Chat
08-06-2018, 08:44 AM
EAGLE CANYON PART 2
Finally we reached the Eagle Canyon Arch. Its really more of a pillar thats connected at the top. Its a beautiful spot and from here on, the trees got older and larger.
Some of these junipers must be hundreds of years old. I saw a dead pine on the side of the wash that had to have been a thousand years old when it died. I never saw anything that large still living, though some of the trees up in the actual cliffs may be that large.
And of course there's the minerals... This area is called "Copper Globe". There were copper mines once upon a time, and you notice as you move up the canyon that there are more and more mint green rocks. I came to an area where half of the gravel was chunks of petrified wood, and just above that in a red layer capped by a white layer was an incredible array of minerals, crystals, and whatnot.
I had found a grapefruit sized green ball that had broken in half and was full of large crystals. I'd have kept it but it had been run over by too many vehicles and was scuffed up. In the mineral zone I found where it had come from-- Here's one embedded in sandstone.
6 weeks ago I had found a piece of green, bondo-like rock while hiking in Calf Canyon. It was one of my prized rocks, but here in Eagle Canyon, the bondo rocks are common. Here you see a big blob of it next to some exposed crystal.
Later I found a small rock that was coated with a bright, ridiculously blue mineral-- My new most highly prized rock. I gasped when I saw it so it has to be good.
Just past the mineral deposits, we climbed the road upwards.. At this point I knew I had missed the path to Swasey's Cabin, because I had seen this place where the road crested a ridge on the map and it was well west of the cabin. It turns out that because of my rock hounding I had skipped the shortcuts and stuck with the river bed. However, one of those shortcuts was a real road and I ended up following the river to the west. It turned out just fine, as I enjoyed the minerals and just check out this area on the ridge! I'll do the cabin next time.
This is where we turned around. To the south you could see a large expanse of gentle hills covered with junipers and some distant formations. I would have loved to camp here... We were tired and ready to get in to the Lexus and head home, but we were of course only half way done and the sun was heating up! We took a short break and headed back down the canyon.
Smoke from California was starting to move in. A breeze was keeping us cool enough that despite the sun, it wasn't too hot.
Finally back to the arch. This would also be a great place to camp. I should mention I had yet to see any other humans, and had only seen some tire tracks in the sand from a few days prior.
Finally we reached the Eagle Canyon Arch. Its really more of a pillar thats connected at the top. Its a beautiful spot and from here on, the trees got older and larger.
Some of these junipers must be hundreds of years old. I saw a dead pine on the side of the wash that had to have been a thousand years old when it died. I never saw anything that large still living, though some of the trees up in the actual cliffs may be that large.
And of course there's the minerals... This area is called "Copper Globe". There were copper mines once upon a time, and you notice as you move up the canyon that there are more and more mint green rocks. I came to an area where half of the gravel was chunks of petrified wood, and just above that in a red layer capped by a white layer was an incredible array of minerals, crystals, and whatnot.
I had found a grapefruit sized green ball that had broken in half and was full of large crystals. I'd have kept it but it had been run over by too many vehicles and was scuffed up. In the mineral zone I found where it had come from-- Here's one embedded in sandstone.
6 weeks ago I had found a piece of green, bondo-like rock while hiking in Calf Canyon. It was one of my prized rocks, but here in Eagle Canyon, the bondo rocks are common. Here you see a big blob of it next to some exposed crystal.
Later I found a small rock that was coated with a bright, ridiculously blue mineral-- My new most highly prized rock. I gasped when I saw it so it has to be good.
Just past the mineral deposits, we climbed the road upwards.. At this point I knew I had missed the path to Swasey's Cabin, because I had seen this place where the road crested a ridge on the map and it was well west of the cabin. It turns out that because of my rock hounding I had skipped the shortcuts and stuck with the river bed. However, one of those shortcuts was a real road and I ended up following the river to the west. It turned out just fine, as I enjoyed the minerals and just check out this area on the ridge! I'll do the cabin next time.
This is where we turned around. To the south you could see a large expanse of gentle hills covered with junipers and some distant formations. I would have loved to camp here... We were tired and ready to get in to the Lexus and head home, but we were of course only half way done and the sun was heating up! We took a short break and headed back down the canyon.
Smoke from California was starting to move in. A breeze was keeping us cool enough that despite the sun, it wasn't too hot.
Finally back to the arch. This would also be a great place to camp. I should mention I had yet to see any other humans, and had only seen some tire tracks in the sand from a few days prior.
I don't drink beer, but if I did, I'd prefer Dos Equis. Stay thirsty my friends!