2009 Trip Report - DE Rendezvous - Highland Mountains

Highland Mountains

Saturday, March 21

By Jean Hansen

At 8:30 on this beautiful Saturday morning, our group, consisting of Rich & Cathie Kenney, Ann & John Fulton, Bob & Carol Thille, Joe de Kehoe, Karen & Bob Monsen, Bob & Shirley Bolin, Mignon Slentz, Bob & Betty Oliver, Bob Jaussaud, Glenn Shaw, Leonard, Rebecca & Hannah Friedman (Hannah was guide), Craig Baker, Glenda Roach, Tommy Perrasso., ay & Sylvia Lawrence and Sunny and me, gathered in front ofthe schoolhouse in Nipton. After a littletime spent visiting and generally catching-up with one another, we were on our  way!Our first stop was the Cow Well petroglyph site, a small, but very pretty site which everyone seemed to enjoy verymuch. We continued on our journeythrough an outstandingly beautiful Joshua 'free forest on our way north to the pass through the Highland Range which we think might have been an old Indian pass through the mountainsbecause of the many small rock art sitesalong the way. Our second stop was at Cow Springs, which also had rock art and historic occupation sites along with a realspring. We continued our journey overthe summit and into a very scenic valleywith a somewhat rough descent, down anarrow, slanted road and proceeded tothe third small rock art site, where we alldid some exploring and had a leisurely lunch. A highlight of our lunch stop waswhen Sylvia Lawrence made friends withand introduced to the group a beautiful little "homed toad."After lunch we proceeded north where we found a side canyon to the west and just on a group whim, set off to explore this canyon. We followed this little canyon to its dead end and in a rocky area therea geocacbe was discovered and openedby several members of the group withHannah Friedman gleefully exploring thecontents - which just happened to bechild-oriented! The group then traveledto the next (and last) rock art site toexplore. At this site, some of the groupdiscovered additional rock art in thearea. We then completed our journey·through the Highland Range, which wasvery scenic and Sunny & I would notmind returning there for a future exploration/camping trip. Soon we reached thepowerline road, which we took east toSearchlight At this point the group separated - some to gas up their vehicles orget supplies and the rest returning toNipton for the evening's festivities.Sunny & I would like to give thanks for this great group. We really enjoyed everyone's company. Tiil next time - - -