« February 2008 | Main | June 2008 »
The South District of CA4WDC will host a conservation and rehabilitation project April 25 - 27 on the Mojave Road in conjunction with the National Park Service.
The project will be on the portion of the Mojave Road that goes around Piute Hill to the south following the old AT&T Underground Telephone Cable Route. The road, as it approaches the top of Piute Hill, has several small washouts and two very large ones that need to be filled in. The project will be to rebuild the water bars that have been washed out and to place gabions in the two washed out areas. This corrective maintenance will be done to prevent further washouts and keep the road from being closed because of safety concerns.
The work will consist of digging ditches to channel excess water off the road during storms to prevent the accumulation of water at the culverts, cleaning out the culverts, building water bars to direct water into the culverts and filling in the two badly eroded and washed out areas. The alternative to fixing the road is closure.
The National Park Service manages the Mojave Road in this area. Park Superintendent Dennis Schramm and South District Vice President Harry Baker have entered into an agreement to have their two organizations work together to repair the washouts.
The park service will provide the equipment and supplies needed to repair the road and the South District with help from others in the Off Road community will provide the manpower. The project will entail throwing a lot of rocks! Basically we'll be moving rocks from a stockpile area and filling in gabions and building water bars
The area to be repaired is best accessed from the west. It is between miles 27 and 30 on the Mojave Road and is depicted in the book The Mojave Road by Dennis Casebier. Enter the Mojave Road from the intersection of Lanfair Road, north out of Goffs, and Cedar Canyon Road , 17 miles north of Goffs, and travel east on the Cable Route to the camp area at the base of Piute Hill. Signs will be posted at the turn offs. The Mojave Road is not appropriate for other than 4 wheel drive or high clearance vehicles.
Jeep trailers, shovels, picks and pry bars will be helpful.
There will be a free dinner for all volunteers on Saturday, April 26.
Directions to the camp and project site. The project description is shown below.
From Barstow: Take I 40 east to the Goffs Road exit. I think that it is Exit 107. Turn left at the bottom of the offramp and go under the highway. (Look for the CA4WDC sign) In about a quarter of a mile you will pass the most expensive gas station in California, $5.29 for Regular, so I hope that you topped off in town, as this is the last gas before the Mojave Road. The convenience store is 'reasonably' priced. Continue on Goffs Road for about 10 miles and turn left at Lanfair Road. (Look for the CA4WDC sign) If you miss Lanfair Road and cross the railroad tracks, turn around, you've gone too far. [FYI: The Goffs Schoolhouse is at the corner of Goffs Road and Lanfair Road] Continue north on Lanfair Road for about 17 miles. Look for Cedar Canyon Road on the left. Just past Cedar Canyon Road, turn right on to the AT&T Cable Route. (Look for the CA4WDC sign) Continue east about 6 miles to the campsite. The road is good for high clearance vehicles with a couple of sandy washes.
From Twentynine Palms: Take Highway 62 to National Trails Highway/Route 66, turn right. Continue on through Amboy, Danby and Essex. Just past Essex, turn left on Goffs Road. Go under I 40 and follow same directions as above.
Be alert on the drive out and back. There will be a lot of bikes on the road, as our project coincides with the Laughlin River Run. It will be a Hog Heaven.
The nearest motel is in Needles. There is no specific site for motorhome parking, and the Cable Route IS NOT motorhome accessible. Camping rules in the Mojave Preserve prevail.
Camping at the work site is primitive, pack it in pack it out. A porta-potti will be on site. Campfire each night, bring wood.
Tools helpful: Shovels, picks, pry bars, wheelbarrows, small trailers, pickup trucks, gloves, eye protection, hats, sunscreen, water. Drinking water will be available on site too.
We're gonna be throwing a lot of rocks!
Dinner will be provided for all volunteers on Saturday, April 26.
CB Channel 10
Harry Baker's cell # 818-370-3582
Helen Baker's cell # 818-823-1154
Contact by email or home phone will only be available until 0400 hours on April 24, after that, call the cell numbers. Service is spotty, leave a message.
Weather forecast - low 80's during the day, high 60's at night. Perfect for camping out under the stars.
For questions or to RSVP contact Harry Baker at 818-705-3930 or bakerhab at aol.com
