I am here to tell you about the trip I almost took to Ajax Mine in central Arizona. Picking a location on Google Maps is where I first start my planning and the plan ends there. I did skim over a blog by Bold Canyon Outdoors on their adventure and it sounded easy enough. Easy enough for a 4 x 4 vehicle… I was thinking it looked more like the typical wavy smooth roads with occasional areas washed out.
The First Half
The first half of the trip was a straight flat track with ripples. I fantasized about the photos I was going to take of the Milky Way rising above the abandoned Ajax mine. The landscape was typical untouched wilderness of the Sonoran desert. You can see the Jumping Cholla, Prickly Pear, Ocotillo, Palo Verde trees, Jojoba and Saguaros cacti in the landscape.
Once passing the fence line and cattle guard from Cottonwood Canyon Rd leading to Mineral Mountain road I encountered some areas a regular passenger car would start scraping their under carriage. Google maps will have you take a route to a gated ranch. Which if I had fully read the blog earlier, I would have just taken their custom route. It didn’t take long after passing a camper packing it out and a recreational shooter that I encountered the furthest point my Mitsubishi Outlander could handle. It was 4.1 miles from the mine and I literally said, “Four miles ain’t shit!”
Pride Falls Before the Man
Paraphrase of Proverbs 16:18
About a half mile up I was already thinking I should retry to climb the hill as the trail was looking good to go again. Then I came up on the first water hole for the open range cattle. They all had horns and they were too far away to tell if any were bulls.
As I approached a couple of them popped up out of a resting position to their feet. There was apart of me ready to turn around in fear. There was also a very steep hill past the herd I was not looking forward to hiking up. I pressed on despite those inner voices seeking safety and comfort.
About halfway up, I was thinking of the final week of basic training at Ft. Benning. They take us on a 15 mile road march with a combat load. Today I was only carrying a camera gear and a half gallon of water. So counted my blessings resting my legs every so often. I lost signal to Google maps converting the directions from car to walking until I reached the peak of the hill. It told me I was only about a half mile in.
Once again I was thinking about turning around. The inner voice said, “This is suicide to keep going with a half gallon of water and the sun setting and intermittent cell phone signal.” In reality it is pretty dangerous, but it was only a few miles. I couldn’t just quit though.
Grace of the House Finch Babies
Then a moment of grace between the first and second hill happened. I could hear birds frantically chirping away just off the carved mountain path. I saw a brown bird with a red breast fly off from a Jumping Cholla. A dark cluster between arms appeared to be a nest. I climbed up a few feet to see the chirping was coming from a couple baby House Finches.
I pressed on to a second challenging hill. It was obvious my vehicle would never make this journey. If it made it there, coming back might be another challenge.
Still with three miles to go I stood there trying to figure out the distance to the mine. Google maps said it would take an hour, which would put me at the mine during the blue hour giving enough light for some nice long exposures.
I came to a junction and a large dry wash. It lead to North Ajax Mine Trail and some unmarked OHV trails. Luckily Google maps saved me from taking the trail in the picture above. The Ajax Mine Trail is actually behind the mountain. The hike was pretty easy from that point crossing a couple washes.
Momma Cow
I came around a bend and found another herd. They looked like they might be penned, but as I got closer one of them was definitely outside the fence. It started rolling it’s head around. In my mind, I was trying to figure out if it was shaking off some cacti needles or if it was an aggressive gesture. Despite it’s cowbell and long eyelashes, it’s horns were all I was thinking about. I happened to stop next to a Catclaw Mesquite with some Tarantula Hawks having a feast. I figured I could work out my fears while taking pictures of these little monstrous looking insects.
Unfortunately momma cow was not budging. I could see her calves now and my creative mind went off. Not only would I be walking past on unstable ground the narrow path had no real cover. I imagined myself running through the desert in a thin pair of shorts catching all the cacti needles and eventually being brutal gored and trampled. Not to death though just a thorough ass kicking, because God would want me to walk bloody and broken back up those hills. Regretfully I started to walk back looking over my shoulder. Then momma came out of the brush in my direction. Great she’s stalking me now!
The Long Walk Back
I continued to walk briskly and took the wash to throw her off my trail. Coming to the first uphill on the 2nd Hill. The sun was setting behind it. Fully paranoid at this point I was sure a rattlesnake would be repositioning from their day lair for a meal.
I continued on and came across the first herd again with a few missing now. A little further up the road I spooked a calf and this time another cow was standing on the side of the road. Fuck me man! I powered through my fear and calmly walked by. This cow just looked goofy with one horn pointing up and the other down. It might have been crossed-eyed too. At this point I felt foolish for turning around in the first place. What’s even funnier is I was running scenarios of fighting off mountain lions and bears in my head before all this. Really I do look at these thoughts in a comical way though. Which allows me to enjoy some of the beauty I would miss otherwise.
