Ken Cooke
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Location: Riverside, CA
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Waving at the trains while at Mormon Rocks, CA
Leidys, my friend Mike, and I traveled to Mormon Rocks, CA for a day of driving, hiking, and getting the Jeeps dirty.
Mike and Leidys on the hiking trail
Waiting for the trains to come down the tracks
Here comes the train!
There goes the train!
Heading back to the Jeep after a long hike.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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Description of Mormon Rocks, CA
MORMON ROCKS
In California along Interstate 15 about 19 miles north of San Bernardino, and at Junction 138 going west, there are some interesting rock formations.
Locally known as the Mormon Rocks, but officially called Rock Candy Mountains, the strange rock formations are most unusual with holes everywhere
poked out by the wind and weather through centuries. The formations are spread out for some distance along Route 138 and also on Route 2, both roads
leading to the town of Wrightwood.
This area is one of the youngest and most active geological regions in North America. The Pass is formed by the overlapping of two mountain ranges
(the San Gabriels by the San Bernardinos) rather than by the activity of an ancient or defunct river system. This overlapping is due to the grinding
and clashing of continental (tectonic) plates in the Earth's crust, producing earthquake and other seismic activity along the San Andreas Fault line
in Lone Pine Canyon.
The San Bernardinos themselves are an extension of a plate called the "Baja" which is in the process of being "shoved over" the "North American" plate
(locally, the San Gabriels) by the pressure northward of yet another large plate termed the "Pacific", adjacent on its eastern edge to Mexico, Central
and South America. No wonder there are earthquakes! The formation across from the Forest Service Fire Station on Hwy 138, is one result of all this
geological pushing and shoving. It has been called either the "Rock Candy Mountains " or Mormon Rocks.
Pockmarked and weather-worn though they appear, the Mormon Rocks are a series of cemented sandstone beds much more resistant to erosion than the
surrounding gravel and silt sands. Thus, the Rocks stand out in relief called hogbacks above the alluvial flats of the Cajon Canyon wash. Twenty miles
to the northwest from the station, along Highway 138 near Valyermo, the traveler will find the Devil's "Punchbowl ", a formation which is geologically
identical to the Mormon Rocks. This distance between the twin formations, and the radical tilt compared to the earth's surface in the stratification
of the Rocks, are both due more to slow seismic activity in the San Andreas Rift Zone than to earthquakes.
The rock formations give an appearance of light fudge where bubbles burst and left thousands of holes. Best viewing and picture taking is after the
noon hour when the sun highlights the holes in the Rock Candy Mountains.
Off I-15, west on 138 cross the railroad bridge and pick your spot. In this area you will see parts of Old Route66, and south of the 138 Hwy, the old
road will take you south for several miles. The Cajon Pass was and still is the main route of traffic from the east and Salt Lake City.
Mormon Rocks Nature Trail
Behind the Mormon Rocks Fire Station, across a small footbridge, is a well - marked 1/2 mile nature trail of gradual switchbacks. The trail winds
through manzanita, yucca, chamise, sage and other high-desert plants to a vista providing a view of the Cajon Summit region and Cleghorn Ridge to the
east, Ralston Peak to the southeast, Upper Lytle Creek Divide and Cucamonga Wilderness to the southwest and to the north are the Mormon Rocks. Beyond
the Mormon Rocks is Baldy Mesa.
For further information contact:
United States Department of Agriculture
Forest Service
Cajon Ranger District
1209 Lytle Creek Road
Lytle Creek, CA 92358
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DENNIS
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Registered: 9-2-2006
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Ken.....Wouldn't it just be safer if you got her a passport? She shouldn't have to jump on those trains like that. It's really dangerous. 
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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Location: Riverside, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
Ken.....Wouldn't it just be safer if you got her a passport? She shouldn't have to jump on those trains like that. It's really dangerous. |
We kept a good distance from those fast-moving trains.
This summer we should get the green light to visit Baja.   I can't wait!
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DENNIS
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Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
This summer we should get the green light to visit Baja. I can't wait! |
Good for both of you. Glad to hear all is going well.
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wessongroup
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Thanks Ken, have been by them a lot of times and never even knew their history.. great shots, thanks for sharing
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lizard lips
Super Nomad
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She sure is cute Ken. Good job! 
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David K
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Ken, how about some details for your Borrego weekend Jeep trip... if still on. We are planning on going to Plaster City Saturday morning to watch the
off road race where Josh is pitting. Sunday is open but we have been invited to the mountains.
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Bajahowodd
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Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Hey Ken. You mean to tell me that you haven't yet started a web site dedicated to photos of Leidys yet?
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8921
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Black Trans Lives Matter
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Ken, how about some details for your Borrego weekend Jeep trip... if still on. We are planning on going to Plaster City Saturday morning to watch the
off road race where Josh is pitting. Sunday is open but we have been invited to the mountains. |
Saturday morning at the Borrego Springs Christmas Circle - 10 a.m. Camp out near the mud caves Saturday night - then, driving home noon on Sunday.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
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Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Ken--------you have got to counsel Leidys to smile when she is photographed---- -----man, what a beautiful smile!!!
Barry
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion
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They must have shot Blazing Saddles in the Mormon Rocks area.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64486
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Hope you have fun out there Ken... we opted to stay home, in the rain and not go anywhere. My truck is aching to go four wheeling!
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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David I DIDN'T go to the races because of the rain, like you I stay home.
Ken, Im waiting 4 the pix, come on man...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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El Camote
Senior Nomad
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Mood: y Blues
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
They must have shot Blazing Saddles in the Mormon Rocks area. |
Got me curious, Igor. Looks like it was Vasquez Rocks.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071230/locations
Thanks for the tour, Ken. We just drove through that way on our last trip back from Baja but have never stopped and explored. Can't go wrong with
desert scenery and a pretty girl. 
Knowledge is good. - Emil Faber
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8921
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Black Trans Lives Matter
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
David I DIDN'T go to the races because of the rain, like you I stay home.
Ken, Im waiting 4 the pix, come on man... |
We returned at 5 p.m. today, and while I was unloading the Jeep, Leidys was reviewing all of the pictures. She will be uploading the photos tomorrow
and I'll assemble a link in a few days. The weater was great, and it never rained on us. The wind was unrelenting last night, though.
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Hook
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I am formerly from San Juan Capistrano, CA.
That is NOT how you wave at passing trains, Ken.
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
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Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Ken, Keep out of my backyard! Unless you bring Leidys over!
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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