Mystery of the sawed off telephone poles in Big Bend National Park

Theories?

For yesterday's hike we wanted to see if we could create a loop by going east from our campground, and then getting around some hills, then working our way north, and then west back to our site.

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We failed.

We could not find a safe route. The hike is displayed by the bubble line. With the other lines showing some of our other hikes in the area. As can be seen, we went east, fooled around, and then retraced our steps back.

 

But we did see some beautiful canyons.

And then, high on a mesa, an old telephone pole.

Vicky thought she might get reception, but to no avail.

We explored the area, and found many other telephone poles, in a straight line as expected, except they had all been sawed off, about three feet from the ground. We could also look into the canyon and see downed telephone poles.

So why are all of them sawed off, but this one left standing?

Today, we set off in a different direction to see if we could create a loop trail. Our trail today is displayed in yellow. We set off in a north direction for a mile or so, and then we headed south.

We got to our goal, which was a spot below yesterday's telephone pole.

See our pole at the top of the hill?

Vicky is standing next to one of the downed poles we found on the canyon floor.

To make a loop hike we had to find a way out of the canyon and up to the mesa. Yesterday we had tried several potential spots, but could not find a safe route down. Today we wanted a safe route up, and which is a somewhat easier task. It is easier and safer to ascend a steep hill than to descend it.

Finally, after scouring the area, we found a small wash that did not seem too steep. So, up we went, fighting the sticker bushes all of the way.

Here is Vicky hopelessly entangled in a bush. I was worried for awhile that if she couldn't get free that I was going to have to leave her.

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We made it up the wash to the mesa, and created a terrific loop hike.

But our mystery remains. Why cut down the poles and leave everything there? It doesn't seem that it was done as part of the cleanup when the area became a park. Otherwise why leave the wires and valuable wood?

Our theory is that someone got angry and cut them down so nobody else could use them. And then left one as a nanner nanner. Or as a something else that isn't appropriate to put into a family blog.

Have a better theory?

 

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