|
stewart Posts: 25
3/25/2011
|
I'm back, but I don't have much "redux" to report. I got a late start due to some technical problems, then the weather slowed me down to the point where I never got above about 3300 feet, I think. On day two I was well positioned to climb (the strength left in my legs is another matter altogether), but it poured on me Sunday night, then had snowed on 6582 Sunday and Monday night, and it was still quite cold and blowing like stink in camp. I'd already gone through half of the three gallons of water I was carrying, so decided not to push my luck. I did stretch the trip to three full days (three nights and four days, morning to morning, about 75 hours total hiking/camping time on those three gallons.
But more importantly, I'm happy to report the flowers are going bonkers out there, mostly between 500-1000 feet across the desert bajada. And up to 2500 or so, lots of plants are blooming, tons of beavertails, barrels, and some cholla are blooming too, not to mention just about everything else. A few miles past dry Clark Lake, the Sand Verbena show up in large numbers (not quite as plentiful as they can be), also tons of other flowers I don't know the name of. The Brittle Bush are blooming nicely, too.
Many of the flowers are within two-wheel drive/high clearance range, and anyone parking in the vicinity of the Butler Canyon/Rockhouse Canyon "intersection" will have a feast of flowers to goggle at.
I'll post photos as soon as I can get them organized. It was about 1250 miles of driving for me, and the boat I live on was whacked by storms in my absence, so I'm still moving a little slowly.
Stewart
|
|
|
link
|
|
surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
3/25/2011
|
Hey Stewart,
Sounds like quite an adventure. Weather was a bit of an issue down on the southern end also.
Great to hear the flowers are doing so good in the northern area of Borrego .
Looking forward to seeing some of your pictures.
Regards,
Bob
--
https://www.anzaborrego.net/
|
|
|
link
|
|
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
3/26/2011
|
Thanks for posting Stewart, I wondered how you would do with the weather being rainy and cold. The flowers were pretty crazy for us also hiking in Indian Valley, they were layered at different elevations climbing up False Sombrero. Can't wait to see some pictures of your trip!
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
|
|
|
link
|
|
stewart Posts: 25
4/2/2011
|
Sheesh, I finally got my photos online. sorry for the delay.
Here's the link:
http://photo.technopeasant.org/desert/2011dawnspeak/
Though I had a gps along, my new droidx, and I hardly had figured out how to use it, much less loaded any maps into it.
So no track or waypoints. I'm so 20th century. But I'll be happy to assist with route finding if anyone is contemplating a hike in this area.
I was surprised to learn on this trip that the warranty on my knees wasn't quite as good as I thought.
Struggling uphill with a heavy pack still seems okay, but the reserve minutes are gone.
An afternoon descent above the Corp benchmark almost caused a mutiny.
--Stewart
|
|
|
link
|
|
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
4/2/2011
|
Those are awesome pictures Stewart! That was a great weekend for flower blooms but it got cold Sunday. I just went out Thursday to see the petroglyphs and it was 97 degrees, quite a difference in weather. That tree where your truck was parked is a popular spot, it has the only shade around...I took this photo of a small bird staying out of the heat
Thanks for sharing those pictures and the story with them, let us know when you are coming back out again!
Daren
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
|
|
|
link
|
|
stewart Posts: 25
4/2/2011
|
That lens on your camera is really sharp, makes me envious.
My photos were shot with a Canon sx20, but I wish I'd gone the
dSLR route. And now that I've cobbled together a solar charger
for my phone/gps/camera, my future as a nature photographer is probably over.
Hope you climb 6582 some day soon. It's a whole different world up there.
Funny how fast the temperature changes. I think it was in the
eighties the week before the storm.
|
|
|
link
|
|
surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
4/2/2011
|
Stewart your pictures and captions are great. That look like a great area with a lot to explore.
That tire exploding like that is scary.....
Glad it went well,
Bob
--
https://www.anzaborrego.net/
|
|
|
link
|
|
stewart Posts: 25
4/2/2011
|
Glad you guys liked the photos.
The tire: I kept hearing a funny noise, over the music,
but didn't feel anything because I'd just moved that tire to
the rear. I finally saw it going, in the rear view.
The tire was smoking hot, probably about to catch fire.
As it was, I had to four-wheel the flat thru a small culvert to get safely off the freeway.
|
|
|
link
|
|
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
4/2/2011
|
The pics are great and your story with them make it greater!
I noted the other day while I walked out there a set of solo prints and then as I got near the boulders and the wash opened up there were a lot of prints. I am thinking the solo prints were from you and the mass of prints was from the group that visited that Saturday (as I noted in the other thread about this trip).
I saw a ton of the white lizards, did you?
Daren
<em>edited by dsefcik on 4/2/2011</em>
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
|
|
|
link
|
|
hikerdmb Posts: 423
4/2/2011
|
Stewart,
Great pics and thanks for adding all the captions. Those grinding stones were a good find. It is amazing that so many were still there.
Thanks for sharing.
David
|
|
|
link
|
|
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
4/2/2011
|
Hey Stewart, in 22.html, is Schad's route up thru the slot you see in the middle right of the photo? I think he mentions a flat sandy area to camp ahead of that section.
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
|
|
|
link
|
|
stewart Posts: 25
4/3/2011
|
No, that wash runs around the west side of peak 3489, Schad's route goes around the east side, just out of view.
But there are many wide sandy places to camp on his route--a group of 100 (!) would have no trouble finding room.
I'll try to post a topo of the route soonly.
|
|
|
link
|
|
stewart Posts: 25
4/3/2011
|
lessee if I can stick a jpeg in here...
|
|
|
link
|
|
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
4/3/2011
|
Wow Stewart, that is great map..thanks! I think you have me motivated to try soon before it gets too hot. I can see now the wash from your picture going around the west side of the peak. I am curious though why you would swing south at the dry fall and then follow the Schad route instead of maybe traversing more north around the fall and then straight up the ridge to the peak. Is the terrain too tough from that point to make more of a straight line to the ridge?
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
|
|
|
link
|
|
stewart Posts: 25
4/4/2011
|
Yes, I was planning to go that way, but was getting tired of the cold wind and periodic rain, and tripping over the blackbush. Plus, if the truth be told, I wasn’t feeling as strong as I expected, so opted for the more familiar washes. All in all, I think the Schad route is perhaps the fastest, though the fellow I met when looking for my truck said the middle route between my route and the Schad route was easier, or at least less difficult
|
|
|
link
|
|
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
10/30/2011
|
I was thinking of maybe heading out there soon and was going to revisit the route you took Stewart but your image is gone! Anyway to see it again?
This guy has some interesting photos of that same area as well as the whole rockhouse valley area
http://ponart.com/2007_01_07/rhp.html
http://ponart.com/
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
|
|
|
link
|