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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/4/2012
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After Thanksgiving Gary and I headed out to the Vallecito Valley area for a 3 day backpack trip. Original plans that included hiking over to Canebrake changed to just poking around the Sawtooth mountain range for 3 days. That meant my truck would sit all alone waiting for nobody over in Indian Valley. After deciding on a place to leave Gary's vehicle we started out cross country thru a mixed boundary of ABDSP, BLM, County and private lands. We had no set goals other than to hike, explore and camp out for 3 days, pretty simple. We each started with about 9 liters of water thinking we would find some more at a piped spring I knew about but if it was dry we wanted enough to get us back. Temps for the trip were low 80's during the day and low 50's at night with very little wind and an almost full moon each night, pretty darn good weather I think.
Not to far into our trip we ran across an old windmill setup
I guess the KendallVille name goes back a long time in America's Windmill history
Looks like the windmill pumped water over to a trough that had a sophisticated float shutoff valve assembly
This must be the towering metal base for the water collection
Here is a great view into Storm Canyon
Vallecito Valley has many water troughs left over from early cattle ranching days and we found several of them. Here is another dried up trough out in the middle of nowhere
Unfortunately Mylar Balloons do not seem to escape our remote wilderness trek
The Sawtooth Mountains at sunset
Are you a Yoni "believer"?
Gary and I had some plans but as we headed out they seemed to slowly fade and we ended up just drifting thru the valley and exploring the landscape and boulder outcrops as the sun slowly began to set. The moon was shining bright enough to allow us to hike during the early evening without lights so we took advantage of that moonlight and hiked several more miles under the moonlit desert skies until we reached a good place to camp near the base of the Laguna Mountains.
Here is our moonlit camp on day 1, this is a long 5 minute exposure. Beautiful weather and campsite
Early morning sunrise with Monument Peak towering in the background
Even though we both brought 9 liters of water for the trip we had counted on getting some water from an old piped spring out in the valley. I knew the last time I was there it had plenty of water and we were counting on it being wet this trip also. Turns out the pipe had a hole in it a few hundred yards up from the collection trough. The spigot was only dripping when we got there and the trough was only inches full, just enough to support pond scum life
Gary found the hole and with some old left over repair debris we found and an old beer can we managed to get it back flowing at full capacity.
Here is the hole pre-repair
Here is the hole post-repair
Now the water flow is good and we get a few liters of water to start the day with
Damn, boulders everywhere!!
Here is an old water trough that has dried up
And the valley seems to have miles of water lines that have dried up and broken over the years but have largely been forgotten by now
The tranquil day is coming to an end and we look for a place to camp out for the second night of our trip. The middle of the valley is as good of a place as any and Gary schools me on how to "rough" up a soft spot for the night. With the moon still bright we took a short hike up a small finger towards Moument Peak looking for a spring we did not find but it was like the first night, a very restful and enjoyable evening out in the wilderness. The coyotes serenaded us in the early morning hours.
On our 3rd day out we stumbled across what we called "chair cave", gotta love those old timers....
We decided a shade break was needed
Well since we were exploring we found a few cultural artifacts and some rock art along the way
A small arrowhead point
A metate fragment
Pictogaphs
And some historic artifacts, maybe this is a hand forged knife blade??
A Good 'ol boy horseshoe with square nails and all
Oh wait, almost forgot the most significant artifact
I guess even Dora Explores the Desert
Total Mylar Balloon Count - 11 (Not all pictured)
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
12/5/2012
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Wow what a great backpack trip.
It is amazing all the cool old artifacts you guys found.
Did you see anyone else out there?
Looks pretty remote.
That chair shot of you guys looks like "Into The Wild" beards and all 
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/5/2012
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surfponto wrote:
Did you see anyone else out there?
On day 3 as we were hiking back we saw a group of 3 people I think it was, they said they were GeoCaching. Then as we got to Gary's car we ran into some good citizens who were writing down our vehicle's license number and description info, apparently they had been driving back forth on the highway for the last 3 days and were worried that something may have happened to whoever the car belonged to and they were going to alert the park rangers. They were relieved to see us show up with our packs and all.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/5/2012
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The weather *was* awesome that weekend, wasn't it? ! I was looking forward to this post. Great trip Daren and kudos on the balloon haul. Trips without any geographic goals or agenda are my favorites...seems like you discover more by poking around than by covering ground. The photo of you and Gary is my favorite. I was beginning to wonder if we were only going to see glimpses of the mystery man in your posts.
Nice pictos too, were they exposed or in a cave? That arrowhead looks like quartz, heh? Nice find. Any animal signs out there?
I don't think I'm a Yoni-believer just yet. That would have taken a lot of work in an already busy schedule, what, with all the rock art and other things on their agenda. - Jim
edited by ziphius on 12/5/2012
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
12/5/2012
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Another great trip for you Daren. You have found some cool things so far this season. I have been eyeing that area for a while. It always looks so cool down in there from the top of Whale Peak when the sun is setting or rising. Glad to see so much cool stuff in there.
edited by hikerdmb on 12/5/2012
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AdventureGraham Posts: 170
12/5/2012
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Great photos and trip report, Daren! Seeing all the structures makes me wonder what those cattle ranching days were like out there.
edited by BorregoWrangler on 12/5/2012
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/5/2012
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Jim (ziphius) wrote:
Nice pictos too, were they exposed or in a cave? That arrowhead looks like quartz, heh? Nice find. Any animal signs out there?
We found all types, some exposed and some sheltered, those I posted were new to me. We also found a few arrowheads, I will dig up some more photos. Not much wildlife other than birds and some coyotes howling in the early dawn. We did see many prints, kitty cat prints.
Jim (ziphius) wrote:
I don't think I'm a Yoni-believer just yet. That would have taken a lot of work in an already busy schedule, what, with all the rock art and other things on their agenda. - Jim Well, like Gary says, they weren't sitting around watching TV....
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/5/2012
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BorregoWrangler wrote:
Seeing all the structures makes me wonder what those cattle ranching days were like out there. Check out the Old Time Cattleman book
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/5/2012
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We found several arrow points on the trip, here is another one
A Cupule boulder
A few more pictographs
Some kind of crap in a rock shelter, not sure from what. I wanna say guano but don't think so, probably just condensed rat crap
Some initials on the active water trough, I think it is "LG"
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
12/6/2012
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The last group of pictos are cool.
I like when there is a mix of black and orange like that
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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anutami Posts: 491
12/6/2012
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Wow! So many pictos! It is crazy how many there are. Is the spring labeled on a map?
Does Gary have the "old school" external frame pack?
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/6/2012
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Great trip Daren. Nice MacGyver move with the hose clamp. Amazing amount of artifacts out there. Tom
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/6/2012
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Nolan wrote:
Does Gary have the "old school" external frame pack? No, he has a modern pack but that is where it ends...Gary is not old school, he is like me, just not all gaga for new fangled...think modern cowboy...
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/6/2012
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Oh wait, there is more...sorry, too many photos..still going thru them...
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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rockhopper Posts: 668
12/7/2012
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Wow! Super photos! Sounds like an awesome trip. Those arrow tips must have been for hunting rabbits and fowl.
The climate was wetter and greener 100's to 1000 of years ago and more food must have been present to support
the vast desert tribes. When ancient Lake Cahauilla was present to the east it must have been fantastic.
The desert is calling. Need to get off G. Earth and hit the road!
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/7/2012
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Still going thru more photos....
Here is an overview of some of the close up photos I have already posted. You can get a better idea of size/scale of some of them in this photo since my backpack is off to the left. What is hard to see is some of the older black pigment
Another shelter had some pictos over some very rough surfaces and some very faded black pigment with red drawings...very interesting...
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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anutami Posts: 491
12/7/2012
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Wow! Looks like they painted the whole cave red! Is there any info on what minerals/plants they used to get that red pigmant?
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anutami Posts: 491
12/7/2012
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Pretty crazy I am in little blair right now with 4g
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/8/2012
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Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Pretty crazy I am in little blair right now with 4g
I hear you. The girlfriend and I are in the Table Mt. backcountry right now enjoying a campfire and both surfing the net.
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ziphius Posts: 911
12/8/2012
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tommy750 wrote:
Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Pretty crazy I am in little blair right now with 4g
I hear you. The girlfriend and I are in the Table Mt. backcountry right now enjoying a campfire and both surfing the net.
You guys get off the internet right now and look at the stars!
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/8/2012
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Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Pretty crazy I am in little blair right now with 4g BV is great for phone/data reception, I stay there when I need to check in on work stuff while out in the desert.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/8/2012
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Jim (ziphius) wrote:
tommy750 wrote:
Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Pretty crazy I am in little blair right now with 4g
I hear you. The girlfriend and I are in the Table Mt. backcountry right now enjoying a campfire and both surfing the net.
You guys get off the internet right now and look at the stars!
You mean Google Sky, right?
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+1
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anutami Posts: 491
12/8/2012
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Keep that fire going! it was in the low 30's last night in BV
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/10/2012
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Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Wow! Looks like they painted the whole cave red! Is there any info on what minerals/plants they used to get that red pigmant?
There's a great book called "Earth Pigments and Paint of the California Indians, Meaning and Technology" by Paul Douglas Campbell. Apparently there were multiple sources of red ocre in CA used for face paint and rock art, the locations a closely guarded secret. Red ocre AKA hematite AKA iron oxide AKA rust would be mixed with animal fat and applied to surfaces. There's even research trying to identify which red ocre mine supplied individual rock art sites. Pond scum containing a certain bacteria that produced hematite could also be used. The book contains info on the other pigment colors used in CA pictograph sites. Tom
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/10/2012
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Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Keep that fire going! it was in the low 30's last night in BV
On Table Mt, was 42 when we went to bed Sat and dropped into the high 30s. Was a little chilly for our sleeping bags in my wimpy opinion. Tom
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/11/2012
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Tom, great info..thanks!
Found this interview on KPBS with the author of that book and Diana Lindsay
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/apr/08/discovering-the-history-of-california-indian-art/
tommy750 wrote:
Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Wow! Looks like they painted the whole cave red! Is there any info on what minerals/plants they used to get that red pigmant?
There's a great book called "Earth Pigments and Paint of the California Indians, Meaning and Technology" by Paul Douglas Campbell. Apparently there were multiple sources of red ocre in CA used for face paint and rock art, the locations a closely guarded secret. Red ocre AKA hematite AKA iron oxide AKA rust would be mixed with animal fat and applied to surfaces. There's even research trying to identify which red ocre mine supplied individual rock art sites. Pond scum containing a certain bacteria that produced hematite could also be used. The book contains info on the other pigment colors used in CA pictograph sites. Tom
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/11/2012
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Tom, have you also read his survival skills of native california book?
tommy750 wrote:
Nolan (anutami) wrote:
Wow! Looks like they painted the whole cave red! Is there any info on what minerals/plants they used to get that red pigmant?
There's a great book called "Earth Pigments and Paint of the California Indians, Meaning and Technology" by Paul Douglas Campbell. Apparently there were multiple sources of red ocre in CA used for face paint and rock art, the locations a closely guarded secret. Red ocre AKA hematite AKA iron oxide AKA rust would be mixed with animal fat and applied to surfaces. There's even research trying to identify which red ocre mine supplied individual rock art sites. Pond scum containing a certain bacteria that produced hematite could also be used. The book contains info on the other pigment colors used in CA pictograph sites. Tom
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/11/2012
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Daren Sefcik wrote:
Tom, have you also read his survival skills of native california book?
Hey, I just ordered that on amazon! Saw it was the other book by Douglas Campbell and checked it out on amazon. Is it pretty informative? Looks like an interesting read. Thanks. Tom
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/11/2012
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Daren Sefcik wrote:
Tom, great info..thanks!
Found this interview on KPBS with the author of that book and Diana Lindsay
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/apr/08/discovering-the-history-of-california-indian-art/
Just read the transcript of the PBS interview. Interesting. Will have to read the chapter on how the blue pigment is made. Would be fun to try and make some. They discussed Indian revival and relearning pigment techniques, etc. I wonder if there's a few guys smoking toloache creating new shaman caves somewhere out there. tom
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tommy750 Posts: 1040
12/11/2012
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Daren Sefcik wrote:
Some initials on the active water trough, I think it is "LG"
Was at the Brawley Stockman's Club last week. It's a private club set up decades ago by local cattlemen and now used a lot for community functions. They have an entire wall of cattle brands used in the Imperial Valley over the years and I wonder if this may be one of them. Tom
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
12/11/2012
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tommy750 wrote:
Was at the Brawley Stockman's Club last week. It's a private club set up decades ago by local cattlemen and now used a lot for community functions. They have an entire wall of cattle brands used in the Imperial Valley over the years and I wonder if this may be one of them. Tom Very interesting...ask them about anything they might know about the Vallecito Valley area.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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