20100217 "Chimneyville"

Post by **Taco** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:33 pm

Went out and scouted out an area I haven't been to in a year or so. Similar activity to that thing my buddies and I did in Stockton Flats a while ago. Perhaps some of y'all could educate me on the history of it. There were over a dozen or so structures there (homes), but they were likely destroyed in the Curve Fire.

First, some pics.

Lots of trash along West Fork near the road.

Burro Peak

Someone tried hiking straight up Burro Peak's west face (muddy and 45 degrees) recently, I guess.

View from on Burro Peak

Moving along the side of Burro, trying to reach the firebreak for an easy way up. I gave up on this to go check out other things. Still haven't been up Burro Peak.

That crag on the southeast side of Burro. Looks solid from far away, but it's messed up. Not steep enough to be fun to climb anyway.

Yay, more trash.

Easy trail out

Now, on to Chimneyville.

This is the first structure, across the river and southeast of Lower Chimneyville. Nice little pool. Looks like a cool place to stay. Could not find remains of a road heading to it. You can see there was some sort of walkway in the last picture, leading up to what's left of that staircase.

Moving in the river

Lotsa silt. There's typical sand in the riverbed, then you'll hit a big bank of silt and sink an additional foot or so into it, while it tries to suck the shoe off your foot. Note bubbles in of 2nd picture, coming out of the layers of silt and leaves in the riverbed.

Northern entrance of Lower Chimneyville

Looking at Burro

Largest structure

Trash left by people playing with cheap airsoft guns

Moving to Upper Chimneyville...

Recent 12ga #7-8 shells

TRACKERS! Cougarmagic, can you ID that track next to my hand?

Vehicle road to Upper Chimneyville

View north

Southern entrance to Upper Chimneyville, more overgrown than ever.

North of Upper Chimneyville

"Battleship Point", tip of "Battleship Mesa", steep on 2 sides, easy access available through a single small gully. Got lost on it one night. Only 1 good way down.

Trail to 3 structures on the north side of Bichota branch of West Fork

Trail heading north

North Entrance to Upper Chimneyville

Upper Chimneyville

On the north side of the creek

Looking at a few structures on the other side

Headed back home to get back to the car before anyone could vandalize it at night.

The main drag in Lower Chimneyville.

More trash along West Fork.

Someone left a beer on my car. I'm just glad nobody broke out the windows like one of the other times I parked near here.

So, anyone know anything about this little village along the river? It's at the mouth of Bichota Canyon, where it hits West Fork.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:52 pm

looks like you found a new home!

very cool area, i gotta check it out

Post by **Taco** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 3:55 pm

Ze, I figured you'd be interested in going up Burro Peak. It's not a long hike, but it looks somewhat challenging, in that there's plenty of crappy brush, and it's not visited often. Wanna go one of these days? Could probably combine it with Burrito Peak or some other shit.

mve · Post by **mve** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:35 pm

Some of the ruin pictures remind me of Pompeii (minus the trash) ... although there is plenty of trash in Naples:

Post by **Taco** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:50 pm

Wow, not the most attractive historical city, huh?

mve · Post by **mve** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 5:57 pm

Naples was a shit-hole when I was there in 2004.

Pompeii OTOH was well taken care of and is worth visiting -- puts things in perspective ... so does Rome. I love Italy.

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 7:58 pm

Cougarmagic, can you ID that track next to my hand?

Are you messin' with me? I don't see anything! No wait... it was a three-legged albino deer....with a tick on its left ear....

Cool pics though! Man it's nice to see all that water. Trash sucks.

Post by **Taco** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:27 pm

cougarmagic wrote:
Cougarmagic, can you ID that track next to my hand?
Are you messin' with me? I don't see anything! No wait... it was a three-legged albino deer....with a tick on its left ear....

Cool pics though! Man it's nice to see all that water. Trash sucks.

Yeah, there is a set of tracks heading in the opposite direction I am travelling in in that pic without my hand. There is one track above my hand in the pic with my hand. It's about 6-8 inches long, 4 inches wide or so. Looks like an incredibly small human foot with a wide shoe or something.

cougarmagic · Post by **cougarmagic** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:25 pm

OK - I see it now. Most likely a bear then!

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:38 pm

TacoDelRio wrote:Ze, I figured you'd be interested in going up Burro Peak. It's not a long hike, but it looks somewhat challenging, in that there's plenty of crappy brush, and it's not visited often. Wanna go one of these days? Could probably combine it with Burrito Peak or some other shit.

fo sho

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:18 am

Someone left a beer on my car. I'm just glad nobody broke out the windows like one of the other times I parked near here.

If what it's worth I've been leaving these notes in the window of my truck.

The Spanish is probably not very good as I just ran it through an online translator

Post by **Taco** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 6:54 am

Good idea.

I should make one that says "Oh shit, who's that big guy behind you with the gun?!?!"

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:08 am

TacoDelRio wrote:Good idea.

I should make one that says "Oh shit, who's that big guy behind you with the gun?!?!"

Kinda like those "trespassers will be shot...survivors will be shot again"

"Nothing in this vehicle is worth your life"

or
"Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk? "

mve · Post by **mve** » Thu Feb 18, 2010 9:35 am

Leave a note on the driver's window that reads:

"Hey Steve, I'll be back in a minute - I'm siting in the scope. Look toward the east and smile"

Oh and then there's always the Trunk Monkey:

Post by **Taco** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:08 am

mattmaxon · Post by **mattmaxon** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 5:17 am

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavendar/sidjames/210/xcllnt.wav

Post by **Taco** » Sat Feb 20, 2010 1:25 am

Looks like that didn't make it.