China Ranch Date Farm - Tecopa, California - Slot Canyon

This video finds us on a visit to the China Ranch date farm in Tecopa, California the way it was on 4-4-2018. We hiked from the visitor center along Willow Creek to the confluence of it and the Amargosa River, and found a slot canyon to explore. The hike was easy and the slot canyon decent but the real attraction is the history.
The area is rich in history being that it is a very old oasis and part of the Old Spanish Trail, a trade route that took early travelers in this area from Santa Fe, New Mexico to southern California. It is definitely worth doing a bit of research into the history of this area as it has trade of goods, gold, borax and gypsum mining, railroad and ranching in it's past.
The date palms were planted from seed in the 1920's. The current owners are active in preserving the history here. Willow Creek and the Amargosa River are very important to all life in this area as well.
Aside from the large palm farm there is also a small museum, and many interesting old artifacts located here.
Here are a couple links that may be of interest.
en.wikipedia.o...)
www.chinaranch...

[@kyote3272]

Great video. Tom & Julie I watch all your video's

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Thank you!

[@ronr7623]

Wow! What a spectacular spot in the desert.. beautiful scenery. I must go there myself. Thanks for your videos.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

@ronr7623 Hi Ron. Yes, it is a beautiful place full of history. I hope you can get there to see it for yourself. You're welcome, and thank you for the nice comment!👍😄

[@dgunde13gunderson78]

Hey guys, just absolutely enjoying this and looking forward to the rest of your videos. It's just unfathomable that this river even exists. I read the book on the Tonopah RR. Thanks DG

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Glad that you enjoyed this one, DG. It's a great green belt in the desert. Thanks for commenting!👍

[@jdean1851]

Seems like Aah needed his cousin Kung for protection" Nice Spot! Keep it rockin' jd

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

It does seem like he got a bad deal and could have used some protection. It's definitely a cool place with the green belt out in the desert. Thanks, JD!👍👌

[@PidasianHippie]

is this the place you did a video on earlier in the year? I think you volunteered with a conservationist who was working to save some of the salamanders and voles. That slot canyon was different than others you have shown. Most of the others have been smooth with a windswept look. This was very porous looking like volcanic rock. The layout of the river is fascinating. It is hard to imagine a river that starts underground, surfaces and goes back underground a couple more times. Is that private land that you hiked or public?

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Pidasian Hippie This is a different place than the pup fish and vole habitat restoration project in Shoshone, although it's only about 10 miles away. Good observation on the slot canyon. It is much more porus, like lava. The spring at the date farm (WillowCreek) and the Amargosa River are both very interesting and historically significant water sources. Did you check out the links in the video description? They touch on the history of the area. I believe this hike goes on both private land (date farm) and public lands, probably BLM lands. Thanks for the thoughtful comment!

[@PidasianHippie]

I will check out those links. It would be interesting to learn the geological history of the canyon. Thanks for providing them.

[@Fuelmyinspiration]

Poor Julie man, she didn’t want to climb the damn thing man. Ease off her. You could tell in the end she wasn’t having it anymore. LOL

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Don't underestimate her. She's a good climber and won't do anything she doesn't want to do. Thanks for your concern and comment.

[@JohnCRV]

The old saloon walls dint look to straight. A river or creek in the middle of dry desert area amazing. How did you end up in front of her during the climb LOL. Nice hike guys.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Too bad for the old saloon walls. All the water in this area really is special. Julie got stymied halfway up the climb so I passed her and went on a ways. Thanks for watching, John.

[@Robert-qt9lg]

My mom was a date fanatic

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

She would like this place then. They make a good date ice cream shake. Thanks for watching, Robert!👍👍

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Thanks for the comment, Candy, and I'm glad you got to see this area. I'd like to know what happened to him, too. Did you try a date shake from the shop there?

[@potatothorn]

you have given us another probable destination, wow this is awesome... got a little tight up in that slot ! Amargosa fascinates me i will have to check out this area thanks for showing us

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

potatothorn It's a fun little area. Have you been to the slots in Sidewinder Canyon in Death Valley. Those are really cool. I have a video of them named 'Sidewinder Canyon Slots'. Thanks for watching!

[@potatothorn]

we have not been up sidewinder yet either/ we haev heard of it.. we'll check out your video.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

potatothorn I think you will like sidewinder.

[@AOKUrbanHomestead1]

That drive in was pretty cool, great video but I don't know about all that heat.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

The drive in drops down much more than I showed in the video. Being in such a hot area is what makes this oasis cool. Think of all the thirsty travelers over the last few hundred years that have stopped here. Thanks for the comment!

[@MrAffenMaster]

I would recommend going there in the winter months. At that time It's a pleasent warmth and overall awesome. I can speak from experience because I stayed there for 3 weeks in the summer of 2017 and did some voluntary work. It was an exceptional hot summer with many days up to 115 degrees, so we did working and hiking at 5 to 10 in the morning. But it was still fun!

[@RangerKooky]

Ty for the share

[@arklatxquad3405]

I know this is an older video, but Julie looks like she was truly enjoying herself. This is good.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

I hope she is enjoying herself. She might not show it as much on mine explores, compared to hiking, but she usually is having a good time. Thanks for the comment!

[@earthcream]

BEEN MANY TIMES. VIDEO WELL DONE.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Thank you. Glad that you've had the chance to see the place.

[@HikeCamp]

Julie is the lead and pacesetter. You are the cameraman...👍👍 Not to mention Julie is quite the creek rock hopper and ace rock climber.. 👍😃👌 The date palms seem to be going strong. Looked like a hot but interesting hike.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Hike Camp Haha yep, I just try to keep up with her. The oasis is gushing with history, which I love. The date business seems to be good. Everyone who goes here seems to buy a date milk shake. Thanks for watching, Max.

[@VivianaBunea]

Nice place dear friend!

[@AlanMETALMAN]

Follow Julie, sounds like dam fine idea, so always goes to the coolest places. Looks like a while since the railroad went through there but man, that must have took some building back in the day. Nice work Julie indeed, great rock climbing skills and awesome date palms, cheers Alan

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Yep, follow Julie if I can keep up with her. Yes, the railroad was really something. It also had spurs that went to a couple mines not too far away from here. So much history here at this oasis. Thanks for watching, Alan!

[@chuckbrasch4575]

Been there many times, been going over 20 years! Nice video, brought back fond memories........

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Glad that you have been there, Chuck. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@chuckbrasch4575]

@@TomandJulieMineExploring You're welcome... It is a great place to go birdwatching during migration. Did you know that there endemic fish living in Willow Creek?? GREAT date shakes also!!

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

@@chuckbrasch4575 I didn't know about the fish. Have tried the date shskes. Especially good on a hot day.

[@chuckbrasch4575]

@@TomandJulieMineExploring I concur about the shakes!!! The little fish are called 'Speckled Dace'. They're about 5 inches long and are hard to see because they blend into the creek bottom with the spotty sand color. There are crayfish in there too, but they have been "introduced". The fish are natives and have been there thousands of years!

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

@@chuckbrasch4575 Interesting info about the Dace. We have seen pupfish in the warm pools in Shoshone.

[@MattCookOregon]

Very cool. I like the full almost uncut walkthrough.

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

That's my style of video making, I try to make it so the viewer us along for the hike. Thanks for the comment, Matt!

[@hikewithmike4673]

Wow!...that place seems like such a desolate snd rugged place!...almost like a movie set for Mad Max!...great video!

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

It sure is a rugged and interesting oasis with so much history here. Thanks for watching, Mike.

[@beardedseabee82outdoors13]

Nice day adventure, pretty cool canyon too!

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Yes, fun little adventure and so much history here. The canyon and the ribbon of green is spectacular in person. Thanks for watching!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Another nice video. Good to see another part of the U.S. Take care, Al

[@TomandJulieMineExploring]

Yes, very different than many other places. One of the driest places on Earth... with a river running through it if that makes any sense. Thanks for watching, Al.