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Coyote Creek (Continuedfrom page 10) STREET, OFF-ROAD, TRIALS, & MOTOCROSS NOW HANDLING BULTACO·KTM Now open MON. Thru Sat. 1801 W. Burbank Blvd.' Burbank, CA 915" 1I~5·.7~ Tell 'em you saw It In Cycle News SAL.ES • PARn • SERVICE ACCESSORIES OWNE:9/t. '\) CYCLE CENTER "&31 E. Cereon It. 2 _ E . - .. _ 50 12UI" en' ~ ~ Ca..". ... _ (7I4IUa-4MI e-·~ • Don't go on the Ride Without It.•. OUIIALU_ ,., \,OKO"• • • H . _ - nuaAlC1 II MOUNTAIN VIEW ~ DISTRIBUTING 415-969-1882! a _ 110• • •T _TA c _ on the low side. After crOllSing go up the hill and in .5 miles you J?ass the remains of Salty Peterson's Mill. Salty build most of this road with a bulldozer back in 1942. In another 1. 5 miles a junction appears. The left goes out to Coyote Flats and Baker Creek, the area covered on our first ride. Go to the right. After another mile you pass the ruins of the Peterson Mine on the hillside to the right. After all the road building the mine doesn't look like it was worth all the effort. Old Salty's mine was fickle like so many others, and it produced very little. Proceed another 1.4 miles past the mine and follow the creek as it babbles along on the road. In a narrow mea· dow we again met a hot-tempered bull. It seems we meet these critters more often than 1 like. I'm never sure if they want to attack or mate with my scooter. They sure get excited. 1 always hope my 17 horsepower is faster than one bullpower. After the 1.4 miles and at the fork you have a choice. We first went left out to Coyote Lake. It's about a mile and well worth the mileage and time. There are some good camping sites next to the lake if you are equipped to spend the night. We took a short break then backtrackd about 100 yards and picked up a faint road going up the ridge to the east. The road ends near the Bracket Mine. Fmd it on your map. At the saddle, park the bikes, walk to the east and look down into Rocky Bottom Lake. You are at about 10,500 feet. Another lake called Funnel is just over the ridge to the east. Not too many people know of these lakes and even fewer see them. Enjoy. I have been told the fishing in Rocky Bottom is excellent. They are probably pretty wild, and a line-wetter like me might have a tough time catching one. We worked our way back to the main road and on the way spotted three very large deer_ One had a rack of antlers thaL looked like the picture on the Challenge Butter carton. We also got a look at one of the mountain comedians. A fat marmot waddled across our trail. We pulled up and really had a good laugh watching it try to find its burrow. I don't think he sees too many motorcycles. He got a little rattled. On the main road we took another break and paused to look' at the clouds. The daily thunderheads began building again and we noticed the temperature had dropped many degrees. Not wanting to get aced out again we climbed back on the bikes, took the right fork and headed nonhwest. After about a half mile, tbe road forked again. If you follow the maps and the way the road looks, you'd take the right one. We got adventurous and went left. This road didn't show on any map I had in my files. The only map that indicates it is one dated 1964. I discovered it at a research lab on Convict Creek just by chance while visiting friends a month after the ride. The road is just two rocky tracks pushed up Coyote Ridge. In some places it almost disappears. I'd guess not many bikes or vehicles cross over tbe ridge in this area, At the top a small weather beaten sign tells you it's a dead end. It does, but DOt for seftl'al more miles. Coyote Ridge is an almost ban-en wind swept area. The west side ba a few scattered grtarIy pines while the east side is just stunted grass and wry tiny wild flowen. Along tbe ridge were several long lingering mow banks. At the top of tbe ridge it is 11,000 feet. It doesn't seem that high due to the multitude of tall peaks along the Sierra Crest, we could see off to die south and west. We ran both bikes on stock jets, and tbe altitude didD't hamper tbe power much. We started down the west side of the ridge and soon caught sight of South Lalte which lies at 9755 feet. From there, it looked a long way down. Up at this altitude, distance and elevation seem distorted. I call it an opDcal confwion. We continued down and came ~ the Lindner Mine. There is little left except the ore loader and a few feet of track for the are cars. We loohd around but the KEEP OUT and NO TRESPASSING signs looked official, so we kept our distance, too~ only pictures and left only a few tire trach. This' is an excellent area to explote, but the weather looked a little shakey, so we started our return to the van. We hated to leave, but with the dark clouds, . the temperature now down to the mid· !lOs and the possihility of a lightnin stonn, it seemed like a good time t split. We're not chicken, just a littl cautious. Besides, in this area if there' lightning about, you are the higbes thing around. And you know wha that can meanl As we made our way back up t ridge and down the other side, w stopped at the other fork - tbe one w didn't take - and pasued to wonder i we shouldn't have gone the other way Maybe next year. If you go right, you'll head north u toward Lookout Mountain. Tum for a ways then go almost due south Soon you will find the Schober Mine It was discovered by Hal Schober some time in 1940. It was the only profit able tungsten operation in the area He sold the mine to the EI Diablo Min ing Company. The are ran out i 194!l, and it was shut down. While in operation, they built road down to Bishop Creek to Lh Coats Meadow area. An off-road write several Years ago wrote that the roa was washed out in 1946 and is no impassable. I went into the Bisho Creek area the next day, and there is road going up the side of the mounta' that looks in good shape. However, 0 the Inter-agency Motor Vehicle U Map produced by the USFS, BLM an the City of Los Angeles, they have smcted the road tD foot traffic onl Los Angeles City probably thinks ve c1e traffic will cause a little eroSion a put a little sand in their turbines 0 Bishop Creek. Next year I think I' hike up the road just to see if the bik would cause a problem. Riding in this area is a fme ence_ The scenery, the history, j riding the roads and enjoying the in nuity of the road builders is super. T it. And tue a camera; there are pic tures that to me are priceless. The maps you will need are an In National Forest Map and the follow' USGS Topol. Bishop, CA, Big Pi CA, Mt. Tom, CA and Mt. Goddar CA quadrangles. The Inter·agen map can be useful and might keep from getting a citation and going fore a Federal Magistrate. It will P you to do a little research when 'p ning a ride anywhere in the Sierras. As I've said before in my aTtici ride the National Forests. They're and we should ride tbern. Follow a ~ simple rules and have fun. Maybe I see you in Coyote Creek next year!