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epolomsk Posts: 17
12/15/2023
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Thought id make folks aware of what is going on in Anza Borrego.
Over the years park management has been closing more and more areas to overnight backpacking or camping.
I've been going there for about 25 yrs and this winter they just closed ALL of Coyote Canyon and Collins Valley.
No real explanation, no idea if it will ever reopen.
Day hiking is allowed, just no overnight from 3rd crossing and beyond.
Doesn't make a lot of sense.
In the past 25 yrs they have closed:
1) Camping at Paroli
2) Won't allow maintenance of horse trail at 3rd crossing thru the creek
3) Closed Borrego palm to backpacking (
Its been 3ys since the fire and only lower bit burned,so this makes no sense at this point, and its only the lower part that burned)
Now, one of the most popular places in the whole park is closed.
Some have speculated that its cuz the rds are in such bad shape that rescues would be impossible.
If so, then why aren't more remote areas like Nicolais canyon, Upper Rockhouse, Inner Pasture, and Bow willow closed??!
If anyone has any inside info, i'd love to know more. This is really depressing.
I've been backpacking there for decades, so am very sad.
elisha
--
"Except you are kindred with those who have speech with great spaces,
and the Four Winds of the Earth, and the infinite arch of God's sky,
you shall not have understanding of the Desert's lure. ...
If you love the Desert and live in it, and lie awake at night under its
low-hanging stars, you know you are a part of the pulse-beat of the Universe,
and you feel the swing of the spheres through space, and you hear through
the silence the voice of God speaking".
Idah Meacham Strobridge in Sagebrush Trilogy
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Brian Posts: 230
12/17/2023
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I've been following this story on various Anza Borrego facebook groups. I've seen reports that the bypass road is in such bad shape at this point that the park will need permits from the state for the level of work that will be required to make it passable. I have no way of knowing if that's coming from a reliable source or just rumor. But it does give me some hope that the situation could change if/when the road is repaired, which I hope the park intends to do.
As for Nicolais and Rockhouse valley, I was under the impression that this is BLM land once you enter Riverside county at the dry fall.
edited by Brian on 12/17/2023
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Buford Posts: 461
12/17/2023
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Every time there is a lot of rain the road into Collins Valley gets obliterated. My guess is the tropical storm did a number on the bypass a couple months ago. They always open it back up once the road is repaired. It doesn't make sense to close it to hikers, but probably easier to regulate. If you backpack up there chances are nothing will happen. Sometimes I think that road should stay closed and be hiking access only based on the behavior I've seen in Collins Valley.
More and more people were backpacking in Palm Canyon over the years. The human waste, toilet paper, fire rings, people chasing sheep for selfies, and number of search and rescue incidents in the canyon (not necessarily backpackers) probably caused them to say enough.
I don't agree with lot of direction that park is taking, but I don't see issues with most of this.
edited by Buford on 12/18/2023
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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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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
12/18/2023
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Brian wrote:
As for Nicolais and Rockhouse valley, I was under the impression that this is BLM land once you enter Riverside county at the dry fall.
edited by Brian on 12/17/2023
RHC is a patch work of land owners, state, federal and tribal. You can use CalTopo to view land management boundaries by selecting the Public Lands option and then looking at the Legend link.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
12/18/2023
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Agree with Buford, Collins Valley can get totally trashed since it so remote and vehicle access is allowed. You can backpack into the area from other locations. There used to be heavy dope farms up there and probably still are.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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Brian Posts: 230
2/1/2024
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https://theabf.org/coyotecanyon/?fbclid=IwAR10wGfpDTNV6xwX-E8oTH9IjHezzu_hefkgaAg1frVrFSVPdP9SgnmJTVw_aem_AbVH8XuZ26ONyXw95cAF01zTppguxg8ne9HXsOhZv7ShzGlYwAY6SahOfqJ3Hg9ZHrk
Looks like there is a plan to reopen the road, but it will take a while.
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