Camp Coxcomb (Part 1)

 This was a fun and memorable adventure! I can't call it a hike. I spent hours bouncing around on the remains of badly eroded and washed out roads in my dusty old Jeep, making frequent photo stops. So more of a Jeep trip than a hike.

 

Camp Coxcomb was one of 14 divisional training "camps" that made up General George Patton's WW2 Desert Training Center (DTC). The DTC camps were used to "harden men for battle", simulating conditions they would experience when fighting in the deserts of Northern Africa. At the height of the DTC, there were 11 camps in California (one of which was Camp Coxcomb) and 3 in Arizona. All of the Camps were located in the most remote desert areas possible, and each camp had 15,000 or more soldiers! The camps would have been unbearably hot, even dangerously hot, during the summer months. Life must have been extremely difficult and challenging for these young soldiers.

 

Camp Coxcomb facilities include 39 shower buldings, 165 latrines, 284 wooden tent frames, one 40,000 gallon water tank, and one combination observation and flag tower. Entertainers who performed here included Red Skelton, Rosalind Russell, Pat O'Brien, and others. The army did a good job removing nearly all traces of the camps when they vacated, and if not for all the rocks used to line roadways, walkways, and structures, you wouldn't know they ever existed!

 

Camp Coxcomb was constructed in the spring of 1942 and was closed and dismantled in 1944 when the last troups were shipped overseas.

Today, these WW2 training camps have all but disappeared. People drive right by them as they navigate through the California desert, but they don't see them. Few people know they even exist! If somehow you found out about them, and did a little research, you would be directed to visit Camp Iron Mountain, which is the best known and best preserved of the DTC camps, and is a designated California Historical Landmark. (Side note: I visited Camp Iron Mountain a year ago to the day here. Just a funny coincidence.)

 

Camp Coxcomb does have a roadside information marker (photo above), but unless you slow way down and know to look for it, you're going to miss it. The main "road" in to Camp Coxcomb starts at this marker. Lots of soft sand so make sure you have 4WD. You quickly lose cell service as you leave the highway.

 

I was surprised my GPS app shows the historical roads (dotted lines) of Camp Coxcomb. Most have been washed out and are long gone. I spent hours on Google Earth trying to figure out which roads still exist and might be Jeep friendly.
 
I've never heard anyone talk about Camp Coxcomb, and never seen any photos posted. It would pop up every once in a while on a map, but I always figured it was one of those historical sites that's long gone. Then recently I heard that there might be a chapel or altar. When I Googled "Camp Coxcomb chapel", there are no photos that came up (only a couple photos of the chapel at Camp iron Mountain). If I Google "Camp Coxcomb altar", one photo comes up (NPSHistory.com). I'm pretty sure the area gets few visitors, which makes it all the more intriguing.

 

I eventually found something on Google Earth that had the possibility of being the altar (or perhaps just a pile of rocks?). So off I went, camera gear, tripods, food, lots of water, extra gas, etc., etc. (it was a long list). I decided to check out the altar site (or pile of rocks) first.

Yes, the rumor is true about an altar at Camp Coxcomb!

So now that I knew the altar existed (and its location), I could go explore other parts of Camp Coxcomb (or at least those I could get to). My big goal for this outing was to be back at the altar a little before sunset, capture a time lapse video, and get some photos of the altar as the sky transitioned from sunset to stars (which will be in Camp Coxcomb (Part 2)). Next up is to try and find the "Camp Coxcomb circle formation."

 

I was very fortunate to be out exploring on a day with beautiful skies (although a little windy). I read somewhere that Patton was concerned about soldiers getting into trouble if they had too much down time, so they were ordered to line EVERYTHING with rocks. The rock lines had to be perfectly straight. What a job that must have been!

 

Interesting little ramp leading up to a 55 gallon drum buried in the sand. What possible use could it have? Looks like some of the surrounding rocks were imported from somewhere else.

 

 

Google Earth view of Camp Coxcomb circle formation

 

The circle formation was directly in the center of camp and reportedly contained a flagpole where the American flag would be raised and lowered every day. Kind of nice that someone has kept the tradition alive with these small flags. Aside from these flags, I wouldn't see any evidence of anyone visiting this area other than some tire tracks. No footprints at all.

 

For some strange reason, they imported gravel for this walkway (note darker color). It's visible on Google Earth (orange arrow on map). 

 

This huge pile of lumber is odd on two counts: [1] The army didn't leave much behind, so why this big mess? and [2] Almost all structures were made using tents, so what did they use this wood for?

 

 

 

Nails everywhere. I really had to be careful not to step on any!

Lantern base?

 

Anyone remember these??

 

Find of the day: Doesn't look like much. If you weren't paying attention, you could fall right in. As I approach, I'm guessing about a foot deep (heavy shadow covering the details). So imaging my surprise when I see...

A structure totally constructed with wood siding and steps leading down to...

What the heck??

Vent in the ceiling. I didn't have a light with me, so things were very dark and a bit spooky. I thought I heard a faint hissing sound as I tried to look into a darkened corner, so I didn't waste any time getting out! My best guess is that this was used as an underground food storage cellar. The military may have brought in large blocks of ice to keep things cool. Just a guess, though.

 

Bad hare day (sorry, couldn't resist!). I don't think this jackrabbit was enjoying the wind much.
 

Time to start the long, bumpy ride back to the altar.

 

Fingers crossed. It looks like a good sunset is on the way!

 

Shadows from the Coxcomb Mountains have already put me in the shade, but mountains to the NE are in full sun.
 

Thanks for stopping by, and come on back next week for Part 2!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

A Return to Petroglyph Wash

 If you're intrigued by Native American petroglyphs like I am, you would really enjoy visiting this wash. My previous visit was about a year ago, and this post gives you a good overview of the glyphs you see as you hike up the wash. There is one panel of glyphs that was a favorite:

I got to wondering how these beautiful glyphs might look under the moonlight. I was also looking forward to showing Petroglyph Wash to my hiking partners who had never seen it, so off we went. It's a heck of a long drive (on top of my 2 hour drive out to my desert house), and also a significant hike. This area gets few visitors.

 

Looks like the profile of a grumpy face!

 

There were a lot more plants blooming than last time I was here, so I challenged myself to try to capture glyphs and flowers together. You see the glyph?

 

A closer view of the glyph.

 

This is called Ghost flower. What a beauty!

 

Nadine amongst the purple blooms.

 

I'm totally intrigued by these desert ironwood trees. As you can see, they can get to by quite large (especially by desert standards). They commonly live for 800-1,500+ years. Yes, you read that right! The wood is so dense and toxic to fungi that, after the tree dies, the remaining trunk or snag can remain for another 1,600 years or more, standing dead for centuries. They are a critical species and considered "old growth". Unfortunately, the wood is highly prized for things like making knife handles and in some areas the trees have been over-harvested. Imagine these same trees being here as Native Americans traveled this wash on their way to finding a water source!

Ironwood snag. Probably 2000+ years old!

 

Multiple faint glyphs.

 

Perhaps not surprisingly, I find my memory is a little off during the hike. I recall the glyphs being closer, but as we continue up the wash and the sun is setting, I'm unable to find it. We decide for one last push up the wash, over or around non-stop boulders...

Finally!! I was feeling terrible that we couldn't find it after all the time and effort we put in, so this is a relief.

Petroglyph rock by moonlight.

 

With a bright moon and clouds, we didn't get many stars, but a beautiful night!

Does this shape remind you of a cell phone??

 

Now for the hard part. Climbing down this wash in the dark by headlamp prroves to be a challenge!
 

Finally out of the difficult part of the wash, my hiking partners look like ghosts because of the long exposure.

This Ironwood snag casts a eerie shadow!

 

I'm up early the next morning and treated to this beautiful desert sunrise!

 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

Flower Moon

 The Flower Moon was actually on May 1, but April 30 (when these photos were taken) was better from a photography point of view. Why, you ask? Because moonrise was an hour later on May 1, well after sunset, and it would be semi-dark. If all you want is a picture of the moon, May 1 would work fine. If you want some foreground in your photos, April 30 works much better.

April 30, about 7:15PM on a beautiful, clear evening. Still no moon visible to the east, but some nice color in the sky looking west. I really enjoy full moon nights when moonrise and sunset times are close together!

 

 

Ah, hello beautiful! 7:29PM. Moonrise was 7:01PM, but the haze was blocking visibility earlier.

 

 

7:50PM - dark blue sky.

 

 

 

It's dark enough that I need my headlamp, which does a nice job lighting up the leaves!

 

Good for future Halloween posts!

Photoshop creation... In honor of the Flower Moon!

 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.