Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego
Cool Canyon / Rainbow Canyon
dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/24/2011
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Two of the lesser known and least visited canyons in Anza Borrego Desert State Park are Cool Canyon and Rainbow Canyon. This last weekend I visited both. These canyons are semi slot canyons and reminded me a lot of canyons in Death Valley in that they narrow up and have lots of marbled, swirled types of rock. You can use Cool Canyon as a starting point to climb Granite Mountain, I made a last minute decision to try and get to the top but I stopped at Peak 4624, I just wasn't prepared to go another 1,000' that day.
Rainbow Canyon is another great little canyon that is only a mile or so long and great for a quick hike or family exploration opportunity. If you are camping in Blair Valley and have someone who can drop you off at the canyon mouth you can hike in and over to Blair Valley for about a 5 mile easy going but fun hike.
Full Trip Report on my website here http://www.sefcik.com/2011/08/cool-canyon-rainbow-canyon-abdsp.html
or just pictures here Cool Canyon and Rainbow Canyon
Here are a few pictures, to see more please check out the links above
Morteros in Cool Canyon are signs of past Indian habitation of the area
Entrance to Cool Canyon
First of many dry falls in Cool Canyon
A larger dry fall in Cool Canyon
Honeycomb up in the rocks in Cool Canyon
My lunch on Peak 4624, you can see Whale Peak straight ahead in the distance
In Raibow Canyon you find the first dry fall almost immediately
Great marbled rock in Rainbow Canyon
Heading up thru Rainbow Canyon
Kitty Scat
Up at the saddle looking towards Blair Valley
A narrow section in Rainbow Canyon
Looking down a double dry fall in Rainbow Canyon
I stopped off at Indian Hill on the way home and found a number of pictographs in rock shelters away from the main Blue Sun Cave but will post that as a separate thread. Indian Hill is an amazing area.
Daren
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
8/25/2011
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Since we will be near Ocotillo tonight , maybe we should explore that area (Mortero Wash/Indian Hill etc. Have you been to the old railroad camp near Indian Hill?
-- https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1364
8/25/2011
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By the way Daren, I am thinking you should buy some land out near Anza Borrego since you are out there so much
Bob
-- https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/25/2011
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surfponto wrote:
Since we will be near Ocotillo tonight , maybe we should explore that area (Mortero Wash/Indian Hill etc. Have you been to the old railroad camp near Indian Hill?
That sounds good, I want to explore the area more and have not been to the railroad camp. We can discuss later today. BTW Mortero Wash totally sucked in my truck, I think it rattled loose every single bolt on it!
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/25/2011
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surfponto wrote:
By the way Daren, I am thinking you should buy some land out near Anza Borrego since you are out there so much
Bob
I have been eyeing that trailer near deadmans curve in Ocotillo for awhile now...
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/31/2011
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Totally forgot the panorama (as usual). Here is a panorama from Peak 4624, on the far right is the ascent up to Granite Mtn
Download the original here (19mb)
-- http://www.sefcik.com http://www.darensefcik.com http://www.carrizogorge.com
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