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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/12/2010
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Mary and I signed up to do the Anza Borrego Foundations "Hike of the Month" to Harper Flat. Usually we shy away from organized tours of any kind but this one is being led by Mark Jorgensen who was the superintendent of the ABDSP for many years.
I think it will be interesting to hike with someone who know the park so well.
If you are interested the link is here but you need to preregister.
Hike Of The Month Harper Cabin
I will post back on Sunday. 
<em>edited by surfponto on 3/12/2010</em>
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
3/12/2010
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Bob,
Harper Flat is a great valley. I have backpacked in there once every year or two for the last 10+ years. You will like it I am sure. I am interested to see how the flowers are in there this year since I have not been in there since last spring. In fact the weekend we camped in there last year we ran into a group of 12 or so people. That was only the second time we saw anyone else in the valley. The other time we saw one lone day hiker. I wonder if your group is the same group as last year. There is lots of evidence of past habitation in the valley. We have found morteros on the south and north edge of the valley. I have read of sleeping cirlces somewhere in the Flat or Harper Canyon. We have searched more than once for them with no luck, have not looked on the western side of the valley. Maybe you will get led to them by Mark.
Also on your way out you might want to look in some of the side washes that join Pinyon Wash from the east. Last spring there were LOTS of flowers in those washes. The most I found were in a wash that joined Pinyon Wash at a slight angle from the southeast. It was somewhere south of where Nolina Wash joins Pinyon Wash.
Also I just read the link you provided and it said something about a cabin. I would like to know where that is if you will share upon your return. Have not seen that one before. In fact I didn't even know about it.
I hope you have a great hike and find the sleeping circles. Looks like more wind on Saturday.
David
I fixed a couple of directions when I got home and looked at a map.
<em>edited by hikerdmb on 3/12/2010</em>
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/12/2010
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Thanks David,
Appreciate the advice. I will GPS the cabin. I am excited to go since like I said earlier I usually don't stray north of Indian Valley. Time to expand my horizons.
Will do a quick writeup when return with pics
When is your next trip out?
Still thinking of a midweek overnight trip next week also.
hikerdmb wrote:
Bob,
Harper Flat is a great valley. I have backpacked in there once every year or two for the last 10+ years. You will like it I am sure. I am interested to see how the flowers are in there this year since I have not been in there since last spring. In fact the weekend we camped in there last year we ran into a group of 12 or so people. That was only the second time we saw anyone else in the valley. The other time we saw one lone day hiker. I wonder if your group is the same group as last year. There is lots of evidence of past habitation in the valley. We have found morteros on the south and north edge of the valley. I have read of sleeping cirlces somewhere in the Flat or Harper Canyon. We have searched more than once for them with no luck, have not looked on the western side of the valley. Maybe you will get led to them by Mark.
Also on your way out you might want to look in some of the side washes that join Pinyon Wash from the east. Last spring there were LOTS of flowers in those washes. The most I found were in a wash that joined Pinyon Wash at a slight angle from the southeast. It was somewhere south of where Nolina Wash joins Pinyon Wash.
Also I just read the link you provided and it said something about a cabin. I would like to know where that is if you will share upon your return. Have not seen that one before. In fact I didn't even know about it.
I hope you have a great hike and find the sleeping circles. Looks like more wind on Saturday.
David
I fixed a couple of directions when I got home and looked at a map.
edited by hikerdmb on 3/12/2010
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
3/13/2010
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Bob,
Having trouble posting anything other than a line or two of text.
<em>edited by hikerdmb on 3/13/2010</em>
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/13/2010
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Hmm that is weird. I have been working on updating the site.
May have to update the forum software
I will play around with it some more tonite
Can you try it again?
Hike was great. Will post some pics. Harper Cabin is really cool as is the dam they built out there.
Bob
hikerdmb wrote:
Bob,
Having trouble posting anything other than a line or two of text.
edited by hikerdmb on 3/13/2010
edited by surfponto on 3/13/2010
<em>edited by surfponto on 3/13/2010</em>
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
3/13/2010
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Bob,
Here's another try. Glad you had a good time and can't wait to see the pics.
Here is a pic from March 2009 looking south across Harper Flat with Whale Peak in the distance/
Here is a pic from March 2009 of a large split rock, ocotillo, and the moon, looking east across Harper Flat
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quidditian Posts: 46
3/14/2010
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That second pic is stunning, David.
Ran across this video tonight, thought you guys might find of interest...it's regarding "ghost lights," but also has some info about the old trestle (sp?)...
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
3/14/2010
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I saw that video earlier this winter/or last fall. It is pretty cool with some great train shots too. I liked it so much I had already sent it to my buddy that I camp witih.
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quidditian Posts: 46
3/14/2010
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Have you guys ever seen these lights? I love mysteries...especially creepy-spookyish ones. I don't indulge in them very often. It's like a metaphysical brownie with double frosting. Uh, or something.
Speaking of unexplained stuff, when I was on the pictograph trail....there was a noise that was like a very distant thunder, but with minor key edges. Maybe 4 - 5 seconds each in length of sound... If I had any reason to believe there was a drum circle in the area, I'd have thought it was someone with a very very bass drum and very strange choices on when to strike it (it was arrhythmic). I heard it three times within about two minutes. Might it have been the sound of a boulder tumbling down in the distance, or did I hit my head too hard on the little cholla? It was a powerful sound, and if I believed in invisible things, I would have assumed a god somewhere was speaking. It was a beautiful, stately, and powerful rumble, but I'm not sure whether I would have thought the god was angry or pleased.
I honestly would have thought it was distant thunder -- it sounded exactly like it, but there were no storms brewing.
If a boulder tumbles and there's an idiot out alone in the desert to hear it, but said idiot is not only idiotic, but also a recent concussion recipient, did the thunderous noise happen at all?
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/14/2010
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I have head this story.
I think Desert USA has a link to it on their website. Pretty cool.
I always thought it would be cool to camp up at Ghost Mountain during a full moon. Place has a definite spiritual feel to it.
I am working on putting my post and pictures together from Saturday's trip to Harper Cabin.
In the meantime if you want to see the caption-less pics check :
Slide Show
Like you said David, Harper Flat is amazing. Really feels like you are getting away from civilization when you hike out there.
Bob
quidditian wrote:
Have you guys ever seen these lights? I love mysteries...especially creepy-spookyish ones. I don't indulge in them very often. It's like a metaphysical brownie with double frosting. Uh, or something.
Speaking of unexplained stuff, when I was on the pictograph trail....there was a noise that was like a very distant thunder, but with minor key edges. Maybe 4 - 5 seconds each in length of sound... If I had any reason to believe there was a drum circle in the area, I'd have thought it was someone with a very very bass drum and very strange choices on when to strike it (it was arrhythmic). I heard it three times within about two minutes. Might it have been the sound of a boulder tumbling down in the distance, or did I hit my head too hard on the little cholla? It was a powerful sound, and if I believed in invisible things, I would have assumed a god somewhere was speaking. It was a beautiful, stately, and powerful rumble, but I'm not sure whether I would have thought the god was angry or pleased.
I honestly would have thought it was distant thunder -- it sounded exactly like it, but there were no storms brewing.
If a boulder tumbles and there's an idiot out alone in the desert to hear it, but said idiot is not only idiotic, but also a recent concussion recipient, did the thunderous noise happen at all?
<em>edited by surfponto on 3/14/2010</em>
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
3/14/2010
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Bob,
Nice pics and looks like it was a great day. Can't wait to see the trip report and maybe a map to show which parts of the valley you visited. The cabin looked pretty broke down. Was the damn totally filled in with sand?
David
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quidditian Posts: 46
3/14/2010
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Man, that final cactus is divine. As far as these ruins go, I'm so heartened that people don't mess with them. I guess the the upside of having to make an actual trek to get somewhere is that you're not the sort of person who makes a trek in order to destroy things.
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/15/2010
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Hey David,
I will pull off the Waypoints on my GPS to show you where we were.
I just posted the trip report with most of the picture captions.
The kitchen is pretty intact as is the bed.
I guess the support structure was built with Agave stalks so those are long gone.
Both dams were totally filled with sand.
If you have made it to the dams you were really close to the cabin. I believe it was one canyon over.
Bob
hikerdmb wrote:
Bob,
Nice pics and looks like it was a great day. Can't wait to see the trip report and maybe a map to show which parts of the valley you visited. The cabin looked pretty broke down. Was the damn totally filled in with sand?
David
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/15/2010
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Hii Cayenne,
I think blooming Agave and Mojave Yucca are fast becoming my favorite plants out there.
The colors of the Yucca are amazing.
From what we were told the Indians used to cultivate the Agave when it would first start to bloom.
Apparently it is full of nutrients since it contains all the plants energy as it begins to shoot the stalk skyward.
Mark Jorgensen (The ex-Park Superintendent) who was leading the tour said they have recorded Agave stalks that have grown 14" in one day !
The hike is a little ways out there so that probably will keep it intact for a long time.
Bob
quidditian wrote:
Man, that final cactus is divine. As far as these ruins go, I'm so heartened that people don't mess with them. I guess the the upside of having to make an actual trek to get somewhere is that you're not the sort of person who makes a trek in order to destroy things.
edited by surfponto on 3/15/2010
edited by surfponto on 3/15/2010
<em>edited by surfponto on 3/15/2010</em>
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quidditian Posts: 46
3/17/2010
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Looks like it may have quelled the native sweet tooth as well :}
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
3/17/2010
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Hmm, he did mention that
Maybe I should add that to the post
Thanks,
Bob
quidditian wrote:
Looks like it may have quelled the native sweet tooth as well :}
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