Showing results by author "Mark Stephen Taylor" in All Categories

Death Valley is a remote desert area located in eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert region, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in all of North America. Badwater, a basin located within the Valley, is the specific point of the lowest elevation, at 282 feet below sea level. This area is only 84 miles east-south-east of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, with an elevation of 14,497 feet. One of the most interesting and challenging mysteries of Death Valley is the sliding rocks at 'Racetrack Playa' (a playa is a dry lake bed).

Bear Claw is the renown Chief of 1870's Lone Pine California Shoshone in the author's 'Lone Pine Western Series', which stirring arrangement includes; “Three Days in Lone Pine”, “Still Waters, Legend of the White Wolf”, and, “Moon of the White Wolf”. Readers of this most enlightening series have expressed a desire to know more about Bear Claw—his roots, his upbringing, and details of the man's life prior to his first appearance as the aged and all-wise Shoshone Chief in, “Three Days in Lone Pine”, first published in 2010.

In about 1450 AD, an exceedingly prosperous generation of Native Americans, known then as the Anasazi, vanished from their strongholds in the American Southwest--disappeared without so much as a trace. However, the Native Americans of the present day Navajo Nation dispute the theoretical findings of modern day archeologists and anthropologists.

In this 3rd mystery of the series, tracker/cartographer Mitch Holland and treasure hunter Rod Florea find themselves on Mt. Whitney (California), highest mountain in the contiguous USA. It is there that they come to the aid of two teenagers who are looking for hidden Spanish Gold. An old map purchased at a yard sale turns out to be quite authentic, and the 16th century pirate tale that gives the map that authenticity is indeed a bone-chilling account.

In this fireside tale, Jeremiah and his Indian friend, John Windwalker, embark on that adventure with his visiting young nieces, Carrie and Hannah, and his nephew, Marc. The group rides out on a difficult journey up the east side of the majestic, white granite range, headed toward Mineral King on its western slopes. But, when the bank in Big Pine is robbed, three lawless men in their getaway head up the trail right behind them.

This is a continuation of the legend of the great white wolf first introduced in the author's work Still Waters: Legend of the White Wolf. In this enduring sequel, the town of Lone Pine and surrounding ranches, as well as the village of the Shoshone, are threatened by an attack from the Paiute tribe to the south. This of course disrupts the ordinary lives of the story's characters, but when the great white wolf returns to the area under a harvest moon, there is indeed great hope. However, not all believe in the legendary white wolf.

Welcome to another Lone Pine Western by award-winning author, Mark Stephen Taylor. Still Waters is a journey amidst the heartbeat of the High Sierra; Lone Pine California and Mount Whitney - the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S.A. This is a story of the great, white wolf, who in legend takes on the spirit of a Native American man and seeks to protect both the animals and the people of 1874 Lone Pine.

Do you believe in angels? In 1873 the town of Lone Pine, California came to believe in them. Lone Pine is the home of Mt. Whitney, highest mountain in the contiguous United States, towering some 14,497 feet. The white granite range of the High Sierra has been around for several thousand years, its towering spires unique in North America. However, the first recorded climb to this peak was not until August 18th, 1873, when three local fishermen braved the lofty crags and reached its elusive summit.