Day 7: Mojave Desert springs: Butcher Knife Spring and Cottonwood Spring day hike, New York Mountains, Mojave National Preserve
After yesterday's inspiring but tiring trek, sleeping in late this morning is a goal, but I wake up at 8h from the hot sun cooking my tent. Fortunately, the ample breeze makes it easy to roll over and fall back asleep after opening the tent windows (and leaving the screens closed).
Today's nine-mile round-trip hike from my campsite at Butcher Knife Corral (4600 feet) will take me to springs on the northwest side of New York Mountains in Butcher Knife Canyon and Cottonwood Canyon (5300 feet). No long steep hills, just plenty of great scenery, solitude, joshua trees, spring water, and wildflowers on a perfect day no warmer than the low 80s.
No human contact today.
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Date: April 29, 2008, 10h00
Size: 62 items
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After sleeping in late and a quick breakfast, I go for a short walk around my Butcher Knife Canyon campsite to see it by day
It was quite dark when I arrived here at the corral below Butcher Knife Canyon last night, so it's nice to see what it looks like by day. I slept so well last night, being pooped from the long day of biking and hike-a-biking.
Date: April 29, 2008, 12h34
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This campsite is actually two miles down the wash from Butcher Knife Canyon, not in the canyon itself
The road I came in on last night is just behind the tent. The meadow here at 4600 feet was presumably used for cattle grazing, given the absence of native vegetation, except for joshua trees.
Date: April 29, 2008, 12h45
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A bit down the fan sits a fire ring next to which I was going to set up camp last night until I noticed goathead thorns all over
The fire ring probably hasn't been used yet this year judging by the young plants sprouting in it. This area seems seldom visited. Goathead thorns are everywhere in this meadow; I don't think I've ever seen so many.
Date: April 29, 2008, 12h42
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It's time to check out the old corral here below Butcher Knife Canyon
When visiting abandoned installations like this, I always wonder when they were last used.
Date: April 29, 2008, 12h53
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Old cattle-watering trough in the abandoned corral below Butcher Knife Canyon, Mojave National Preserve
I'll find out shortly where water would come from to fill this cattle trough; for now, it's not obvious. Orange desert-mallow flowers add a nice touch.
Date: April 29, 2008, 12h54
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I pluck a few items out of the mess inside my tent and stuff them into my backpack for the day's hike
My day pack includes the usual items (water, water filter, extra bottle, batteries, tripod, energy bars, apricots, and epipens in case of wasp sting), except for a flashlight, which I'm sure I won't need for some reason.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h06
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I begin the hike up the road to Cottonwood Canyon and Cottonwood Spring, at the base of the New York Mountains
I'll walk about two miles to reach Cottonwood Spring. At this time of year, there's a good chance that the spring might still be flowing, so I've brought my water filter and two empty bottles in case I can get some water there.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h16
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Erosion on the old road to Cottonwood Canyon has exposed some old rubber piping that had been buried under the road
These old pipes presumably once carried water to the corral at the bottom of Butcher Knife Canyon near my campsite (I had been wondering where water came from for the trough in the corral).
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h36
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A mile north of my campsite is "the fork" in the road to Cottonwood Canyon and Butcher Knife Canyon
The right fork to Cottonwood Canyon and Cottonwood Spring is my route right now; the left fork leads to Butcher Knife Canyon and Butcher Knife Spring. I'll hike cross-country to Butcher Knife later this afternoon.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h30
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The joshua tree forest gets denser as one gets closer to Cottonwood Canyon at the bottom of the mountains
The joshua tree forest here is about as dense as the one across the valley in the Cima Dome area, which is reputed to be the largest and densest in the world.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h32
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10 minutes later, as I approach the base of the New York Mountains, lush juniper trees like the one on the left begin to appear
Pinyon pines also begin to appear in this area, mixed in with the joshua trees, banana yuccas and cholla cacti. This is classic native vegetation in the Mid Hills and New York Mountains area of Mojave National Preserve.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h44
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Desert primrose
I try not to walk on these low-growing plants when I encounter them.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h51
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A pull-out on the road to Cottonwood Canyon reveals a nice camping area complete with a fire ring
When I first planned this trip, I thought I might reach this spot with my bike and camp here, but getting to the old corral 1.5 miles behind me turned out to be enough of a challenge!
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h52
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After exploring the campsite area, I return to the main road toward Cottonwood Canyon
I'm almost there; Cottonwood Canyon with its spring should be just up ahead in the foothills. The hike so far has been pleasantly serene. Real silence, except for the wind, and no people are to be seen anywhere.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h54
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Here I am starting up Cottonwood Canyon at the base of the New York Mountains, Mojave National Preserve
The area is somewhat green, which I'm hoping is a sign that there may be water ahead.
Date: April 29, 2008, 13h58
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Awesome: a tiny stream in Cottonwood Canyon, Mojave National Preserve
It's not much water, but this is the Mojave Desert at the end of April after all! I'll keep walking upstream and see how much more water exists here.
Date: April 29, 2008, 14h01
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I reach an old wooden box which houses a camera that takes photos of wildlife
Presumably, this means that Cottonwood Spring itself is right there in the grassy area ahead.
Date: April 29, 2008, 14h03
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Old sign on the wilderness-camera box at Cottonwood Spring
This BLM (Bureau of Land Management) sign must be at least 15 years old because National Parks Service took over administration of this area from BLM in the early 1990s when Mojave National Preserve was created.
Date: April 29, 2008, 14h03
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