April 16-19 (Fri-Mon)

Birds, Hiking, and Service

Bright Star Wilderness Area

CONTACT:

Craig Deutsche, (310-477-6670)

deutsche@earthlink.net

THE AREA

The Bright Star Wilderness Area is a delightful mix of yellow pine forest, open sageland, and riparian habitats lying between the southern edge of the Sierra Mountains and the northern part of the Mojave Desert. This area is a beautiful mix of desert/sage hills, marginal farmlands, private homes, cattle ranches, and National Forest. The small towns along highway 178 border the South Fork of the Kern River and are virtually unknown to any but the local residents. Elevations within the Bright Star Wilderness itself range from 6000 feet high above Cortez Canyon to 2000 feet where Bright Star Canyon joins the Kelso Valley on the eastern boundary. Sequoia National Forest lies immediately to the west and a mix of privately owned lands border it on the north, east, and south.  Surrounded as it is, the wilderness area is relatively inaccessible and unknown. Travel in the wilderness area is almost entirely off-trail through rugged country. The significant exceptions to this latter statement are an open jeep corridor though the center of the area and the Piute Mountain Road which touches its southern edge at a few isolated places. These roads are necessarily the access points, both legal and illegal, for the wilderness area and represent the focus of our project.

THE PROJECT AND SCHEDULE

 On Friday, March 15, I (Craig Deutsche) will be taking a long, exploratory, and rather strenuous day hike along the Bright Star Creek with any who wish to join me. We will begin in the Sequoia National forest about eight miles to the west of the wilderness area and descend at least 3000 feet through the higher Ponderosa forest and then through the very brushy riparian areas at the lower elevations. We will reach the western edge of the Bright Star wilderness at the curiously named “Burning Moscow Mine,” and from there we walk out two miles along an old trail that undoubtedly once served to bring equipment to the site. The mine area includes one or two pits, a cabin area, an old five-stamp mill, and several tailing piles. It may qualify as a historic site, but has not yet been documented as such. The small portion of the Bright Star Creek which I have followed previously is beautiful but horribly brushy. The walk will almost certainly be a challenge, but on the other hand, I have been unable to find anyone who has traveled the route and so it will also be an adventure. Undoubtedly we will have to retrieve our shuttle cars in the dark.   Anyone who wishes may meet me at 7:00 AM Friday morning at the Landers Meadow Guard Station just north of Piute Mountain Road. This is a public camping area where I will be staying Thursday night, and certainly anyone wishing to take the hike will want to do the same. The hike is purely optional; most of our group will assemble on Saturday morning when we meet to begin our service project.

On Saturday morning at 8:30 AM we will meet Marty Dickes to begin our service. Marty is the Wilderness Resource Specialist for the Ridgecrest Field Office of the BLM. This means that Marty is responsible for the integrity of the designated wilderness areas of that field office, and I can promise that she is a delightful person to work with. Our project will occupy most of Saturday and Sunday. Bring work gloves, but other equipment and instruction will be provided. Our efforts will essentially be directed at restricting the illegal ORV entry into the Bright Star Wilderness. Although specific locations and methods will be determined as the need arises, these will include constructing physical barriers at some entry points, and will certainly involve disguising illegal roads and trails in numerous locations so that old routes are not visible and do not invite further, illegal travel. Some parts of the Bright Star area have been badly abused and disfigured by ORV travel, and it is rather satisfying to look at these areas when they have been restored and know, or hope, that the damage will not recur.

Monday, April 19, is reserved for recreation. Keith Axelson is a local resident living along Kelso Creek just outside the wilderness area. He knows other local residents and ranchers, and he has been concerned with the integrity of the area for a number of years. He has been an active member of the Audubon Society and was instrumental in their purchase of some private land along Kelso Creek which provided bird habitat and also closed one of the illegal entry points to the wilderness area. Keith will accompany us to the Butterbrecht Springs area fifteen miles south of our camping area. This is a designated Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) which was created largely to protect habitat that is used heavily by migrating birds in the spring and fall. The area is itself beautiful as is the drive we will take to get there. There will be several other knowledgeable birders with us, and our interest will be to learn from them. Bring binoculars. It is likely that the trip will end in the early afternoon to allow for longer drives to reach home destinations.

PARTICIPATION

 This trip is limited to members of Desert Survivors. It is necessary to have signed the standard release form before going. There is a suggested (voluntary) $10 donation which will be collected at the first meeting on Saturday morning.

People may join the trip for any part that they wish. Please let me (Craig) know you plans, however, so that we are aware if who to expect and do not wait for someone who is not attending. Information about equipment, meeting place, maps, and membership in Desert Survivors will be provided.