Weird S**t (Stuff) in the Mojave Desert

 

The Raven (my van) in the Mojave Preserve

Marco and I are just back from our traditional winter solstice trip to the California desert.  It occurred to me that there’s weirdness out there.  I suspect that something about the Mojave attracts the somewhat odd and off-center, present company included.

First, to get the issue of spelling out of the way, it's controversial in some circles.  Having waded through Google search results, I offer the following.  In Northwest Arizona, there’s Mohave County, Community College, and County Hospital (now defunct). The native tribe of the same name seems to use both spellings in different contexts, likely because it’s an English-ization of another word entirely.  Places in the California desert, though, are spelled Mojave.

Zzyzx

Zzyzx

So, there we were, visiting Zzyzx, in the Mojave National Preserve, when this pattern occurred to me. According to the Wikipedia article, Curtis Springer made up the name Zzyzx, claiming it to be the “last word in health.” He established the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa in 1944, which was 12,000 acres surrounding the springs. Springer also imported animals from around the country to attract more families to visit his ranch. He operated Zzyzx until 1974, when the land was reclaimed by the government. It's now operated as the CSU Desert Studies Center.

Scotty's Castle, Death Valley

There are other examples of odd human undertakings in the California desert.  Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley National Park is a familiar example, among other (mostly abandoned) dwellings very close to the middle of nowhere.

A view of the Aiken Cinder Mine

The somewhat more attractive view from the Aiken Cinder Mine

You can’t swing a cat out there without hitting an abandoned mine site.  We’ve gone out of our way to see many, and this last trip we camped near the Aiken Cinder Mine in The Mojave Preserve.  Roads can be bad, but once you arrive there’s often scenery along with history.

Gas Island Shoe Tree. Rice, CA

Perhaps my first inkling of what you might call odd Mojave public art is this collective shoe display off highway 62 east of Joshua Tree.

Amboy Crater public art

Climbing Amboy Crater in Mojave Trails National Monument, you get a great view of art projects in its base.  These seem to be modified from year to year.

Marco and the Intaglio, Blythe California

We started our trip with a little stop-off at the Blythe Intaglios, just north of the California city.  These seemed interesting, and perfect subjects for drone photography. There’s some controversy about their age, from 900 BCE to 1200 CE. Unfortunately, the fences didn’t go up until the 1970s, and by then there had been considerable damage from unpleasant people driving over them and leaving tracks.  Marco was kind enough to pose for scale.  Weird may not be the word for these, but I can get behind “unusual.”

Mojave River, Mojave Road, Rail Bridge in Afton Canyon

Then there’s the Mojave River.  We spent some time nearby at Afton Canyon Campground in Mojave Trails.  It’s a beautiful, stark place and far from quiet.  Freight trains pound through all day and night.  This campground is traditionally the western end of an adventurous 150-mile off-pavement drive called the Mojave Road.

An older image of a "sailing stone" on the Racetrack Playa

Most everyone has heard of the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley.  Until recently the tracks left by moving stones were mysterious, but now the movement of rocks is thought due to a specific combination of rain and high winds.  Still weird.

Coyote Melons, Mojave Trails National Monument

Desert Gold Flowers in December (!) Mojave Trails National Monument

Nature threw me a few curves this year, too.  Because (I assume) of the very heavy rains last fall, there were flowers in December (like these desert gold Geraea canescens in Mojave Trails) and, oddly, coyote melon (cucurbita palmata) all over the place, from 600 ft to 6000 ft elevation. I’ve spent hundreds of days out there and never seen these gourds there before.

Ivanpah

I’ll just toss in the Ivanpah Solar Array. It qualifies.

There are more oddities I’d like to see, including the Mojave Phone Booth, Mojave Mailbox, and the Mojave Megaphone.

And, of course I’ll keep stumbling on things; there’s so much to explore out there.

Cottonwood Bookends

Sunset at Gold Butte National Monument

Thanksgiving gets more challenging every year.  Decades ago, before I was old,  it was a breeze. This year, having finished the party and clean-up, we wanted nothing more than some family time on the road.

On the way back from my last trip, one of the van's back windows mysteriously shattered.  Marco, otherwise known as MacGyver, rigged up a redneck (temporary) plywood solution so we could use the van before the real repair.

Sunrise, Snow Canyon State Park Utah

Snow Canyon State Park (Utah) has been on my list for camping since a visit of just a few hours on a tour years ago with Kerrick James.  I love his photo tours, but he’s never been guilty of setting a leisurely pace.  I wanted a bit more time. The park is lovely though tough to photograph, expensive (a campsite without hookups was $48) and plagued by rules.  Most of the slickrock is off-limits to scrambling.  

Johnson Canyon, Snow Canyon State Park Utah

Our favorite hike was Johnson Canyon, a picturesque drainage with cottonwoods.  Aspen season is long over, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the water-guzzling giant trees putting on a display.

Morning moon set, Gold Butte National Monument

After that, we were ready for the solitude and free dispersed camping at Gold Butte National Monument, Nevada.  I was grateful for that, as well as the lovely light and the full moon. 

"Newspaper Rock," Gold Butte National Monument

Our camp area is famous for petroglyphs.  Spotting them is a fun challenge, as is doing exploratory hikes up the dry washes (a good way to leave no trace).  We didn’t see any others’ footprints there.  That adds to the sense of discovery.

Maple leaves at change of season, Zion National Park

I’ve been avoiding National Parks lately at least when the dog is travelling with us, which is most of the time. The parks generally don’t offer much opportunity for the nutcase to run off her energy.  Marco had never seen Zion, so we took a detour and used our federal lands pass to drive through.  We took a little hike, and I shot details of maple leaves and ice.  We’ll get back one day for an in-depth trip, maybe when we don’t have a dog.

We’d planned on a dispersed site near Marble Canyon for our last night.  We could see from the road that there were already three vehicles out there, so we compromised and stayed at the nearby Lees Ferry Campground.  $10 with Marco’s Senior Pass; That’s more like it.  There were just two other parties camping and it was delightfully quiet.  There’s a short trail to the shore of the Colorado River from the Campground.  That alone is worth the price of admission.

Oh, and we backtracked 13 miles to have burgers and fries at Cliff Dwellers Lodge.  We rarely hit restaurants when camping, but these indulgences were delightful and every bit as good as they look.

Autumn cottonwood trees, Lees Ferry Arizona

In the morning there were yellow, backlighted cottonwoods.  Bookends for the trip.

Privilege

East Verde River, Arizona

Privilege is a loaded concept in today’s world, but for me it’s a way to express gratitude.  I’m lucky in no small measure because my dad, who grew up with very little in a large family. He took advantage of the GI bill and his personal resolve to sucessfully create a better life for his three kids.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

These are the thoughts floating around in my head as I hike a trail for the first time in a familiar place, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Southern Arizona. Hiking alone is conducive to wandering thoughts and is itself a privilege.  Likewise, a bit of solitude and enjoying the smell and sound of the rain while cozy in my van.

I'm so fortunate that I can do what I love sometimes for money and sometimes as a gift. 

East Verde River, Arizona

Hanging out with Marco and our dog is also a gift.  A few weeks ago, he brought photos back from a fishing trip on the East Verde River.  I convinced him that we should fit in time to go back for an overnighter while the trees were still changing color.  After a dress-up brunch in Prescott, we headed up to the Mogollon Rim, changed into hiking clothes, and explored the beautiful riparian area.  I can’t believe I’ve never been there before!

Historic Ranch, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

We talked about how privilege has allowed me to be a serial monogamist with my interests.  I look at this restlessness as lifelong learning.  Most recently I earned my Arizona motorcycle endorsement, but looking back there have been many, like flying the drone, swing dance, rock climbing, acupuncture, Pilates, and (the one that’s sticking best) photography.

Betty Friedan said, “You can have it all, just not all at the same time.”

Peeples Valley Arizona

And then there are those breathtaking opportunities that present themselves close to home, like this spectacular morning light on a cottonwood tree tunnel just north of my home, in Peeples Valley Arizona.

Lucky.

Back to Caddo

 

Reflections, Caddo Lake State Park, Texas

Perhaps I felt I had unfinished business in the bayous of East Texas, or maybe I just relished the opportunity to spend time with these two lovely friends. Normal girlfriends do spa days and shopping, but we prefer pulling on waders and paddling kayaks in the pre-dawn dark.  That sounds great, right?

 Caddo Lake, which straddles the Texas -Louisiana border, has become popular with photographers in recent years.  At the suggestion of Christie at River Bend Outfitters, we booked a week earlier than usual this year and found that we were almost always alone. What a joy!

 

Framed, Benton Lake, Texas

I found myself in search of new ways of looking at the breathtaking Spanish moss - draped cypress trees, hoping to create some original work.  Some of my ideas required fog (mist in East Texas vernacular), and in its absence during this unseasonably warm week I tried other things.

 

Wider perspective, Pine Island Pond Texas

I pulled out the wide angle lens a bit and did some different compositions.

 

Green Tree Frog, Star Ranch, Texas

When it was deeply overcast we all focused on details.  I’m often too impatient for wildlife photography, but the green tree frogs were kind enough to be still for me.

 

Detail, Turtle Shell Paddling Area, Texas

Sometimes there are small subjects that convey mood, like this lone hydrophobic water lily leaf.

 

Pine Island Pond, Texas

Reflections of the trees in the water can be spectacular, but sometimes distracting flotsam intrudes.  I hated to be repetitive as well, so I found myself looking for other foregrounds, like lily pads and these tiny floating heart flowers.  Unfortunately, they’re invasive in Texas.  I was willing to forgive them and was enchanted.

 

Pine Island Pond, Texas

Any excuse will do for black and white images, but the drama of the swamps suits particularly well.

 I think I might just return to the swamp before too long.

Snow on the Aspens!

Frost on the woodpile, Kaibab National Forest AZ

Yes, I still believe that it’s better to be lucky than good sometimes.

Frozen. Fish Lake National Forest, UT

We experienced the season’s first snow in southern Utah. On the aspens.  Yeah.  These are the times when I’m too excited and grateful to notice that I’m cold. The biggest challenge is choosing a favorite shot. 

Spotlight above Seven Mile Creek, UT

Snow and shifting light make everything more beautiful.  This is a favorite fishing spot for my husband.  I’ve shot there before, but it never hit me in the chest like this.

There were a few more notables.

Before and after.  Aerial images taken 9 days apart, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

We started in the North Kaibab Forest, north of the Grand Canyon.  I’ve been spending time there for many years but there are always new special places to discover.  Fall color arrived late there this year, so we decided to loop north into Utah and come back on the way home.  In truth there were great opportunities at both times.  These two drone images were taken 9 days apart in nearly the same location. The cold weather came on suddenly and things changed fast.

Just when I was reflecting on the timing and rapidity of the process this year, a link to a  fascinating post from Sara Marino landed in my inbox.  Among other things, she asserts that peak fall color doesn’t exist. She elaborates,

“Many … are obsessed with the concept of peak fall colors, as if there is a single day in which a region looks its very best, and if you arrive before or after that day, you will essentially be wasting your time. The feeling of potentially missing “the best” conditions creates stress and anxiety, two emotions that are not conducive to creative thinking and can diminish the experience of being outside. The concept of peak fall color also assumes that all photographers are looking for the same thing and that there is a single definition of “best conditions.”  

Tree Skeletons as backdrop, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

There are so many opportunities in autumn aspen forests, from just-barely yellow to the contrast provided by bare trees and leaf carpets.  The rapid change is a gift reminding us to be mindful and to appreciate what’s in front of us.

Ice Puddle Reflection, Fish Lake National Forest, UT

Speaking of mindfulness, I stumbled on these frozen puddles in the Fish Lake National Forest shortly before the rising sun hit the trees behind.  I was so grateful to be in “the zone” and anticipate the reflections.

Frosty Flowers, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

The hoar frost on these flowers, remnants of summer in the Kaibab, stopped me in my tracks, too.

S-Curve aerial, Kaibab National Forest, AZ

This was my first autumn with the drone.  Several times we chose a campsite because it was outside the Grand Canyon no-fly zone.  I’d been dreaming of the top-down tree shots like this.

Moonset over Circle Cliffs, UT

When I started planning for the full moon, I decided on a departure from the high-altitude forests in Utah and camped near the Circle Cliffs in Grand Staircase Escalante National Forest.  The amazing eroded colorful and eroded bentonitic formations out there blow me away. The chance to enjoy warmer temperatures and thaw out wasn’t bad either.

Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped for dinner at Hell’s Backbone Grill. Theirs is spectacular food in the middle of nowhere.  This was certainly a departure from the usual camping meals, but there are no rules, I say.

Dramatic light, Fish Lake National Forest

I’m a sucker for drama.  This example in the Fish Lake Forest made me glad I kept prowling around with my camera despite the temperature hovering around freezing all day.

Dawn on the Fremont River, UT

My husband was invited to fish on a private section of the Fremont River near Torrey Utah.  The plan was to drop him off and go exploring with Gypsy the Wonder Dog.  I’m glad I took a little walk around this beautiful spot first.

12 days on the road, gratitude, and luck.

Hurling Your Camera Into the Air

This article was originally published in the October 2023 issue of Focal Points, the magazine of the Sierra Club Camera Committee.

Top-down composition of Granite Dells in Watson Lake, Prescott Arizona

How it Started

I know.  I hated the sound, too.  I’m still not so crazy about it if I’m honest. I didn’t think I’d ever want to fly a drone.  My husband bought this one with the holiday check that my mom sends.  Apparently, he knew better than I did.

The aircraft is a DJI Mavic 3.  It’s easy to fly out of the box, with features including GPS-enabled return-to-home and obstacle sensing. It sports a Hasselblad 20MP 4/3 CMOS camera with 12+ stops of dynamic range and a 24mm equivalent focal length.  There’s also a camera with 162mm equivalent focal length which I rarely use because of its lower resolution, though it can be useful for scouting.

Gold Butte National Monument, Nevada

I was thrilled to find that I felt comfortable flying the first time.  We were camping at Gold Butte National Monument.  The dramatic change in perspective (the “tall tripod”) blew me away.  At that point I was hooked.  Here’s my first image.  I certainly had a lot to learn. I still do, but looking at it brings back the thrill. 

Getting Started

It might be tempting to buy and fly, but there are important things to learn.  Many of them involve safety and government regulations. 

There are two ways to qualify with the FAA to fly a small (less than 55 pound) unmanned aircraft.  Recreational flying, under USC section 44809 will cover you if you’re just flying for fun. There’s a simple exam called “trust,” which will set you up with the basics of rules and regulations.

Commercial flight is covered by Part 107 (of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations) and is required not only for paid work, but also work for barter or donated to or nonprofits, anything that’s not just for fun.  There is a loophole; you can get paid for drone work without having your part 107 if your original intent was recreational.  For example, you stumble on an important event while flying for fun and sell it to a local news station. However, that’s not going to work more than once or twice.

I work for Arizona Highways Magazine whenever they’ll have me and I do some work for nonprofits, so I did the Part 107 certification.  Even if you’ll only fly recreationally, more knowledge is almost always a good thing. Taking the test is worth the trouble.

The Part 107 exam is taken in a proctored location, and certification also requires a background check.  If you’re not already a pilot of a manned aircraft, you’ll likely benefit from a prep course to learn things like reading sectional charts, understanding airspace, and decoding aeronautical weather reports and forecasts.  I was glad to have chosen Pilot Institute’s (https://pilotinstitute.com) preparation course, but there are several other courses also available.  

Nonprofit Work: Aerial Group image of a hometown fundraiser, Yarnell Arizona

In addition to certification of pilots, registration is required for most unmanned aircraft, and there’s a separate registration for drones belonging to recreational vs commercial pilots.  The rules here are simple; any drone weighing more than 250 grams (just over half a pound) must be registered with the FAA. Under 44809 (one registration for each pilot, regardless of the number of aircraft) and a separate registration for each small, unmanned aircraft regardless of weight for part 107.

As of mid-September 2023, all drones are required to broadcast “remote ID,” which lets law enforcement (and unfortunately the public through a phone app) know who is flying the drone and from where.  Aircraft purchased after approximately September 2022 come with this capability, and older ones need a retrofit. Due to an outpouring of concerns, The FAA says that the deadline has not been changed, but they will not take enforcement action until March 16, 2024.

Top-down image of a Sahuaro Cactus, Maricopa County, Arizona

There are, as you might imagine, quite a few regulations regarding flight.  Here are the highlights. 

• ·        The altitude limit is 400 ft above ground level (not above the pilot).
• ·        The pilot or visual observer must be able to see the aircraft throughout the flight.
• ·        Night flights are allowed under part 107 with proper anti-collision lights.
• ·        There are places one can’t fly (National Parks and wilderness areas, for example), and places where permission is required (like within an airport’s airspace).
• ·        Pilots are also responsible to be aware of Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) – no-fly zones for things like the Super Bowl and Presidential travel. 
• ·        Flying directly over people and moving vehicles is complicated in a regulatory sense.  The bottom line is usually to simply not do it.

Here’s another loophole: in most National Parks and wilderness areas, it’s legal to take off outside the boundaries and fly in.  I was advised to do just that by a ranger in one of the Mojave Desert federal properties.  However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.  These restrictions exist for good reasons, and we should not be weenies.  Incidentally, Grand Canyon National Park is not included in this loophole.  They have a different kind of restricted airspace.

My van in a top-down campsite view, Along a tributary of the Salmon River, Idaho

Then there’s etiquette.  For example, don’t fly near enough to others to be annoying, and don’t even give the appearance of spying on people.  If folks ask you not to do something, comply if possible.

This video is a good place to start if you’re interested in more information:

There is an inordinate amount of anger out there about drones.  People sometimes feel that the aircraft threaten their privacy. We also hear the phrase “drone attack” on the news, leaving a less than positive feeling, even for the non-violent buzzers. It can be helpful to know something about the neighborhood you’re flying in.  There are more than a few cases of unmanned aircraft being shot down by the angry, and it’s a small consolation that that shooter, who is very unlikely to be caught, has committed a federal offense.

Sunflowers top-down

A word to the wise

I have a dorky dayglow yellow vest from Amazon.  On the back is printed “FAA Licensed drone pilot; do not disturb.” It gives me credibility, makes folks less likely to distract me with conversation while I’m flying, and makes me look like I’m supposed to be there. Recently, while photographing a sunflower field, a TV news drone pilot saw my vest and let me know he would be flying a drone nearby.  We were able to avoid each other. Communication makes this stuff safer for everyone.

Tributary in the Black River Watershed, White Mountains, Arizona

Taking good drone images

I’ve pondered and learned quite a bit about the ingredients of a good drone image.  The usual compositional principles apply, of course, but visualizing what you’ll see from the higher perspective takes experience.  Strong graphic content like rivers and other lines work well. 

Spring Cottonwood Trees in the Hassayampa River Valley, Arizona

Man-made structures in a mostly natural setting can be striking, especially when shooting straight down.  Shadows become especially compelling, as does color. All these things are helpful since creating image depth using prominent foregrounds is difficult from the air.

Spring Poppies and Sahuaro, Maricopa County Arizona

A common criticism is that many drone images are shot from too high a vantage point.  Like many questions of photography, I’d respond that “it depends.”  Sometimes we just want to get separation between our subject and the horizon, for example.  In these cases, we might need just a few feet of elevation, and the images might not look like it was taken from a drone.

Moki Dugway, Utah

For top-down compositions, though, I find that I often get close to that 400 foot above ground level limit before I like the image.  Here’s an example, shot of the Moki Dugway in Utah right at that elevation. I would have flown higher if I could.

Marco casting on the East Fork of Clear Creek, Arizona

People sometimes make compelling subjects as well.  Since my husband is an avid fly fisherman, I’m compiling an angler’s portfolio.  I appreciate the unique perspective from the aircraft.

What’s Next

My next impatiently anticipated project is shooting fall color from the air.  Wish me luck?