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dsefcik wrote:

Looks like fun....I will be heading out Thursday for a 4 day backpack trip thru Rockhouse Cyn / Valley so I will miss it. Please let us know how it goes!

Which Rockhouse Canyon?

Daren;

Assuming you haven't left yet, what camera settings do you recommend for the meteors?

Tom

Found reminints of 3 Mylar Ballons in Coyote Canyon today. One disintegrated as I grabbed it! But I got it!

The Cottonwood?

dsefcik wrote:

I really like the Orion photo, you did this with an iPhone???

Thats no iphone! I took that with my canon 20D. It was my first attempt at star photos. I didn't really know what I was doing just trying a bunch of things in manual mode.

The boulders stopped our Bronco 4x4 about 1/4 mile from
the hidden spring at the entrance to RHC.

although they did have the drug dog sniff all over my truck once.

That one pictograph figure at 3'X3' is huge! Is that the largest one out there? Tom

This is Jack Millers "upper"cabin built around 1925. The lower cabin washed out during an earlier flood. We could still see remnents of the lower cabin but no pics argggrrrr! Have to go back! When we went, the canyon was flooded and were forced to hike upstream in the icewater at the narrows.

[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h294/metalmeister/ABDSP/CopyofPCTrockhouse3-13-1993001.jpg[/IMG]

I gets a bit rocky up in there...
[IMG]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f362/Rivershark/off%20road/IMG_0328.jpg[/IMG]

You gotta check this out!
http://www.mondayhikes.com/12Hikes/hk120220.html

Daren,
It's hard to tell from the photo of the unnamed spring if a manmade dam or lip has been built up around it. Unnamed springs are my favorite.

Bob;

Are there any tunnels that have collapsed, that you had to hike around, in taking the tracks down to the trestle?

Tom

Fantastic photos and great report! I have got to get back out there this winter. I am amazed at how large the valley really is and the unlimited hiking available. You said you hiked to the east once entering the valley. Anything of note? Last trip in our party split at the Santa Rosa Ruins site, my friend and I headed west and our other friend went up and over east toward Martinez / Auga Alta canyon. He said there was a clear old trail. I think that would be a great day hike or loop back pack. I liked the "sweat house" I missed that . Your friend Gary knows the area well. How many times have you / he been hiking the valley? The "crater" may have been a looted burial mound. We saw two burial mounds and a third "unearthed" complete with broken arrow heads near the main ruins at 4000ft elev. The hand cart looks very familiar. I meet a Gold prospector who would huff in a "mini" dredge into the local mountians and gold dredge the normally dry creeks during the winter and spring. He had the same wheels complete with mountian bike tires! I hope I never run into any of the "farmers" yikes! Here is a pic at around 6000 feet Near Nicolas canyon about a mile from the abandoned saw mill on the west side of Toro peak.

[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h294/metalmeister/ABDSP/CopyofSantaRosaMtnsJan1994001.jpg[/IMG]

This thread is awesome!

Here's an article I found about hiking Martinez Canyon. http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/January-2011/The-Most-Brutal-Hike/

Save your Mylar balloons that you find in ABDSP!

Supervising Ranger Sue McLaughlin wants those pesky mylar balloons. Why? The State Park needs balloons to decorate their float for Borrego Days. Sue said you can bring the balloons to ranger headquarters and drop them off. Mention that they are for the float. If you are not familiar with the location of ranger headquarters it is at the intersection of Palm Canyon Dr. and S-22 (Montezuma Valley Rd.) in the old realty building.

Thanks for sharing Daren. It is nice to have a buddy willing to show you the water holes and the great campsite under the trees. I have seen a couple other pics of that site and it looks great. Did you have a fire in that ring. I still am planning another trip out there again this year. Great photos as always.
David

What was your menu like?
Jim

The rocks have been put in the parking area by rangers so people are "forced" to walk the quarter mile up the wash to get to the spring.
edited by DesertWRX on 10/31/2012

Thanks Daren! I also never knew you could have beans like that. Now I can have a burrito instead of my usual tacos. Escondido is covered with markets that are sure to sell those beans!
David

Here is a pic at around 6000 feet Near Nicolas canyon about a mile from the abandoned saw mill on the west side of Toro peak.
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h294/metalmeister/ABDSP/CopyofSantaRosaMtnsJan1994001.jpg[/IMG]

Great photos! I assume there's a yard off Dos Cabezas Road where they're assembling those things?

Let's leave any bighorn skulls where we find 'em, so that the next person can also say WOW! Let's remove the backpacks and mylar balloons!

Accurate road data. The freely available topo maps are based on publicly available government data that was collected for the purposes of a topography map. It is aged and typically inaccurate for the purposes of a GPS. If you're only concerned with roads than the detail of a topo map becomes a distraction and make the map difficult to use. The screenshots on the website are from a distance. The detail increases as you zoom in. I've tried all the free maps and purchased a few. They're all USGS data.

Lee

Is that the same cave as the handprints?
Never found out the story on those.

Anyone have info on a good place to get a Pickup cap in San Diego? Best brand? Tired of wedging everything inside the cab. Thanks. Tom

Wow! What is one supposed to do if they find human bones in the desert? Let it be and forget about it, or do you report it to authorities? For that area its likley from someone crossing the border, but how do you know its not from foul play?

Sounds good.
I could make you an administrator or moderator if you would like?

tommy750 wrote:

It's an easy drive out there if you have a gate key to Davies Valley.

Wait, key? Does some have a key to that gate? I went out there a few years ago expecting to be able to drive the trails around Davies Valley but was stopped by a few locked gates. Anyway, great report! That's crazy that you just came upon a human skull. I found one a few years ago out at my in-law's ranch in Delzura. Authorities said it was an immigrant who probably died of exposure.

Daren Sefcik wrote:

Great trip Tom, I always wanted to go out there. There are some pictos you passed by also but they are very faint.

here is what I got from the sign:

"In memory of Martin Zam Torres born 11/29/1969 and passed on 07/20/2008 Do not fill your hearts with pain and guilt instead remember me each day, remember the joy, the smiles and the laughter. I have gone to rest a bit even if my absence causes pain and .....diminishes my pain..."

Every time I find undocumented packs and such I wonder how they do it and why it is worth so much......next time you are out hiking with your cushy Camelbak and name brand boots think of that sign and skull......

Could you explain what you mean by "undocumented packs and such I wonder how they do it and why it is worth so much" - I'm lost here.... I guess I'm a new b.

The powder keg wall was noticeably smaller the last time we were there

Bob, I tried to get to the forum on my iphone and there was no tab to click on...

Help
Nolan

Daren Sefcik wrote:

I don't think the wind energy construction project can block public access roads, you should be able to get through on Dos Cabezas Road in 2WD. They may obscure it but not block it.

Post back if you make it out, that looks like an interesting route.

Daren, What I saw was signs saying not to come within 400 feet of construction. The road went right through a construction zone and there were security guards and workers there.
It may be just on that day they happened to be working right by the road. It also may be that I took the wrong road. The entrance was indeed Dos Cabesas, but I saw another road cut to the right. But here is a road that cuts right and goes along the creek bed, and I bet it's really sandy. So I'm not sure. My GPS showed me that I was right on Dos Cabesas, so I turned around. I wish that I had tried that other road, but my brother was wanting to go to the Mud Caves that day.

Do you plan on taking Dos Cabesas road on Saturday out there? If you do, could you take pictures of the construction there? It seemed like the construction was blocking the road. What I saw was the buildings and fences, then I drove about 100 feet and saw a road cut to the right. But if you continue on the road, there was construction going on right next to the road. I'm not sure if the road that cut to the right was Dos Cabesas, or if it was this road that went along this creek that cuts off to the right of Dos Cabesas.

Thanks.

Are SLR cameras the only cameras with HDR mode?

Daren, does it stack photos well handheld or do you need a tripod? Tom

Daren;
Is that a different Son, or just older?
I thought I remembered a bigger picture
of your avatar that included your son, and
he was quite a bit younger.

Don't you worry they will get into a cactus or something? I don't take Lola out with me because bulldogs don't tolerate the heat.

This is what I saw. To the left there was some construction. I don't remember if it looked like you could drive through it or not.
edited by harmono on 11/15/2012

Actually that looks cached
I removed the background image
Should be off white


Daren Sefcik wrote:

not sure what you did but the background is all messed up now. see attached screenshot.

Newest first...thanks Bob

Where is that shot from Daren?

Bob

Came across this near split rock...can anyone explain?

Thanks Daren,
. I think it does change but I thing it is cached or something because if I log out and then login it changes.
Try that.


Daren Sefcik wrote:

Seems like the "unread topics(#)" next to my avatar never really changes the number and when I click on it I always get the same list of forums that supposedly I have not read but I have.

Bob, how is that counter supposed to actually work?

If I quit the browser completerly after looking at an unread topic it changes.
tried IE and Chrome,



Daren Sefcik wrote:

Nope, did not fix it...

surfponto wrote:

Thanks Daren,
. I think it does change but I thing it is cached or something because if I log out and then login it changes.
Try that.


Daren Sefcik wrote:

Seems like the "unread topics(#)" next to my avatar never really changes the number and when I click on it I always get the same list of forums that supposedly I have not read but I have.

Bob, how is that counter supposed to actually work?

I'm planning on "camping high" for the views and opportunities to look into some nooks and crannies that I've spied through binoculars on my last trip. Jim

Nice trip. Was in Torote Canyon on 12-11-10 and noted the Ocotillos were changing colors. There seemed to be two distinct groups, red and yellow. Not sure this was a transition they all went through or two different hybrids. Tom