Cargo Muchacho Mountains 
Our
sandy campsite in the Algodones Dunes near Glamis was perfectly
located for a day trip over to the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. These
mountains are small and have a distinctive dark brown coloration. They
stood out clearly against a blue February sky as we approached
Gold Rock Ranch, a spot replete with local history and character. After
checking out their extensive collection of desert memorabilia
and rock samples, we headed up the road to our first mine,
the Bluebird Kyanite Mine. This deposit of kyanite
is spread around the locale of Vitrefax Hill. Kyanite
is used in the manufacture of spark plugs, among other things. It
is an attractive mineral with a near sapphire like blue color. We
prowled around the area, which proved to be quite photogenic,
and found several nice samples. From
that location it was a short drive to the American Girl Mine. This
is an old gold mine that just keeps on going. Modern
technology has dispensed with shafts and tunnels, and the
whole area has been turned into a giant open pit strip mine. Still,
it was an awesome sight to see. The old mines in the
Cargo Muchachos date from around 1862. They had
the reputation of being quite dangerous due to the deep shafts,
around 1,000 feet, and the constant danger of cave-ins and
fires. I guess it's a lot easier now. You just
remove the whole mountain, crush it, and extract the ore. Somehow
it just doesn't have the same romance as the old fashioned
way!
Our
last stop of the day was out on the Indian Pass road. This
area has a sprinkling of petrified palm that has nice color
to it. There are also deposits of dumortierite. We
found a little of each, but it was the scenery that captured
our fancy. The jagged peaks near Picacho and the
distant Cargo Muchacho Mountains made a perfect backdrop
to the rugged desert washes with their thorny inhabitants. We
stayed in the area until sunset before we finally headed
back to our campsite. If you click on the photo link
below you can see some of the sights, too!