Mojave National Preserve

For a nation in perpetual motion, to cross the lands that make up the Mojave National Preserve has long meant only one thing: You are very nearly somewhere else. For westward-bound travelers, whether they came through open wilderness, along the now-overgrown Mojave Road or later by the legendary lanes of Route 66, this most American of deserts was little more than an obstacle to more promising lands. Long before them, Native Americans traded regularly across these harsh miles, as enamored as everyone else with speed.

I just read Mark Vanhoenacker's article “A Rest for Restless Spirits” [Jan. 8] about the Mojave National Preserve and must object to the characterization that allowing hunting is “inferior.” Hunting is not at all an inferior use of public land and has a long tradition in the U.S. and California. Long before MNP came into existence, hunters were, and still are, one of the larger user groups of the MNP. The L.A. Times has a long antihunting bias, somewhat surprising considering the history of its publishers.

Have you ever raced a fringe-toed lizard to the peak of a sand dune? Or played in a volcanic landscape with rocks as large as 60 feet across? Have you ever been to the driest desert in North America? If not, you might like visiting the Mojave National Preserve, one of the 385 sites within the National Park System.

For a nation in perpetual motion, to cross the lands that make up the Mojave National Preserve has long meant only one thing: You are very nearly somewhere else. For westward-bound travelers, whether they came through open wilderness, along the now-overgrown Mojave Road or later by the legendary lanes of Route 66, this most American of deserts was little more than an obstacle to more promising lands. Long before them, Native Americans traded regularly across these harsh miles, as enamored as everyone else with speed.

A group of fires in the eastern Mojave Desert was 65% contained Saturday after burning about 65,200 acres of dry brush and destroying five homes and six trailers, authorities said. About 935 firefighters from throughout the state battled the five fires, which were started by lightning Wednesday in the sprawling Mojave National Preserve about 40 miles west of the Nevada border, said Capt. Greg Cleveland of the Southern California Incident Management Team.

Howard Blair has outlived two wives, endured years of searing drought and survived sudden freak storms that tossed massive boulders down the Providence Mountains toward his homestead. He lost his favorite horse to a bite from the deadly Mojave green rattlesnake. Now, he must decide whether to sell the ranch that has been in his family for generations or to stay and run the risk of financial ruin.

A stretch of the Mojave Desert, encompassing part of California's newest national park, is contaminated with radioactive toxic waste that repeatedly spilled last summer from a ruptured pipeline at the Mountain Pass Mine, according to federal and state authorities.

Darkness cloaked the desert, pierced only by a canopy of stars that provided a glittering backdrop for 20 college students treading cautiously over the cracked, dry landscape. But a soft hiss stopped them in their tracks. Mudassar Haq heard the rattlesnake and shouted to alert the others as classmate Thomas Parker shined a flashlight on a large sidewinder slithering away under a tuft of salt grass. "I immediately knew what it was, that's something you don't think twice about," said Haq, 20, a Cal State Fullerton junior.

A long-awaited visitor center has finally opened at the refurbished Kelso Depot at Mojave National Preserve. The sprawling desert park between Baker, Calif., and the Nevada and Arizona borders has lacked a focal point to attract visitors since it opened more than a decade ago. After two years and $3.

A Newberry Springs man who pointed a loaded gun at National Park Service rangers in February pleaded guilty Wednesday to one felony count of assaulting, resisting, intimidating and impeding federal law enforcement officers. Leo H. Spatziani, 62, pointed a loaded M-1 carbine at park rangers Feb. 12, as they photographed a friend of Spatziani's operating a trenching machine on federal land in the Mojave National Preserve, according to federal prosecutors. Spatziani was arrested Feb. 17.

Darkness cloaked the desert, pierced only by a canopy of stars that provided a glittering backdrop for 20 college students treading cautiously over the cracked, dry landscape. But a soft hiss stopped them in their tracks. Mudassar Haq heard the rattlesnake and shouted to alert the others as classmate Thomas Parker shined a flashlight on a large sidewinder slithering away under a tuft of salt grass. "I immediately knew what it was, that's something you don't think twice about," said Haq, 20, a Cal State Fullerton junior.

If you go THE BEST WAY TO MITCHELL CAVERNS From Los Angeles, take Interstate 10 east to Interstate 15 north to Interstate 40 east. The caverns are in the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area in the eastern Mojave Desert, 116 miles east of Barstow and 16 miles northwest of Interstate 40 near Essex Road. The recreation area is surrounded by the Mojave National Preserve. WHAT TO DO The recreation area and visitors center are closed Sunday through Thursday, with cavern tours on Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. For groups of 10 or more, reservations are required three weeks in advance, with a limit of 25 persons a tour.

Less than two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the controversial 7-foot-high Mojave Desert cross could stay put, but on Sunday someone else decided it should go. Investigators who arrived at its former perch Monday found a few bits of rusty metal, 1.6 million acres of desert and a big mystery on their hands. "One day it was there, the next day it wasn't," said Linda Slater, spokeswoman for the Mojave National Preserve, where the cross stood for 76 years. "It was bolted directly to the rock, and the bolts were cut. Someone has that cross."

Take it seriously Re "Search on for bomb suspect," May 3 I am very disappointed with New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who referred to the Times Square bomb incident as amateurish. If you think about it, every successful terrorist act could be described as amateurish — had those plots been foiled. It never ceases to amaze me how our leadership continues to downplay the threat of terrorism in this country. Douglas Ross Los Angeles The cross and the court Re "A ruling that crosses the line," Editorial, April 30 Your opinion on this issue is way off the mark.

In a shift away from strict church-state separation, the Supreme Court gave its approval Wednesday to displaying a Christian cross on government land to honor the war dead, saying the Constitution "does not require the eradication of all religious symbols in the public realm." Speaking for a divided court, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said the 1st Amendment calls for a middle-ground "policy of accommodation" toward religious displays on public land, not a total ban on symbols of faith.

The Supreme Court gave its approval Wednesday to displaying a cross on public land to honor fallen soldiers, saying the Constitution "does not require the eradication of all religious symbols in the public realm." Speaking for a divided court, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said the 1st Amendment called for a middle-ground "policy of accommodation" toward religious displays on public land, not a strict separation of church and state. Kennedy disagreed with judges in California who said U.S. National Park Service officials must remove a small Latin cross from the Mojave National Preserve that had stood since 1934 to honor soldiers who died in World War I. The judges said the display of the cross on public land amounted to a government endorsement of religion.

Three national parks that were created or expanded 10 years ago under the Desert Protection Act mark their anniversary this week with slideshows, dinners, hikes and stargazing in High Desert communities. President Clinton signed the law creating the Mojave National Preserve, augmenting Joshua Tree, above, and Death Valley national parks and establishing 3.5 million acres of wilderness on public lands. For a listing of commemorative events, go to www.npca.

These five parks regularly update wildflower reports on their websites during viewing season. They also post activity calendars with details on ranger and docent programs. Desert USA, http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca.html , keeps track of conditions throughout the Southwest deserts. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638 Joshua Tree National Park, http://www.nps.gov/jotr Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, http://www.