Kofa Cabin

One of the first things we did when we got to the refuge was go out into a remote section with another volunteer couple.  The other couple help maintain the Kofa side of the refuge system while we help maintain the Imperial side.  They invited us along to see the more remote section and help them with a few of their duties.  It was quite a ride out there.  There were two major "rain events" this summer and fall that hit the refuge.  The roads in the refuge were pretty much washed out not being much as far as roads in the first place.  Most roads just follow washes so when the water flows through them they get filled in with sand and gravel or just washed away.  One wash had over 8 feet of water in it during the big rain -- hard to believe when all we've seen is dry, dusty washes that look like they haven't seen any kind of water running through in a century. 

We did a circle tour that is less than 30 miles.  It took us all day to complete.  The road that was there last spring was gone.  We were riding in a 4 wheel drive truck with a small backseat so all four of us could ride together.  We were lucky the guy driving was very good at driving off road.   He took that truck where we didn't even see a road ahead of us just rock and steep, deep cuts.

The first cabin we checked was called Kofa cabin.  Kofa is short for King of Arizona -- the name of a famous mine in the area.  This cabin was built by the CCC back in the 30's and this group of cabin builders consisted of native americans.   The cabin is available to guests to spend the night -- just a shelter, no water, no toilet.  There is a water tank in the yard that is kept full by a windmill and is maintained for the bighorn sheep.  The tank is fenced to keep the burros out.  The refuge doesn't like the burros which are non native leftovers from the mining days.  The burros compete with the desert bighorn sheep for food and territory.