The Spring Mountains ECHO

DOUBLE UP MOUNTAIN - Looking for Links to the Past

Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain. And more rain Friday night before our scheduled tour, January 10th. A quick call to Bob Maichle on Saturday morning assured us that multiple routes were planned so the weather would not cancel us out. What a clever and resourceful guy Bob is! Meeting at the intersection of Highway 160 and Rainbow, by 10:00 a.m. four vehicles with seven people and one VERY LARGE DOG were ready to take off on the first MTM of 1998.

The skies were very cloudy and threatening as we headed toward the town of Blue Diamond. We stopped in the little town, learning that the area was originally called Cottonwood Springs, an important rest stop for the early travelers through Nevada. Local Paiute bands lived near the springs and cultivated crops in the valley. They were displaced by settlers, both those traveling through and those looking to establish ranches. Bob told us that the name was changed to Blue Diamond, taking the name of the mining company which acquired the property in 1923. This area is rich in history and we all enjoyed hearing Bob's accounts.

Next on the agenda was for us to leave the beaten path, and knowing Bob's extensive experience with roads "other than paved" we felt confident in traveling on the gravel/dirt roads he selected for us. We had the SMA radios, so the lead and tail vehicles were in constant communication. (The SMA urges caution for those who explore on their own during rainy times. Rain can pose many threats.) Our next stop was at Pah-Nyab or Mud Springs (not a translation, just a different name) on the north side of Highway 160. We saw no wild horses or mountain bikers that day! What we did see was fresh snow and thick fog! Discussion at this layover was of the various historic trail routes and the impact on Southern Nevada of railroading, mining, ranching, rustling, thieving, hiding-out and other such nefarious activities. Our guide pointed out several sites for future exploration. This area is a fun place to visit because it is so close to Las Vegas and has so many nice spots to investigate.

After leaving Pah-Nyab, we briefly returned to Highway 160, heading West before turning down Cottonwood Valley Road toward Goodsprings. This well traveled road offers several opportunities for side trips, to travel on non-maintained roads that lead to ancient sites, mines, old settlements, canyons, springs and rock falls. We will wait for fair weather before venturing to these places. However, one stop above Tunnel Springs was safe to visit. We had a terrific view of Wild Horse Valley and the fog was hugging the ground in interesting patterns. Final turns had us on the

road to our destination, the Double Up Mine. Double Up Mountain was an early name for Mt. Potosi. As we prepared for our picnic at the end of the trip, rain began to fall in earnest. We found shelter under a rock overhang, enjoyed our lunch and headed back to Las Vegas on the paved roads out of Goodsprings.

The Spring Mountains Association invites you to come along on the Meet The Mountain tours. You need to reserve a place in advance by calling our new voice mail box. If you do not have an appropriate vehicle, usually a place can be found with someone else. You will meet people with a common interest in the Spring Mountains; learn local history, geography, geology and botany; hear legends of the Paiute and Ute natives; and have the printed tour guide so you can retrace the route. Bob Maichle does an exceptional job of pre running the tour, printing directions and notes about places of interest. He includes intriguing facts and excerpts from diaries and journals to supplement the itinerary. On future MTM's we are looking forward to visiting Appaloosa Springs, the Willow creek area and an old mining camp via Grassy and Grapevine Springs. March, April and May should provide some spectacular wildflower viewing in addition to the other activities. Join Us!