10/13/2011 Topic: Whale Peak / Inner Pasture / Goat Cyn Trestle chevell	Great pics dsefcik, I've hiked all through the gorge well past the trestle and up into the hills many years ago. The pictures from Whale Peak were inspiring, very well done. I'll have to make that hike someday soon. Planning a trip next week sometime as it looks to be finally cooling down. Nice post dude. My mountain bike is Cannondale prophet 2000 with major upgrades on the parts.
10/14/2011 Topic: Indian / Clark / Blair Valley chevell	I agree, outstanding pictures dsefcik, natgeo material for certain. I'ts not easy getting that close to those critters, I know this from experience. Taking the mylar balloon trash outta there is a good idea also as they probably take many years to break down.
10/16/2011 Topic: Sombrero Peak via McCain Valley chevell	In case your still wondering what kind of snake that is. It's a Gopher snake, most likely either Sonoran or a San Diego Gopher snake. I've caught them a couple times out in McCains valley. Seems like I find snakes every time I am in McCains valley. Old post I know, but I just had to say something. http://www.californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/p.c.annectens.html
10/25/2011 Topic: Split Mtn Road access via Plaster City question chevell	Now I realize that this post is nearly a year old but I figured dsefcik might still be interested in knowing if it's possible to get from plaster city to split mountain road or from the other direction going north from plaster city. I've made this trip a few times now using the sand freeway that runs along the railroad tracks from plaster city to split mountain road, it's an easy drive in a 4 by 4, not so easy but possible in a 2wd truck with good tires. If you find a map that starts a bit more to the east outside the park boundries you can see that the trail starts from interstate 8 just past plaster city about where the "tree line" is going north from there, it's hard to miss the huge sand freeway going along the east side of the tracks. You will pass by superstition mountain which is off in the distance to the east. I've been all through superstition mountain, pretty cool washes at the south end. As far as a passenger car goes, I wouldn't try that because the sand is very deep the entire way. Maybe with sand tires you could make it, positraction would be helpful also but it's best in a 4 by 4 truck or jeep because it's a fairly long drive through deep sand. I've done this route in my Silverado 4by4 a couple times and it's 60 mph the entire way like a sand freeway. It goes around the Carrizo Impact area outside the state park to the east. It's all open off road area through there. I havn't been up Elephant tree trail yet but it looks like a nice area. In the old days "35 years ago" we use to ride south past the freeway and past the boarder a good ways into baja to the base of the mountains there, nice area back then but too risky these days. <em>edited by chevell on 10/25/2011</em>

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