Copper Mountain Road

[Robert Apple]

We saw this road from Tough Creek and decided to explore it after Lunch, look for the red arrow.

It Was Copper Mountain Road which split off from Birdseye Pass road , both which dead ended on private property. But a few miles up on public lands was an old mining road, about a mile in it got to narrow for the truck which wouldn’t fit between the trees, so we went for a hike.

The road was basically at the bottom of the canyon so most the views were looking up.

A ways in I found this Lichen covered rock, not to unusual for the places I frequent,  but it was literally the only one, and had eight different species of Lichen growing on it.

99 percent of the trees were mountain Junipers of 3 different species,  about the only tree that could survive in this arid climate , there was a random pine (not pictured) here and there all looking quite sickly.

The dogs always in the lead giving you the “What’s taking you so long look”

White cedar bark can be quite fascinating ,  and woven into some fairly decent sandals in a pinch.

On down the way the hike got fairly steep and we turned back. After a couple Shots up the hill.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

The landscape looks entirely different and so does the colour of the rocks and soil. Are there any wildlife here Robert? If yes, do they have access to water? Just curious what animals, birds or insects may live here and how they live 🙂

[Robert Apple]

That’s something my Wife and I were discussing during our hike, It was conspicuously absent, dead quiet, We saw only one Bird, a sage sparrow, it was still a bit cold for insects but I’m sure the climate has its share, they can adapt to almost any situation. There was lots of horse scat, we would find them later on, on the drive out, I didn’t see any brands so we figured they were Wild Horses  and they were looking very thin and their hair was a bit ratty. In the desert near where we entered the canyon we did see a Jack Rabbit and a lone antelope. Though we didn’t see it there must have been a water source as the roads dead ended at working cattle ranches, but the three creeks we came across were stone dry and looked as they had been for a long time.

[Dahlia Ambrose]

Thank you very much Robert!

[Tersha]

Great place for a hike. Do you think climate change could account for the dried up creeks? With the name Copper Mountain road, was there ever any copper mines nearby?

[Robert Apple]

There were several tailing piles on the hills from old mining activity and we came across one gated and barred mine shaft, I guess Gold, Silver, and Copper was discovered in the area, but no major veins. This was one of the areas scouted by mountain men in the early 1890’s and later by Louis and Clark and they dubbed it the Badlands because of the arid climate, its classified as high desert. Historicaly if climate change was a factor it would have been rainy years vs. dry. The junipers in the area are 100s of years old, some over a 1000, they thrive in this climate, too much rain actually kills them.

[Rob Wood (Admin)]

Wait – you’re an expert in lichen too? A man of many talents!

I’d like to go exploring with you one day cause we seem to do the same type of things when we see places that look interesting but difficult to get to. I love doing this sort of thing in the cane fields of Northern New South Wales.

For this group, I think the standouts are the second image with the dog as the centre of interest, and the second last one as a gorgeous landscape. Love the series though.

[Robert Apple]

Thanks Rob. No expert , but always like to know about what I shoot. I definitely know how to get intentionally lost in an environment been practicing my whole life

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