Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Coyote Melon (Cucurbita palmata)
Coyote Melon (Cucurbita palmata), also known as Coyote Gourd, is a flowering plant common in the desert southwest and known to produce spherical yellow – green melons. The vine like plant is commonly found is loose, sandy or gravely, dry, well drained soil which is common in Southern California, Arizona, Nevada and exclusively in Washington County, Utah. The primary characteristic is the growth of a green melon or gourd which is quite startling when you first see them in the hot desert climates.
The gourd was first described in 1876 by Sereno Waston who was a Yale graduate with a degree in Biology, The Coyote Melon features a sprawling stiff vine with rough, stiff-haired stems and leaves. Cucurbita palmata produces a large yellow bell shaped flower, while the melon itself is smooth in appearance. The striped yellow – green colored gourd is known to be quite hard, however, also thin when mature. The melons are very bitter and not edible. This hearty planet can survive the harsh desert landscape through its use of a large and hearty tap root. This root system can extend several feet into the dry soil to supply the plant with nutrients and water required for survival.
The Coyote Melon (Cucurbita palmata) is extremely fibrous and although not edible to humans is known to be on the coyotes diet during the fall, hence its name. It is quite common to find the seeds of this plant in coytoe scat during the fall months.
Despite the fibrous melon being inedible by man, the native american tribes were known to consume the ground seeds of this plant. Additionally, they used the dried gourds as rattles in various dances and other ceremonies. They also utilized the plant was as soap for cleaning.
Resources
Alexander Zachariah Borden
Alexander Zachariah Borden, affectionately known as “Shorty,” was a quintessential Death Valley prospector whose life embodied the rugged spirit of the American West’s mining era. Standing small in stature but immense in endurance, Shorty became a legendary figure in Death Valley National Park through his relentless pursuit of gold, remarkable survival stories, and contributions to the region’s infrastructure. Though he never struck it rich, his discoveries, such as Shorty’s Well, and his hand-built roads left a lasting mark on the arid landscape. Shorty’s hospitality, storytelling prowess, and deep knowledge of Death Valley made him a beloved “last of the old timers” among locals and visitors alike.
Early Life and Military Service
Details about Shorty Borden’s early life are sparse, with no confirmed birth date available in historical records. Based on accounts from the 1930s, when he was reportedly 65 years old while building a road in Hanaupah Canyon, he is estimated to have been born around 1867, likely in the United States. Little is known about his family background or upbringing, but his later life suggests a hardy, adventurous disposition shaped by the frontier.
Before fully committing to prospecting, Shorty served in the U.S. Cavalry during World War I, including duty on the Mexican border. This military experience honed his resilience and survival skills, qualities that would prove invaluable in the unforgiving Death Valley environment. After his service, he transitioned into mining, drawn by tales of riches in the California deserts.
Arrival in Death Valley and Early Prospecting
Shorty first arrived in Death Valley in 1887, enticed by the promise of gold during the late 19th-century mining booms. At a time when the region was sparsely populated and notoriously harsh—with extreme temperatures, scarce water, and treacherous terrain—Shorty roamed the surrounding mountains, including the Panamint Range, in search of strikes. He found several minor gold deposits scattered across the area, but none yielded the fortune he sought. These early efforts gave him an intimate knowledge of Death Valley’s geography, from hidden canyons to remote springs.
In the early years, Shorty partnered with fellow prospector Bud Saylor, whom he met in San Francisco. Together, they explored areas near Anvil Spring and Butte Valley, always hunting for a “mother lode.” Their partnership highlighted Shorty’s collaborative nature, as he often teamed up with others to share the burdens of desert life.
One of Shorty’s notable explorations was in Hanaupah Canyon, where he discovered a secluded valley with a perennial brook, watercress, cottonwood trees, and grass suitable for mules. Nearby Indian caves added to the site’s mystique. He even considered developing it as a tourist attraction, showcasing his entrepreneurial side beyond pure mining.
Survival Stories and Desert Ordeals
Shorty’s life was punctuated by dramatic near-death experiences that underscored his toughness. In one harrowing incident in Hanaupah Canyon, a sudden flash flood destroyed his camp, sweeping away supplies and leaving him stranded. Barefoot and hatless, he trudged through mud and debris toward Furnace Creek, battling dehydration and heat exhaustion. Delirious from thirst, he hallucinated pools of water before being rescued by Monroe Wagnon, a local who found him collapsed near the road.
Undeterred but not fully recovered, Shorty soon attempted another grueling trek to Anvil Spring to check on Bud Saylor. Underestimating his weakened state, he collapsed near the Eagle Borax mill, surviving only because Wagnon discovered him again, hidden among mesquite bushes. Nursed back to health at Anvil Springs, these episodes earned Shorty a reputation as a “durable walker,” capable of traversing dozens of miles despite his peculiar shuffling gait.
Later Mining Ventures and Infrastructure Contributions
By the 1920s and 1930s, Shorty focused his efforts in the Panamint, Emigrant, and Goldbelt Spring regions. In the late 1920s or early 1930s, he discovered promising silver-lead outcroppings in the South Fork of Hanaupah Canyon. Encouraged by positive assays, he single-handedly constructed a nine-mile road from the Death Valley floor to his mine site at Hanaupah Spring, starting in September 1932 and completing it six months later—at the reported age of 65. Using only basic tools like a pick, crowbar, shovel, dynamite, and burro power, this feat demonstrated his extraordinary determination.
During the road-building process, Shorty dug a well at the junction of West Side Road and Hanaupah Canyon Road, which became known as “Shorty’s Well.” This water source, vital in the water-scarce desert, cemented his legacy and appeared on maps as a key landmark.
Shorty partnered with Bill Price on the Hanaupah mine, but the venture failed when ore shipping costs exceeded its value. Despite this, he continued prospecting. In 1942, he relocated original claims with a partner named Thompson, and in 1943, he located additional claims with Bev Hunter, Roy Hunter, and Hellen Kraft—properties later owned by Victor Materials Company.
Personal Characteristics and Later Years
Shorty was renowned for his hospitality and friendliness, often sharing stories of Death Valley’s history with anyone who visited. Described as a “toughened desert veteran,” he possessed a wealth of regional knowledge, from hidden water sources to ancient Native American sites. His small frame belied his endurance, and his slight twisting gait became part of his endearing persona.
In his later years, Shorty lived as one of the last surviving old-time prospectors. A 1958 newspaper article noted him as still alive, residing in a rest home in San Bernardino, California. He eventually passed away in that rest home, though the exact death date remains undocumented in available records. Historical accounts confirm his death occurred after 1958, following a life of quiet perseverance.
Legacy
Shorty Borden’s legacy endures in Death Valley National Park through tangible landmarks like Shorty’s Well, Shorty’s Road, and his mine workings in Hanaupah Canyon. These sites attract hikers, historians, and adventurers, serving as reminders of the prospectors who shaped the region. Though he never achieved wealth, Shorty’s stories of survival and exploration inspire tales of the desert’s harsh beauty. As a symbol of the era’s gritty individualism, he is remembered in park histories, books, and oral traditions as a hospitable guardian of Death Valley’s secrets.
John Bull Trail 3N10
The John Bull Trail 3N10 has the solid reputation as one of the toughest and most challenging trails in the Big Bear mountains of San Bernardino County. This trail should only be done with in a group of well-equipped short-wheelbase vehicles. Lockers are recommended, but not always required. The entire trail is strewn with boulders of various sizes. There are also a number of sharp drop-offs along the way. Be prepared for scratches, dings and flat tires. This trail is not for stock SUV’s.
The trail is part of the “Adopt a Trail” program through the National Forest Service, and has been adopted by the So Cal Broncos (east end) and the Waywegos 4 Wheel Drive Club (west end).
Running the trail west to east is somewhat easier, there is a campground at the western starting point. Most off-roaders prefer to start at the east end of the trail. The official start point is off of the Burnt Flats Trail (3N02), although many catch it at the end of 3N32.
Around April/May 2009 the ends of the John Bull Trail 3N10 has had more boulders pushed in to make more difficult “gateways”, which prevent under-equipped 4x4s from running the trail.
A Forest Service Adventure Passes are required if you plan on stopping along the way. As of September 2016, forest visitors parked in standard amenity recreation fee sites in the four southern California national forests must display a valid recreation pass. This includes sites on the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino National Forests. Such is the once great state of California.
Trail Summary
| Name | John bull Trail |
| Location | Big Bear, San Bernardino, California |
| Length | 14.4 Miles |
| Elevation Gain | 1768 feet |
| Route Type | Loop |
| Difficulty | Difficult |
John Bull Trailmap
Website Overhaul
In the past few weeks, the Destination4x4.com website was overhauled to better comport itself to a higher standard. At its core, Destination4x4.com is a list of places that I have been, researched and / or places I want to go. These places are places that interest me, for whatever reason. I have found many of them from family, browsing the web or searching google earth.
The website is going over an overhaul at the moment and work is happening in the following ways.
Resources
Recently, I was on a fellow explorers website researching a site and he / she was lamenting that they were tired of people copying from their website. They made the statement something along the lines of quit “copying my content” and “do what I did and google it”.
At first I felt rather guilty. I was on another website and learning about a site with the intention of writing my own article. Then, I became annoyed as I was simply doing what they did and I found their website. This person is complaining about something that he/she never did. Give Credit where Credit is due.
In an effort to be as honest and informative as I can, I then and there decided that I was going to “do it better”. I am currently in process of adding resource links back to the source material for every page I publish were it is referenced. For example, the definitive research tome in Nevada for ghost towns is “Nevada Ghost Towns and Mining Camps” by Stanley W. Paher. Much of his work serves as the backbone to Wikipedia and all of those who ghost town in Nevada owe him a lot.
Overtime I will add more book reviews, resources, useful websites, research,etc… to the website from my library. It will take a while.
Trail and Area Maps
When I first considered Destination4x4 as a website, it was based around the concept of interactive trail maps. At the time, Google offered their mapping API essentially for free for smaller websites. At first, this allowed me to build maps with Google Earth and then save a KML file which I could then use to produce an online map.
About two years ago, Google decided to charge for this service and started watermarking my maps with “For developer use only”. To date, Destination4x4 is a loss and does not make any money, so it is difficult to justify spending anything on Google.
Over the past two years, I have search for various plugins for WordPress which allowed for free mapping. They all would do somethings well, but not others. I finally stumpled upon WordPress OpenStreetMap Plugin. This is a free open source wordpress plugin which allows me to publish KML file maps. Thank you!
Trail Lists
Additionally, I have done some polishing and clean up my lists on the website. Prior to this update, a list of locations would just contain a title and link to the page. Now, the lists will contain a featured image thumbnail, the title and a description. Essentially this is a little tweak which makes the site look and feel nicer.
Server Upgrades
Destination4x4 runs on a Dell poweredge server installed next to my desk. It runs on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS Linux and features an 8 core processes, 32 GB of RAM and 3.2 Terabytes of Storage on a RAID 5 drive.
WordPress was complaining about running on an older version of PHP 5 and really wanted to run on PHP 7. So about two weeks ago, I made that happen and supposedly the site is supposed to be faster.
Additionally, the server is minifying and caching better, so hopefully the web server and web site are faster for all.
Goodsprings, Nevada
Goodsprings is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Clark County, southern Nevada, located in Goodsprings Valley at the southeastern foothills of the Spring Mountains. Situated along Nevada State Route 161, about five miles northeast of Jean and Interstate 15 (roughly 30-45 minutes southwest of Las Vegas), it sits at an elevation of 3,717 feet in an arid desert environment. Once the heart of one of Clark County’s most productive mining districts, Goodsprings thrived as a boomtown in the early 20th century before declining into a small, semi-preserved settlement often described as a “living ghost town.” As of the 2020 census, its population was 162.
Pre-History and Early Settlement (Pre-1900)
The area around Goodsprings has long been a rare water source in the Mojave Desert. Indigenous peoples, including the Ancient Puebloans and later the Paiute, used the natural springs seasonally. White settlers first documented the springs in 1830 along the Old Spanish Trail.
Mining in the broader region began in 1856 when Mormon miners established a lead operation at nearby Potosi Mountain—possibly Nevada’s oldest underground lode mine. Gold was discovered in the area in 1893. In the 1860s, cattleman Joseph Good discovered silver near the springs (sometimes dated to 1861 or 1868) and established a small store while using the water for his herd. The settlement was initially called “Good’s Springs” or “Goods Springs” in his honor. By 1868, additional silver and lead deposits attracted more prospectors, forming a rudimentary mining camp. The Yellow Pine Mining District (also known as the Goodsprings Mining District) was formally organized around 1882 following further gold discoveries.
Before 1900, the area consisted mainly of tent cabins and a small mill. A post office opened in 1899 (initially at the nearby Keystone Mine, later relocated), and Lincoln County established Goodsprings Township. In 1904, Salt Lake City mining interests platted the township. Early structures were limited until transportation improved.
The Mining Boom and Peak Prosperity (1900s–1920s)
The arrival of railroads transformed Goodsprings. The San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad (later Union Pacific) reached nearby Jean in 1905. In 1911, the narrow-gauge Yellow Pine Railroad connected the mines to Jean, drastically reducing ore transport costs and spurring construction of permanent buildings. The Yellow Pine Mining Company consolidated claims in 1909, operating a mill and focusing on oxidized zinc, lead, silver, copper, and gold.
World War I dramatically boosted the economy, as demand for lead (for ammunition) and zinc surged. By 1916–1918, the population peaked at around 800 (some accounts cite up to 1,000), supporting a developed downtown with a hospital, luxury hotel, post office, weekly newspaper (Goodsprings Gazette, 1918–1921), stores, churches, and multiple saloons. The district became Clark County’s most productive, yielding a total of approximately $25 million in minerals—primarily lead and zinc, with lesser amounts of gold, silver, copper, and rarer elements like molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, and uranium. It represented the greatest variety of minerals in Nevada.
Key Infrastructure and Landmarks Built During the Boom
1916: The 20-room Fayle Hotel (considered one of Nevada’s finest at the time, with modern amenities; destroyed by fire in 1966).
1913: The Pioneer Saloon (built by Clark County Commissioner George Fayle using prefabricated stamped-tin construction), General Store, and Community Church. The saloon, Nevada’s oldest continuously operating bar in southern Nevada, featured an original cherry-wood bar and quickly became the social hub.
1913: Goodsprings Schoolhouse (the oldest school in Clark County built specifically as a school; still in use today and listed on the National Register of Historic Places).
Notable events include a 1915 saloon shooting during a card game (miner Paul Coski killed by Joe Armstrong; ruled self-defense, with bullet holes still visible) and the 1942 plane crash of actress Carole Lombard on nearby Mount Potosi. Her husband, Clark Gable, waited at the Fayle Hotel and Pioneer Saloon for news of the tragedy; a memorial to the victims remains in the saloon today.
Decline and Transition (1920s–1950s)
Post-World War I, falling metal prices led to mine closures and population decline (down to about 400 by 1920). The Yellow Pine Railroad ceased operations around 1930 (tracks removed by the mid-1930s). A brief resurgence occurred during World War II due to renewed demand, but mining largely ended by the 1950s. The town contracted but never fully vanished, unlike many desert boomtowns. Fires destroyed several structures, and atomic testing occurred in the region during the 1950s. By the late 20th century, fewer than 100–200 residents remained, living among preserved and restored buildings, mobile homes, and newer structures.
Modern Era and Preservation (1960s–Present)
Goodsprings endures as a quiet desert community with a focus on historic preservation. The Goodsprings Historical Society (established in the 1990s) works to educate the public, restore buildings (e.g., roof repairs), and maintain sites like the 1886 Campbell Stone Cabin (one of the oldest structures), the cemetery, and mill ruins. The Pioneer Saloon continues operating as a tourist draw, hosting events, filming locations (The Misfits, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas), and even inspiring a recreation in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas (which has boosted visitation through annual festivals since 2022).
In 2010, the Goodsprings Waste Heat Recovery Station (a 7.5 MW geothermal-style plant using pipeline waste heat) opened as Nevada’s first renewable energy facility of its kind. The town remains accessible for day trips from Las Vegas, with the saloon, schoolhouse, and surrounding desert landscape attracting history enthusiasts and off-roaders.
Conclusion
Goodsprings exemplifies the classic Nevada mining town arc: from obscure springs and prospector camps to wartime prosperity and eventual contraction, while retaining its historic character. Its $25+ million in mineral wealth, pioneering infrastructure, and resilient landmarks like the Pioneer Saloon underscore its significance in Clark County’s development. Today, it stands not as a fully abandoned ghost town but as a preserved chapter of the American West—tied to Indigenous heritage, railroad expansion, world wars, Hollywood tragedy, and modern tourism—offering a tangible link to Nevada’s rugged past amid the Mojave Desert.
Goodsprings Mines
- Alice Mine
- Argentina Mine
- Belle Mine
- Columbia Mine
- Cosmopolitan Mine
- Fredrickson Mine
- Green Copper Mine
- Hermosa Mine
- Hoosier Mine
- Iron gold Mine
- Lookout Mine
- Keystone Mine
- Lavina Mine
- Middlesex Mine
- Surprise Mine
- Table Top Mine
- Yellow Pine
Goodsprings Nevada Trailmap