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Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego

Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley Messages in this topic - RSS

deborah
deborah
Posts: 115


10/13/2019
deborah
deborah
Posts: 115
I was back in the Rockhouse Canyon again, this time exploring a drainage between the north end of the canyon to Dawn's Peak. Thought I'd share some pictures.




Not much to this picture but the colors. This was on the drive down Montezuma Valley road. I pulled over just long enough to poke my head out for this shot. It was chilly. smile












The picture doesn't really show it well, but that rock face is maybe a few hundred feet tall. The dry fall is only a short walk back into the canyon.














2 mylar balloons retrieved. smile

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Buford
Buford
Posts: 456


10/14/2019
Buford
Buford
Posts: 456
Nice. I need to get back there again this year. Lots of cool stuff to see.

Did you drive to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail? I wonder if any monsoon floods hit it this year.

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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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deborah
deborah
Posts: 115


10/14/2019
deborah
deborah
Posts: 115
On this trip I parked just around the corner from the Butler Canyon / Rockhouse Canyon junction. A few weeks ago I drove in about 1.5 miles from the junction before I reached a tricky spot (for me). I'm probably on the conservative side with off road driving though. And it was at the end of my day, so I didn't spend much time trying to find a way through.
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dsefcik
dsefcik
Administrator
Posts: 2622


10/14/2019
dsefcik
dsefcik
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Posts: 2622
Great area, the Lindsay book refers that area as Mojave Valley. There is an old geocache hidden away along that drainage.

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ziphius
ziphius
Posts: 911


10/16/2019
ziphius
ziphius
Posts: 911
Great photos. I cant' figure out what species of butterfly that is. It resembles a pipevine swallowtail, except some features are way different.

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Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597


10/16/2019
Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597
Great pics. What type of vehicle do you have? I want to do a trip up Rockhouse Canyon and would like to get as close as possible in my Ford Escape.
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Buford
Buford
Posts: 456


10/16/2019
Buford
Buford
Posts: 456
Most SUVs and trucks should be able to get to the Butler/Rockhouse junction. The final 3 miles to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail can be a mess. It depends on how bad the monsoons were, how armored your vehicle is, or how tolerant you are of body damage.

--
Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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deborah
deborah
Posts: 115


10/16/2019
deborah
deborah
Posts: 115
ziphius wrote:
Great photos. I cant' figure out what species of butterfly that is. It resembles a pipevine swallowtail, except some features are way different.



They are beautiful, for sure. I saw two of them during the day. I stayed with that one for a bit in case it decided to open its wings, but it didn't.

I did see quite a few dragonflies (I think) in and near the canyon as well. Their wings were clear and shimmering, and edged in a shiny, almost gold color. They were really beautiful too.
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deborah
deborah
Posts: 115


10/16/2019
deborah
deborah
Posts: 115
Rocko1 wrote:
Great pics. What type of vehicle do you have? I want to do a trip up Rockhouse Canyon and would like to get as close as possible in my Ford Escape.



I have a Tacoma. The short distance that I went in a few weeks ago was bumpy for sure, but probably not surprising since I didn't bother to air down. smile I thought it was very manageable until I got to my stopping point. There were some medium-size boulders in the path I was following. I didn't spend much time looking for a way around.
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rockhopper
rockhopper
Posts: 668


10/17/2019
rockhopper
rockhopper
Posts: 668
Nice trip, Nice photos and Welcome! I really enjoy Rockhouse canyon, The rock houses , the whole area for solitude in the middle of Southern California. Just amazing. We were able to take a 4x4 Bronco up to about 2.5 miles from hidden spring until the boulders stopped us and then packed it in for two nites on the first trip. Started to follow an old Native American trail from the Santa Rosa Indian Ruins toward Martinez. Still need to complete that section. Tough!
edited by rockhopper on 10/17/2019
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deborah
deborah
Posts: 115


10/17/2019
deborah
deborah
Posts: 115
rockhopper wrote:
Nice trip, Nice photos and Welcome! I really enjoy Rockhouse canyon, The rock houses , the whole area for solitude in the middle of Southern California. Just amazing. We were able to take a 4x4 Bronco up to about 2.5 miles from hidden spring until the boulders stopped us and then packed it in for two nites on the first trip. Started to follow an old Native American trail from the Santa Rosa Indian Ruins toward Martinez. Still need to complete that section. Tough!
edited by rockhopper on 10/17/2019


Thanks! Yes, the area really is amazing. That trail must have been a fun discovery. And towards Martinez, that definitely sounds tough. smile
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ziphius
ziphius
Posts: 911


10/17/2019
ziphius
ziphius
Posts: 911
Your butterfly is a Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus). I have never seen one in the wild. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59128-Atlides-halesus

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deborah
deborah
Posts: 115


10/17/2019
deborah
deborah
Posts: 115
ziphius wrote:
Your butterfly is a Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus). I have never seen one in the wild. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59128-Atlides-halesus


Oh yes, that's it. Thank you! That's quite a name, too! smile
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Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597


10/18/2019
Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597
deborah wrote:
Rocko1 wrote:
Great pics. What type of vehicle do you have? I want to do a trip up Rockhouse Canyon and would like to get as close as possible in my Ford Escape.



I have a Tacoma. The short distance that I went in a few weeks ago was bumpy for sure, but probably not surprising since I didn't bother to air down. smile I thought it was very manageable until I got to my stopping point. There were some medium-size boulders in the path I was following. I didn't spend much time looking for a way around.



Thanks. I hope one day to get a Tacoma. Really like those trucks.
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dsefcik
dsefcik
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Posts: 2622


10/21/2019
dsefcik
dsefcik
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Posts: 2622
Buford wrote:
Most SUVs and trucks should be able to get to the Butler/Rockhouse junction. The final 3 miles to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail can be a mess. It depends on how bad the monsoons were, how armored your vehicle is, or how tolerant you are of body damage.


Very tolerant....this was from back in 2013, just didn't see that boulder...


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Buford
Buford
Posts: 456


10/24/2019
Buford
Buford
Posts: 456
dsefcik wrote:
Buford wrote:
Most SUVs and trucks should be able to get to the Butler/Rockhouse junction. The final 3 miles to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail can be a mess. It depends on how bad the monsoons were, how armored your vehicle is, or how tolerant you are of body damage.


Very tolerant....this was from back in 2013, just didn't see that boulder...


Ouch. When I drove to the end in the dark last year, Gary and I didn’t see a big boulder straight in front of us because we were watching the sides to get through a squeeze. My skid plate found it just fine.

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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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Britain
Britain
Posts: 602


10/24/2019
Britain
Britain
Posts: 602
Rocker guards are needed here.

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Cant drive 55
Britain
http://icorva.com
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Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597


10/31/2019
Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597
dsefcik wrote:
Buford wrote:
Most SUVs and trucks should be able to get to the Butler/Rockhouse junction. The final 3 miles to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail can be a mess. It depends on how bad the monsoons were, how armored your vehicle is, or how tolerant you are of body damage.


Very tolerant....this was from back in 2013, just didn't see that boulder...



Ouch. I nice amount of desert pin stripping also I see.
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tommy750
tommy750
Posts: 1049


10/31/2019
tommy750
tommy750
Posts: 1049
dsefcik wrote:
Buford wrote:
Most SUVs and trucks should be able to get to the Butler/Rockhouse junction. The final 3 miles to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail can be a mess. It depends on how bad the monsoons were, how armored your vehicle is, or how tolerant you are of body damage.


Very tolerant....this was from back in 2013, just didn't see that boulder...


Excuse me but aren’t you the guy blowing me sh*t for the rocker panel microscratch on the Tundra you bought from me that I got while jammed up in Hueso wash??
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rockhopper
rockhopper
Posts: 668


11/2/2019
rockhopper
rockhopper
Posts: 668
dsefcik wrote:
Buford wrote:
Most SUVs and trucks should be able to get to the Butler/Rockhouse junction. The final 3 miles to the end of Rockhouse Truck Trail can be a mess. It depends on how bad the monsoons were, how armored your vehicle is, or how tolerant you are of body damage.


Very tolerant....this was from back in 2013, just didn't see that boulder...



Happened to us too. Did the exact same thing back in the 1970's. ( Sorry no pics.) We were climbing up a drainage in the Panamints and slid down a slick rock really did some ugly body art to my friends rig. We should have parked it long before and hiked in but we went onward and failed! .Your desert tattoo makes for nice conversation.
cheers
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dsefcik
dsefcik
Administrator
Posts: 2622


11/4/2019
dsefcik
dsefcik
Administrator
Posts: 2622
tommy750 wrote:

Excuse me but aren’t you the guy blowing me sh*t for the rocker panel microscratch on the Tundra you bought from me that I got while jammed up in Hueso wash??

Which microscratch you referring to..?

The passenger side one


or the drivers side??


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Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597


11/5/2019
Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597
My brother got tired of the scratches as well and painted his entire Explorer in bed liner. Problem solved.







If it wasn't for the transmission going out I would have bought it from him. Good desert rig.
edited by Rocko1 on 11/5/2019
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dsefcik
dsefcik
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Posts: 2622


11/6/2019
dsefcik
dsefcik
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Posts: 2622
Rocko1 wrote:
My brother got tired of the scratches as well and painted his entire Explorer in bed liner. Problem solved.


OMG...Desert Tan bed liner no less...I know what I am doing this 3 day weekend..!!!



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http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597


11/6/2019
Rocko1
Rocko1
Posts: 597
dsefcik wrote:
Rocko1 wrote:
My brother got tired of the scratches as well and painted his entire Explorer in bed liner. Problem solved.


OMG...Desert Tan bed liner no less...I know what I am doing this 3 day weekend..!!!




That's the stuff. He used 10 cans for the Explorer.
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