Nice use of street view, trailhound!!  Well done.

Yes, that is not an old trail, it is relatively new.  I did not speak with rangers about it as you did but I'm glad they are unhappy with it as it is not at all necessary and trail construction is really a no-no out there.   Putting a few essential cairns for navigation purposes I will certainly excuse, as I have often relied on same on my own hikes - but of course a random cairn may not at all mark the route that you think you're on.  I recall once getting confused in a slickrock maze in Zion and being really happy to finally find some cairns.  Well I followed them, it was fun, and I got to a nice peak, but not the one I started out for

The trails on the north side of 190, in contrast, and not marked and appear to me at least to be much older.  One has one of the old CAA road signs and the other is reputedly an indigenous route.

Yes, thanks for the street view for Jayhawker.
Totally agree with only having essential cairns MojaveGeek. When people set them up all over the place it can make things confusing and get you off trail at times.
And in a place like Death Valley where there's often not an obvious trail, it takes the fun out of it.

There's a Death Valley legend of a beast known only by the name of Cairn Kicker. I have seen this beast with my own eyes. It has a beard with locks that would make stone giants tremble in fear.

(2023-10-03, 01:44 PM)Brice Wrote: There's a Death Valley legend of a beast known only by the name of Cairn Kicker.  I have seen this beast with my own eyes.  It has a beard with locks that would make stone giants tremble in fear.

Fortunately, from your description, I am hopeful that this terrifying character knows the difference between modern-day cairns and those which are historical relics.   

(2023-10-03, 03:56 PM)Kauri Wrote: Fortunately, from your description, I am hopeful that this terrifying character knows the difference between modern-day cairns and those which are historical relics.   

That it does!  It only seems to be angered by small piles in touristy areas.  A peculiar behavior, one that benefits the wilderness I fathom.

Send Cairn Kicker to The Racetrack, so he can evolve into a Butt Kicker, focusing on those who toss new entries into the race yet never take a seat in The Grandstand ... 

(2023-10-03, 03:56 PM)Kauri Wrote:

(2023-10-03, 01:44 PM)Brice Wrote: There's a Death Valley legend of a beast known only by the name of Cairn Kicker.  I have seen this beast with my own eyes.  It has a beard with locks that would make stone giants tremble in fear.

Fortunately, from your description, I am hopeful that this terrifying character knows the difference between modern-day cairns and those which are historical relics.   

The Southern Desert Cairn Kicker is well known for being able to the smell the stink of tourists and only kicks cairns that are tainted with their chemically perfumed odor. It can differentiate btw tourist stink and dirtbag desert rat stink and reacts accordingly.

Seriously tho, I have started seeing anti-cairn stickers on cars and I bloody love it. I need a boot kicking a cairn sticker.

And I believe it’s now “illegal” to make cairns in most national parks. At least it’s being actively and vocally discouraged.

So that trail on Jayhawker is not Native American? Are we sure? And I dont mean old.

I may ( will deny everything) have kicked a few rocks in anger about the trail just to be reminded by my husband that it might be from the Timbisha or their ancestors. I then read somewhere some especulation that it is in fact from the natives.

Cue me freaking out I was going to be cursed with bad medicine.

I am almost certain that trail did not exist the first time I went up Jayhawker some decades ago. I certainly was surprised to see it when I went in 5 (?) years ago. If there was some old trail there, it is obscured by the new tread, cairns, and all.