Description: We will travel 68 miles to Desert Center and stop for fuel. We will go east 18 miles and exit I-10 at Chuckwalla Valley Road and cross Augustine Pass through the narrow scenic canyon to the Bradshaw Trail. We will head west on the Bradshaw Trail along the boundary of the Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range. This section is one of the most beautiful with the Chuckwalla and Orocopia Mountains to the north and the Chocolate Mountains to the south. The trail drops to the sandy Salt Creek Wash and a shallow canyon close to the Eagle Mountain Railroad. The trail then exits via the Coachella Canal road along the North Shore and the Salton Sea.

History (thank you Wikipedia.org):
The trail is named for trailblazer William David Bradshaw who first crossed the area in 1862. A former forty-niner, Bradshaw knew that the northern gold mines were rapidly becoming exhausted and that the flood of refugees from the area would need a more direct trail from the south across the desert to the new strike at La Paz. Without a direct trail, it would be necessary to travel a great distance southeast to Yuma, then north up the river to La Paz. Bradshaw was also aware of the financial possibilities which could be found in a gold boomtown.

Despite the fact that the trail crossed mostly barren desert, water was reasonably plentiful with water holes found at roughly thirty-mile intervals. Between 1862 and 1877, the Bradshaw Trail was the main route between Southern California and the La Paz gold fields.

This trail is rated: Easy to moderate, high clearance and 4 WD required.

Augustine Pass has large rocks and tight turns.

RSVP requested to Trip Leader Scott (see below). Also, please let us know if you can take a passenger.

Bring: Lunch & water.

Meeting Location: 2701 Marguerite Street, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Contact: Scott Connelly @ 1-(760)324-5001 or E-mail: sconnelly@dc.rr.com

NOTE: Passengers riding in other vehicles are requested to chip in for gas. Our recommended way is to divide the total cost of gas by the number of people in the 4x4 vehicle (including counting the driver).

Meeting Information Date: Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009 Time: 8:30 AM / Return: 4 PM Place: See Above Contact: Scott Connelly @ 1-(760)324-5001 Note: Drivers Wanted/Passengers Welcome

Trip Notes Length: Unknown Driving Time: Unknown Elevation Range: Unknown Difficulty: See above Note: Bring water, lunch and snacks

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