Ash Canyon

Bill and I agreed yesterday to get together this morning at 8am to hike up Thompson Ridge. I last went up there on June 1st, right before my bog road trip. When we made it to the trail head, though, Bill suggested hiking up the right fork of the trail, rather than the left fork that takes one up to the ridgeline. I was fine with that since I had no other plans for today, but Bill didn't bring any water and I only had a quart, most of that for the dogs. Skies were partly cloudy and it was cool. The Thompson ridge trail was in the shade, but we now were going due west and then northwest. Purple tubular flowers marked the trail here.

But we didn't get very far. We met two men who were camped off a pull-off, right above Ash Creek. They were locals and were getting ready to prospect for gold. Their friend Justin owns the claims that are marked here and Justin gave them permission. I had never actually seen prospecting be done here although I often see the tools people use left by the digs. Their dog Diablo spooked Sadie, though, so I walked up the trail a bit while Bill continued to chat with the two men, Dave and Ron.

The trail, it turns out, is now washed out at Ash Creek. What was once a culvert/footpath over the wash is no more. I don't hike this trail enough to know where to continue with it on the other side of the creek, but wherever it was, it was covered by a massive rock slide and tree fall. When did this happen? My last time up here was three years ago and I had no trouble finding the trail, although it was overgrown. This trail however just disappears now. How can so much damage happen so recently? Is all this erosion still an effect from the 2011 fire/monsoon?

I didn't want to give up. I had to find the trail. We walked further up the creekbed and saw some prospecting holes, and there was water flowing there, just perfect for the dogs. Buckets, shifters, a few Budweiser cans were scattered around the dig. It turns out this belongs to Dave and Ron, who came up behind us shortly after we got there. It wasn't my intent to stop here and chat, but we couldn't find the trail and Bill didn't seem to mind chatting with these two men, both whom looked like they could come straight out of the 1880s. Turns out both have been prospecting here for 15-18 years, and their best nuggets were found in the 1990s in a nearby canyon. Now all they find is placer gold. "It's more therapeutic than anything else for me," said Ron, since whatever gold they find now is minimal and more of a hobby than a paying job.

I wanted to watch them do the prospecting, but both seemed more interested in sharing their observations of the canyons post 2011 fire. The drug smugglers have left and are moving in elsewhere since the fire has left many trail exposed, but where we were at was untouched by the fire, and the sycamores here were just starting to show a change in their leaves.

Dave and Ron know the canyons here. Dave pointed out to a rock wall on the other side of the creekbed, a wall I had never noticed before. "That used to be part of a dam," explained Dave,and behind that dam was a small pond. Both are now long gone. We tried to explore the immediate area, but had to turn around due to the heavy mass of downed trees. There were some faint footprints that also could have been illegals coming across, as the grass was pointing downhill and east.

I had never been back in this little nook. Despite the downed trees obstructing our path, it was beautiful around us, with tall rock walls on one side and exposed hillside on the other. I told Bill this was perfect mountain lion habitat, but we only came across bear scat. But where was that darn trail leading up to the mine? The men didn't know for sure. "Just follow the creek, it'll get you to the main creek!" said Dave, but what about felled trees inside the shallow creek?

Bill was curious about the area as I was, stopping to take pictures and looking around. We opted to walk the creek back to our cars, which was a nice idea because water was flowing. I don't remember seeing water this late in season here the canyon. Zeke and Sadie enjoyed the refreshment, and as we walked back to the cars, we came across various wildflowers, rusty cans, abandoned clothes, and several butterflies. We watched a tarantula hawk that at one point flew down on Sadie. Bees were gathering around all the yellow flowers near the creek, and there were more bees swarming over the road as we drove back to the highway.

Our little exploratory hike was only 1.3 miles long and it took us 2:55 hours. I'm stumped as to where that trail is to that mine. Bill said he's willing to come back and explore the trail to the mine. With the weather cooling finally and my allergies under control, I can now venture out again.