SAGINAW SOUTHERN PART III: WAGON ROAD

 SAGINAW SOUTHERN PART III: WAGON ROAD 

Compliments of Google Maps

I returned for another visit to the areas covered in Parts I and II. After several visits, it was becoming obvious that the road feature continued on a northerly direction. In order to further define its route, and to find where it exits the canyon system, I decided to access the ravine from the Trap Tank area. The road is very rough for a short distance, then smooths out until it dead ends at the tank. 

The following three images are taken just to the south of the tank, at the slight finger of a ravine that shows up on the map. I documented this to show that the ravine is too steep for railroad access to the lower canyon system. It is also very picturesque, which is common in this part of the country. 

Reference 35.09840, -112.193610

Looking back towards the tank. I headed West from the tank, following a well-traveled game trail.

 

Looking over the rim towards the bottom of the ravine. The slope is gentle, and there is ample sign of deer and elk in the area. Reference 35.100600, -112.195630.

Closer to the bottom, downed trees cut in the manner of the time of the Saginaw become evident. Caution had to be maintained as to not come to any conclusions, since there is also sign of latter logging. The ravine runs in a north-south direction, and the map indicates that it connects with the areas described in Parts I and II. On the map, I connected the road between the two points that were investigated. This was conjecture; however it was based on the solid evidence that I observed.

On the west side of the ravine, I could see the slight trace of either a path, or a road. The Saginaw was in this area circa 1898, so any evidence would be aged and weathered by nature. A road, cut into the canyon's relatively soft and varied soil, would be eroded. Soil slumping, where the natural tendency of the soil is to slump or erode down a slope, would eventually erase a road. Whether it was a path established at a later date, or a simple road carved by horsedrawn scrapers, it was obvious that a man-made feature was to be found along the slope. 

Although not as clear in the image, the feature was obviously a road, and as it continued to the north, beginning an incline up the side of the ravine. This road continued to the south, possibly or more likely connecting with the road mentioned in parts I and II.  

The road continued at an estimated 3 % incline, providing a very steady slope.

 At several points, there were connecting roads to the floor of the ravine. Along the slope of the ravine, the geological features changed from one type of conglomerate to a more shale-like rock, even at times. Sandstone. These formed large to smaller sized slabs, similar to what the native cultures would use in building stone structures. No evidence of native culture was found.

                                                

Reference 35.103220, - 112.195010

At the top of the road's incline. This particular rock may have been place here to discourage vehicle travel down the road. Although not pictured, at the top the road continued on an old forest road, although most of the features had since eroded. 

One question needs to be asked; who made this road? It is obvious that it was made to access the ravine, and the purpose was evident in the numerous cut timber and stumps. It was also obvious that the area had been logged several times, and some indications (as in the following image) that some of the trees were harvested for firewood (the Saginaw had no reason to cut junipers.) 

A more modern road building effort, even using the most basic machinery, would have left a more defined profile with mounds of bulldozed dirt, and a rutted surface from trucks. The profile would not be as accurate as a gradual slope, instead the ruts and valleys would be the norm, along with the atypical rutting. 

Instead, the road surface is relatively smooth, with little indications of heavy machinery. At the time of the Saginaw, the normal way to create a road would be by horse-drawn scraper. The care taken to provide a steady slope, and an even surface indicates that this was meant to be used by either wagons or high-wheel, big-wheel, logging carts. Given the conditions of the soil, it would have been relatively easy to make this road by more simpler devices such as the scraper or shovel. 

The road has the appearance of aging, such as the aforementioned erosion. It is obvious to the observer that at some point it was used as a forest access road, then blocked and left for the ages. It would make sense that the Forest Service would have used this abandoned grade as a road, until such time it was no longer needed. 

I believe that there is ample evidence to say that this wagon road was the entrance to this part of the complex ravines that scar this vast area. It also appears to be connected to the other locations that I visited in parts I and II. 

Various logs and cut timber in situ. The methodology is similar to Saginaw practices; cut down a tree, then determine its value for hauling. The fellers were probably paid for the number of trees they fell in a given day. The limbers would then cut the branches or leave it, depending on the discretion of the foreman. And so, on went the chain of production. it is not uncommon to find perfectly good trees on the ground that were left behind. Their reasoning is left beyond the curtain of time. 

There are also other logs and stumps left by later logging crews. Another mystery as to why such things took place. It has been over 130 years since the last big wheel cart passed this way. I only search for the Saginaw...

Part IV will put the pieces together, and the answers will surprise you...