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Does this look like the air shots were taken with a drone? I think I can see the operator at about 40 seconds into it.
https://youtu.be/ljSsogtMiDg

Jim, the spring was a trickle the size of my finger. Same as the last couple times I've seen it, in summer & earlier. Plenty for me to filter the ~12 oz I needed. Some dummies were camping there with their tents right up in the bushes against the spring, had to step on a tent to get to water. Some people have no clue how truly special consistent water is in the desert. I'm usually quite comfortable being going solo, the moment I realized that the sheep (a professional cat-attack avoider) had recently been taken down was not one of them!

Nice Christmas tree, Jim That's a great area to visit. Heading out there Monday-Tuesday for a quick trip and hoping it won't get to freezing temps! I have a five year old Marmot 15 Long and it weights 46oz. Sure you didn't lose a couple rolls of quarters in yours??

Nice photos and trip report. Did you have a thermometer? That's the money shot. Ha! I like the pic of your mitten holding the ice chunk! That makes it official, winter is here in ABDSP! Also great pictos in cave photo. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers

got my backpack.

surfponto wrote:

It is a pretty crazy story...cool though
http://www.robertmarcos.com/ghost-ship/

A great California tale for sure. Unfortunately, it quickly unravels with only a bit of fact checking:
1) You can't sail from the Sea of Cortez right into Ancient Lake Cahuilla since the lake level when full was 42ft and sea level is, well, zero.
2) There is some debate the lake contained water in 1612.
3) It's unlikely the ghost ship was trapped by sand bars because the water level of the lake rapidly dropped. It takes about 57 years for the lake to dry.
3) Sailing the 130 miles to Blythe against the mighty Colorado in a Spanish caravel seems a herculean task.
4) A point 300 ft SE of the farthest eastern point of the Superstition Mts would put the ghost ship about five miles from the nearest shoreline of Ancient Lake Cahuilla and over 300 ft above the highest 42 ft shoreline.
5) The supposed ship-like petroglyph in Pinto Canyon looks ship-like because the bottom half of the strange shape has been removed by the abrasive force of water flowing in the wash. Similar intact pictographs at El Vallecito look nothing like a vessel.
6) Finally, there is no Santa. Sorry.

A. johnnycashi. Nice. So what are the main kinds of tarantulas we have around here, Jim? Thanks.

Nice truck....


surfponto wrote:

I like Johnny Cash



ziphius wrote:

all in the same article: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tarantula-species-named-for-johnny-cash/

I like Johnny Cash



ziphius wrote:

all in the same article: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tarantula-species-named-for-johnny-cash/

I just took a look at the area that has been designated Mojave Trails National Monument, and all I can say is wow. I've spent a lot of time in that area, mostly spending time along the transcon rail line and route 66. Recently I've spent time at a couple of Patton's army camps. Due to its remoteness I seriously doubt there will be an increase in visitors. The area is way out there.

Here a link to today's latimes.com story on ABDSP wild flower enthusiasts:

http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-flower-stalkers-20160305-story.html

ziphius wrote:

Nice ceremony Sandman. Is the bride wearing hiking boots?

That's sddarkman619 not sandman.
and no she's wearing granny boots.

Just because one archaeologist says Yonis are natural doesn't make it so. Lots of studies say otherwise. The local tribes themselves say they did it. Goggle Native American fertility yonis. Or you can buy a book (study paper) at the ABNHA store in Borrego Springs.

Here's what little I know of this subject. The linear and oval indentations on granitic rocks in ABDSP reminiscent of the human vulva are often referred to as "yoni," a term first applied to these non-pictograph structures by Charlotte McGowan in her 1982 "Ceremonial Fertility Sites in Southern California." Others have subsequently made similar observations. The basic idea is natural rock features were worked or enhanced by the Kumeyaay and utilized during fertility rites. The ONLY ethnographic account of these structures linked to anything Kumeyaay or any type of fertility rite was relayed to Ken Hedges by an old rancher at the Crawford Ranch who stated a shaman approached him in 1935 asking to bury his dead relative on the ranch and mentioning in passing that women who could not conceive would visit "magic stones" in order to conceive. That's it! In 2012, Heather Thomson began giving lectures discussing her Masters Thesis which attempted to answer the question whether the granitic vulva-like structures were soley the result of natural weathering or was there evidence the structures had been worked or enhanced. I attended one of her lectures in 2013 at the San Diego Archaeological Center and basically she identified numerous typical examples of yonis (many with trinomials) and had five geologists examine them for any signs of enhancement and whether all the observed characteristics were a result of natural weathering. The unanimous opinion from the geologists was no enhancement and all characteristics a result of granitic natural weathering. I haven't read Heather Thomson's thesis but it sounds like an interesting read.
edited by tommy750 on 4/26/2016

General consensus from folks who study them say they are geological formations but then there are folks who listen to Coast to Coast every night and always stop to visit Coyote Jeff next to the Desert Tower...

Gary was the only one who did not use a tent that trip AND he forgot his sleeping pad so he slept on a sheet of blue plastic on the hard dirt every night and the first night in the rain under a rock shelter full of rat crap.

Better yet, summit El Cajon and bounce on over to Rock Mt for an extra 3 mile bonus still honoring the "uphill both ways" theme of El Cajon

4 hours round trip ain't bad! A night hike during a full moon would be nice this time of year with a great view of the lights Of Tijuana & San Diego. If you guys want to step up the adventure factor a bit, I'd be happy to finally meet you and lead you through a full moon point to point from El Monte Park (near the El Capitan reservoir dam) to El Cajon Mtn peak to Wildcat Cyn Rd. I'm guessing it'd take you maybe 30 mins to an hour more than your out & back from Wildcat.
-Robert

Jim, I also want to see our trails remain open & new ones allowed for all of us (including my kids)and I try to be an active participant in that regard. San Miguel is a prime example of rule flouting helping to close off incredible trails, possibly permanently. I was under the impression that only the parking lot had closed hours as I usually ride my bike there but a search of the county's website shows you are correct. Thanks for cluing me in.
The sunset closure rule for Laguna & Cuyamaca Mtn parking has always irked me because it means that it is effectively against the law to watch a sunset from any of OUR peaks as you'd have to reach your vehicle by sunset.
-Robert

El Cajon is closed in August because of the extreme heat. Showed up years ago in August with my now fiancée packing two liters each and made it to the four mile saddle before realizing we'd made a huge mistake. Was 93 that day and well over 100 in some spots. We laid in a ditch in the shade till late afternoon when my very annoyed older brother (contacted by phone) showed up packing the sweetest water I've ever drank. Still read the UT and sneer at the idiots getting airlifted off El Cajon but realize I was almost one of them.

We had 40 unique sheep in Rattlesnake Spring, about 50% less than normal, weather was much cooler and sheep did not seem interested in drinking, many just lounged around the water hole all day without drinking at all. I did not take my heavy digital camera and 600mm lens this year, instead I just took a trail camera and hung on it on a mesquite nearby, here is my meager attempt at stitching together the hundreds of photos and videos it captured over the 3 day weekend.

Do you think it was being flown out from the mtns or up from the desert side?

It should have automatically flown back to the starting point if radio signal was lost. May have done a controlled landing before the batteries died. No ID on the drone? No fun throwing a $1,000 bill away Nice view of Storm Canyon.

where is the day use parking?

So camping is allowed in Inner Pasture? There's a section of it where it's state area the entry way from agua caliente, is that ok to camp as well? I'm introducing my daughter to backpacking and wanted to do something fairly easy and fun so I was thinking an overnight in inner pasture would be a great starting point.

Try superimposing these onto Google Earth to get an idea of what's coming. Don't forget to include the flashing red lights...

Signed Record of Decision: Tule Wind Project, Ancillary Facilities on Public Lands Supporting the Reduced Ridgeline Component, dated: January 17, 2014 by tomteske, on Flickr

Signed Record of Decision: Tule Wind Project, Ancillary Facilities on Public Lands Supporting the Reduced Ridgeline Component, dated: January 17, 2014 by tomteske, on Flickr
edited by tommy750 on 11/4/2016

ziphius wrote:

This site might bring some peace of mind (for a small fee) when leaving your car in the area for multiple days. Not sure what others do. Or take the uphill approach from Bow Willow. That's one I'm planning. - Jim

what about cottonwood campground?

Nice TR and pics! Was that a lone piece of obsidian?
I wonder if it was brought there in trade with other tribes or?

Great TR & pics! I just happened to be in that area Sunday and was quite surprised to see tracks, they must have been yours. It was a moonlit run Sat night from the PCT at Stephenson Peak down a ridge, across Vallecito Valley, up onto the Sawtooth ridgeline above Agua Caliente, back a short ways towards the Cuyamacas, and down to the valley floor. At that point, I was too tired to continue back up to the PCT so I just curled up and slept for an hour til sunrise when I found myself very close to where I think you camped. I even took a photo of the same view of the Sawteeth as you did. I was pretty surprised by the sheer volume and variety of pottery shards just uphill to the west of your camp. Posted some pics on Instagram @impatienthiker. I think that you had the smarter plan with your routing, timing, and a stop at the Lazy Lizard! Loved the election results story too, who doesn't love a good map!
-Robert

Lazy Lizard is always a great way to end an Anza Borrego trip.
Great pics

Looks like a great trip, Jim. The shoe covers by S2 pic is unsurpassable! Any of those troughs/piping have springs with water attached to them??

Nice report and pics. Love the cowboy emblem pic. Nothing like pacifco and topo maps. Is that an inflatable camp pillow at your campsite? How comfortable is that thing? That is the single most reason why I never get a goods nite rest in the backcountry, can't seem to find anything that works. I wonder if the town of ocotillo has gone to the trump side because of all those wind turbines signed off by President Obama.
Happy trails

Yep read about that. How the heck does that happen?

ziphius wrote:

It looks like it gave way about halfway up the tower. The warranty must have just expired.

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/wind-turbine-collapses-ocotillo
edited by ziphius on 11/22/2016

Would be great if a Billionaire came along and made it happen again. Well, just because.

It is a fantastic area out there. I would like to return sometime in Spring 2017 to the caves about a mile from the Travertine oasis. Any takers?

Geesh I said I would never do it a second time :-)

I have 4 or 5 trips under my belt...nice work, going for 100??