Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego
McCain Valley
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2634
4/30/2018
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Just a 2 day trip out with Tom, found another water source in the valley and enjoyed some peaceful outdoor time with what is is left of nature out there. I am really enjoying the short 2 day backpack trips, plenty of time to explore and time to enjoy backpacking with only a small amount of items needed to carry. Tom and I have spent a lot of time in McCain Valley over the last few years and we have a good knowledge of water sources and the landscape as a whole. Tom has some really great photos from this trip, hopefully he will post some.
Packrat Midden
From the North American Packrat Midden Database:
Middens are waste piles that packrats construct out of fecal matter and urine. Packrats incorporate pieces of plant material, bone, and other items they habitually collect from their environment into their middens. The packrat’s sticky, viscous urine acts like a cement which binds the midden material together into a solid mass.

Close up of the gooey stuff

Tom with all of the non functional wind turbines in the background...yes it is windy, very windy, look at Tom's hat and the turbines are stopped

Looking over at the Sawtooth range where Tom and I were a couple of weeks ago...wow..

Total Mylar baloons this trip - 2
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tommy750 Posts: 1071
5/1/2018
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Ah yes, the North American Packrat Midden Database. Who hasn't used that? I noticed there's no entries in the NAPMD from our area which is really weird.
Here's a couple more pics:
Daren above Pepperwood Canyon south of Pepperwood Peak.
Daren Above Pepperwood Canyon by tomteske, on Flickr
Nice Red Diamond Rattlesnake Daren almost stepped on. Britain, I was trying to figure out the difference between the Red Diamond and Western Diamondback and there appears to be some subtle difference. Think the previous Sawtooth Mt rattlesnake pic you called a Red and I named a Western Diamondback was actually a Red as you said: http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/catroxcruber.id.html
Red Diamond Rattlesnake by tomteske, on Flickr
Red Diamond Rattlesnake2 by tomteske, on Flickr
We found a nice seep near some dense foliage which might work in a pinch:
Seep by tomteske, on Flickr
Nice metate Daren found.
Broken Metate by tomteske, on Flickr
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