Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego
Coyote Mountain crazy wind
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tekewin Posts: 368
5/28/2017
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I drove down to Borrego Springs Friday morning to hike Coyote Mountain from the normal southeast ridge route. It started out calmly until I hit the second bump when the wind blasted me head on. My guess is it was a steady 30mph, but gusts to 60mph+. I've never experienced wind like that. Hard to move and it knocked me down once. I thought about turning back, but decided to tough it out. The wind didn't stop all the up, though I got some relief below the larger bumps on the ridge. I had a friend driven out of the Mojave for a couple of days in March by strong winds, and I guess I got a small of taste of it. Really awesome views on the way up and from the top. Guess I better start checking the wind forecast. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlp8dJnI3r4
edited by tekewin on 5/28/2017
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MarkG Posts: 22
5/28/2017
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It was definitely windy out here on Friday! I've found the wind predictions on NOAA to be reasonably trustworthy and worth checking before planning a hike. But the wind forecast only seems to go about 3 days out.
Here's what it looked like up on Coyote Mountain back in March when the flowers were in bloom:
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tekewin Posts: 368
5/29/2017
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What a huge bloom just a couple of months ago! I'll check the NOAA site to see if I can figure out the wind forecast. I wonder if Coyote gets stronger wind due to its isolation between higher mountain ranges and wide valleys. I spent some time Friday afternoon off trail around upper Hellhole Canyon and the wind was no more than a breeze.
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rockhopper Posts: 668
5/29/2017
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Looks like we hiked the exact same path up Coyote Mtn. Great views all the way up. Your kinda in the middle of my favorite desert hiking area. Santa Rosas, Rock house valley, Borrego valley, etc. The winds are always a issue in the spring time. Weather patterns transition from Winter to Summer can bring some darn strong winds to the desert regions. Fortunately you were on rock. Talk to the locals down near Palm desert about san blasted paint jobs on their cars. Lucky you didn't get tagged by the "flying" cactus balls. I been there done that. Tents taking off in a stong gust, foam pads lifting-off, Dome tents rolling across the desert at 40mph with full gear inside! Heck one time I was in a camper shell with huge wind gusts. I normally toss out my stinky walk around camp shoes out side as I climb in the camper shell for the night. In the morning. Gone! blown away.
edited by rockhopper on 5/29/2017
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tekewin Posts: 368
5/29/2017
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Rockhopper, I think it would have been a different outcome if sand and cactus were airborne. I always ignored those high wind warning signs, until now.
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MarkG Posts: 22
5/29/2017
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The winds can vary a lot depending on where you are in the valley. I live in the Deep Well area (near the junction of Yaqui Pass and Borrego Springs Roads) and it's usually a lot windier here than in town. I've left home with a 40mph wind blowing to go to the market and over there it's barely more than a pleasant breeze.
A fun alternate way down Coyote Mountain is to hike down the crest of the ridge running east down to Clark Valley. Sounds like it would be much further to get back to your car but it only adds about 1.5 miles. Some really dramatic views into the canyon south of the ridge. A few times it'll look like the ridge ahead of you is about to drop off into space but just keep going. When you get closer to it you'll see it's not insanely steep. You'll pick up a faint trail now and then but it's hard to go wrong even without it. The ridge falls off almost straight down to your left and right so you can only go forward!
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+1
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