Prospecting and Other Adventures in NFAR Country - 63bkpkr

[Asmbandits]

Here's some photos back in ~ 1965

On the left we have Giant Gap aka Lovers Leap Gorge on the North Fork and the critter on the right is my 1949 Willys 4x4, slung a lot of mud with that ole girl!

View attachment 1414223

Thats really sweet! My old man collects old Willys, has a whole shop and yard full of them.. Yours has the desirable logo stamped tail gate, beautiful!

 

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[63bkpkr]

Asmbandits - many years ago now while 4-wheeling in Purisma Canyon south of Half Moon Bay & North of Santa Cruz, I came across a tailgate to a "Willys Jeep" square nose type. I've no idea why someone would leave their tailgate laying on a mountainside so it now resides amongst my "to be used in a Man Cave" assortment of memorabilia which happens to include a discarded road sign (by a highway crew after putting up a brand new sign) about the NFAR. I as well enjoy the old stamped Willys Symbol and I believe I even have a 'Willys' patch. I will try to dig these out and post a couple of pictures. That old red pickup saw a lot of use and a lot of mechanical work lovingly poured into it. One of its stranger than life episodes was going up Harkins Creek Road (?) in the muddy part of the year and right in the middle of a switch back the engine quit? Like WHAT!? Turns out I had lost all feed from the gas tank, and why was that? The tank fell off of the vehicle. I continued the day by using a WWII Canteen wired to the side of the truck!...................63bkpkr

 

[63bkpkr]

Gates and Signs

Asmbandits - and here is the picture of the Willys CJ-2A (more than likely) tailgate I found in Purisma Canyon as well as the Discarded NFAR Road Sign that I found in a ditch somewhere close to the 'Start' of the NFAR (as indicated by another sign)

Memories of the past - tailgate found when I was likely 19 and the road sign when I was 26. Oh by the way, tomorrow I will bake my Birthday Cake by igniting the 73 candles on top of it, should only take about 15 minutes to cook! Cheers............63bkpkr

 

[mytimetoshine]

Happy Birthday Herb!

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[63bkpkr]

Thank you MTTS - only one more day and it will be official 73 Years of Age and still kicking!........63bkpkr

And now, April 25, 2017, here it is the next National Holiday my Birthday!! Yup, still crazy after all these years............63bkpkr

 

[mytimetoshine]

Flows are starting to come down!.. How is the vacation looking?

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[63bkpkr]

Hi There MTTS,
Yes I noticed the flows are starting to come down though I was not sure if it was due to the cold night temperatures or a lack of snow to melt. It was a 196% of normal snow load winter, and yes there were two early in the year very heavy flows on the NFAR but is the snow all melted yet??

It really is not what the vacation is, it is all about the job. We run an experiment today and with success the job will continue and that seems to be a good thing. With the job confirmed then it depends on the dirt road conditions, muddy or dry from 4000' to 7000' elevations, as I do not want to be out there attempting to dig my Bronco out of the mud! If I'm uncertain of the road conditions then I will put the vacation off till late July or early August so any knowledgeable inputs on the condition of the ground would be appreciated. First the experimental run today!!.................63bkpkr

 

[mytimetoshine]

yea probably getting excited for no reason as there is still a lot of snow. 90 degrees today supposed to be 100 by next week I think

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[63bkpkr]

The Flows

The Flows, the Flows - seems like they just keep coming! It has been HOT in NFAR country this week so the flows have gone up some as the higher snow melts, how high up I've no idea. At some point it will be gone, I hope, and then it will be safe to go play in the water.

The right side of the graph looks like it is slowing though by this time of year it should be ~ 200 CFS NOT 1000 CFS!

It's looking like it will be late in the year before the river gets close to the Level it Should be at the end of June. Sigh.............63bkpkr

 

[mytimetoshine]

I Was in Colfax today and had I nice view of some peaks to the south, maybe Round top Mountain? Quite a bit of snow still. unbelievable as it's been 110 all week!

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[63bkpkr]

I was packing the dredge up and came across.....

So I'm packing my belongings, as I expect to be unemployed in the near future, and in the box of all the hoses for my 2" dredge I find this paperwork and thought I'd share it as 1) How often do you get to see a California Dredging permit and 2) how often do you get to see a 1992 Keene catalog.

So yes, I still have the complete dredge, including the lovely little 2 cycle engine and pump that still works wonders, enjoy.............63bkpkr

 

[arthos]

I'm really enjoying the thread 63bkpkr! That country looks amazing! Thanks for sharing it!

 

[63bkpkr]

Arthos, the pictures describe the country a little but to be out in it well, there are places that just take your breath away even when the water is warmer than it is right now! Ma Nature is really special!......................63bkpkr

 

[63bkpkr]

Hmmmm,
For the last seven days in a row the NFAR has decreased in CFS and is now at 600 though still showing the cycle of day to night temp swings and that the snow is still melting but there must be less of it up there................63bkpkr

 

[mytimetoshine]

63 it's still up there for sure. This is Spider lake

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[63bkpkr]

Hi MTTS,
Spider is a bit off to the East but "in the general area" and today the cfs is a touch less than 500 cfs and the heavy day to night water swings have almost stopped on the NFAR. Looking better..................63bkpkr

 

[63bkpkr]

Good Morning, I mean it is a good morning as the NFAR is under 200 CFS and therefore safe to be in! Now when will I get to it?......................63bkpkr

 

[63bkpkr]

New Mexico

Good Morning All,
My vacation in New Mexico at 7500' elevation was splendid! Clear blue skies, big puffy clouds and rain, good friends, wild turkeys every morning (as many as 22 at a time) and of course larger animals like Bull Elk within 20 to 30' of the house! The creek out front of the house is running though it is small and COLD, nice mountains to hike though I took only a brief hike up the hill as Elk, Wild Hogs and Mountain Lions are plentiful and I was without my insurance policy, very nice country to be in! Pictures coming...............63bkpkr

My friends place out of Cloudcroft, I loved the clear blue skies!

My one hike in the forest above their house and on their property.

A small group of wild turkeys right at the front of the house.

So I'm sitting on the front porch one evening enjoying my dinner when I notice some movement coming down off the mountain to my right and these four Elk walk right in front of me across the lawn casually munching the grass, only three in the picture but the "Big Guy" was out of sight to the left.

(Note: I still plan on heading for NorCal though now in early September. I plan on being there into November.)

MTTS - I hope your ear and body have recovered!!

 

[arizau]

Good Morning All,
My vacation in New Mexico at 7500' elevation was splendid! Clear blue skies, big puffy clouds and rain, good friends, wild turkeys every morning (as many as 22 at a time) and of course larger animals like Bull Elk within 20 to 30' of the house! The creek out front of the house is running though it is small and COLD, nice mountains to hike though I took only a brief hike up the hill as Elk, Wild Hogs and Mountain Lions are plentiful and I was without my insurance policy, very nice country to be in! Pictures coming...............63bkpkr

View attachment 1485867 My friends place out of Cloudcroft, I loved the clear blue skies!

View attachment 1485868 My one hike in the forest above their house and on their property.

View attachment 1485869 A small group of wild turkeys right at the front of the house.

View attachment 1485870 So I'm sitting on the front porch one evening enjoying my dinner when I notice some movement coming down off the mountain to my right and these four Elk walk right in front of me across the lawn casually munching the grass, only three in the picture but the "Big Guy" was out of sight to the left.

(Note: I still plan on heading for NorCal though now in early September. I plan on being there into November.)

MTTS - I hope your ear and body have recovered!!

Brings back real old memories. We lived close enough to go up for weekend picnics in the summer and occasional sledding in the winter. Even spent 3 or 4 days in the late 50's for high altitude football camp outside of Cloudcroft when I was in high school. Most memorable about football camp was the "wiener roast" the last night (use your imagination). Good times.

 

[63bkpkr]

October 4, 2017 - Here I am in NFAR Country and Brrrrrr it is cold out. Setting up my tent last night it rained and also dropped icy snow flakes on me, this might indicate I've very little time left to explore but it is supposed to warm up some the rest of this week. Still, the nights are nippy!.................63bkpkr