By Dan "DDD" McCarthy
Pictures by Dan "DDD" McCarthy

New Years Eve and what to do? My special friend, Ania, and myself pondered this question for about a week. We decided to go to Mitchell Caverns and one of my more favorite camp spots in the Mojave Desert.

I had sent out an e-mail to a bunch of people, hopping we could get a big group together. Unfortunately, everybody decided to stay close to home. Who knows, a few could have been a little worried about all the Y2K predictions? My worry was Ania. This would be her first time trail side camping. I was not to sure how she would take to a dry style of camping. As it turned out there was no problem; she handled all the little challenges like a trouper.
The reason I enjoy this location is the view of Pinto Mountain, high up in the Providence Mountains about 5400 ft. This is my traditional campsite for the annual Mojave Road trail I lead. So quite a few of you also have camped there. Well the trip out to Baker went very smooth. It felt like we were the slowest vehicle on the freeway that night, so we made good time. Arriving about 7:00pm only to find one other couple camping there, luckily they did not know about the best spot to pitch a tent (wind, and I mean High Dessert Round Up kind of wind). After we got our camp together, it was time for a New Years fire. Being the good host and all, I tried to start a campfire, with poor results. It seamed like I fought it for an eternity, getting a little frustrated I slipped to the back of my jeep to get a bottle wine. When I returned Ania had it blazing away. Well with my ego a little bruised I said, "You're the fire dud, and you can be in charge of the fires from now on." The rest of the evening proved to be very enjoyable; the sky was clear and full of stars.
The temperature started to drop very fast, as 10:30pm came along, we decided to adjourn to the tent and the warmth of our sleeping bags.  I managed to set an alarm for midnight, but as it turned out it was not needed. The wind and other noises around the camp kept us awake. Midnight came along, the buzzer went off and we did our best to celebrate the new millennium.
When the sun came up that Saturday, my promises came true on how beautiful the campsite was. Ania was like a child let free. It was as if she was in shock on how grand and how open the area was. She immediately ran for a large rock and climbed it. After breakfast we went exploring, down Wild Horse Canyon, finding a beautiful box canyon and decided to go for a hike. Reaching the end, we found a very steep path with large metal rings to assist in our climbing out. The trail ended at a campground called Hole in the Wall off Black Canyon RD.
About an hour later we finally made it to the junction for the cavern, only to find a closed sign. I read of an old ghost town nearby named Providence that was high up on the mountain.  So off we went exploring up dirt roads through a cattle ranch and an old gold mine. A short hike later we came across Providence or what was left of it. All that remains is a couple of foundations and a few walls. Lunch was in the shade of an old demolished stamping mill, high up on the mountain over looking the ranch and valley in which we came. Black Canyon RD. was a very scenic drive back to the campsite. Still in luck, only the one couple still in the "wrong" spot.  A quick dinner and the campfire was on its way. I guess it was my turn to watch Ania struggle with the fire. We used all of what was left of the kindling and what I could find, including 30 paper plates. I guess the fire gods were not on our side.
It was probably the very cold temperatures that night (yah that's the ticket). Since the fire was being a pain, and it was getting very cold and windy again, we decided it was better to be warm it our sleeping bags.  I broke up two wimpy coals, which put out the fire, and off we went to bed. After about 30 minuets in my warm sleeping bag, I noticed a flickering light on the side of the tent. The fire had jumped to life and I was not looking forward to getting out in the cold to extinguish our jounced fire. Standing out there in the cold and black, not wanting to go over to the Jeep to get some water. I used the next best thing (all you guys know what I am talking about).
The sky was full of stars and some wispy clouds much like the night before. Then it happened: WIND AND LOTS OF IT. The tent was flapping, snapping and bouncing, just the way we like it, you know what I am talking about if you attend the High Desert Round Up. The noises around the camp were numerous and varied. I could here a person walking around our tent and a Jeep window zipper open. Boy was I starting to wonder what was going on. Off I went back out into the dark, checking the Jeep and area around camp. The place we heard the foot steeps turned out to have a huge boulder and the Jeep was fine. The wind was still howling so I moved the Jeep over to the tent tying them together. Maybe now we could get some sleep! NO, we were not that lucky, next came the rain. I was wondering to myself if it was cold enough for snow hoping for some good pictures the next morning.
Well you guessed it 1.5 inches of that white stuff. Everything was gorgeous. The bluffs off in the distance had a dusting, as well as all the plants around camp. We spent a few hours shooting as much film as we could before it melted. After breakfast we broke camp and started for home. Down at Cedar Canyon and Cima Rd. we aired up. Ania noticed a hissing sound from one of my tires. I managed to pick up a broken razor knife in one of my rear tires. Thankfully my very old plug kit still worked and after a few minuets off we were heading for home.
In closing, I must say Ania did very well for her first time in the wilds of the Mojave. Maybe one of you might join us on our next expedition into the unknown.
DDD

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