| ORV/WEMO Route Survey
1/14 & 15/05 |
Field Survey of
Proposed WEMO Route MP235:
Shadow Mountain Road to Barbara Lane
January 14 & 15, 2005
Field Work & Report by
Mark E Heuston
January 14, 2005:
On January 14, 2005 I drove or walked a segment of MP235 aka the old Butterfield Stage Route to survey for conflicts, trespass, proximity of residences to route, and current route condition. Ground distances were determined by vehicle odometer or paced off on foot where appropriate. Survey started at the intersection of Shadow Mountain Road x MP235 and proceeded West to the intersection of MP235 X Barbara Lane.
.4 Mile: Abandoned cabin 30 feet to South of route. Route obviously goes through a private parcel.
.5 Mile: Abandoned cabin 100 feet to South of route. Uncertain whether route goes through property or not.
.9 Mile: Route is within 100 feet of an inhabited dwelling. House with chain link fence and a well.
1.0 to 1.4 Mile: Route coincides with an active undesignated route that appears to provide access from the Leach Homestead to points West.
1.4 Mile: Route diverges from the undesignated road at this point. From here on, the BSR (Butterfield Stage Route) has seen no vehicular activity for a very long time. From here, I parked and hiked the route for @ a quarter of a mile further West.
600 feet West of the 1.4 mi. point, the old BSR goes through an active wash complex and is totally obliterated and unpassable for at least another 600 feet, and resumes West of the wash complex in the same unused / pristine condition as before.
1200 feet West of the 1.4 mi. point, I stopped walking the route at this point, returning to my vehicle to follow the undesignated (active) road around to the next North - South trending district road where I could intercept the route again without trespassing.
Barbara Lane, .8 mi. N of the intersection of Barbara Ln x Amboy Rd:
BSR passes within 50 feet of an inhabited residence with black (plastic?) water tanks at this point, and obviously crosses through the property the residence is sited on. Property owner apparently closed access to this portion of the route many years ago, judging from the rusted / weathered condition of the fence. No gate to accommodate the BSR is in evidence, and the route appears to be long disused both East and West of Barbara Lane.
End of today's field work; returning to same route segment at another date to perform photographic and GPS documentation.
January 15, 2005:
Returned to WEMO MP235 (Butterfield Stage Route) segment visited on January 14, 2005 to conduct photographic and GPS documentation. Started on foot going West from yesterday's 1.4 mile mark. Documentation performed using a Kodak D50 camera and a Garmin etrex 12 channel GPS unit. Distances cited in today's work determined by vehicle odometer or paced on foot where appropriate.
1.4 Mile: BSR diverges from undesignated local road, hereafter referred to as "fork".
GPS Reading: Waypoint 22 Elev. 1387 feet, N34 deg 10' 49.5" / W115 deg 52' 05.6"
Photopoint: P1, View West along axis of BSR from fork in road.
Observed fresh kit fox tracks near this survey point.
Photopoint: P2, Fork + 115 feet. Detail of Washout.
Photopoint: P3, Fork + 255 feet. Detail of Washout.
Photopoint: P4, Fork + 540 feet. Detail of major wash complex described in yesterday's notes, view West along axis of route.
Flushed a large Jack Rabbit near this survey point.
GPS Reading: Waypoint 23 Elev. 1390 feet, N34 deg 10' 46.2" / W115 deg 52' 12.2"
Photopoint: P5, Fork + 700 feet. Detail of wash looking West along axis of route.
Photopoint: P6, Fork + 760 feet. Bank of wash using 12" engineer's rule for scale, photo taken in sitting position.
Photopoint: P7, Fork + 760 feet. as above, but shot kneeling.
Photopoint: P8, Fork + 900 feet. Looking West along axis of route.
Photopoint: P9, Fork + 1050 feet. Looking West along axis of route.
Photopoint: P10, Fork + 1050 feet. As above; close-up to show detail and proximity of residence to route. (BSR X Barbara Lane)
Photopoint: P11, Fork + 1050 feet. View East back along route axis.
GPS Reading: Waypoint 24 Elev. 1407 feet, N34 deg 10' 44" / W115 deg 52' 17.6"
Photopoint: P12, Fork + 1300 feet. Looking West along axis of route.
Photopoint: P13, Fork + 1300 feet. Looking East along axis of route.
Photopoint: P14, Fork + 1460 feet. Looking West along axis of route, BSR crosses a utility (power) service corridor at this point. Note fence line across route; Fence Marks East boundary of property with residence at BSR X Barbara Lane.
GPS Reading: Waypoint 25 Elev. 1413 feet, N34 deg 10' 41.6" / W115 deg 52' 21.6"
Returning to truck at this point to drive around to Barbara Lane.
Photopoint: P15. Barbara Lane .8 mile North of the intersection of the intersection of BSR X Barbara Lane. View looking East along axis of route. Note fence along the West property boundary blocking route. No gate to accommodate the BSR is in evidence, and the route appears to be long disused.
Photopoint: P16. Barbara Lane .8 mile North of the intersection of the intersection of BSR X Barbara Lane. View looking West along axis of route. (Photo not available.)
Photopoint: P17. Barbara Lane .8 mile North of the intersection of the intersection of BSR X Barbara Lane, view of residence at that location.
Returned to Amboy Road and drove West to Mark's Road seeking to scout out more of the BSR for future ground truthing on foot. Looked on Wilson Road en route; saw no visual evidence of route. Ground surface displays a lot of active interbraided wash channels in the area; suspect route is gone here.
Marks Road, .2 Miles North of the intersection of Marks X Amboy Roads: Route is in evidence in both directions, but obviously has not been used in many years.
Photopoint: P18, BSR X Mark's Road looking West towards Fire Station. Note the fence blocking the route; This is the East Boundary of the old Neugabauer Homestead (Section 14) and this entire Section is in private ownership. No gate to accommodate the BSR is in evidence.
Photopoint: P19, BSR X Mark's Road looking East along the axis of the route. Note old wooden sign to right of route; legend on sign discernible under close examination is: Keep Out".
GPS Reading: Waypoint 27 Elev. 1473 feet, N34 deg 10' 07.4" / W115 deg 53' 47.0"
End of today's route survey activity, returning home.
Mark E Heuston
Printed and signed February 20, 2005
