Starbuck's Exploring

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Guy Starbuck

Guy has explored the deserts and mountains of the southwestern US for more than thirty-five years. In that time, he has found a couple of hidden and remote locations that don't see many visitors.

506 posts

Hidden Handprint Cave

Hidden Handprint Cave

Deep in the Wonderland of Rocks is a unique rock shelter. Once used by the Serrano, it is a sacred place. They must have gathered here for rituals. The ceiling is marked with more than a dozen small red handprints, a shooting star, spoked circles, and other interesting symbols. It’

Oakland Mine

Oakland Mine

The Oakland Group of mines never produced much. The mines were worked for gold from 1922 to 1934. A vertical shaft is reported to have gone down to at least 75 feet with drifts, and a separate incline shaft dropped to 85 feet. Water was encountered at these depths, and

Hermes Mine

Hermes Mine

Deep in the woods of Idaho, cinnabar was discovered at the headwaters of Sugar Creek (later renamed Cinnabar Creek) by Pringle Smith in 1902. Actual mining didn’t start until the early 1920s; even then, it was limited to only a few flasks of mercury. The mine was worked in

Boundary Island Petroglyphs

Boundary Island Petroglyphs

In a far-flung corner of Joshua Tree, there is an isolated boulder outcrop with a few dozen petroglyphs. The petroglyphs are generally abstract in design and could be of Serrano or Chemehuevi origin. There are quite a few circle petroglyphs here with lines descending from them. It would be interesting

Livingston Mill

Livingston Mill

We got a tour of this mining camp in central Idaho from the caretaker who lives on-site. He was very generous with his time and was happy to show us around. I asked him why the name “Trump” was painted on the mill buildings, and he said: “You never know.

Pipes Canyon

Pipes Canyon

Pipes Canyon is a pleasant and easy hike. The trail heads out from the visitor center at the Pioneertown Mountains Preserve and follows the canyon up into a riparian habitat. The canyon is usually dry, but water does occasionally surface to support this isolated oasis. Keep an eye out for

Sun Sword and Whale Rock Petroglyphs

Sun Sword and Whale Rock Petroglyphs

With a tip from a friend, I went out searching for a remote set of petroglyphs in the backcountry wilderness of Joshua Tree National Park in early 2020. I had a few clues in my search. I was looking for petroglyphs that were near an old campsite and hidden on