deborah

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9/30/2019 Topic: San Felipe Hills deborah	Hi everyone! I've been enjoying this site for years, and finally got up the courage to post something. Last Saturday I was in the San Felipe Hills. Starting in Grapevine Canyon, I went cross country to the PCT then headed north on the trail for a bit. I thought I'd share some pictures. I apologize, still learning how to post images inline... edited by deborah on 9/30/2019 edited by dsefcik on 10/1/2019
10/1/2019 Topic: San Felipe Hills deborah	Thank you for fixing the photos! The weather was particularly interesting. Sunny for most of the day, and then hiking through the mist at higher elevations. It was a fun day out.
10/2/2019 Topic: San Felipe Hills deborah	Thanks! And I was wondering what that plant was. Thank you for mentioning that too!
10/3/2019 Topic: It is always desert season deborah	Wow, these are great pictures!
10/6/2019 Topic: Bighorn Sheep Count 2019 deborah	Thanks for sharing these! When I'm lucky enough to see any it's usually just for an instant before they disappear. The lambs are cute as can be.
10/8/2019 Topic: Grapevine Mountain and Bitter Creek deborah	I went out to explore Bitter Creek and Grapevine Mountain on Sunday. My route followed Bitter Creek around to the southwest side then climbed the ridge up to the summit. Goodness, the views are amazing! I saw 3 survey markers but couldn’t find the summit register. I followed a different route on the way back, along a chute full of rock to scramble over. It seems like it would also be fun to reverse the loop and ascend that way. I did find a mostly-buried trekking pole in the wash. It looks like it’s been there a while, but if anyone is looking for one or can make use of it, you are welcome to it. Here are a few pictures from the day. I saw four deer but didn’t get any pictures. If only I could move across the terrain like that… Oh, and mylar balloon count 1, “regular” balloon 1. edited by deborah on 10/8/2019
10/8/2019 Topic: Grapevine Mountain and Bitter Creek deborah	Thanks, I was curious about the skull. I saw other bones nearby and was wondering which type of animal it had been. There were a few small areas of water including Bitter Creek Spring that the bees were enjoying.
10/9/2019 Topic: Grapevine Mountain and Bitter Creek deborah	Rocko1 wrote: Very nice. Did you ascent route follow the PCT part of the way? Hi Rocko1, I parked in Grapevine Canyon where it meets Bitter Creek. For my hike I basically followed Bitter Creek until I was heading south, and the wash wasn't as distinct from the surrounding terrain. Then I went cross country for just a bit to climb towards Grapevine Mountain. So I wasn't on the PCT, but it wasn't far away at all. From that ridge I could see the trail section that winds up through the hills from Scissors Crossing. That's an interesting variation!
10/11/2019 Topic: Grapevine Mtn /Bitter Creek Canyon deborah	These photos are great! The honeycomb is impressive. It makes me wonder how often I pass right by something cool like this without seeing it. I really like the picture of the grasses in the canyon too. Nice trip report!
10/13/2019 Topic: Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley deborah	I was back in the Rockhouse Canyon again, this time exploring a drainage between the north end of the canyon to Dawn's Peak. Thought I'd share some pictures. Not much to this picture but the colors. This was on the drive down Montezuma Valley road. I pulled over just long enough to poke my head out for this shot. It was chilly. The picture doesn't really show it well, but that rock face is maybe a few hundred feet tall. The dry fall is only a short walk back into the canyon. 2 mylar balloons retrieved.
10/14/2019 Topic: Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley deborah	On this trip I parked just around the corner from the Butler Canyon / Rockhouse Canyon junction. A few weeks ago I drove in about 1.5 miles from the junction before I reached a tricky spot (for me). I'm probably on the conservative side with off road driving though. And it was at the end of my day, so I didn't spend much time trying to find a way through.
10/14/2019 Topic: Little Blair Valley Overnight deborah	Sounds like a fun trip! I bet the moon was amazing.
10/16/2019 Topic: Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley deborah	ziphius wrote: Great photos. I cant' figure out what species of butterfly that is. It resembles a pipevine swallowtail, except some features are way different. They are beautiful, for sure. I saw two of them during the day. I stayed with that one for a bit in case it decided to open its wings, but it didn't. I did see quite a few dragonflies (I think) in and near the canyon as well. Their wings were clear and shimmering, and edged in a shiny, almost gold color. They were really beautiful too.
10/16/2019 Topic: Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley deborah	Rocko1 wrote: Great pics. What type of vehicle do you have? I want to do a trip up Rockhouse Canyon and would like to get as close as possible in my Ford Escape. I have a Tacoma. The short distance that I went in a few weeks ago was bumpy for sure, but probably not surprising since I didn't bother to air down. I thought it was very manageable until I got to my stopping point. There were some medium-size boulders in the path I was following. I didn't spend much time looking for a way around.
10/17/2019 Topic: Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley deborah	rockhopper wrote: Nice trip, Nice photos and Welcome! I really enjoy Rockhouse canyon, The rock houses , the whole area for solitude in the middle of Southern California. Just amazing. We were able to take a 4x4 Bronco up to about 2.5 miles from hidden spring until the boulders stopped us and then packed it in for two nites on the first trip. Started to follow an old Native American trail from the Santa Rosa Indian Ruins toward Martinez. Still need to complete that section. Tough! edited by rockhopper on 10/17/2019 Thanks! Yes, the area really is amazing. That trail must have been a fun discovery. And towards Martinez, that definitely sounds tough.
10/17/2019 Topic: Rockhouse Canyon / Rockhouse Valley deborah	ziphius wrote: Your butterfly is a Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus). I have never seen one in the wild. https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59128-Atlides-halesus Oh yes, that's it. Thank you! That's quite a name, too!
10/20/2019 Topic: Earthquake & Mason Valley Days deborah	Goodness, these are beautiful. Great clouds in those black and white photos. I'm glad the Grapevine Mtn register is still there. Thanks for sharing!
10/22/2019 Topic: On the way to Mile High Mountain deborah	My hamstring injury seems like it's finally healing, so I decided to go test it out on Schad's Mile High Mountain route. It's been quite a while since I've been on that route. I almost forgot how fun it is on the way up, and how demanding on the descent. I went as far as the upper ridge line, when the Salton Sea comes into view. As I understand it the real summit is to the north. Someday I'll go and finish the route. But it was challenging enough as it was. I didn't feel like I missed out. 1 mylar balloon retrieved.
10/23/2019 Topic: On the way to Mile High Mountain deborah	Oh it's been a gradual progression over the last few months. That route isn't something I'd jump into right away. Goodness, those hills are no joke!
10/25/2019 Topic: On the way to Mile High Mountain deborah	Buford wrote: Cool report and pics. There was a register earlier this year that was at least a couple years old. Mile High is one of a few peaks I have repeated since I enjoyed it so much. Definitely one of the better ones. I’ve never done Schad’s route though. Both times I combined it with Pyramid, Rosa and Villager(once). Thanks! I haven't been to Pyramid or Rosa yet. That looks like a fun loop. And combining those with Villager... I bet that was a really great trip.
10/25/2019 Topic: On the way to Mile High Mountain deborah	tekewin wrote: Great photos. Looks like you were near the top. Mile High is tough from any direction. Like Buford, I came from Rosa. I'll have to look up the Jerrry Schad route. I think there might be a way up from Rattlesnake Canyon. Good luck with your hammy. Seems like they take forever to heal. Thanks tekewin! The route that I did was an out-and-back starting in Palo Verde Canyon, getting on the west ridge at the second "bend" in the canyon at around 1900' elevation. Then going up, up, up. Rattlesnake Canyon looks really interesting. And yes, this hamstring issue did take a long time to heal. I'm still easing back into my running, but thankfully it seems to be doing well with hiking.
10/28/2019 Topic: CalTopo is stepping up their game deborah	Yes, thanks for the info! CalTopo is a great tool. These new features are really cool.
10/28/2019 Topic: Sheep outside Anza Borrego (photo heavy) deborah	Wow, these are beautiful! Great pictures of the sheep. Love the cottonwoods, the rock formations, the trees against the night skies... Thanks for sharing!
10/31/2019 Topic: On the way to Mile High Mountain deborah	Yes, for me it seems like there is more of a use trail at the lower elevations just out of the canyon. And even when those fade out, it seems like the route is straightforward because I suppose there aren't many options to choose from on the ascent. The terrain kind of funnels you toward some fun land bridges that connect the hills. I especially like the variation in the rock - there must be just about ever color out there. On the descent when I was almost back into the canyon I missed my "turn-off" onto the ridge that I climbed up. It was easy enough to correct though. I had to laugh, I did the exact same thing the first time I was out there.
11/4/2019 Topic: Salton Sea to Cuyamaca Lake-Best Route? deborah	Rocko1 wrote: dsefcik wrote: Here is the back of one of my old shirts from the race, it can give you some real miles along the way. edited by dsefcik on 9/15/2019 That race looks awesome but brutal. I was hoping they had the gps track but I didn't see that on the website. Found out my brother is moving out of state soon so this trip may have to be shelved for a bit. I put a route for this run into CalTopo a little while ago. I haven't done the run myself, but I was curious. It looks like a beast. I based the route on the website description. Hopefully it's representative. I can't remember why I broke it up into sections. It was either for cut-off times, or maybe just playing around with fun day hikes. Anyway, here's a link to map. I think I have it set to be visible, but let me know if you can't get to it. https://caltopo.com/m/VLAV
11/7/2019 Topic: Grapevine Mountain and Bitter Creek deborah	Rocko1 wrote: Very nice. Did you ascent route follow the PCT part of the way? I liked the idea of Grapevine Mountain from the PCT. I went back and did it last weekend. It's a fun hike, and short if you don't have much time. There are some really pretty washes above the trail. The views were still amazing. I saw some familiar names in the register... edited by deborah on 11/7/2019
11/8/2019 Topic: Grapevine Mountain and Bitter Creek deborah	dsefcik wrote: Definitely pretty washes up top and great views. Hopefully my rock stacking made the register a little easier to find... It led me right to it.
11/13/2019 Topic: Best route for hike from Laguna to desert floor? deborah	These routes look like fun. I did the Mason Valley Truck Trail from Blair Valley a few years ago. It was really pretty, only saw two vehicles despite it being on the weekend. I especially like the change in vegetation along the route. And it was a little drizzly that day too. Started off the day with a nice rainbow! Whichever route you choose, looking forward to hearing how it goes!
11/18/2019 Topic: Sunrise Hwy to Granite Mountain deborah	What a great day out! I really like the pictures. I'm always amazed at the vibrant colors of moss. Regarding energy, one thing that really helps me is staying on top of my electrolyte intake. Even then it still seems like an art form sometimes. It may not be relevant for you, but thought I'd mention it just in case. Thanks for posting the trip report. I didn't actually get out this weekend and this gives me my fix.
11/18/2019 Topic: Anyone seen any rodents? deborah	Great pictures! The detail is amazing. Thanks for posting these.
11/26/2019 Topic: Texas trip deborah	I like the pictures! The antelope are so pretty. Thanks for sharing.
11/26/2019 Topic: Elder North first ascent deborah	Nice job! It does sound like fun!
11/27/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	The rain predicted for this week has me thinking about good places to go in Anza Borrego on rainy days. My first thoughts... Obviously avoid areas prone to flash floods. If I do drive off pavement, something tame, more gravel maybe and not so much mud. The goal isn't to test my vehicle recovery skills. And maybe the same goes for going on foot. Hiking in the rain can be really nice, but if the ground gets too muddy it can be a chore. What do you all think? Are there places that you like to go on rainy days?
11/27/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	Oh I like that idea. I've been up and down the CRHT a lot for training and such, but I've never actually been to Maidenhair Falls. I've always kind of shied away from it because it usually seems so busy (well, busy for Anza Borrego...). But maybe on a rainy day it would be pretty quiet. Thanks for the suggestion!
11/27/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	Buford wrote: Sawtooth and Redtop. Indianhead via Henderson canyon. Those are all possible in pouring rain. In all seriousness, I would stay out of Coyote Canyon, Fish Creek, Calcite mine road, Arroyo Seco Diablo or Tapiado. Too much potential flowing water, mud or clay. Not good for vehicles or hiking or both. The driving route into Indian Gorge is fine in rain. Hiking into Inner Pasture via the easy canyon near Stage BM should be good. Maidenhair is actually a good suggestion. I remember doing it immediately after a rain years ago. The stream started coming out of the ground before our eyes which was cool. Let's see, Sawtooth, Red Top, and Indianhead Peak in the rain. Maybe throw in Rabbit Peak too just for funsies. And yes, the areas you mentioned sound like good places to avoid in the rain. I really like the Palo Verde Wash / Vista del Malpais area for mellow days, but rain could make it tricky... But Inner Pasture is another place I haven't been to yet. Thanks for the input!
11/28/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	ziphius wrote: Inner Pasture is always a nice place and the walking investment usually means you have it to yourself. Red Top is no rainy day stroll and my perspective comes from having done El Cajon Mountain 103 times. Inner Pasture is now on my list. So many places to see... El Cajon Mountain 103 times! Nice!!
11/28/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	Buford wrote: I’ve actually done all the ones I joked about in the rain and hail. Not recommended Rain for hiking is ok in some circumstances. Coarse granite and no mud or clay help, hence Indian Gorge or Inner Pasture recommendations. Sounds like quite the adventures, especially being out in hail. It's no fun getting pelted when there's no place to take cover.
11/28/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	So, I did get out today. I went up Alcoholic Pass and then headed towards Coyote Mountain. The rain was steady for a few hours, then the winds picked up, visibility dropped, and it started raining harder. I decided to turn around before the summit. My toes were getting cold, and I had no real reason to make it a suffer-fest. After the heaviest part of the rain and wind had passed, I warmed up a bit and had a nice walk back. The Santa Rosas and Toro Peak had some snow! They were hidden most of the day by low clouds, but I got a peek at them for a few minutes. I don't know how long the snow might last, but it was pretty cool to see.
12/2/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	tekewin wrote: Kinda late, but I don't have any suggestions for rainy days other than wait until it stops. I like getting wet as much as a bobcat. The rain hikes I've done were not really planned, just took a chance and the weather did not cooperate. I would avoid gullys and canyons and places your vehicle might get stick. Oh it's not too late. And I like that expression, "as much as a bobcat". I have a similar feeling about being cold. I like the rain, but if it gets cold too then I'm heading for cover as quickly as possible.
12/2/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	rockhopper wrote: Back in the day before weather forecasting was as good as it is now, we got caught in rain, mud, hail, lighting,and snow. I avoid bad weather hiking if at all possible. Now, hiking right after a storm passes through. Sign me up! Yes, and I guess it feels different getting caught in "weather" in Anza Borrego versus other places like the Eastern Sierras. It seems a bit tamer, maybe.
12/2/2019 Topic: Death Valley 9 Days Trip Report deborah	Thanks for posting! Great pictures. I love Telescope Peak. The flowers can be amazing in the spring.
12/2/2019 Topic: Good places for rainy days deborah	A few pictures from the weekend. I apologize for the poor photo quality. I was just so fascinated by snow in the desert. From the ridge above Alcoholic Pass, looking across the north end of Clark Lake at the Santa Rosas. Pinyon Ridge above Old Culp Valley road.
12/4/2019 Topic: Lower Carrizo Creek deborah	Great pictures! It sounds like it took some work to get around the mud and vegetation in places. On the ridge it looks nice and open. Thanks for sharing.
12/4/2019 Topic: Death Valley 9 Days Trip Report deborah	Nice pictures on your other site too. That's a serious vehicle by the Trona Pinnacles. Do you happen to know what it was for? Looks like someone was on a serious mission.
12/9/2019 Topic: Daughter Shows interest in some hiking deborah	That's great! What a fun vehicle for her to learn with.
12/9/2019 Topic: Jacumba Mountains deborah	Great photos and post! Love the raindrops in the water. Yes, it's added to my list! It was raining steadily at Kitchen Creek on Saturday. And then in Jojoba Wash on Sunday, only a few drops with great views of the weather coming down on the surrounding mountains.
12/10/2019 Topic: Sheep, Coyote & Rabbit deborah	Very nice! Thanks for sharing these.
12/12/2019 Topic: PCT South from Scissors Crossing deborah	Oh I love this section of the PCT! I haven't been out there when it's so green though. It must be so pretty. I'm inspired to go check it out. I've always liked Osprey packs. Glad yours is working out so far. Nice trip report!
12/12/2019 Topic: Granite Mountain West Approach deborah	Thanks for posting. It looks really interesting. I like the pictures and commentary.
12/12/2019 Topic: Super steep or steep deborah	I've only done it from the east following the route in Jerry Schad's book. It was fun, but I do remember that it felt longer than I was expecting. But then, that could have just been my perspective.
12/15/2019 Topic: PCT South from Scissors Crossing deborah	On the subject of packs, I wanted to mention Nathan and Ultimate Direction packs. Those have been my favorites over the last few years. I've kind of gotten hooked on the convenience of the front pockets, especially for those days where I want to just move. Of course, those are smaller day packs. I haven't done any overnight trips in a while, but my larger Osprey pack was always so comfortable, even loaded down with climbing gear.
12/17/2019 Topic: Mortero Palms to Goat Canyon Trestle, then North deborah	Nice!! Thanks for posting. Looks like a great trip.
12/17/2019 Topic: Kitchen Creek Fall Colors deborah	I went out to Kitchen Creek a few weeks ago on one of our rainy days. It wasn't too cold or windy, so I handled it ok. Here are some pictures. The camouflage tree.
12/18/2019 Topic: Kitchen Creek Fall Colors deborah	Thanks guys! I didn't see any ticks out there, but it was a really mellow trip. I only walked up the paved road past the gate towards Sunrise Highway, and then poked around a little by the bridge on my way out. I wasn't really in any heavy (or even light) vegetation.
12/29/2019 Topic: Rain and more sheep deborah	Thanks for sharing the pictures. There are so many sheep! It's really interesting that they get into the barrel cactus like that. I didn't know that they do that. And Scooter, it sounds like you were in such unique circumstances to be able to try one. I can imagine you really did surprise some folks.
12/29/2019 Topic: Indian Signs Along Carrizo Wash deborah	Nice pictures and report! It's a really cool comparison between 1974 and the present.
1/7/2020 Topic: Snow and more sheep deborah	Great pictures Buford! The sheep that's "smiling" for the camera is particularly cute. Any idea why the sheep would be hesitant of the canyon?
1/7/2020 Topic: Weekend trip deborah	Yes, these are great! The clarity is amazing. And the colors of those hummingbirds... some kind of magic.
1/7/2020 Topic: 24 hour traverse of ABSP deborah	That does sound like a good adventure!
1/7/2020 Topic: Volunteer off road vehicle recovery... deborah	Thanks David! That's really nice of you.
1/13/2020 Topic: Coyote Mountain deborah	Nice photos and trip report! tekewin wrote: Nice hike. Coyote is a fun mountain and so accessible from Borrego Springs. Bonus on the Schad sig. I experienced the strongest wind I've ever hiked in on Coyote. Knocked down a couple times and nearly turned back. Didn't even think about going to the south summit. Might be interesting to try it from one of the west ridges. I had a really windy day on Coyote Mountain too. It was blowing so hard it was almost comical. Before the holidays I had been spending some time up Alcoholic Pass and either towards Coyote Mountain or north up on the rocks. Seems like it's windy up there more often than not. But as soon as you drop down off the ridge to the east it quiets down considerably. I thought it was interesting that the Rack bench mark (as shown on CalTopo) was actually Rock.
1/13/2020 Topic: Snow and more sheep deborah	That's so interesting about the sheep, particularly the different behavior of different groups. Years ago I did a really fun scramble up to Indianhead Peak. It was kind of steep so I had my head down watching my footwork. Then I looked up and saw a sheep fairly close (probably not nearly as close I my memory is telling me). I was so thrilled to see one like that, but then I became aware that it wasn't at all timid. We both just stood motionless, watching each other. I heard something behind me and realized that I somehow got between a few of them. So I just quietly got off the route as best I could, and they went on by. It was an awesome and very humbling experience. And I can see how an associated risk of the canyons can affect the sheep's behavior. Actually, I think I relate to it personally. It might sound strange, but I notice that different areas have a different "feel" to me. I do a lot of solo trips, sometimes running... It gets in my head sometimes.
1/13/2020 Topic: Resident desert rat deborah	Welcome!
1/15/2020 Topic: PCT North of Scissors Crossing deborah	Nice photos and trip report! Love the sunrise picture. I bet the moon was beautiful too. Looks like a fun day out! What was it you wrote in an earlier post, 20 before 2?
1/15/2020 Topic: Snow and more sheep deborah	tekewin wrote: I've had feelings of a cougar being nearby twice in AB. Once in Cougar Canyon on the way back from Square Top. The other by Goat BM below San Ysidro. Near Goat BM, I also smelled cougar urine shortly after picking up a baby deer skull. A little freaky. I can see how that would be a little freaky. I don't really know how much of it really is just in my head, but I know I think about it more around early dawn hours and dusk. And things like canyons versus open space. I've never seen one, but I know that doesn't mean that they haven't seen me.
1/23/2020 Topic: Oriflame Mountain deborah	Nice, thanks for posting!
1/23/2020 Topic: Carrizo Creek - Gert wash deborah	Really cool photos of the area! I didn't realize that they are tackling the Tamarisk like that. Thanks for sharing.
1/23/2020 Topic: Another Death Valley Trip deborah	Nice photos and really cool trip! That looked like a lot of snow in Yucca Valley! Love the colors around Crystal Camp Epsom Salt Mine.
1/24/2020 Topic: Butler Canyon deborah	Nice!! I love the rocks out there. On my last trip to Butler Canyon I saw two skulls, and the cart was mostly buried. I guess that was in 2017. edited by deborah on 1/24/2020
1/24/2020 Topic: Sunrise in Jojoba Wash deborah	Wow!! Great pictures!
1/24/2020 Topic: Other forums/fb groups? deborah	I guess I don't have any good suggestions. This is the only one I really pay attention to. I do sometimes check the mtsanjacinto forum for trail conditions in the spring.
1/26/2020 Topic: PCT North of Scissors Crossing deborah	Rocko1 wrote: Grapevine Mtn looked a lot easier peak to grab on the maps as opposed to once your on the trail. I'd like to do that someday as well. edited by Rocko1 on 1/16/2020 I went out on Saturday to check out accessing the PCT from S2. It starts off on an old jeep trail that disappears at an old water tank and bathtub. I didn't find any real trail from there so I decided to go up the south side of the wash. It was kinda steep, but the footing was solid. The challenge with the south side though (as I found out) is that it leads to a maze of dense vegetation. I could see the trail, but getting there would have been really tricky. As it was, I got a healthy dose of desert pin striping. I backtracked a bit and dropped down into the wash to cross over to the north side. Once I climbed that ridge it was straightforward to get to the trail. There's a little wooden sign pointing back towards S2. I put a few miles on the trail and checked out the water cache further up for thru-hikers. It's impressive, very generous for someone to support the hikers like that. I wanted to follow that dirt road out to see where it met up with Grapevine Canyon, but I was concerned that it was on private property so I turned around. On my return I followed the north ridge all the way back to the old jeep trail. It was fun to go see a new area, but I think I still prefer accessing that section from Grapevine Canyon. It's away from the road, and just such a cool area.
1/27/2020 Topic: PCT North of Scissors Crossing deborah	Rocko1 wrote: Cool sign! I want to check out Grapevine Canyon. Do you know if the first mile or so is passable in a 2wd SUV? From the south end there are a few jeep trails off the 78 that lead to Grapevine Canyon. The jeep trail closest to Tamarisk Grove Campground has a few spots of soft sand. I don't remember the other options being that bad. Once you get past those it's usually easy travel all the way to Angelina Spring. At that point the jeep trail climbs a rocky hill above the spring, then drops back down. That section is probably a bit much for a 2WD. I was thinking I might head out to that area this weekend. I could check out the conditions and let you know?
1/31/2020 Topic: Salt Creek/Cottonwood Canyon deborah	Great photos and trip report! I really enjoyed the video too.
1/31/2020 Topic: Photography deborah	Beautiful pictures. The bird photo is unreal...
1/31/2020 Topic: June Wash and Hapaha Flat saddle deborah	Welcome Brian! Nice photos and report. Thanks for sharing! I was in June Wash just last Sunday for a run. There was a group of bighorn sheep out there, 9 total. Maybe they were headed for the guzzler.
2/3/2020 Topic: PCT North of Scissors Crossing deborah	Rocko1 wrote: If you are already going it would be great to know! Here is where I was planning on going. https://i.imgur.com/ZUqVpw9.png Thank you. I checked out the jeeps trails at the south end of Grapevine Canyon on Saturday. I drove each of the sections out and back with my truck in 2WD with no problem. On the route that you outlined, the only spot that might be a little tricky is where it crosses the drainage, about a third of a mile in from the 78. It's very shallow, but a little sandy. I could see the sand being an issue at different times during the year, depending on weather and how much traffic it's seen since the last rains. If you go that route, keep up steady momentum as you go through. The short section just to the east is similar. The section from the S3 was probably the most straightforward, some rollers on the way in but no soft sand when I was there. I wouldn't think that clearance would be an issue either, but please take a look and see what you think. Getting stuck out there is no fun... edited by deborah on 2/3/2020
2/17/2020 Topic: Thimble from Cherry Canyon deborah	Nice report! Thanks for the info. I've never been out there. The rocks look like fun!
2/17/2020 Topic: Photography deborah	Maybe a type of Threadplant? These are so cool. I've seen a lot of them in the hills just to the north of Clark Lake. dsefcik wrote: I know this little itty bitty plant but can't find the name for it! -- Buford wrote: Interesting native, I think, plant: edited by dsefcik on 2/17/2020
3/6/2020 Topic: Photography deborah	Thanks for sharing. These are great! What is the plant with the white flowers?
3/6/2020 Topic: Whale Peak overnight deborah	Nice trip report and pics! Sounds like a great trip. I haven't been up Whale Peak yet, but I really love those boulders near Smuggler Canyon. They're a lot of fun.
4/25/2020 Topic: Solstice Cave and Goat Canyon deborah	Nice trip report and pictures! I'm catching up on all the activity, been oddly busy with work this past month or so. These posts are a great reminder that the desert will still be there.
4/25/2020 Topic: Granite Mountain Overnight deborah	Nice pictures and trip report! Laughing about the "type 2 fun".
4/25/2020 Topic: Pepperwood and Bow Willow deborah	Great pictures and info! Thanks for sharing!
5/13/2020 Topic: Cleveland NF deborah	Goodness, great pictures!! Love the views, those colors are amazing. The balancing rock is really cool. And yes, great bike / trail shots! I haven't been getting out. My usual go-to spots are within the park boundaries or areas that are closed, and I guess it's all just been a bit disorienting so I've been staying local. I really appreciate the reminders that there are options, even with all the closures. Thanks for sharing a bit of "normal".
6/2/2020 Topic: Colorado Desert From The Air deborah	It does give a really interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing!
6/2/2020 Topic: Cuyamaca SP deborah	Thanks Rocko1 for the report and the lovely pictures. Do you happen to know if the Sunrise Trailhead is open for parking? Although, that is within the Anza Borrego park boundaries, so I guess it's still closed...
6/2/2020 Topic: Cuyamaca SP deborah	Yes, I guess it's just wishful thinking on my part. Looking at the public lands map layer on CalTopo, it seems the Pedro Fages Monument is in Anza Borrego as well. Thanks for the info!
6/3/2020 Topic: Cuyamaca SP deborah	Rocko1 wrote: deborah wrote: Yes, I guess it's just wishful thinking on my part. Looking at the public lands map layer on CalTopo, it seems the Pedro Fages Monument is in Anza Borrego as well. Thanks for the info! No problem. Cleveland NF is mostly open as well. You could park off S2 in this area(Pioneer Mail parking lot is open) and access the PCT and take it into AB if you wanted. Oh that's a great recommendation. I'm thinking a weekday trip would be really nice. I'm due for a day off work. Thanks!!
6/4/2020 Topic: Cuyamaca SP deborah	I just called the park. It sounds like they are planning to open up some access tomorrow for day use. (!!!!) Here's what I understood from the conversation: Some jeep trails and parking areas will be open for day use. Access to Ocotillo Wells will remain closed for now. Campgrounds will still be closed. I believe that she said overnight camping is not yet allowed, but I don't know if that applies to backcountry trips. I could have that wrong. Coyote Canyon will still have the usual seasonal closure for Bighorn Sheep that started on June 1. I certainly don't want to spread any unfounded rumors. But I'm so ridiculously happy even at the possibility of being back in our desert, I had to share with you guys. I guess we'll see if the updates happen tomorrow. I'm going to gas up my truck just in case.
10/26/2020 Topic: Granite Mountain deborah	Great trip, really nice photos! Yes, the wind really was howling on Sunday. I was doing some exploring around the Pinyon Mountain area, a lot of it from the comfort of my truck. It was really cool to see the clouds spilling over the peaks. And you guys were out in it!
10/26/2020 Topic: Chariot Mountain deborah	Nice photos and report! Thanks for sharing.
10/26/2020 Topic: The Killing of Frank Fox deborah	It's really interesting history. Nice work!
10/26/2020 Topic: Lookout Knob deborah	Nice!!! I love that area.
10/26/2020 Topic: Valley of the Moon to East Davies Valley deborah	Thanks for posting, really nice trip report and photos. The rock arch is really unique.
10/26/2020 Topic: Photography deborah	Buford wrote: From earlier this summer when you could actually see the stars through the smoke. Not as happy with this one. Click the image for the timelapse video: edited by Buford on 9/15/2020 The time lapse image is amazing. It is kind of mesmerizing to watch.
10/26/2020 Topic: The Potrero deborah	Great pictures and trip report! Love the frogs. I'm really enjoying catching up with everyone's posts...
12/5/2020 Topic: Whale Peak via Pictographs/Smugglers Canyon ? deborah	This is really good info. I've been curious about that route as well. I happened to be in the lower part of Smuggler Canyon last weekend. I parked off S2 at the Vallecito campground and hiked north up Smuggler Canyon to the Pictograph trail, and then scrambled up the small peak just south of the trail (elev. 3679). The views were really nice. On the way back I took a slightly different route to the west. Lots of fun boulder hopping/scrambling. I had such a late start, I ended up hiking the last 20 minutes or so in the dark. But the moon was really bright, I barely needed my headlamp.
2/15/2021 Topic: Pyramid, Rosa Pt., Mile High Loop deborah	Nice!! I've been spending some time in that area and looking at that very route, so it's cool to see your report! I wasn't sure about the terrain above Pyramid Peak towards Rosa. I was out a few weeks ago and saw three sheep above the rock tanks. Ocotillo is starting to bloom...
2/15/2021 Topic: Martinez Canyon to Jack Miller cabin deborah	Nice report. I haven't been there yet. Looks like a fun place to explore. It is really cool that it's relatively untouched.

Anza Borrego Desert

deborah

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