Hard to get places in Anza Borrego which require 4WD or hiking
Route Advice for IP/Canebrake/Red Top
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tstone1227 Posts: 2
1/6/2017
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Hi All,
I am planning an overnight backpack with a couple friends to the Tierra Blanca - Canebrake - Inner Pasture area. I was thinking of doing a point-to-point from Mountain Palm Springs to Agua Caliente. Is this feasible? I am an experienced off-trail desert hiker and backpacker but have never been to this area before. We will be carrying 6-8 liters per person. It looks like it is about 11 miles point-to-point from the topo I have; I was thinking of coming in through Torote Canyon into Canebrake Valley, then following the old road up into Inner Pasture for the night. Might try to bag Red Top in the morning before heading out through Moonlight Canyon.
I guess I am looking to see if anyone can recommend the easiest passable route into Canebrake/IP from Mountain Palm Springs, or if this is too ambitious for an overnight and I should just go in-and-out from Agua Caliente? I tried to attach my .pdf topo with the possible routes mapped out on it; does anyone know if these canyons are impassable/rougher than the others? What is the best route to ascend Red Top from Inner Pasture/Canebrake? How far do I have to skirt around the Crawford Ranch? Thanks in advance.
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ziphius Posts: 911
1/6/2017
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I've done Red Top once from Inner Pasture, taking the wash that is due north of the summit. My trip report is here. That is a tough, vegetation-choked route and I ended up taking a slightly different route down, avoiding the wash and deciding to deal with more boulders. I was able to summit Red Top in February by leaving my tent in Inner Pasture at 0645, taking about 4 hrs to summit, made it back to my tent around 1400 hrs, and then hiked out to my car at Agua Caliente via Moonlight Canyon. If Red Top is your goal and you only have 1 overnight, then I'd park at Agua Caliente Co. Pk. and take the Moonlight Canyon Route into Inner Pasture. Pay the $3 day use fee and indicate where you're going and when you're due out. Your pdf topo proposed route looked ambitious for a one-night trip, but maybe you're an ultrarunner.  Two nights, I think you would be fine, but then you are carrying more water. Water is a limiting factor, as there aren't any reliable springs in Inner Pasture, other than the one time I encountered running water in the aforementioned wash. There is private property as the topo map indicates for the Crawford Ranch area. Daren on this forum has a lot of miles in that part of Canebrake / Inner Pasture and will probably have good advice. The next time I attempt Red Top, I'd try the SE face, which puts you in Canebrake. Good luck. - Jim
edited by ziphius on 1/6/2017
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
1/7/2017
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I think it is doable without the Red Top section....if you are set on Red Top you may be better served starting in the north fork of Indian Valley and going over the small saddle near the quad "17" imprinted on the topo map. There is a small parking spot right off the main road and traces of an old indian trail you can follow up and over. The Crawford ranch is fenced so you will know where not to go if you decide to go down the Torote cyn route. There is so much to see and explore out there it is hard (for me) to focus on just hiking fast, we are always stopping to check out some cool plants, llizards, bighorn or cultural/historical stuff....same some time for that.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tstone1227 Posts: 2
1/9/2017
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Thanks Jim and dsefcik! Originally I was just going to explore Indian Valley, but then I saw Jim's posts including the one about Red Top, which made me want to check out the Inner Pasture in the first place. Awesome pictures.
Red Top isn't a goal, just thought I might be able to bag it on the way, but if it's a 4 hour summit then I suppose I'll have to save it for another trip. I wonder if it's accessible from either the east or the southeast wash into Canebrake; that route looks pretty steep...
Definitely not an ultrarunner! I know I could do 11 miles in 2 days easily on a trail, but this is rocky desert so that changes things of course. I think I will take dsefcik's and your advice and leave Red Top for another trip. I hope the Torote north fork is passable into the Canebrake wash as I have it marked out. If I make it back I'll post pictures
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Canebrake Jeff Posts: 23
1/11/2017
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The best way into Inner Pasture is mile 41 canyon. There used to be a road up this canyon, but it washed out years ago. I've been over the pass from Indian C. It's a good way into Upper Canebrake to see the Skeleton man pictograph. I've also been over from Torote to just above Crawford's old place. It's a nice way to go but kind of far. Moonlight is shorter than Mile 41 but rougher. Enjoy!
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