Portal, AZ - Rodeo, NM

Buckelew Cabin, Ajax Mine and around the Nipper

Photos and report by Eskild

On a cold morning 11 hikers started the day’s hiking adventure on Hilltop Road. We first ventured up to a small rock-outcropping where we inspected a few pictographs. We then follow cow trails over a sall pass to reach the Ajax Mine - a min e established before 1900 in the California Mine District. The mine is situated below the Blue Mountain and was never large but produced copper, lead and some gold.

From the mine we followed cow trails and creek bottoms over a pass to the Buckelew Rock House.

The Susanne Noland Buckelew and Henry Buckelew with 9 children - 8 Noland's and 1 Buckelew - moved from Blue River AZ around 1898 where they homesteaded and built the one room Rock House some times later. Susanna Buckelew was born in 1864 in Pennsylvania, Martin Noland was born in 1836 in Missouri. They met on a wagon trail traveling west when he was 43 and she 15. Until he died in 1893 she gave birth to 7 children and was pregnant with number 8. They had homesteaded in Blue AZ close to Luna NM. He died after a house fire where he went back into the house and got smoke inhalation and burns. Susanna got remarried to Henry Buckelew in 1896. In around 1898 he convinced her to move to  anew Homestead below Squaw Spring in the shadow of Cochise Head.

Susanna divorced Henry the same year this picture was taken.

Around 1908 the Buckelew’s had acquired another homestead about 4 miles east of Apache in the Peloncillos. The older Noland boys Will, Frank and Martin  continued to live in a bunkhouse next to the Rock house. Will was a late sleeper. One morning Frank saw that his brother was asleep on his bed. He decided to wake him up by shooting across the room through  an open window. When he fired Will had woken up and sat up at the wrong time so he got shot in the head and died.

After a history lesson delivered by Al and Eskild we resumed our travels and had lunch at the North Ranch. This structure originally was built in Morenci but later moved by Noland’s to its present place. While some us went caving  the persons resting at the Ranch were visited by the Border Patrol.

Two hikers returned the way we had arrived while the remainder 9 chose to walk up a side canyon with only the faintest of a trail visible. This way we encircled the Nippers before exploring another ancient Indian village site. It was a long but very rewarding adventurewe on a cool but very clear and sunny day.

Next week 2/25/21 we plan to follow Susanna’s move to the Peloncillo's and explore a different canyon there east of Apache.

Meet at the Rodeo Post Office at 9AM. Plan to carpool from there to lesson the impact on private land.

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Chiricahua Trail Crew Volunteer Agreement

If you do not have a Volunteer Service Agreement on file with the Forest Service, submit one. Submitted forms don't expire until you terminate them.
DOWNLOAD THE FORM.  Print it, fill out, sign in block 35, and date. You can scan a signed document and e-mail it to veronica.forrest@usda.gov. You can also mail the form to Veronica at the Douglas Ranger District Office:
    Veronica Forrest                 1192 W. Saddle View Rd.Douglas, AZ 85607

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