RonnieAdventure #0050 - Cima Ghost Town, San Bernardino County, California

Cima is about as close to being abandoned as you can get!

The community of Cima was originally founded in 1906 as a railroad siding and a community center for ranchers and miners in the area; but the community did not ever have a large boom and bust like many of the other town in the Mojave Desert. Even though there are a few people that still live in the area, Cima is now considered to be a ghost town.

The 2000 census listed the population of Cima at 21, but the population appears to have declined since that time. We stopped in Cima on a Saturday and didn't see anyone. The general store was closed and it was unclear if the closure was temporary or permanent. .

Cima is probably best known for its proximity to the steepest part of the railroad grade between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. The grade rises about 2,000 feet in 20 miles, so this is a great place to take pictures of slow moving freight trains. Even though the town site has an elevation of 4,175 feet, temperatures in the summer time are still hot; but it’s a dry heat. Annual precipitation is less than 10 inches per year. Even though the highest recorded temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit and the lowest temperature recorded was -2 degrees Fahrenheit., the best time to visit Cima is still during the winter or spring months!

General Store

General Store Window

Old House

Old House

Through the Window

Through the Back Door

Through the Front Door

Given Up

About to Give Up

Through the Shed

Abandoned Train Loading Dock



RonnieAdventure #0049 - Ivanpah Ruins & Solar Energy Generating System, San Bernardino Co., California

If you tell someone that you are going to “Ivanpah” in the Mojave Desert, it is easy to conjure up a lot of different locations. Most people probably think of the proposed “Ivanpah” International Airport that is in the planning stages between Las Vegas and the Nevada/California state line; or, the “Ivanpah” Solar Electric Generating System (ISEGS) located in California just west of the state line.

Construction on the airport is still in the planning stages; but construction started on ISEGS  in October 2010 and ISEGS is currently the largest solar plant under construction in the world. With all of the mirrors and towers glistening in the desert sun, from a distance ISEGS looks like something designed for a science fiction movie.

Located in the same general area is the thirteen square mile “Ivanpah” Dry Lake, which is popular place for land sailing because of its flat, smooth surface. On October 26, 2007, a wind-powered vehicle named Greenbird set a world speed record of 126.1 miles per hour at Ivanpah Dry Lake.   

Then there is the “Old Ivanpah” town site (I later learned that this site is sometimes called “Ivanpah 1.”), which is where I thought I was going to when I looked up “Ivanpah” on the topographical map. As it turns out, “Old Ivenpah” is in the Clark Mountains on the north side of Interstate 15, so when I turned off of the Interstate and headed south I was going 180 degrees in the wrong direction.

Anyway, I succeeded in finding “New Ivanpah,” which is marked on the topographical map as the location where Ivanpah Road crosses the railroad track. I should have known that "Old Ivanpah" wouldn't be that easy to find!

Unfortunately, “New Ivanpah” has been abandoned and the only thing that remains is the old boarded-up general store and some out buildings. Apparently, the site was originally called “Leastalk,” but at some unknown time the site became known as “Ivanpah” because this is where cartographers decided that “Ivanpah” should be located. Now I have to go find “Old Ivanpah!”

  "New Ivanpah" Townsite

General Store

Out Building

Out Building

Ivanpah Dry Lake

Ivanpah Solar Energy Generating System (ISEGS)

RonnieAdventure #0048 - Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, California

If you are looking for solitude, look no further and head for the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. At 1,538,015 acres, you are not going to see a lot of people, and the number of people you do see drops exponentially with the distance from a paved road.

With the passage of the California Desert Protection Act of 1994, the Preserve lands were created from lands previously managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an Agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).

Spread throughout the Preserve are numerous old wagon trails, ghost towns, homesteads and remnants of mining activities. Elevations in the Preserve vary from 880 feet to 7,929 feet, so visitors to the area need to be prepared for all types of weather conditions because weather conditions change quickly and without a lot of warning. Any off-road travel in the Preserve should only be attempted with a 4-wheel drive vehicle that is in good condition. If stranded, the buzzards may find you before the Park Rangers do. Oh! And by the way, be sure to have a full tank of gas, as there are no gas stations within the 1,538,015 acre Preserve.

Some of the more notable natural features in the area include Cima Dome, Kelso Sand Dunes, Marl Mountains, Hole-in-the-Wall, and Cinder Cone Lave Beds. The old Kelso railroad depot has been restored and is now the Preserve’s Visitor Center. The Preserve is also known for its numerous stands of Joshua Trees, which are some of the largest in the world.

Although surrounded by the Preserve, Providence Mountains State Recreation Area and Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve are both managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Unfortunately, Mitchell Caverns is now indefinitely closed to the public.

Cima Dome is very symmetrical and was formed deep under the Earth’s surface 80-180 million years ago when the Farallon Plate was being subducted beneath the North American Plate. At its widest point, the Dome is a little over 10 miles in diameter and covers about 70-square miles. The total elevation change above the desert floor is about 1,500 feet, but the rise is so symmetrical that the elevation lines on a topographical map resemble the rings of a bull’s eye on a target.

 Looking at West Side of Cima dome

Cima Dome Topographical Map

Joshua Tree forest on north side of Cima Dome

Abandoned Homestead in the Preserve

Cellar at Abandoned Homestead

"Looking for Water"

The below-listed pictures taken in 2003 are from a visit to Mitchell Caverns.

Mojave Yucca at Entrance to Mitchell Caverns

RonnieAdventure #0047- Nipton & Walking Box Ranch, California / Nevada

Situated at the northeast corner of the Mojave National Preserve is the unincorporated metropolis of Nipton, California (population 60).

 

In the 1870s, the only improvements in this area were two wagon trails that crossed in a remote section of the Mojave Desert; then, in 1900 a gold seeker staked a mining claim at the junction and called the mine Nippeno. Other miners took up residence at the crossroads and they soon started calling the community Nippeno Camp. The town became the social center in the area for miners and ranchers and at one time Nippeno Camp had a school, post office, railroad depot, and a number of businesses. Then, in 1910, when the SP, LA & SL rail lines merged with Union Pacific railroad, the town’s name was change to Nipton to sound more sophisticated.

In the 1920s Hollywood celebrities started coming to the area to stay at the Walking Box Ranch that was owned by movie stars Clara Bow and Rex Bell and located just a few miles from Nipton. Clara and Rex loved to throw lavish parties at the ranch and Hollywood celebrities like Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and Errol Flynn found the Walking Box Ranch a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. 

However, as the mines faded into the sunset, so did Nipton. In 1985 the town of Nipton was sold to a private enterprise in an attempt to retain some of the original buildings. Then, a new type of gold was discovered in Nipton – the California State Lottery. Nipton is located just west of the California/Nevada state line and was the closest location for Las Vegas residents to purchase lottery tickets. Soon, Nipton reached notoriety for the most lottery ticket sales in California. Unfortunately, when a new store that sold lottery ticket opened on the California side of the state line in Primm, Nevada, Nipton lost its number one ranking because Primm was easier and faster to get to for Las Vegas residents.

Nipton is now, however, redeveloping itself as the “Gateway to the Mojave National Preserve,” and the community advertises itself to people from all over the world as an eco-tourism mecca. In 2010 the community installed a solar-powered generator to provide most of the town’s electricity and eco-cabins for overnight accommodations were constructed. Other attractions to Nipton include the original five-room hotel that has been remodeled, a travel-trailer park, the original general store (now called the Nipton Trading Post), free water and free public rest rooms. In the evenings one can sit on the front porch of the hotel and watch the trains go by and enjoy the beautiful front yard between the hotel and the railroad tracks as the sun sits over the mountains. There is even a café in town that advertises they have the best hamburgers in Nipton (when they are open). Wi-Fi is available in the general store for those that want to stay connected! Now is the time to plan your next vacation and beat the rush to Nipton!

 Eco-Cabin (Typical)

 

5-Room Hotel

 

Hotel Front Porch

 

Hotel Front Yard

 

General Store

 

General Store

 

Town Wi-Fi Center

 

Street Sign

 

Town Art on Display

 

Town Art on Display

 

Free Town Water

 

Free Public Restrooms

The last time I visited the Walking Box Ranch was in 2004, and then in 2006 the Ranch was purchased by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to be jointly managed with the University of Nevada. The Ranch is now closed to the public for renovations, but below are some pictures from 2004.

 Main Ranch House

 

Dinning Area

 

Family Room

 

Study

 

Master Bedroom

 

Typical Guest Room

RonnieAdventure #0046 - Zzyzx, San Bernardino County, California

Interstate 15 Exit to Zzyzx 

Most people traveling on Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles are perplexed when they see the exit sign to “Zzyzx.” Some people think the sign is a Government secret code dealing with Area 51, or maybe a directional sign for aliens passing through Baker; however, neither are correct!

 Zzyzx (pronounced “Zye-Zex”) is located about 5 miles south of Interstate 15 on the shores of beautiful Lake Tuendae; although, historically, the site was known as Camp Soda located at Soda Springs on the shores of a dry lakebed named Soda Lake.  

Lake Tuendae

 

Fountain at Lake Tuendae

 

 White Beaches at Soda Lake

Palm Trees at Soda Lake

 

Then, in 1944 Los Angeles radio evangelist Curtis Springer, self-proclaimed minister and doctor, moved to Camp Soda and renamed it “Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Resort.” The resort was touted as “the last word in health,” playing on the word “Zzyzx” as the last word in the English language.  

 

After arriving in Zzyzx, Springer started bottling the spring water and marketed it as a miracle medical product that could cure heart problems, arthritis, cancer, baldness, etc. Shipments of the miracle water increased astronomically and Springer soon accumulated a small fortune. He then built a 60-room hotel, church, and private airstrip (“The Zyport”) because people started coming from all over the world to partake of the natural hot springs healing waters. (In reality, the only thing “natural” about the hot springs water was the “natural” gas that fired a large boiler hidden in the basement of the bath house to heat the water.) At some point in time Springer became “Dr. Springer,” and he started a radio station at Zzyzx, so that he could broadcast his program of music, scripture, and messages nationwide.

 

Zzyzx Hotel

 

 Abandoned Building at Zzyzx

 

Unfortunately for Springer, in 1974, Federal Marshals arrested him for FDA violations of food and drug laws associated with his “miracle water” and he ended up spending some time in jail. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, the Federal Government realized that Springer had no ownership interest in Soda Springs and he was evicted for trespassing on Federal property. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) then came in and assumed control of Zzyzx.

Some of the original buildings are still standing and the facility is now managed by California State University as the Desert Studies Center. Extension classes are open to the public for a reasonable fee that often includes two nights lodging, five meals, and all the “miracle water” that you can use. (For a schedule of classes, Google “Desert Studies Center.”)