Desert Dogs

There are mysterious legends of strange human existence all across Americas Wild Lands. The Deserts are not excluded. Wes Craven left his mark with the fictional horror stories of The Hill Have Eyes and its mutant families living near a desert military base. But there are also other legends including Yucca Man , real Desert Fugitives, Cult leftovers , and Roaming hermits living of the land and preying on campers. In the 1970’and 80’s the area surrounding Death Valley, encou...nters were not uncommon. We took this photo high up in the Panamint Mountains at a mine camp, about 1983, what appears as a young adult who would have been just a small child when the Manson Cult left the area 14 years earlier. (Speculation) He was shy but friendly on the first contact. There are other stories of a giant man called Mad Mike living above Goler wash who raided campers sites for food. There was also several folks just hiding out in the Butte Valley area at the same time, we met them too. Today this person might be an influencer or some artist, you never know, right. See more

Ominous storm moves over Wonder Valley at Danby Road on January 25th 2021 just 6 days before human remains are discovered.

Erika’s Garden

More ultra violet adventures

Hey cavers - If you're curious about this year's NSS Convention, please read this and share with your grottos. It contains information you need to know... This ...information is also available on our website at http://nss2021.caves.org It's definitely been a long year of playing "what if", and we're not out of this pile of breakdown yet. But, for now, there appears to be light at the end of the passage. As of today, here's where things stand... Every 4 years, the International Union of Speleology (UIS) hosts an international conference on caving (the ICS). The National Speleological Society is a member of this global organization, and as a matter of protocol, we avoid scheduling our national conventions on the same dates as the international congress. The UIS international event is currently set for July 26-30 in France. The production team for this year's NSS Convention in Weed, California has been trying to move our event to later in the summer. This would give us a bit more time to allow the world to get back on its feet with respect to the pandemic. Unfortunately, the only other dates our host college could offer us are the exact same dates as the ICS conference in France. The UIS held a meeting last Friday to discuss postponing the ICS to next year. International travel is expected to remain complicated for some time yet, and we're told the UIS is leaning towards postponing the ICS. While I was hoping they would decide that question at their meeting, it was tabled until their next meeting in March. This leaves the 2021 NSS Convention in a strange position. As of today, the 2021 NSS Convention is set for June 28-July 2 in Weed, California. BUT... IF the UIS postpones the ICS congress, we plan to move the NSS Convention to take those dates later in the summer. That extra month might be the "magic bullet" we need to hold a safe convention in California. We're hopeful that Covid-19 transmission rates will be controlled by the end of June, but having an extra month would be our better choice. Only time will answer that question. If the UIS does not postpone, we plan to move forward with our current June dates in Weed and make a determination in late April about the overall feasibility of holding a live event or taking it virtual. This is not the situation we want to be in right now. But, as you all know, this has been a difficult time for the world in general. We're encouraged by the fact that cavers are a tough crowd and can roll with these uncertainties. Rest assured that scientific facts and medical realities will guide us in resolving these questions as soon as possible. We have no intention of holding a live event if it remains unsafe to do so, but we want to give the world every chance to recover before making any final decisions. I wish I could have shared better news, but we won't have solid details for a few weeks yet. We certainly hope to welcome you to the "first convention of the post-apocalypse" this summer in Weed, California! Let's keep in touch. Sincere regards, Matt Bowers Chair, 2021 NSS Convention Weed, California [email protected] http://nss2021.caves.org The decision timeline looks like this: There are 2 scenarios here... If the convention sticks with the June 28-July 3 dates, we will make a live vs. virtual decision in late April. If the convention can successfully move to July 24-31, the live vs. virtual decision will be in late May. Both of these decision dates will still give our caver guests almost 2 months to make alternate plans or cancel any travel reservations. Please visit our website for up-to-date details on our Covid-19 strategy if we have a live event. http://nss2021.caves.org

This Road goes through a cave

This has potential.

Wishing you all great new discoveries in 2021 ! photo by Laura S. with Frank Rogers, John Norman, Tom Gilleland, Laura Sangaila, Lester Rambo, Douglas E Billings

A few photos to remind fellow Desert Enthusiasts that Erika Lloyd is still missing. She may have intentially ran off and the family is holding hope that someone could provide any new information.

October we celebrate Bats ! The UndergroundConservancy.org is our non profit. Our next project is increasing protection on our colony of California Leaf Nose bats. Consider Support !

https://youtu.be/Ieb58lkCq9s. Justin Scarred is an interesting YouTuber with attention on campy movies and theme parks. He just released this video on the filming location of the Wes Craven movie , The Hills Have Eyes , this cult classic movie terrified many would be explorers for decades after its release in 1977. This horror movie effected the minds of many young desert campers as Jaws did those swimming in the ocean. We would often show this movie to our city friends, then take them on a night off road trip into the desert. The real explorers do know the film was based on true events, correct ?

The smallest passage in the longest cave. 7 miles in to the Alexandria Passage, only 3 of us could make it. Optymistychna cave is the longest gypsum cave, and 5th longest cave over all in the world.

http://fun-zone.de.com/upl/catalog/products/rvg6836x4g.gif

Missing Person William H Sams found Safe in Baker Ca, Mojave desert tonight around 8:00 Pm Thank you all for caring ! More to come later !

If the Blue Jeep gets stuck on a hiking trail it’s a boy ! If it’s a Pink Jeep , you are probably in Sedona.

Update !! Found and Safe !! 8:00 PM Tonight !!! 09/22/2020 Missing Person BOLO near Baker Ca, ... By request of family friends, we have been asked to offer help. William H Sams , Age 34 , Male, White, Beard/ Long Brown Hair, on foot, no vehicle, Cell Phone Pinged on the edge of Baker today. William had been on a trip through Death Valley and had expressed suicidal tendencies yesterday to family via text. His rental car was towed near Baker Airport a week ago. He is a US Military Veteran . There was a recent cell phone ping placing him on the North West out skirts of Baker town. He is an experienced explorer in the desert, including old mines, it is suggested by friends that he may have wandered up into nearby hills where there are mines. He is not considered dangerous to others based on accounts of his friends that again we know personally. His sister is in the area in a 2wd rental (Tanya , Red Ford Escape) looking for him and very distraught. Law enforcement are aware but are not actively searching. If you are in the Baker area, please keep an eye out. Other volunteers are heading out today, but possibly some one is closer or already in Baker. Please notify Sheriff if you see him, but since LE does not have an open case right now, also PM or Post here and we will forward to family. Thank you Note Update - missing person case was filed in persons home county of San Diego , and likely now working up chain to reach other agency . Namely (SBD county) hence confusion about LE involvement . Update , he may be carrying a pistol and or a rifle , again not known to be violent , but actually very soft, but caution is the word of every day.

True Crime Author and friend to Desert Dogs, Shanna Hogan, passed away today after a poolside fall that left her with a head injury. Shanna covered the Erin Corwin Case in her best selling book, Secrets of a Marines Wife

https://kesq.com//twentynine-palms-towing-company-gives-a/

There are a lot mysteries in the desert. One you may not have heard about is Yucca Man, sometimes referred to as the Bigfoot of the Mojave. The alleged sightings focus on wild lands contained within and around the Twentynine Palms Marine Corp. Base. Legend says Yucca Man terrorizes campers and even military personnel on training exercises. Next time you see that blurry figure out in the desert night, be cautious, it could be Yucca Man.

Anyone have an extra $2.5M kicking around and need a hobby? https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/694478091301197/

Human Remains found, but said not to be that of the missing Erika Loyd.

Here’s to the life of the greatest Wild West music composer to ever live. Ennio Morricone , producer of many of the greatest movie themes ever written, passing away today at 91 years old. How can a desert explorer not roll into a ghost town without thinking of his music. His credits are pages long, but the theme to The Good the Bad and the Ugly is one of his greatest. https://youtu.be/h1PfrmCGFnk