EISPIRATEN

Hi.

I'm fairly new to hiking (been exploring around the southeastern san gabes for a year or so. About 5-6 months ago, I found a very interesting canyon (I think this is the proper term for it) near Stoddard Canyon.

Google earth coordinates:
34°12'43.04"N 117°39'39.42"W

Has anyone else been here? It's beautiful and a challenging, interesting trek to make.

I've gone most of the way in there, but not to the top of the ridge. Going east from that coordinate takes you up in altitude and through some beautiful, serene wilderness.

I have no pictures of this particular location. Hope someone can contribute to my knowledge of it.

Thanks

While I have never been there, the topo map suggests that this is Cascade Canyon. Here is a video of it being hiked by lapis miners:

You may want to check out Taco's recent descent and LD's earlier ascent of the canyon. My recent trip along the ridge above may also be of interest.

You could go quite a bit down the canyon before you'd need to rappel. It's all filled with blackberry vines (I think), which grow into the trees in places and are difficult to get through with a sharp machete when they're dead. 3 rappels from there down to San Antonio Creek, which is a neat area with some structures of some sort, maybe flood control related.

I haven't been more than 50ft up the canyon, as last time I wanted to there were tons of bees everywhere. Further up the canyon are some old 1980's sport routes on the rock. Somewhere in there is the pretty well-known Lapis Lazuli stuff, deposits or whatever. GO further than that and you're on turtle's ground.

The ground surrounding the coordinates is low-angle buckthorn madness.

Was up to the mine some 20 yrs ago, still have some of the specimens. Used to be a cable strung up we used to climb up with and misc mine equip laying around.

Kool thread......

So, what has you interested in the area?

Buddy of mine made that video. Been up the canyon a few times. Not really worth the effort unless you're willing to put the time into cutting/polishing/setting the lapis.

Lower Cascade is a fun quick canyoneering romp.