Tag: California

California, located on the west coast of the United States, is renowned for its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and significant economic influence. From the sun-kissed beaches of Southern California to the majestic Sierra Nevada mountains, the state offers a range of natural beauty. The state is home to iconic cities like Los Angeles, known for Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and San Francisco, famous for its tech innovation and the Golden Gate Bridge. The state’s economy is one of the largest in the world, driven by sectors such as technology, agriculture, entertainment, and tourism. With its rich cultural diversity and pioneering spirit, California continues to be a land of opportunity and innovation.

Holcomb Valley Road 3N14

Posted on by
Holcomb Valley Road 3N14 takes you through scenic Holcomb Valley
Holcomb Valley Road 3N14 takes you through scenic Holcomb Valley

Holcomb Valley Road 3N14, is a main artery in the road system above and behind Big Bear and with Holcomb Valley in San Bernardino County. This is a very easy route offers access to many trails, campgrounds, hikes and points of interest, including Dishpan Springs in the West and the John Bull, Gold Mountain and Jacoby Canyon Trails in the East.

From the East, the trail is found off of Doble Road near the north end of Baldwin Lake. The trail quickly climbs up to the Holcomb mine and mill sites. From there a quick transverse across Gold Mountain where the 3N14 trail proceeds to run the length of Holcomb Valley.

Holcomb valley is named for William Francis “Grizzly Bill” Holcomb, who, in 1860 discovered gold in the area. The prospecting life can be tough, and this is not different in the valley which would be named for Grizzly bill. This discovery started a gold rush and soon the town of Belleville was founded. The town reached a size on 1500 people, boasted 50 murders and contained a “Hanging Tree” where the guilty met their justice.

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.

Holcomb Valley Road Trail Map

Resources

Gold Mountain 3N69

Posted on by
Gold Mountain 3N69 Trail Head
Gold Mountain Trail Head

The Gold Mountain 3N69 Trail can be found in the San Bernardino National Forest near Big Bear Lake. The favored direction of travel is from South to North starting on Hwy 18 near Baldwin Lake. Starting immediately from the trail head, the trail climbs steeply up the mountain via a series of switch backs. Amazing views offer those who choose to drive this trail.

The trail is available to street legal vehicles only.

The US Forest Service rates the Gold Mountain 3N69 trail a black diamond most difficult trail. This trail is not recommended for stock SUVs. There are bypasses including one around the talus slope that will allow slightly modified vehicles to traverse the trail. Elevation ranges from 6700′ to over 8100′ and during the winter months snow and ice add to the difficulty of traversing 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.

Gold Mountain Trailmap

Jacoby Canyon 3N61

Posted on by
Jacoby Canyon 3N61 Trail head
Jacoby Canyon 3N61 Trail head

Jacoby Canyon 3N61 is a trail which can be found in the San Bernardino National Forest near Big Bear Lake. Jocoby Canyon was originally named Chipopee Canyon on U. S. Forest Service maps prior to 1965. The favored direction of travel is from North to South starting on Hwy 18. The bumpy dirt trail is available to street legal vehicles only but reasonably higher clearance is recommended.

The US Forest Service rates this trail a blue square more difficult trail. There is one creek crossing near the middle of the trail that will put a squeeze on full size vehicles.

Elevation ranges from 6000′ to over 7200′ and during the winter months snow and ice add to the difficulty of traversing the trail. This one way trail starts near the Holcomb mine and slowly winds down through a small narrow side canyon. The canyon offers some enjoyable scenery and in general the trail and route are quite fun.

Jacoby Canyon appears to have some smaller single space campsites near the bottom of the route. The trail releases onto Highway 18 near Cactus Flats. The short trail offers prime opportunity to see wildlife and to get away from it all in the back-roads of Big Bear.

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.

Jacoby Canyon is currently closed following a wild fire by a forest order of the Forest Service.

Jacoby Canyon Trailmap

Resources

Warm Springs Road

Posted on by

A short side trip from the Saline Valley Road to the Saline Valley Warm Springs in Death Valley National Park, California. The road is used to access the Warm Springs Hot Springs of the Saline Valley. The region and its hot springs became very popular in the 1960’s

Looking down at the Lippencott Mine Road from the Lippencott Mine, with Warm Springs Road, Saline Valley in the distance.
Looking down at the Lippencott Mine Road from the Lippencott Mine, with Saline Valley in the distance.

The hot springs were improved before the National Park was formed in 1994. As such; showers, bathtubs concrete pools and three bathrooms. these bathrooms are replaced by the Park Service. Palm trees were planted to create am oasis. Additionally, there is a small airport known as the “Chicken Strip”, which is a 1400 foot dirt runway cleared near the hot springs. The “Chicken Strip” landing strip is about a 10 minute walk from the oasis.

There are three distinct springs and camping locations. The warm springs oasis existed as its own four some 40 years prior to the national park service taking over. The location became quite popular and nudity was common. There was quite a bit of controversy when the national park service took over due to the decades long existence of the improvements conflicting with the governments tendency to (over)regulate.

NPS Photo - Mature, non-native palm trees, such as these near the Volcano Pool, will stay in place until they die of natural causes.
NPS Photo – Mature, non-native palm trees, such as these near the Volcano Pool, will stay in place until they die of natural causes.

A “clothing optional” policy is still permitted at the springs, but nudity is frowned upon elsewhere at the site.

The road is maintained for the most part and should be accessible to most 2WD vehicles.

Notoriety

It is said that Charles Manson visited the Warm Springs looking for entrance to the bottomless pit. Manson believed the bottomless pit was an entrance to an underground world, which would protect him from the race war he tried to start as part of his plan to start “Helter Skelter.”

Trail Summary

NameWarm Springs Road
LocationSaline Valley, Death Valley National Park, California
Length7.5 Miles
DifficultyEasy

Warm Springs Road Trail Map

References

White Top Mountain

Posted on by

White Top Mountain road is located off of Hunter Mountain Road, in Death Valley National Park, California. A hilly and mountainous road connecting the Hidden Valley road to the White Top mining area district.

White Top Mountain Road view from the Lost Burrow Mine Road, Death Valley, CA
White Top Mountain Road view from the Lost Burrow Mine Road, Death Valley, CA

The road is approximately 11 miles in length and has an elevation gain from 4800 feet above sea level to 7000 feet. High clearance 4WD is recommended when wheeling this trail. The route is passable to high clearance 2WD in the first 5 miles. Beyond that distance, the NPS recommends high clearance 4WD because of 3 relatively small dry falls, 12-24″.

Travel beyond Burro Spring Junction is not recommended when wet or snow covered during winter months.

Once near the top of the trai, the Huntley Mining operations are visible.

The Lawrence Asbestos and Fluorspar claims located on the north slope of White Top Mountain two miles northeast of Burro Spring have been explored by several lessees over the years, but have produced only a few hundred tons of asbestos and fluorspar. Much scarring in the area has resulted from dozer prospecting and road building. The property consisted of three fluorspar claims, thirty-two asbestos claims, and a millsite under, location by R.H. Lawrence of Mojave. In 1970s the lessees proposed to develop the fluorspar deposits and ship the ore to Barstow via truck. Today the area consists of bulldozed prospects and a miner’s shack. Wright H. Huntley, pres., Huntley Industrial Minerals, Inc., to T.R. Goodwin,

Death Valley – Historic Resource Study – A History of Mining

White Top Mountain Trail Map

References