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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
2/7/2012
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Scotty "C" and I headed out to hike down the length of Carrizo Gorge from the DeAnza Springs Resort to Egg mountain. We have been down in the Gorge several times before and knew what to expect, catclaw, reeds, water and plenty of solitude. We hiked about 2 miles on the tracks from DeAnza and then dived down into the thick of the catclaw where there were old remains of railway cars. There were about 4 sets of wheels and axles, a small car chassis and other debris. Along the way we also found two encampments with more debris. It was about 12 miles thru the Gorge to get to the end of the jeep road and then about another 7 miles on sandy jeep road to egg mountain. We got to the jeep road just before dusk and hiked the remaining 7 miles to the truck in the dark under an almost full moon. It was a perfect night for hiking without lights and we managed to pull this trip off in 12 hours.
Photos from the trip can be seen here http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-02-04-2012/21364900_xMrH32
TR on my website is here http://www.sefcik.com/2012/02/carrizo-gorge-hike-to-egg-mtn-abdsp.html
Scott knows there is catclaw down in the Gorge so he prepared his pack with anti catclaw plastic wrap
Some old railway debris on the side of the Gorge
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Down in the Gorge Scotty "C" straps on the catclaw armor
Nice water pond area
Busting thru some carrizo
Old mining debris
Cholla and cactus forest
Looking up at the train trestles and the two old railway cars that have fallen over the side. You can't actually see the big famous trestle from down in the Gorge, you need to climb up to see it
A 98 second exposure of the jeep road as we hiked out at night under an almost full moon
Some pictographs I have not seen before
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Mandatory scat photo
Total Mylar balloons for this trip - 1
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<em>edited by dsefcik on 2/7/2012</em>
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
2/7/2012
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Daren,
Great trip. How did the cat claw armour work out? It looked like a good plan.
David
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
2/7/2012
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I'm liking the Darth Vader anti-cat-claw suit that Scott is wearing 
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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ziphius Posts: 911
2/7/2012
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Awesome photos and play-by-play! 
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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anutami Posts: 491
2/7/2012
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Amazing trip! You sure know how to pick em. It is amazing how many pictographs are out in ABDSP. Is that cat claw armour home made or can you buy it? You could also use it in the snow as a sled It is almost like gators but made of plastic. Great idea!
Also, never heard of the heartbreak hotel. Where is the heck is that?
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X EAGLE 23 X Posts: 16
2/7/2012
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That lizard pictograph is actually in Professor Knaak's book, "The Forgotten Artist" which is a great book about rock art in the Anza Borrego. That sunburst picto is a very interesting polychromatic color, very cool finds!
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
2/7/2012
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X EAGLE 23 X wrote:
That lizard pictograph is actually in Professor Knaak's book, "The Forgotten Artist" which is a great book about rock art in the Anza Borrego. That sunburst picto is a very interesting polychromatic color, very cool finds!
Thanks X Eagle...I have Knaak's book and have seen the picto in print but never in person. I hate to say some lame ass graffiti'd another boulder nearby with the red skeleton picto. The sunburst was a find for sure..!
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
2/7/2012
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hikerdmb wrote:
Daren,
Great trip. How did the cat claw armour work out? It looked like a good plan.
David
My friend Scott rocks, he bought those plastic sheets at Ridout plastics and they worked awesome! I think they were like $2 a sheet and they repelled the catclaw with ease. Didn't keep the ticks off though, we had a few. We were digging thru some thick reeds for awhile.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
2/7/2012
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anutami wrote:
Amazing trip! You sure know how to pick em. It is amazing how many pictographs are out in ABDSP. Is that cat claw armour home made or can you buy it? You could also use it in the snow as a sled It is almost like gators but made of plastic. Great idea!
Also, never heard of the heartbreak hotel. Where is the heck is that?
Home made, sheets of plastic wrapped around wherever needed. Heartbreak hotel is on the DeAnza resort property, it is a movie prop and it used to have a sign on the front but it is now gone.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
2/9/2012
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Scott said I needed to post a picture of me to prove I was there so he gave me this, I had the red armor wrapped around my sleeping pad.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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anutami Posts: 491
2/18/2012
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Just reading schad and your trip deserves quotes from a foot and afield. I wonder how many people have made this 5 star trek?..."the trek down the length of Carrizo Gorge is long, rugged, difficult, and memorable. It is one to be undertaken cautiously, with the right equipment and clothing. Essential are long pants and sturdy water proofed boots (and construction gloves, tree pruners, a kickass camera, and custom plastic armor)....one very long day is sufficient for speed demons who travel lightly. The last 6 miles, on jeep tracks in the sand, can be done at night."
Awesome trip! Awesome trip!
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
2/19/2012
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I wish we would have packed light! We had 50lb packs with 3 gallons of water and food for two days of hiking. We were not sure if we would be able to do it in a single day so we packed for two. If the gorge was full of water like I have seen it before, it would have been a 2 day trip. The lack of water made route finding much easier. Also, for any future gorge trekkers, bring a small saw type tool and not clippers or pruners, they were worthless, the flip out saw worked great! Don't forget the leather gloves, also a must have....
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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