim_b
- yuccahead
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
Beautiful spot and a fine set of photos.
Re: Lower Eagle Creek
Love the fingers reaching for the moon!
- Vulture
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
Looks like a fun trip.
- TradClimber
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
Very nice area.
We attend the same church.
TradClimber
We attend the same church.
TradClimber
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
Amen! Eagle Creek used to be settled, with little houses here and there all the way down to the Gila. The mine actually owns the land and all that is left of those days are old foundations and metal crap. The road still exists though and when the water is low enough a guy can 4 wheel down or upstream for quite a ways and I sure enjoyed doing that! I have been wanting to see the bat cave for years too, so this was my chance.... Too bad it's gated up, but better that than letting some punks destroy it. I want to go back and get some video footage of the bats rising en masse from the cave.
- yuccahead
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
The bat exit would be quite a spectacle. I've been to Carlsbad Caverns twice but haven't had the chance to see it there.
Some of the scenery in these pics looks exactly like Utah. Interesting.
Some of the scenery in these pics looks exactly like Utah. Interesting.
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
First, really great photos and many thanks for sharing them with us.
Sadly, expect more gates on caves. Right now there is a really huge push to close off/gate most caves in the US. Currently all caves in the rocky mountains are closed to all human visitation. This after the CBD filed action to close all caves on all federal lands in the US. Here is the link and what they said.
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news ... -2010.html
Forest Service Will Close Caves in Rocky Mountain Region to Protect Bats From Lethal Disease
Group Advocates for Closures Across West
RICHMOND, Vt.— More than six months after the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to close all federally managed bat caves in the lower 48 states, the U.S. Forest Service has indicated it intends to close caves on federal forests and grasslands in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and most of Wyoming and South Dakota. A devastating bat-killing disease known as white-nose syndrome has spread rapidly from its original epicenter in upstate New York four years ago. The Center has demanded that more proactive steps be taken to protect bats, which are dying by the millions in the eastern half of the country.
The reason stated is WNS. But I think it is more about removing even more public access to public areas.
Mike
Sadly, expect more gates on caves. Right now there is a really huge push to close off/gate most caves in the US. Currently all caves in the rocky mountains are closed to all human visitation. This after the CBD filed action to close all caves on all federal lands in the US. Here is the link and what they said.
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news ... -2010.html
Forest Service Will Close Caves in Rocky Mountain Region to Protect Bats From Lethal Disease
Group Advocates for Closures Across West
RICHMOND, Vt.— More than six months after the Center for Biological Diversity filed a petition to close all federally managed bat caves in the lower 48 states, the U.S. Forest Service has indicated it intends to close caves on federal forests and grasslands in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and most of Wyoming and South Dakota. A devastating bat-killing disease known as white-nose syndrome has spread rapidly from its original epicenter in upstate New York four years ago. The Center has demanded that more proactive steps be taken to protect bats, which are dying by the millions in the eastern half of the country.
The reason stated is WNS. But I think it is more about removing even more public access to public areas.
Mike
Re: Lower Eagle Creek
MMM would you trade access rights for the possibility of extinguishing the bat?
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Re: Lower Eagle Creek
Not me.