Can I get a ride to Riggs Section House?

[Ruark]

Hey there you guys! It's been a long time since I was here. If you do a search for "Ruark" you'll find the single thread a year or so back about finding Owl Hole Springs and Riggs Section house. It tells the story of my Uncle Bonnie McCullough, who was stranded with his wife and two babies when their Model T slipped off the timbers and stuck in the sand. He staggered through the desert and into Riggs Section House, where he passed out. Death Valley Jack Nickerson was there and was able to bring him around and rescue his family. This was in 1923. We tried to get somebody to take us out there, but my mother just couldn't take it. She was almost 90 years old. We put some stones on Jack's grave at Silver Lake Cemetery, but that was it, it was just too hot for her. Mother died last summer in an auto accident.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that I will be back in Vegas July 11th through the 15th. I'm going to revisit the cemetery, and I'm wondering if Riggs Road is passable with a 2WD vehicle - I'll be renting something like a Corolla - up to the Riggs Section House where Riggs Road intersects with CR 20554. If not, is it possible I could find somebody to run me up there? I would pay them for gas and lunch. Just checking in, talk to you guys later.

-Ruark

[ynot]

Hey there you guys! It's been a long time since I was here. If you do a search for "Ruark" you'll find the single thread a year or so back about finding Owl Hole Springs and Riggs Section house. It tells the story of my Uncle Bonnie McCullough, who was stranded with his wife and two babies when their Model T slipped off the timbers and stuck in the sand. He staggered through the desert and into Riggs Section House, where he passed out. Death Valley Jack Nickerson was there and was able to bring him around and rescue his family. This was in 1923. We tried to get somebody to take us out there, but my mother just couldn't take it. She was almost 90 years old. We put some stones on Jack's grave at Silver Lake Cemetery, but that was it, it was just too hot for her. Mother died last summer in an auto accident.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that I will be back in Vegas July 11th through the 15th. I'm going to revisit the cemetery, and I'm wondering if Riggs Road is passable with a 2WD vehicle - I'll be renting something like a Corolla - up to the Riggs Section House where Riggs Road intersects with CR 20554. If not, is it possible I could find somebody to run me up there? I would pay them for gas and lunch. Just checking in, talk to you guys later.

-Ruark

Is this in the area of death valley and if so approx. where? I have a contact who knows Death Valley and surrounding areas very well and I may be able to get you in contact with him to answer your questions.

Terry

[eli]

Hey there you guys! It's been a long time since I was here. If you do a search for "Ruark" you'll find the single thread a year or so back about finding Owl Hole Springs and Riggs Section house. It tells the story of my Uncle Bonnie McCullough, who was stranded with his wife and two babies when their Model T slipped off the timbers and stuck in the sand. He staggered through the desert and into Riggs Section House, where he passed out. Death Valley Jack Nickerson was there and was able to bring him around and rescue his family. This was in 1923. We tried to get somebody to take us out there, but my mother just couldn't take it. She was almost 90 years old. We put some stones on Jack's grave at Silver Lake Cemetery, but that was it, it was just too hot for her. Mother died last summer in an auto accident.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that I will be back in Vegas July 11th through the 15th. I'm going to revisit the cemetery, and I'm wondering if Riggs Road is passable with a 2WD vehicle - I'll be renting something like a Corolla - up to the Riggs Section House where Riggs Road intersects with CR 20554. If not, is it possible I could find somebody to run me up there? I would pay them for gas and lunch. Just checking in, talk to you guys later.

-Ruark

Absolutely the worse time of year to go but I suppose that can't be helped. Been a while since I've been to Riggs as I recall it's high clearance, four wheel drive isn't required but not Corolla suitable either. PM me when you get closer and if I'm home I may be able to do something. Regardless I'll check my research and see if something has come up since this subject last can up. As I recall I came up blank with regard to your Uncle's trip and rescue with everybody I know.

Eli

[eli]

Is this in the area of death valley and if so approx. where? I have a contact who knows Death Valley and surrounding areas very well and I may be able to get you in contact with him to answer your questions.

Terry

Terry if you could follow the T&T roadbed just east of the North Pole south. You would first come to Valjean then Riggs. It's just north of Silver Lake. Unfortunately they cut the roadbed with even more wildness....yet again so you can't get there from Dumont anymore at least legally.

Eli

[ynot]

Terry if you could follow the T&T roadbed just east of the North Pole south. You would first come to Valjean then Riggs. It's just north of Silver Lake. Unfortunately they cut the roadbed with even more wildness....yet again so you can't get there from Dumont anymore at least legally.

Eli

I can forward this post to Randy Banis, he knows about a lot of stuff involving this area and he may know a back way in. I will let you know if he comes up with something

[sandawg]

http://vredenburgh.org/mining_history/pages/silurian-shadow-mts-halloran-sprs%20.html

[dunefreak]

Here is the last thread. http://www.dumontdun...t=0&p=196108

This sounds interesting. I'd love to go exploring out there and check it out. Maybe some of my dual sport buddies know about it. I'll ask and see if I can find anything out about it.

Sorry to hear about your mother's passing.

[Ruark]

This is just north of Silver Lake. You have Highway 127 going north from Baker, which is at 127/I15. You just go up 127 about 25 miles and on the right is Riggs Road, which appears to be little more than a dirt path through the desert. After about 4 miles it crosses CR 20554. If you'll look at that intersection in Satellite View, you'll see the old railroad bed and a couple of structures. One of these is Riggs Section House. Here it is in Google Maps:

http://tinyurl.com/66mnzrr

http://tinyurl.com/5uc3l8z

I hope this clarifies where I'm trying to go. I don't want to hassle anybody, though. If nobody can make it, I'll just visit Jack's grave at the cemetery.

Thanks, stay cool.

[dunefreak]

Too bad you won't be in town on July 9th. A few of us will be carpooling to Barstow for a BLM meeting and we could stop by on the way back to check it out. It's not too far up the 127 from Baker.

Why not just rent a 4WD and check it out?

[dunefreak]

This is just north of Silver Lake. You have Highway 127 going north from Baker, which is at 127/I15. You just go up 127 about 25 miles and on the right is Riggs Road, which appears to be little more than a dirt path through the desert. After about 4 miles it crosses CR 20554. If you'll look at that intersection in Satellite View, you'll see the old railroad bed and a couple of structures. One of these is Riggs Section House. Here it is in Google Maps:

http://tinyurl.com/66mnzrr

http://tinyurl.com/5uc3l8z

I hope this clarifies where I'm trying to go. I don't want to hassle anybody, though. If nobody can make it, I'll just visit Jack's grave at the cemetery.

Thanks, stay cool.

I know exactly where you mean. I just meant I'd ask some guys that might know about it to find out if it's still there or how much of it is left. Old houses don't last too long in the desert due to vandalism and stuff.

I would like to go check it out, but I work mon through friday. It would have to be a weekend for me.

[Ruark]

I know exactly where you mean. I just meant I'd ask some guys that might know about it to find out if it's still there or how much of it is left. Old houses don't last too long in the desert due to vandalism and stuff.

It's still there; the bottom half was solid concrete. It's been there since near the turn of the century.

Thanks,

Ruark

[eli]

It's still there; the bottom half was solid concrete. It's been there since near the turn of the century.

Thanks,

Ruark

The last Riggs section house was made of adobe with a concrete floor. Unlike Sperry which was entirely adobe the end (shorter) walls at Riggs were made of concrete. These section houses replaced earlier ones made of wood. The cisterns at Sperry and Riggs were made of concrete unlike the one at Valjean which was made of metal. All of three of these stops were dry and water needed to be hauled in by tank car. A section house houses a section gang of maybe a half dozen workers. Normally the foreman was provided a different building in which he and his family lived. The section gang sent out track walkers (later in some cases they may have used gasoline speeders there is a set out for one at Sperry) in both directions daily to inspect the track. They also made minor repairs and maintained the track and roadbed.

Officials of Pacific Coast Borax worked to build Death Valley into a tourist resort during the later years of the railroad in an attempt to carry more passengers. The Death Valley Hotel (not to be confused with the Inn) at Furnace Creek was built of of adobe following a tour of Riggs and Sperry by officials to study cheap construction methods.

Because wood is rare it's reused over and over in the desert. I was surprised to learn the ties from the Death Valley Railroad when it was pulled up were sent to New Mexico along with the rails and other equipment. When the T&T was pulled up some of the bridge timbers were sold to the US army. Often entire buildings were moved from one bust town to the next. Adobe if not maintained turns into what appears to be a light colored pile of mud on top of a concrete floor as is the case at Sperry. Although the end walls have fallen at Riggs it makes the location easier to find. It is legally accessible (or was the last time I was there) via what's known as Riggs Road on some maps which intersects 127 and heads east to Riggs. Many stops on the T&T Borax Smith named for family or officials of the company. Riggs however was named for a miner operating in the area.

Eli

[FE135]

Although I have not been to that spot, the area and dry lake is used for filming and is traveled alot. I don't think that is a closed area especially if on the dirt road. I've never seen any signage to stay out.

[ynot]

Here is Randy's reply. He is all knowing of things Death Valley and has a web site and blog. His info should be helpful to you.

Hi Terry,

Sorry I was away from the office yesterday and couldn't reply.

Although one could reach the Riggs site in 2WD, it would have to be something with high clearance. If he is going to rent a vehicle, I recommend it be an SUV. The biggest danger in driving would be a flat tire, but slow and easy would do it with reasonably good street or all terrain tires.

So, it is not the 4WD that is necessary, but the higher clearance that comes with a 4WD. I can't imagine any sedan having the necessary clearance.

I can tell him that the readers of my Death Valley Talk forum on DeathValley.com would love to read this story below. If he would repost this there, he may very well get a response from somebody willing to drive him out there.

Here is the link to the forum:

http://www.deathvalley.com/dvtalk/dvtalk.shtml

There are other discussion board for Death Valley that he could find via Google.

I hope this helps! Thanks for your email.

Best,

Randy

[Ruark]

Thanks, I'll post on Randy's forum later today or this evening.

[Kens Colors]

What an educational thread. I am making my 1st trip to Death Valley in Dec.