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Daren,
In pic 28 is that a rail car coming up the tracks? It looks like the lights are on. Did they stop you for being on the tracks? That looks like a great hike. Getting your Dodge up that trail must have been pretty tight in some spots. I love the view looking down from the trestle.
David

surfponto wrote:

I have been looking at the Google Maps and I see a good route up through the East Fork to the tracks also. :-)
Maybe for another time

I saw that also, my #2 route from Sacatone is also a good route I believe and saves tons of driving time.

surfponto wrote:

Slide Show Version link
Works better in Internet Explorer but I am working on fixing it.

Doesn't work on Linux with Chrome..8->

hikerdmb wrote:

Daren,
In pic 28 is that a rail car coming up the tracks? It looks like the lights are on. Did they stop you for being on the tracks? That looks like a great hike. Getting your Dodge up that trail must have been pretty tight in some spots. I love the view looking down from the trestle.
David

Ah..yes...pic #28...I actually did not mean to include that one...

http://www.cgrp.us


psych....

Lets just say we saw some adventurous souls out there on the tracks and they were not on mountain bikes. Never did see who they really were, that was the only picture I was able to get before they were gone.

The Dodge made it no problem but it did suffer a lot of scratches from the brush, in fact my son made a remark when I got home that I ruined the paint on my new truck. I'll take it again, that's what I bought it for.

I was just thinking today I would like to go out again and spend the day exploring the rock caves..anybody interested?

Daren

The 15th or 16th? I can do that..let me know.

surfponto wrote:

I would like to spend some time in there exploring the rock caves in Carrizo Gorge

I think there is alot of stuff to see.
I would also like to hike up to that Palm Grove off to the right that we saw from ontop of the tracks.

This weekend isn't looking good but maybe next weekend.

Bob

dsefcik wrote:

hikerdmb wrote:

Daren,
In pic 28 is that a rail car coming up the tracks? It looks like the lights are on. Did they stop you for being on the tracks? That looks like a great hike. Getting your Dodge up that trail must have been pretty tight in some spots. I love the view looking down from the trestle.
David

Ah..yes...pic #28...I actually did not mean to include that one...

http://www.cgrp.us


psych....

Lets just say we saw some adventurous souls out there on the tracks and they were not on mountain bikes. Never did see who they really were, that was the only picture I was able to get before they were gone.

The Dodge made it no problem but it did suffer a lot of scratches from the brush, in fact my son made a remark when I got home that I ruined the paint on my new truck. I'll take it again, that's what I bought it for.

I was just thinking today I would like to go out again and spend the day exploring the rock caves..anybody interested?

Daren

That was a great writeup, I enjoyed reading it. If you do decide to visit in the 110+ heat, make sure your car can also handle it. When the desert heats up most people stay away. I have been out there on those days and in places where there would normally be crowds it is completely empty. Don't forget water, lots of it!

I hiked out with a friend of mine on 6-12-2010 to Sombrero Peak via McCain Valley. It was a great hike, perfect weather and not a soul in sight. I really liked this trip as it saved a few hours of driving by starting in McCain valley instead of dropping down into the desert floor. We camped out overnight and explored the Sawtooth Mtn range the following day. A complete report can be read on my website with more pictures.

http://www.sefcik.com/index.php/2010/06/19/sombrero-peak-via-mccain-valley-hike/

The trip from Google Earth



An interesting rock face along the trail



Young deer we found at the bottom of peak 4553



View of Anza Borrego from the top of Sombrero Peak



Anybody know what kind of snake this is? California glossy snake??




Daren
edited by dsefcik on 6/19/2010
edited by dsefcik on 6/19/2010

First post in a while... but with the temps in Borrego Springs in the low 90s this weekend I know it is getting close to time to go out for a hike. I did make it out there twice this summer, once for a round of golf in July and once for a weekend hanging out at the pool at the Borrego Springs Resort in early August, but no backpacking or camping in the desert since spring. I spent the summer hiking lots of miles around Daley Ranch and around the reservoir above Elfin Forest as well as three great trips to the Mighty Sierra . But I am ready for the desert!

Oh sure its going to be hot again out there for another month or more but I still am ready. I am definitely backpacking up to Whale Peak this fall. I didn't make it there last year but it is tops on my list for this year. Hiking up through the Pinyon Pines and through all those small valleys is amazing, not to mention the view from the top. I remember one Sunday morning we were sitting on the large rocks on the western edge of the summit and got buzzed by a couple of Navy jets screaming up from the valley below. So close you could see the pilots' heads. Very loud but very cool. I have slept up there in the snow, in the rain, in the wind, in temps below 20 degrees, solo without another soul in sight a couple of times, but I've also had to share the summit with several people. It doesn't matter, it is still my favorite backpack trip in ABDSP.

This is a sunrise pic of our campsites from a few years back. It is not my favorite place to stay up there but it is alright.


Here is the sign that is on top. It used to be in one piece but over the years it has been deteriorating. I wonder if it is still there.


Anyone else ready? Got trips planned? I can't be the only one.
edited by hikerdmb on 9/4/2010

I have never been out to Whale Peak, that looks like a great place.

I really want to backpack the entire Carrizo Gorge and also out to peak 6582. I am thinking some time between now and Thanksgiving. Anybody else interested?

I just got back from a 9 day trip in Death Valley, hiked around and saw lots of really cool stuff, avg temps were around 120 most of the time.

Daren

surfponto wrote:

9 days in Death Valley! You are hardcore :-)
Sounds like a great trip.
Did your son go with you?

Bob

I wrote it up here: http://www.sefcik.com/2010/09/death-valley-trip-august-2010.html

My son did not go..8-(

Bob, you up for a Peak 6582 or Carrizo Gorge hike?

--

I had last weekend free and it was too hot in the desert for me, I can't do that hot hiking like Daren, so I left after school on Friday and headed to Independence. Dayhiked up Kearsarge Pass with my dog on Saturday. Did a short detour on the way down to visit a couple other lakes. Then drove back home on Sunday.

I don't have a date yet picked out for Whale Peak but I will let you know when I plan to do it. I am not sure of the Carrizo hike either. When you pick a date let me know and hopefully I can make that. That should be an adventure.

Here is a pic from the trip to the Sierra last weekend. It was beautiful except there is a fire over by Cedar Grove that made it pretty smoky in the afternoon and evening.
David

I know Death Valley has a lot of old mining cabins to explore and even stay the night in, I was wondering if there are any cabins in Anza Borrego?

A friend of mine are tentativly planning a hike from Sacatone Overlook to Palm Grove this coming Sunday (10-10-2010). See the map below for a general idea of where we will be hiking. If you are interested in going let me know.

Thanks,
Daren


--

From the CDC website:

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease from rodents. Humans can contract the disease when they come into contact with infected rodents or their urine and droppings. HPS was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection.

Most of the back country cabins have substantial rodent problems and there are numerous warnings in them about Hantavirus.

I am wondering if you and Mary might be interested in some kind of hike down the entire Carrizo Gorge canyon and we can arrange to have vehicles down at the end for a Thanksgiving camp out. Maybe have some friends who do not want to hike meet us there or??

Just an idea, I would be totally up for something like that. The Carrizo Gorge hike would be a 2 or maybe 3 day hike down from the freeway.

Daren

surfponto wrote:

Hey Guys,
We actually may be out there on Thanksgiving. Usually it is a family thing so I am not sure I could get everyone to do the hike.
Mary and I could always hang out another day and do it.

I really like those cabin pictures you both put up. That is pretty amazing.

What is this Hantvirus you are talking about?

Bob

Just figured out how to print to a PDF, very nice.

I want to go for an overnight backpack trip this weekend and have a few possibilities, one being Whale Peak. I know there are a couple of informal trails up the peak but I mapped out something in google earth, does this look realistic to anyone?




It looks like about 11 miles total distance and about 1,000' per mile up and down, not too bad IMO. I am just not sure of the actual terrain. Basically it would loop up the south side starting in Bisnaga Alta Wash, camp at Whale Peak and then down thru Smuggler Canyon with a stop at the petroglyph's the next morning.

Anybody interested in trying this?

Daren
edited by dsefcik on 10/11/2010

Our plan was to go out and backpack up Whale Peak but my buddy hurt his back so we decided to head out and just camp from the truck. We had no plan on where we would go we just took off. When we left North County it was getting cloudier and we had a little rain as we went over the mountains. Heading down the hill into Borrego Springs the clouds had cleared for the most part but we saw a couple of huge dust clouds blowing across the desert floor and got concerned that it would be windy. However when we got down to Borrego Springs there was not too much wind and it was 80 degrees. Our first trip off road was up to a place we had camped before. We couldn't believe all the green Ocotillos up on the hills and we had to go up and take a look. The road was completely clean of tracks from the recent rains. Here is a view north toward Toro Peak and Clark Dry Lake.


We returned back to the highway and then continued east to Palo Verde Wash. There was lots of wet sand and some mud in this wash but nothing that proved to be too difficult. I was amazed at how much mud there was all the way down this wash.
Palo Verde Wash looking south.


When we got to the Cut Across Trail we turned right and headed west toward San Felipe Wash. There were several places along the Cut Across Trail with huge mud puddles but again we found nothing too difficult. I don't remember rain like this in the fall.


We got down to San Feliipe Wash and found more wet sand and mud and continued on to Rainbow Wash and back to a campsite we have stayed at several times in the last few years.
Here is a pic of our camp site.


I took a little walk up the wash, this is not Rainbow Wash but it is close to there. Saw lot of animal tracks in the new mud. This is some small animal track but not sure what.


And this is a snake track that went across the wash.


Never saw any water in this wash but lots of mud that sure liked like water with the sun light on it.


One of the coolest things on this hike was all the little plants that were just coming up from seed. It was incredible how such small plants could push through the thick mud to start growing in the sun.




All afternoon the wind was quite calm which was nice. It seemed last year it was windy on pretty much every trip. We had a nice sunset. But it was nothing compared to the sunrise Sunday morning.








Left around noon and got home just in time to see most of the Charger game. Should have stayed in the desert longer.
But that Charger loss was made up by an Auburn win on Saturday and first time ever BCS ranking of #1.

Nice job guys. I read the trip report on your blog and looked at the pics. That must have been quite the search to find that wonderful cave and art. It sure is bigger than I
thought. I sure don't want to wish by time (especially this time of year) but can't wait to see what happens there on the summer solstice. Do you think it could line up for the winter soltice or did you find something in your research that makes you think it is only summer? Besides the name?
David

Is it possible to get to Split Mtn Rd from the dirt rd near Plaster City? I have read different things that suggest it is possible as long as you stay on the road and others that say it is illegal. If it is possible, can a regular passenger car make the trip?

TIA,
Daren

I found this long but very interesting thread about the pictograph rock in Blair valley.

http://www.humancafe.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=6&post=725#POST725

It may take you awhile to read thru all of it and it's links but I found it very interesting and made me think more about some of the things I have seen and photographed in Anza Borrego. It also has spurred some more interest in exploring the desert and trying to find out more about the Kumeyaay who lived there so long ago.

Daren

Just signed into Disqus..interesting.

NP, I know how upgrades go...now, how about that new fancy wysiwyg editor for the forums??

I never saw the attachments link until today so I tried it out. It seems to cut off the lower 3rd of the images when I download them but the thumbnail looks right. Bob, is there some size/dimension limit or do you know why that is happening?

Anybody going out for Thanksgiving week? I know I mentioned a Carrizo Gorge backpack trip, anybody still want to try that? It needs two cars so I can't do it alone. I want to go out this coming week and have a few plans already drawn up. Probably the biggest one is a tour of Collins/Rockhouse Valley. It could be a 2 or 4 day backpack trip.

Let me know if you are interested or will already be out hiking or camping and maybe we can hook up.

Daren
edited by dsefcik on 11/17/2010
edited by dsefcik on 11/17/2010

Daren,
I found the video by searching through here.
http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/cameras/
I saw on the news a few weeks back that they put up a bunch of new web cams as fire lookouts. And then I found this.
I could see your planned route up Whale Peak. It looks like a long way.
Have a great trip and where did you decide to go?
David
edited by hikerdmb on 11/21/2010

Thanks for ther great info David.
I agree I probably wouldn't camp out there but would love to do a day hike in the area.
Let's shoot for early Spring, but in the meantime I will do some research.

Daren may want to accompany us also.

Bob

Bob, I will be at the rally if nothing major comes up. I suggest instead you/I take the opportunity to just mozy on over across the road from the rally to Sacatone Overlook and hike down to the Palm Grove you have been wanting to go check out for so long. The overlook is 2 miles east on a dirt rd from the sign in McCain Valley. If not I would be up for the myer valley hike also.

Daren

Bob,
Here is the link to the Reader article I couldn't find before.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2009/jun/03/cover/
It seems like the rock art here is petroglyphs and not pictographs but I can't find any of my old pics to be sure. The Reader article may have some useful info for you. I also sent you a PM to your ***runner account with an attachment of a topo map of the area and some more info.
David

Check out this guys pics and links:

http://nexthill.com/Photo's/Pinto/index.htm

http://nexthill.com

Sorta almost makes me not want to go there after seeing all the trash in his pics.

Link to the 2009 Bighorn Sheep count totals, kinda interesting.

http://theabf.org/files/images/2009_SheepCount.pdf

I wouldn't mind doing it, if you know where to get more info for volunteering can you post it?

That is a very nice early Christmas present.

Surfponto,
Seems like we all pay no attention to county lines
Ah yes, before the jetty. Brings back memories. Cheers.
Oh, btw I hail from across the lagoon in the republic of Karlsbad
edited by 6kmclimber on 12/19/2010

A couple of pics from walking my dog this morning and also my backyard. I took all of the pics with my phone.

Flooded street near my house, people were stuck in this closed condo community


Chollas Creek in front of my house, the hillside totally caved in and the fence is falling


The hill in my backyard (taken from the roof), good thing I finally built the retaining wall but still a mess for sure. Five major slides came down and my crazy dog was trying to chase the falling rocks all night.


Even the silt was pouring out the drain holes at the bottom of the retaining wall, I still have a lot of cleanup to do. All of that dirt/silt came thru cracks about 1/2"x1/2" and even now are still flowing out.

I posted a few more pics but nothing spectacular

http://www.sefcik.com/2011/01/mount-tule-sunrise-power-link-protest.html

You say that like it's a bad thing to look like Edward Abbey.

Bob,
I agree! I have read pretty much everything he wrote and just reread for the third time The Monkey Wrench Gang last summer. I had not heard that there was going to be a documentary but I always thought it would make a great movie; explosives, beer, the desert southwest, sex, roadtrips, and on and on, what more could you ask for. At one time I thought they were already making a movie with Jack Nicholson, Matthew McConnahey (don't know about the spelling on both of those names) but I never heard it was finished or even filmed. And it definitely was NOT a documentary. The trailer looks like a good for the documentary film.

Here are three of my favorite quotes in no particular order( I have a few of these on my FB page),

The essence of true wilderness is big mammals that can eat you. ~Edward Abbey

Life without music would be an intolerable insult. ~Edward Abbey

Mountains complement desert as desert complements city, as wilderness complements and completes civilization. ~Edward Abbey

David

surfponto wrote:

Just posted a new trip report on the site.

Just gives a 404 error..where did it go?? I remember it was there before.

just an FYI, those pictures posted are not of pinto canyon. I know the area where those were taken and they are smugglers cave and some other oasis near I8 and mountain spring. There won't be trash like that in pinto canyon or davies valley. They are further off the beaten track. The only people in davies or pinto are boarder patrol and international travelers.

No, not convinced but I did see that also and is worth a trip to find out. His site has a number of different wreck sites in ABDSP that are worth looking into further. I think you are right about the north end though.

When I was driving back with my son last weekend I noticed a VERY bright and large shiny object or reflection of something on one the Laguna ridges. It was not near a trail or anything, it was in a deep ravine and both my son and I were trying to figure out what it might be. I thought maybe a car wreck or something but it really was way too far away from anything to be a car, an airplane wreck never crossed my mind until I saw this guy's pictures.

It can use the AF lenses. Basically Sony bought Minolta so a lot of the Sony camera stuff is Minolta at the core. What kinda lenses you got? You wanna sell?

Daren,
The last three miles are rocky and there are 3 or 4 spots that are narrow with boulders on each side of the road. I would not try to take my truck out there and it is a short bed version of your truck. The rocks are not bad but the road just gets really thin and the rocks are probably too big to put your tires on unless you have a big lift. Even in my jeep it took me half an hour to drive that last part and the whole time I was thinking I could walk some of it faster than I was crawling. I did take my old Dodge out there but that was a much smaller truck. I think you could get a mile or so up into the canyon before you came to a possible blocking point. You could always go until you can't and stop. There were plenty of places to park and turn around. Also I think Bob took is Land Cruiser up there maybe he can let you know how it did since it is wider and longer than my TJ.
David

Hey David, did you actually use a gps to record your tracks or did you just sketch in freehand the google earth tracks? Also, looks like Wiley made it out with you again..nice..

ALso, another interesting thing is overlaying topo maps in GE. I have been using the maps from this post: http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2006/03/best_topo_map_i.html but have also seen this post which looks interesting.

Where is this more or less?