May 2009

Welcome to the Desert e-newsletter of the California Wilderness Coalition. With the recent rains, the month of May has many treasures to offer. Beavertail cactuses and creosote blooms color the landscape and desert tortoises roam about, feasting on the lush vegetation.

Our campaign to protect some of our stunning wild places in the California desert has some exciting events coming up, and we hope to see you all out there!

In this edition, you’ll find:

• You’re Invited on a Tour of the Mojave!
• A Schedule of Upcoming Hikes and Events
• Spotlight on the Castle Mountains Proposed Mojave National Preserve Addition

A desert tortoise emerges after a brief rain near the Castle Mountains.

You're Invited on a Tour of the Mojave!

Sunday, May 17th, Castle Mountains Auto Tour and Hike

Meet at 8 AM at the Desert Discovery Center

831 Barstow Road Barstow, CA 92311

Join the CWC and the National Parks Conservation Association on a day of exploration and hiking among castle-like rock formations, Joshua tree forests, and exquisite scenery. This will be a driving tour with a couple of short, easy hikes and lots of great photo opportunities!

We’ll leave from the Desert Discovery Center parking lot at 8 a.m. and travel along Historic Route 66, as well as I-15, driving past the Cady Mountains, Afton Canyon, the Soda Mountains, and the Mojave National Preserve, arriving finally at the Castle Mountains. We’ll return by traveling through the Mojave National Preserve and along I-40. We will learn some natural and cultural history along the way while enjoying the beautiful desert landscapes.

We encourage folks to arrive in Barstow a day early to check out some of the interesting history and attractions that the high desert has to offer:

The Harvey House

The Desert Discovery Center

Mother Road Route 66 Museum

The Mojave River Valley Museum

If you're looking for a wilderness-friendly accommodation in Barstow, check out the Hampton Inn off the I-15 at the Lenwood exit. Owner Marcia Bond is a desert wilderness supporter and the hotel boasts great views of the Mojave desert. Click here to make your reservation: http://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=BKRHSHX

For the day of the auto tour and hike, please dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes or boots, and bring 2 liters of water per person and a picnic lunch. We will return to Barstow by mid-afternoon.

Space is limited, so please reserve a spot ahead of time by sending an email to lwilliams@calwild.org.

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Upcoming Hikes & Outings

Join us at an upcoming hike or celebration! All outings are free and open to the public. For more info, or to carpool, please contact Laurel Williams at lwilliams@calwild.org or 909-260-8833.

Saturday May 9th

Deep Creek Hike

As the weather warms up, a hike into the Deep Creek area will be rejuvenating. This hike is back by popular demand, so if you missed us on the last one, now is your chance to see this incredible and biologically rich riparian area.

We’ll hike about 2-3 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail overlooking Deep Creek, an important tributary of the great Mojave River, and picnic by the water. Dress for the weather, wear a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sturdy shoes or boots, and bring 2 liters of water per person, a picnic lunch and snacks.

Meet at 9 AM at the Starbucks at 16922 Main St # J, Hesperia, CA 92345

Hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail overlooking Deep Creek.

Friday May 29th through Sunday May 31st

Fifth Annual Wilderness Round-Up

Mt. Baldy, CA

The fifth annual Wilderness Round-Up is taking place this year in the San Gabriel Mountains outside of Los Angeles May 29-31! This is our chance to come together to celebrate all of our successes. Meet other wilderness advocates and volunteers from across the state. Visit some of the areas that have recently gained protection, and visit lands in the San Gabriel Mountains that we are currently working to protect as Wilderness.

In 2009 we have more reasons to celebrate with the addition of over 2 million acres of Wilderness nationwide, and over 700,000 acres of Wilderness and more than 100 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers protected in California.

We'll be staying at the Harwood Lodge, nestled in the San Gabriel Mountains on the slopes of Mount Baldy, the tallest point in Los Angeles County. The event is free, but space is limited—so sign up today.

To register for the event and to read more information, please click here or cut and paste this link to your browser:

http://tinyurl.com/czxwpz

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Castle Mountains. Photo by David Lamfrom.

Spotlight on the Castle Mountains Proposed Mojave National Preserve Addition

The Castle Mountains lie along the California-Nevada border and are surrounded on three sides by the Mojave National Preserve. These mountains, including Hart Peak at 5,543 ft., represent a critical linkage between the Paiute Mountains and the New York Mountains for plant-life, wildlife, scenic viewshed and watershed. The Castle Mountains are currently the only remaining portion of the 340-mile Lanfair Valley watershed that is not part of the Preserve.

The vegetation consists of Joshua tree woodland, with higher elevations leading to Blackbrush scrub and Pinyon-Juniper forest at the highest altitudes. The area of Desert Grasslands below the Viceroy Mine was recognized as a “unique plant assemblage” in 1980 by the BLM in their California Desert Conservation Area plan. The scenic view from Hart Mountain looks out over adjacent and contiguous wilderness, including views of many of the highest peaks in the Mojave Desert. The remote nature of this site protects the ability to enjoy increasingly rare natural quiet.

The Castle Mountains are critical habitat for Mojave Desert wildlife like the Desert Bighorn, Mule Deer, Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Golden Eagle, Swainson’s Hawk, Desert Tortoise, Gila Monster, Prairie Falcon, Bendire’s Thrasher, Grey Vireo, Townsend’s big-eared bat, and California leaf-nosed bat. This area is especially critical to the Desert Bighorn who utilize the area both as habitat and as a wildlife corridor between the water-poor Paiute Mountains and the wetter New York Mountains.

This area is also a “living laboratory” showcasing the progression of human history in the Eastern Mojave Desert. There are significant elements of Native American, Western-American and Mining History, including an obsidian source that provided material found throughout the Mojave, the historic town of Hart, and both the Hart and Viceroy mines. The opportunity for historic preservation and interpretation are tremendous.

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