Mid Hills campground hike to Eagle Rocks, Wildcat Spring, Chicken Water Spring and Silver Lead Spring (Day 4)
This Mojave National Preserve trip really starts today, as far as exploring new areas is concerned, which is the reason I keep coming back here. I'm "trapped" up in the mountains at Mid Hills campground to avoid the heat down below, so I'm going to take advantage of it to hike and ride to areas I haven't yet visited up here.
Today I'll hike over to the Eagle Rocks formation near Mid Hills campground, then down to Wildcat Spring and Coyote Spring (a different Coyote Spring than the one I visited on my last Mojave trip). I'll return to Mojave National Preserve's Mid Hills campground via Chicken Water Spring, Silver Lead Spring and Wild Horse Canyon Road.
Chicken Water Spring was a possible campsite on my trip plan. However, given the hot weather and the uncertainty of water availability this late in the spring, it's just as easy to camp at well-watered Mid Hills campground up above and use it as a base for day hikes to areas like Chicken Water Spring.
I bring six litres of water with me and consume four. I eat some almonds and a Clif bar. Awesome day and perfect temperatures (70s and 80s). 10 hiking miles with 2348 feet of elevation gain and loss.
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Date: May 26, 2009, 09h48
Size: 71 items
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Mid Hills campground, Mojave National Preserve before today's hike to Eagle Rocks and Wildcat Spring
It's so nice to sleep in a bit! The morning sun is hot, so I do have to open the flap on the shady side of the tent to let the heat out. But it's a pleasant 76 degrees up here in the mountains, and it even dropped into the 50s overnight!
Date: May 26, 2009, 09h48
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Mid Hills campground's 26 campsites are all nicely deserted this morning, except for mine
I walk up the road to the nearby water tap and rinse my hair. I'm not a big fan of campgrounds, but this one is really nice. You can hear your neighbours, but you often can't see them due to the rolling terrain and the juniper and pinon pine trees.
Date: May 26, 2009, 09h55
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Across the road from the water tap, I ponder the wiew of the Eagle Rocks, which will be the first stop on today's hike
Not visible in this photo is the steep gulley between here and Eagle Rocks. Lots of desert marigold flowers up here at Mid Hills, even though the flowering season down below has already pretty much dried up for the summer months.
Date: May 26, 2009, 10h03
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I'm being watched!
This bird, a pinon jay, I think, is watching me from one of the nearby burned trees. Perhaps he's waiting for me to leave so he can take a bath in the puddle of water I left below the tap.
Date: May 26, 2009, 10h04
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Back at my tent, a lizard pretends to hide from my camera under a nearby pinon pine
Does he really think he's invisible just because he has stopped moving?
Date: May 26, 2009, 10h28
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I consult my maps and have breakfast and hot tea (which makes me sweat) inside my tent
There are a lot of flies this morning, plus the occasional yellowjacket wasp and big black bee checking me out, so I'm more comfortable and carefree inside the tent with the screens up. Breakfast is Mountain House Beef Stew, one of my favourites.
Date: May 26, 2009, 11h17
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I prepare my backpack for the day and begin by walking down the short steep hill into the gulley behind Mid Hills campground
I'm carrying six litres of water, epipens in case of yellowjacket sting, a flashlight, three Clif bars, a small bag of almonds, some maps, my GPS unit, camera, extra batteries; I think that's all.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h08
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A patch of asters on the way down to the gulley between Mid Hills campground and Eagle Rocks
I won't see many more of these during this trip.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h14
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A bee tightens up and launches itself toward a thistle bloom
There are quite a few white thistle flowers in the gulch between Mid Hills campground and Eagle Rocks.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h19
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Palmer's penstemon blooms on the way up the gulley toward Eagle Rocks
Whenever I see one of these penstemons in the Mojave Desert, a few happy bees are buzzing around.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h22
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Eagle Rocks, Mojave National Preserve
I've stared at these huge rock piles each time I've ridden the 10-ton bike up Kelso-Cima Road during my past Mojave National Preserve trips, but have never visited them close up until now.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h41
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There's no shortage of quirky rocks in the Eagle Rocks area to look at
It would be easy to spend a whole afternoon rambling around right here exploring the rocks. A lot of the small green patches in the background are junipers coming back after the 2005 "Hackberry Complex" fire.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h47
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Maybe this one should be called Buttock Rock
I like the necklace effect on the lower part of these rocks. I've seen several rocks in this area like this.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h48
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I begin hiking beyond Eagle Rocks into new territory that I've been looking forward to visiting
A lot of lavender-coloured verbena flowers cover this particular slope.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h54
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The texture of the Eagle Rocks area is perhaps even more interesting on their back side
A person could easily spend an entire day walking a short loop around Eagle Rocks, staring at the mesmerizing lines and forms, forgetting where he is.
Date: May 26, 2009, 12h59
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My next stop will be down in the hidden valley at Wildcat Spring; perhaps it's that tiny green spot down there, I'm not sure yet
I'm not sure how to get down there, but it looks like I need to start climbing down off this ridge soon.
Date: May 26, 2009, 13h02
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Three bugs are enjoying this thistle blossom
They ignore me, which is fine, since one of them looks like a potentially stinging bee.
Date: May 26, 2009, 13h11
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I pass an unexpected manzanita shrub as I begin my way down the boulder pile
Manzanitas do grow at some of the higher elevations in the Mojave, but it's more a coastal California plant.
Date: May 26, 2009, 13h20
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