I have the whole day to spend up here on Cima Dome, so I'll do a hike up to Teutonia Peak and beyond
I really lucked out that the Cima Store was open yesterday afternoon when I passed by. I wouldn't be at this great location if it had been closed.
Date: April 25, 2006, 18h04
I really lucked out that the Cima Store was open yesterday afternoon when I passed by. I wouldn't be at this great location if it had been closed.
It was a bit chilly overnight, which is predictable since I'm up at 5000 feet elevation, but the clothing I wore to bed turned out to be too warm (long underwear plus jeans, and t-shirt plus sweater).
It was a bit chilly overnight, which is predictable since I'm up at 5000 feet elevation, but the clothing I wore to bed turned out to be too warm (long underwear plus jeans, and t-shirt plus sweater).
It's so windy up here on Cima Dome this morning that it takes quite a while to boil water for coffee
After moving my burner around a few times to try to shelter it somewhat from the swirling wind (ha, good luck!), I eventually manage to make a second cup of dark coffee, and then an instant backpacker meal.
Date: April 25, 2006, 18h12
After moving my burner around a few times to try to shelter it somewhat from the swirling wind (ha, good luck!), I eventually manage to make a second cup of dark coffee, and then an instant backpacker meal.
Breakfast is Mountain House Rice and Chicken, which turns out to be surprisingly good, though a little greasy (corn oil and chicken fat are added to the recipe for flavour). Dessert is tamari almonds, granola, dried apricots and a few chili-lime cashews.
The wind is keeping the flies away, so I eat and drink with the tent open this morning.
Breakfast is Mountain House Rice and Chicken, which turns out to be surprisingly good, though a little greasy (corn oil and chicken fat are added to the recipe for flavour). Dessert is tamari almonds, granola, dried apricots and a few chili-lime cashews.
The wind is keeping the flies away, so I eat and drink with the tent open this morning.
View of Teutonia Peak from the area of my campsite near Sunrise Rock
I take the morning easy and study my maps. I decide to start with the obvious 4-mile round-trip hike up to Teutonia Peak on the official trail and then follow that with a counter-clockwise loop around the west side of Cima Dome via Deer Spring.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h57
I take the morning easy and study my maps. I decide to start with the obvious four-mile round-trip hike up to Teutonia Peak on the official trail and then follow that with a counter-clockwise loop around the west side of Cima Dome via Deer Spring.
I prepare my backpack for the day's hike. I decide to bring my water filter in case there's water at Deer Spring. I won't really be needing extra water, but it's fun to filter spring water when it's available.
I prepare my backpack for the day's hike. I decide to bring my water filter in case there's water at Deer Spring. I won't really be needing extra water, but it's fun to filter spring water when it's available.
After a lazy morning, I start hiking the half mile up the dirt road that leads from my campsite to Cima Road
It's 13h15 already! Kessler Peak is that mountain straight ahead, and it would also make an interesting day hike.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h44
It's 13h15 already! Kessler Peak is that mountain straight ahead, and it would also make an interesting day hike.
The road curves and aims toward Teutonia Peak as it heads back to the paved Cima Road
This area does get occasional traffic, as evidenced by the fresh tire tracks here. However, I didn't see anyone else camping in the area last night, nor have I seen signs of anyone yet today.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h44
This area does get occasional traffic, as evidenced by the fresh tire tracks here. However, I didn't see anyone else camping in the area last night, nor have I seen signs of anyone yet today.
Just before reaching Cima Road, I pass a point of interest: the "covered cross"
When I saw this during my first visit to Cima Dome in 2006, I thought it was an old sign whose message had been weathered away. It turns out to be a cross on the hill that is being covered to conceal the fact that it's a cross.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h40
When I saw this during my first visit to Cima Dome in 2006, I thought it was an old sign whose message had been weathered away. It turns out to be a cross on the hill that is being covered to conceal the fact that it's a cross.
There's an ongoing debate about the appropriateness of having a religious symbol (the cross) in supposedly religious-neutral federal parkland, which is why the cross is temporarily concealed.
Sometime just prior to my current (2008) visit, the box over the cross had been removed to reveal the cross. However, my camera is broken and I can't document that. Christian vandals?
There's an ongoing debate about the appropriateness of having a religious symbol (the cross) in supposedly religious-neutral federal parkland, which is why the cross is temporarily concealed.
Sometime just prior to my current (2008) visit, the box over the cross had been removed to reveal the cross. However, my camera is broken and I can't document that. Christian vandals?
The dirt road ends and I walk across Cima Road to reach the Teutonia Peak Trail, looking back to Kessler Peak
The mass of exposed granite on the other side of the road is always interesting to look at.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h17
The mass of exposed granite on the other side of the road is always interesting to look at.
The two-mile trail to Teutonia Peak is one of just two official, maintained trails in the expansive Mojave National Preserve
Of course, hundreds of miles of old roads, some of which are no longer open to motor vehicles, serve quite nicely as Mojave National Preserve's de facto trail system.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h17
Of course, hundreds of miles of old roads, some of which are no longer open to motor vehicles, serve quite nicely as Mojave National Preserve's de facto trail system.
Despite what you see in this photo, I do not have my bicycle with me right now (I left it at my campsite). This photo was taken two years ago (2006), when I stopped briefly here at the trailhead with my bicycle.
Despite what you see in this photo, I do not have my bicycle with me right now (I left it at my campsite). This photo was taken two years ago (2006), when I stopped briefly here at the trailhead with my bicycle.
Interpretive panel ("Desert Woodland") at the start of the Teutonia Peak Trail
The hike up to Teutonia Peak is an enjoyable walk mostly through joshua trees, and I reach the top at 14h15, an hour after leaving camp. After I come down, I head north on an old (now closed) road that ends at the Valley View Ranch corrals.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h34
The hike up to Teutonia Peak is an enjoyable walk mostly through joshua trees, and I reach the top at 14h15, an hour after leaving camp. After 15 minutes of relaxation to take in the view of everything below, and calling in to change my outgoing cell-phone message (I have marginal reception up here), I head back down.
At the base of the mountain, I head north toward Valley View Ranch on an old rolling road that's not on my maps, and which is now closed to vehicles and inside a Wilderness area. It ends at some old corrals not too far from the ranch. My arrival startles a lot of mourning doves near the corrals who flutter about.
After the corrals, I head south, along the western flank of Cima Dome, on the old road to Deer Spring, which is still open to motor vehicles.
At the base of the mountain, I head north toward Valley View Ranch on an old rolling road that's not on my maps, and which is now closed to vehicles and inside a Wilderness area. It ends at some old corrals not too far from the ranch. My arrival startles a lot of mourning doves near the corrals who flutter about.
After the corrals, I head south, along the western flank of Cima Dome, on the old road to Deer Spring, which is still open to motor vehicles.
View of Teutonia Peak from the Valley View Ranch area
This view was taken two years ago in 2006 from Cima Road near the Valley View Ranch. I'm in the adjacent joshua tree forest right now, and not out on Cima Road, but the view of Teutonia Peak is similar.
Date: April 26, 2006, 10h35
This view was taken two years ago in 2006 from Cima Road near the Valley View Ranch. I'm in the adjacent joshua tree forest right now, and not out on Cima Road, but the view of Teutonia Peak is similar.
The 3-mile hike up the dead-end road to Deer Spring climbs slowly, then I hike over the summit of Cima Dome through joshua trees
After I reach Deer Spring and its stagnant water, I follow an old closed road over the summit of Cima Dome at almost 5800 feet that's not on my maps and which turns out to be the highlight of the day.
Date: April 26, 2006, 10h35
Along Deer Spring Road, as I climb up to 5400 feet, I'm enjoying very nice views down to "the back side" of the Mojave National Preserve cinder cones (not in this photo), which I haven't seen before from this angle. I wish my camera weren't broken!
I reach Deer Spring and its corral, but its water sits stagnant in a cattle trough, so I don't bother pumping water here.
After a short break, I leave Deer Spring at 16h30 and follow an old closed road that's not on my maps and which, it turns out, rises over the summit of Cima Dome at almost 5800 feet. Sweet! At the Cima Dome summit is a survey marker labelled "Teutonia." This road doesn't appear to be hiked often. My compass is useful for checking my direction on the way up since I can't see beyond the thick joshua tree forest for a while.
The area of the Cima Dome summit turns out to be an unplanned highlight-of-the-day with a lot of Mojave wildflowers, joshua trees and views of Mojave National Preserve in all directions, as well as the back (west) side of Teutonia Peak.
East of the Cima Dome summit, the old road appears to head south toward Cut Spring, instead of northeast toward my campsite. To cut down on mileage, I hike a couple of miles cross-country, first toward Teutonia Peak, then around the south side of its base, passing briefly through a wash area of thick brush, then over a low, rocky rise. The serenity and scenery out in this area (lots of rocks, flowers and joshua trees) makes me again wish that my camera were still operational.
I eventually rejoin the Teutonia Peak Trail and follow it back to its beginning at Cima Road.
I reach Deer Spring and its corral, but its water sits stagnant in a cattle trough, so I don't bother pumping water here.
After a short break, I leave Deer Spring at 16h30 and follow an old closed road that's not on my maps and which, it turns out, rises over the summit of Cima Dome at almost 5800 feet. Sweet! At the Cima Dome summit is a survey marker labelled "Teutonia." This road doesn't appear to be hiked often. My compass is useful for checking my direction on the way up since I can't see beyond the thick joshua tree forest for a while.
The area of the Cima Dome summit turns out to be an unplanned highlight-of-the-day with a lot of Mojave wildflowers, joshua trees and views of Mojave National Preserve in all directions, as well as the back (west) side of Teutonia Peak.
East of the Cima Dome summit, the old road appears to head south toward Cut Spring, instead of northeast toward my campsite. To cut down on mileage, I hike a couple of miles cross-country, first toward Teutonia Peak, then around the south side of its base, passing briefly through a wash area of thick brush, then over a low, rocky rise. The serenity and scenery out in this area (lots of rocks, flowers and joshua trees) makes me again wish that my camera were still operational.
I eventually rejoin the Teutonia Peak Trail and follow it back to its beginning at Cima Road.
I walk across Cima Road with images of the loop hike around Cima Dome still fresh in my mind
When I started today's hike on the Teutonia Peak Trail, I passed a couple that was just finishing the hike and returning to their car. Besides them, I've not seen any other humans today.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h14
When I started today's hike on the Teutonia Peak Trail, I passed a couple that was just finishing the hike and returning to their car. Besides them, I've not seen any other humans today.
I walk the last 1/2 mile down the dirt road to my Cima Dome campsite for one last night in Mojave National Preserve
I watch another beautiful sunset, and feel somewhat sad that this will be my last sleep-out in Mojave National Preserve before heading back to the world of employment and mortgages in San José.
Date: April 25, 2006, 15h42
It has been a warm sunny day of blue skies (high 70s), but occasional dark clouds have been circling around, bringing random strong winds, and I'm even feeling a few sprinkles of rain on my way back to the tent.
I make it back to the tent at 18h45 and immediately put on a sweater and change into full-length blue jeans. I mindlessly stand outside for a while to absorb another desert sunset, happy to be here, but somewhat sad that this will be my last sleep-out in Mojave National Preserve before heading back to the world of employment and mortgages in San José.
After dark, I make Alpine Aire "Hurry Curry Chicken and Rice," which turns out to be excellent, and eat some turkey jerky. Dessert is granola and chili-lime cashews.
Lots of crickets sing happily and the warm evening (low 60s?) is mostly quiet, except for the occasional gust of wind, airplane flying overhead, or car driving up Cima Road half a mile away.
I make it back to the tent at 18h45 and immediately put on a sweater and change into full-length blue jeans. I mindlessly stand outside for a while to absorb another desert sunset, happy to be here, but somewhat sad that this will be my last sleep-out in Mojave National Preserve before heading back to the world of employment and mortgages in San José.
After dark, I make Alpine Aire "Hurry Curry Chicken and Rice," which turns out to be excellent, and eat some turkey jerky. Dessert is granola and chili-lime cashews.
Lots of crickets sing happily and the warm evening (low 60s?) is mostly quiet, except for the occasional gust of wind, airplane flying overhead, or car driving up Cima Road half a mile away.
Mojave National Preserve map: Day 13: Cima Dome day hike including Teutonia Peak and Deer Spring
Continue to day 14: Cima Dome to Baker via Kelso Depot and Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve .
Date: July 23, 2008, 20h29
Continue to day 14: Cima Dome to Baker via Kelso Depot and Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve .
