#6: [08-Dec-13]

#5: [29-Nov-13]

#3: [17-Jan-04]

#2: [30-Dec-00]

#1: [01-Jan-01]

23-Nov-2007 -- Having been chastised by [34,-112] two days earlier due to poor time management, I was determined to allow enough time - a whole day - to visit this remote confluence point in California's Mojave Desert. The previous visit to this confluence point was by Shawn Fleming, almost four years ago. I found Shawn's writeup very helpful - in particular, his suggestion to access and leave the confluence via Ludlow on I-40 (rather than via I-15), and also his suggestion to take the southern (right-hand) fork when you reach 35 00.113n, 116 00.102w. However, I was inadvertently led astray by where Shawn parked. It turns out that the wash at that location is not the correct wash to take towards the confluence point. (Because of this I ended up doing a lot of extra, unnecessary scrambling on the way to the confluence point.)

The correct wash to take - and thus the correct place to park - is at 35 01.246n, 116 02.650w. (This is about 1/4 mile to the south-west of where Shawn parked.)

The weather was perfect for desert hiking: partly cloudy, with temperatures in the low 60s Fahrenheit. Because I started hiking along the wrong wash, it took me almost 2 hours to reach the confluence point, but only about 1 hour to return to my car afterwards.

It's remarkable how little the confluence point has changed in the almost seven years since the first visit. If you look at my "East" photo (up the nearby hill, showing cactus), you'll see that it's almost identical to the photos from the previous visits

To assist future visitors, here is the optimal (I believe) route for visiting this confluence point:

• Start in Ludlow (off I-40); take the dirt road (Crucero Road) northwards.
• At 34 54.195n, 116 12.079w, turn right at the intersection, to follow the power pylons.
• Park at 35 01.246n, 116 02.650w. (This takes about 1 hour's driving from Ludlow.) Start hiking along the wash that's at that location.
• When you reach 35 00.113n, 116 00.102w, take the southern (right-hand) fork. This becomes narrow, but takes you just feet from the confluence point, leaving only a small amount of scrambling.
• Return to civilization the same way that you came - i.e., via Ludlow. Shawn Fleming noted that this is quicker than trying to return via I-15.

Moderate without a GPS.