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Isham Canyon Area
Isham Canyon, the Stockwell Mine, Manly Pass, and Fish Canyon are the main sites of interest in this area. The fact that a dirt road crosses the Slate Range here draws a lot of people to this area. Further, Isham Canyon is an attraction to off-roaders into rock crawling as the last half mile of the canyon below Manly Pass provides a formidable obstacle course which challenges their skills and equipment. (Click here for area map.)
Isham Canyon Area (March 2010)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Coreopsis - This flower was reasonably abundant, but not so much as last year.
  2. Clouds to North - The north end of Panamint Valley was quite cloudy.
  3. Mojave Aster - Asters in bloom were scattered here and there.
  4. Eriophyllum - Patches of woolly daisy starting to show up in wash areas.
  5. Chia - Chia was also plentiful.
  6. Desert Tomato - Small, white, trumpet-shaped flowers on desert tomato bushes.
  7. Desert Alyssum - Otherwise known as peppergrass.
  8. Purple Owl's Clover #1 - Mostly located on the Panamint Valley side of the crest.
  9. Purple Owl's Clover #2 - Small, but colorful little plant.
  10. Purple Owl's Clover #3 - Quite abundant at right around 3000 feet in elevation.
Isham Canyon Area (June 2009)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Turtleback #1 - Turtleback at the mouth of a canyon.
  2. Turtleback #2 - Nicely rounded turtleback plant.
  3. Turtleback #3 - Round mound on the ground.
  4. Turtleback #4 - Smaller mound by a rock.
  5. Turtleback #5 - Close up of flowers and leaves.
  6. Switchbacks - Faint switchback and tunnel.
  7. Boulder - Boulder at mouth of canyon.
  8. Canyon Bottom - Looking down canyon with boulder.
  9. Canyon Top - Looking up canyon with boulder.
  10. Another Canyon - Looking up canyon.
  11. Mine Timber #1 - Just inside mine entrance.
  12. Mine Timber #2 - Inside another mine tunnel.
  13. Tortoise Shell #1 - Remains of dead tortoise.
  14. Tortoise Shell #2 - Belly plate busted.
  15. Tortoise Shell #3 - Shell in bush as found.
  16. Rattlesnake - Rattler just below radio facility.
  17. Radio Facility - View looking north into Panamint Valley.
  18. Three Canyons - Notice roads in two of these canyons.
  19. Flat-Topped Buckwheat #1 - Basal leaves and tiny flowers.
  20. Briggs Mine - Briggs Mine June 2009.
  21. Flat-Topped Buckwheat #2 - Also known as skeleton weed.
  22. Rodent - Slow moving, it probably wasn't too healthy!
    23. --- Added August 2009 ---
  23. Explosive #1 - Groove in rock and spent explosive of some kind.
  24. Explosive #2 - Close up of explosive. There were two others nearby.
    25. ---- Added October 2009 ---
  25. BLM Sign - BLM sign knocked down near Stockwell Mine.
Isham Canyon Area (February 2009)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Brittlebush - Brittlebush in bloom along the base of the Slate Range.
  2. Golden Evening Primrose #1 - Bright yellow flowers and buds on road to Fish Canyon.
  3. Golden Evening Primrose #2 - Full plant view with lots of forming flower buds.
  4. Coreopsis #1 - Coreopsis on road to Fish Canyon.
  5. Coreopsis #2 - More coreopsis along! There was actually quite a bit in bloom!
  6. Telescope Peak - Peak shrouded in clouds and covered with snow!
  7. BLM Barrier #1 - Barrier knocked over at Manly Pass.
  8. BLM Barrier #2 - Fresh motorcycle tracks by-passing the BLM barrier.
  9. Illegal Off-Road Activity - Motorcycle tracks about a quarter mile beyond BLM barrier.
  10. Mojave Aster #1 - Mojave aster blooming near Isham Canyon.
  11. Mojave Aster #2 - Another view of aster flowers.
Isham Canyon Area (August 2008)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Canyon Mouth - Stack of rocks at the mouth of canyon west of Isham Canyon.
  2. Mojave Aster #1 - During the off-season Mojave Aster turns brown.
  3. Slate View - View looking south from ridge west of Isham Canyon.
  4. Communications Towers #1 - Looking up to the northwest at communication towers.
  5. Telescope View - Looking through saddle in Slate Range at Telescope Peak.
  6. High Point #1 - Stack of rocks at high point west of Isham Canyon looking northwest.
  7. High Point #2 - Same location as previous picture only looking east toward higher part of the Slate Range.
  8. Briggs Mine - Looking across Panamint Valley at the Briggs Mine.
  9. Communications Towers #2 - Another view of the communications towers.
  10. Mojave Aster - These plants will revive with a good rainfall. Sometimes they'll even bloom in the fall!
  11. Manly Peak - Looking across Panamint Valley at Manly Peak.
    12. --- Added November 2008 ---
  12. Abandoned Truck - An abandoned truck near the turn off to the road leading to Isham Canyon.
  13. BLM Barrier #1 - This barrier was recently placed near Manly Pass.
  14. Rock Ramp - A recently created rock ramp between the two BLM barriers. It was probably made a few days prior to the placement of the barriers.
  15. BLM Barrier #2 - This barrier was recently placed at the bottom of a side canyon off of Isham Canyon.
Mouth of Fish (January/Febrary 2008)    Quick view of trip pics
    January 2008:
  1. Telescope Peak #1 - Looking across Panamint Valley near the mouth of Fish Canyon.
  2. Telescope Peak #2 - Another view of Telescope Peak taken a bit closer to what almost look like islands... or turtles!
  3. Looking North - Looking north up Panamint Valley from the top of one of the islands or turtles.
  4. Manly and Briggs - A view of Manly from atop one of the islands.
  5. Manly Peak - A view of Manly and a little to the south.
  6. Telescope #3 - Another view of Telescope as sunset approaches.
    7. February 2008:
  7. Dry Fall - Dry fall at the top of canyon just west of Fish Canyon.
  8. Chalk #1 - Chalk outcropping in same canyon.
  9. Chalk #2 - A road led to this outcropping and stopped there.
  10. Mushroom #1 - Mushroom down in Panamint Valley just below mouth to canyon.
  11. Mushroom #2 - Another view of little mushroom.
Fish Canyon (May 2007)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Father Fish - Memorial with information about Father Fish.
  2. View From Above - Memorials from above.
  3. Trail Sign - ET trail sign pointing way to next memorial.
  4. Upper Canyon #1 - Wash in upper portion of Fish Canyon.
  5. Upper Canyon #2 - Another view of upper portion of Fish Canyon.
  6. Fish Road - Road to Fish Canyon.
  7. Double Mine Marker - Two stacks of rocks a mile south of the Stockwell Mine. This stack of rocks is actually just about midway between the Stockwell and the Ophir.
  8. Fish Canyon Road - A view of the road leading to Fish Canyon taken from a ridge to the south.
  9. Mine Marker - A mine marker about half way between the Ophir and Stockwell mines.
  10. Stockwell - The large T on the side of the mountain in the background is part of the disturbance caused by the Stockwell Mine. The picture was taken about a mile south of the Stockwell.
Isham Area (June 2006)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Dead Cholla #1 - Dead cholla near Isham Canyon.
  2. Dead Cholla #2 - More cholla skeletons.
  3. Dead Cholla #3 - Argus Peak in background.
  4. Dead Cholla #4 - Another standing, but dead cactus.
  5. Dead Cholla #5 - Fairly tall, but deceased specimen.
  6. Dead Cholla #6 - Another good-sized cactus that died.
  7. Dead Cholla #7 - Quite large, but all dried up.
    8. --- Added December 2006 ---
  8. Isham Intersection #1 - Ruins at beginning of road to Isham.
  9. Isham Intersection #2 - More ruins of mining operation.
  10. Isham Intersection #3 - Concrete walls and refuse.
  11. Isham Intersection #4 - Ruins from a distance with Slate Range behind them.
  12. Isham Intersection #5 - Another view of ruins from a distance.
Fish Canyon (May 2006)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Escape Trail - Close up view of ET trail sign.
  2. Fish Story (part one) - The story of the Escape Trail and Fish Canyon.
  3. Fish Story (part two) - Part two of the coninuing saga.
  4. Fish Story (part three) - Some important dates.
  5. Fish Story (part four) - The Silent Sepulcre and Bennett and Arcane.
  6. Fish Story (part five) - Two signs in one picture!
  7. Gold Covered Hillside - Flowers on hillside.
  8. Panamint View - View across valley from mouth of Fish Canyon.
  9. Manly Peak #1 - Southern end of Panamint Range from Fish Canyon.
  10. Manly Peak #2 - West side of peak from just below Fish.
  11. Briggs Mine - This is a view of the Briggs Mine taken from the area around Chess Canyon from a ridge in the Slate Range.
  12. Chess Canyon - Old sign found near horse trail which goes by Chess Canyon.
  13. Claim Papers #1 - Claim papers showing name of mine claim and the date on which the claim was filed. The "Spark Plug #1" claim was filed on "March 23, 1975" according to these documents.
  14. Claim Papers #2 - More information on the mine claim mostly pertaining to the location of the claim. The names of those filing the claim are also shown here.
  15. Panamint Hills - Looking north from ridge near Chess Canyon.
  16. Claim Marker #1 - View of claim marker looking down Chess Canyon toward Panamint Valley.
  17. Claim Marker #2 - Closer view of claim marker which shows the rusty can which contains the claim papers.
    18. --- OLDER PICTURES ---
  18. Eriogonum - Some eriogonum in bloom during Spring 2005
  19. Escape Trail Sign #1 - ET sign near Manly Pass
  20. Rocks on Ridge - Rocks on ridge near Manly Pass
Stockwell Mine (May 2006)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Stockwell Flagpole - Foundation, flagpole, and stairs.
  2. Stockwell Tunnel One #1 - Entrance to tunnel one at Stockwell.
  3. Stockwell Tunnel One #2 - Looking into tunnel one.
  4. Stockwell Tunnel One #3 - Far view of tunnel one.
  5. Stockwell Tunnel Two #1 - Entrance to tunnel two.
  6. Stockwell Tunnel Two #2 - Another view of entrance to tunnel two.
  7. Stockwell Tunnel Two #3 - Looking into tunnel two.
  8. Stockwell Tunnel Two #4 - Far view of tunnel two.
  9. Stockwell Tunnel Three - Entrance to tunnel three.
  10. Upper Stockwell #1 - Tunnels at upper workings of Stockwell.
  11. Upper Stockwell #2 - Another view of upper workings.
  12. Road to Fish - Part of the road to Fish Canyon just after the Goff Canyon turnoff.
  13. Stockwell Area From South - Distant view of Stockwell area.
  14. Goff Canyon Road - Road into Stockwell Mine area.
  15. Aires Mine #1 - This mine is located to the west of Stockwell.
  16. Aires Mine #2 - Another view of mine area.
  17. Aires Mine #3 - See interesting story about shaft on map page.
  18. Donkeys #1 - Two donkeys near the Stockwell Mine.
  19. Donkeys #2 - Another picture of the same animals.
  20. Tunnel South - This is a tunnel in the canyon to the south of Goff Canyon. A road leads all the way up to this tunnel.
Isham Canyon (May 2006)    Quick view of trip pics
  1. Isham Obstacles #1 - Obstacles near top of canyon.
  2. Isham Obstacles #2 - More obstacles!
  3. Isham Obstacles #3 - More obstacles!
  4. Isham Obstacles #4 - More obstacles!
  5. Isham Obstacles #5 - More obstacles!
  6. Isham Obstacles #6 - More obstacles!
  7. Isham Obstacles #7 - More obstacles!
  8. Isham Obstacles #8 - Lowest of obstacles in canyon.
  9. Escape Trail Sign - ET sign at mouth of Isham Canyon.
  10. Jeep in Isham Canyon - Jeep parked right below rough portion of Isham Canyon.
  11. Middle Part of Isham - The middle portion of Isham. This is a view of the pull out used in the "Jeep In Isham Canyon" picture (only the Jeep isn't there in this picture).
  12. Top Part of Isham #1 - This picture shows a view of the top portion of Isham Canyon.
  13. Top Part of Isham #2 - This picture shows another view of the top portion of Isham Canyon. The trail through this section of the canyon appears to be set up as an obstacle course by offroad enthusiasts. There is a lot of evidence of dirt road creation in the area.
  14. Mouth of Isham - The mouth to Isham Canyon.
  15. Unnamed Canyon #1 - Small fall in unnamed canyon east of Isham.
  16. Unnamed Canyon #2 - Narrow portion of canyon.
  17. Unnamed Canyon #3 - Looking out of mouth of canyon towards Trona.
  18. Canyon Bottom - Looking down lower portion of canyon from above.
  19. Ramp - Rock ramp illegally constructed by off-road extremists.
  20. Skull in Wash - Small skull found in upper portion of canyon.
  21. Raven Nest - Raven sitting on nest of twigs.
  22. Trona View - Looking across valley towards Trona.
  23. View of Trona Plant - Another view of Trona from Slate Range.
  24. Maturango Peak - Maturango is the large peak in the background. The peak with the radio facility on it is part of the Slate Range.
  25. Animal Trail - Faint trail through cholla just west of Isham Canyon in Searles Valley.
  26. Six Foot Cholla - This cholla was slightly more than six feet in height. It was located a few hundred yards west of the entrance to Isham Canyon.
    27. --- October 2006 ---
  27. Owl #1 - Owl perched on boulder above bottom part of canyon.
  28. Owl #2 - Another picture of owl.
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