2024-04-29, 01:00 AM
Went back up Lemoigne Canyon Friday, my 4th trip to the area since February. I read about his hidden buckboard wagon and set out to find it earlier this year, which we did on the 3rd attempt. This trip was to take my granddaughter up to the cabins and to find the mines I had missed while looking for the wagon. My granddaughter has previously helped me search two other times. We came across a roadblock due to a semi-truck fire shortly before our turn off of the pavement, costing us about a half hour. Once on dirt we quickly cruised the recently graded road past the parking area and then dropped into the wash, driving to the wilderness border. The sky was dark and threatening rain as we headed out. A mile or so up the canyon the rain sprinkled before getting heavier so we found shelter to wait it out. Then the hail started making things even more interesting. After 15-20 minutes it cleared up a bit and the dark stuff moved towards where we had parked the Jeep. We pressed on in the direction of our targets all the while wondering how people used to drive up this canyon. Soon we were at the cabins and I noted that only two people had signed in since I was there in February. After a snack, we trudged uphill some more, following a pin on my GPS. We could never really get on top of it, so we went back to the Y at the cabins and tried the other side. After rounding a few turns we found an ore bin and saw tracks that seemed to inspire Disneyland's Big Thunder Railroad. I couldn't really work out a safe route up higher where I was sure all the good stuff was. Later at home, I figured out that we should have just headed up the ridge behind the cabins and it would have taken us directly to the mine goodies up higher. Satisfied with what we had discovered so far, we picked up the old road downhill toward the Jeep. My granddaughter discovered a total of 4 large rocks with perfect holes drilled in them and one striped snake. On the way out we also checked in on the wagon again and noted it's the same as last time we saw it. 30 seconds after climbing into the Jeep the rain and hail dumped on us again. Thankfully it stopped before we hit pavement so I could get the tires filled back up. We planned on visiting old Jean's grave, but burgers at Stovepipe Wells, followed by a hot shower at the hotel sounded like a better plan. I think once we visit Jean's grave we can call it "Deep Enough" on all things Lemoigne.
