Surprise Canyon - Then and Now...

[OTR]

Hi all.
Over the last 4 years of my involvment in this effort, I have collected dozens of historic photos of Surprise Canyon and Panamint City. I figured some of you might get a kick out of seeing them.
This might take me a while, but I'm going to try to put together the old photos with more recent or current photos for comparison.
As far as Im concerned, the rights to the photos belong to those that took them. Where I know who took the photo, I will credit them. If I dont and you do, please let me know. If the owner of the photo does not want it viewable here, let me know that as well.

Heres the first...
The one the left is from an article published in 1928 on a trip to Panamint City. The one on the right sure looks like Rick Russell to me. ;)
http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/Kris-Tholke/Narrows1928.jpghttp://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/Kris-Tholke/Narrows1990s.jpg

[camo]

so you sawing that the road bed has washed out aprox 10 feet since the flood ?

[Krusty]

in the few years that the Benders were frequent visitors--- there was a rock formation that was at the mouth-- i used to watch it JUST clear my rocker panel on the red truck, in a couple years, i had to drive AROUND that formation--- the top was 6" tall!!!!!!!!! and that was BEFORE the 'narrows' !!

the mine locomotive that was at the top of the 'falls'------- is now 1/4 mile out of the mouth of the canyon !

[OTR]

so you sawing that the road bed has washed out aprox 10 feet since the flood ?

In certain areas, yes.
But this has always been a normal occurance. The road has been completely rebuilt thru the narrows many times in the last 130 years. I have a few other pics that show where the road used to be but I wanted to keep this post with before and after shots. I just need time to put them together.

Basically, if any of you get a chance to get in the canyon, or can remember from previous trips, the previous level of the road base leaves stains on the walls. There are also quite a few areas where road material is still sticking to ledges and cracks anywhere from 2 to 10+ feet over current road level.


kris.

[OTR]

Before I post this, in the first pic above (1928, b&w) there is an 1920's vintage car driving down the canyon in the shot.


Heres another...


1946-2006

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/Kris-Tholke/NegF1289clean.jpghttp://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Users/Kris-Tholke/Neg1289_2006.JPG

This is the area just above what I believe is fall 3 (if I have the count right) ;)
The b&w shot (circa 1946) is courtesy of the DVNP archives. I took the second one early last year. In the first pic, what you are looking at is a truck with a large compressor on the back and a drilling rig on the front being run by two employees of the American Silver Company.

Ever wonder where those holes in the canyon walls and floor came from ?
Im sure these guys had something to do with it...:idea:


kris.

[rockrknockr]

AWESOME pics KRIS............this is so fawkin cool to see these:smokin:

when i was there last.............just down at the indian ranch/ballarat road......oh back in 2004...........i was up the alluvial fan of surprise cyn, looking for arrowheads in the same areas i did back in the 60's...........BUT was blown away by the TREMENDOUS amount of change due to MASSIVE flooding. there are NO remains of ANY chippings left to be found.

and even down lower at dry lake level from surprise, north to the indian ranch, same thing...........soooooooooooo much change in the soil elevation that there are NO more chippings to be found. really dissapointed in that.

we (wife and i) later went up goler and into butte valley. now there i found the same areas i used to hunt arrowheads with joy to see it hadn't changed near as much. i even found a couple real nice ones that day! and we even seen some burros..........i was like back in time that day.........what a RUSH:D

thanks again for the cool pics...................now i'm gonna look at them some more:smokin:

[atvobsession]

Wow...those were awesome photos. I love the comparisons.....The thing is....The "Greenies" get all pushed out of joint....Erosion this...Erosion that....

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THE GRAND CANYON AND MOAB WITHOUT EROSION....HELLO.

Nature does a LOT of changes...all on her own...we're just a zit.