NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: June 3, 2004
Contact: Jeff Fontana (530) 252-5332 
CA-N-04-66

BLM WILL LEAD GUIDED DESERT FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TOUR

A chance to discover the natural beauty and history of the high desert east of Susanville awaits outdoor enthusiasts, when the Bureau of Land Management and a local historian lead a free tour Saturday, June 12.

BLM Archaeologist Don Manuel and historian Tim Purdy will lead the outing, which departs the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office, 2950 Riverside Dr., Susanville, at 8 a.m. Participants must provide their own high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle, lunch and water. Manuel advised participants to arrive at the BLM office a half-hour before departure.

The tour will head east to the site of Skedaddle Dam, a failed attempt to irrigate the arid landscape. Stops will also include a historic brick kiln near the Amedee town site, remnants of the historic railroad town of Flannigan, and Sand Pass. A lunch stop is planned for Drydan Cave, which overlooks the vast, white expanse of the Smoke Creek Desert. The caravan will cross through Dry Valley en route back to Susanville, with return to the BLM office planned for no later than 4 p.m.

At each stop, Manuel will discuss the natural resources and prehistoric cultures that used this area and the resources of prehistoric Lake Lahonton. Purdy will discuss the arrival of European settlers, US military uses in the region and the development of towns including Amedee and Flannigan.

There are no services available along the tour route. Manuel said participants should dress for hot weather, wear a hat and sunscreen and carry plenty of water. The trip is not recommended for toddlers.

More information is available from the BLM, (530) 252-5332.

-BLM-

Eagle Lake Field Office 2950 Riverside Drive Susanville, CA 96130