Bighorn Sheep encounter on the 8 Freeway.

Many people never see a Bighorn out in the Anza Borrego Desert. The once thriving Bighorn population has now dwindled to somewhere around 280 by official Park estimates. The Bighorns blend in very well with their environment and will stand still for hours making them impossible to see.

On two previous occasions we have been lucky enough to encounter the elusive Bighorn. The first time was two hours into a hike to the Goat Canyon Trestle, while our second encounter was with a bachelor herd of Bighorn rams near Indian Hill in the southern end of Anza Borrego.

Our latest encounter did not require a 3 hour hike and in fact occurred when Linda and I were leaving the Park. We had just spent the day in Indian Valley, unsucessfully hunting for a solstice cave, and were heading up the steep grade of the I-8. 

I was looking down to see if my Landcruiser was getting hot (it has been overheating) and when I looked up there he was, a full adult male Bighorn Sheep. He crossed in front of our vehicle and headed off into the rocky terrain that lines the freeway.

Linda and I were dumbfounded and I quickly pulled off into the shoulder so we could snap some pictures. The ram looked back at us and then disappeared into the rocky terrain.

Bighorn Sheep Photos are here.

Summer Sand Angels in the Anza Borrego Desert

If you really want to escape the summer beach crowds of San Diego, but still want to play in the sand, you could always take a 2+ hour drive east to the Anza Borrego Desert.

Our motivation was simple, June gloom had continued two weeks into July, shrouding the coast in clouds. We had forgotten what sunshine felt like.

Mind you this is not journey for those who can't take a little heat. When we pulled up at the Carrizo Gorge turnoff, temperatures were already close to 100' and promised to rise throughout the morning.

Suprisingly, we were not the only foolhardy souls out in Anza Borrego braving the  triple digit temperatures. When Mary and I pulled off the S2 at Carrizo Gorge we noticed a couple of guys parked at the trailhead. After chatting a bit, we learned that they were doing research on the Tamarisk groves in the area. Apparently Tamarisk is considered an invasive spieces in the Colorado Desert due to its tendency to compete with native desert vegetation. They asked us if we were familiar with the area, so we directed them south down into Carrizo Gorge where we knew there were many thickets of Tamarisk trees.

By this time Daren had arrived so we jumped in our 4 Wheel Drives and drove down Carrizo Gorge to the turnoff at RockHouse Canyon. 

As we predicted, the 3 mile hike up the canyon was hot, dry and completely devoid of hikers. All of the wildflowers and cactus blooms that we had marveled at in months past were now gone, leaving behind an arid desert landscape. We didn't spend too much time exploring the canyon, but both Daren and I did manage to get impaled by cholla spines. Ahhh, got to love the Desert.

Despite the heat, I am beginning to enjoy Anza Borrego in the summer months or off season. It is nice to be able to escape the summer beach crowds even if it is only for a little while. 

Disclaimer: If you dare to brave summer in the Anza Borrego Desert, please be prepared. Bring plenty of water and wear a hat. If you are not an experienced hiker, stay reasonably close to your vehicle which should be in good working condition.
When we arrived back at the LandCruiser the temperature was 110'F which gives you an idea of the extreme temperatures you may encounter.
If you are near Borrego Springs it is a good idea to check in with the Park Ranger before you head out on a hike.

Photos from the trip are here.

Supervisor Metz approves Sunrise Powerlink through the Cleveland National Forest

Not that I am terribly surprised, but I was hopeful that Forest Supervisor Metz would show some backbone and stand up to SDG&E / Sempra.

Unfortunately this was not the case and Supervisor Metz caved to political and corporate pressure and agreed to let SDG&E route the Sunrise Powerlink through the Cleveland National Forest.

This is a sad day for San Diego and anyone who likes to get out and enjoy nature with out the tell-tale signs of man.

The character of the Cleveland National Forest will be forever changed due to corporate greed, deceitful tactics and the unwillingness of the US Forest Service to put their foot down and say "No"!

Worst part is that Metz had to adjust the Cleveland National Forest "Management Plan" to allow the line, an action he claims was "insignificant". 

Like Mary said , "I'm sure Grover Cleveland is rolling over in his grave!" 

I am hopeful this will get stopped in the courts.

Here is a copy of the letter I sent in last month. 

Full Story at Sign On San Diego 

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Spring hike to the Goat Canyon Trestle in Carrizo Gorge - 2010

Tucked away in the southern end of the Anza Borrego Desert is an engineering marvel that, due to its' remoteness, has only been viewed by a relatively small number of people. The Goat Canyon Trestle was built in 1932 after an earthquake collapsed one of the tunnels of the Carrizo Gorge section of the San Diego Arizona Railroad.

At two hundred feet tall and 750 feet long, it remains to this day the longest, tallest curved wooden trestle ever built in the United States. The sheer ruggedness of the mountainous terrain as well as the searing desert temperatures warranted the name "The Impossible Railroad".

The preferred route is to park near Mortero Palms and take the trail that leads you up and over the Jacumba Mountains dropping you down into Goat Canyon after 3 miles or so. This is pretty much the standard route and is published in a few hiking books and on a few websites.

While we have hiked out to Goat Canyon Trestle along the "popular route", I have always had it in the back of my mind to park at the north end of Carrizo Gorge and then hike up to where it intersects Goat Canyon. Mary and I tried it once a couple years ago and eventually gave up. There is no clearly defined trail up the gorge, and a majority of the hike had us dodging cholla, hopscotching across river rocks and squeezing through catclaw. Still I was itching to do it and amazingly Mary agreed to accompany me.

Saturday morning we loaded up the LandCruiser, slapped on the sunscreen and drove out to meet up with Daren at the Carrizo Creek turnoff. After quick introductions, we hopped in our vehicles and lumbered up the Carrizo Gorge jeep road. The trail was deserted apart from a few jackrabbits, and after an hour of bouncing up the trail we were parked and off hiking into the gorge.

Now I am usually not one to worry about rattlesnakes , but the combination of the thick undergrowth and Daren's rattlesnake stories had me a bit spooked. Suddenly, almost as if Daren had a magic crystal ball, the stillness of the desert was interrupted by a loud piercing rattle. No these weren't maracas, but a 4-5' long Diamondback rattler coiled up into strike position. We quickly detoured off the trail and continued deeper into the gorge, vowing to pay better attention our steps.

A couple miles into the hike we realized we were not covering as much ground as we had hoped. By our calculations the Goat Canyon juncture was still a couple hours away while in the meantime the sun had moved directly overhead.

At this point we made the decison to bushwhack up the side of the mountain using the train tracks as our goal. We made our way up the loose material, sweating, cursing and dodging cholla until we finally arrived at the tracks of the Carrizo Gorge railway.

From here the hike was easy since we merely had to follow the tracks for about another mile and a half. Along the way we passed through two-story tall tunnels  which  have been blasted through solid rock and are supported with massive wooden beams.

Further down the tracks we passed by some old box cars perched precariously on the edge of the gorge and after a bit more hiking we found ourselves standing on the middle of the 200 foot high Goat Canyon Trestle.

Looking west down into Goat Canyon we realized the approach from Carrizo Gorge would have been all but impossible. There is a towering dry waterfall at the mouth of the canyon that looks deceptively easy on Google Earth. Our view from high atop the trestle said otherwise.

We explored the trestle area for some time until hunger eventually got the best of us. Far off in Carrizo Gorge was a LandCruiser with cold beer and sandwiches, so we reluctantly started our long journey back.

 Goat Canyon Hike Photos are here

Dos Cabezas Day Trip

I left early Wednesday morning with the plan to do a solo day hike out to the Goat Canyon Trestle in the southern Anza Borrego desert.

According to weather reports the rain that was hitting the coast wasn't suppose to hit Ocotillo until Thursday. Sure there were high wind warnings for  the deserts and the mountains but hey, what's a little wind ?

As I began to drive up the grade past Pine Valley for my eventual descent into the desert, I quickly realized that this was not an ordinary Spring storm. Rain had quickly turned to snow as I approached the Sunrise Highway turn-off. Snow? Wait, isn't  Memorial Day weekend with its' beach barbecues and fun-in-the-sun just around the corner!? Not only was there snow, but the wind was whipping up some pretty good flurries near the Tecate Divide. Visibility was pretty bad and I strongly considered turning around. 

Fortunately once I began dropping down into the desert, things took a turn for the better. The skies cleared and the Jacumba mountains seemed to deter any further advancement of the storm into the Anza Borrego desert. 

"It was going to be a great hike", I said to myself, as I pulled up to the trailhead at Mortero Palms. I started to open the door of my LandCruiser only to have it jerked out of my hand by a sudden gust of wind. The rain squalls quickly followed as the wind seemed to force the rain up and over the Jacumba mountains.

Retreating to the warmth of the LandCruiser I made the decision to abandon the remote hike and explore the Dos Cabezas area. Luckily the rain seemed to be concentrated to the west so I was able to stay pretty dry exploring the areas east of the mountains. After exploring some new areas, I had lunch while watching the long branches of the fiery tipped Ocotillos get battered by the wind.

It is amazing what these hearty desert plants can put up with; searing temperatures, drought, flash floods and gale force winds don't seem to have an effect on them. While most of the year the Ocotillo resembles a group of long, spindly, dead branches sticking out of the sand, come Spring given enough rain, they begin to green up and  will explode with bright orange buds. The spiny covered branches of this amazing desert plant can reach heights of 20 feet and is well suited to the dry, well-drained soil of the southern Anza Borrego Desert.

By far my favorite desert plant out here. 

Pictures from the Dos Cabezas trip are here

Slideshow from the Dos Cabezas trip are here

Pinyon Ridge Solo Backpack Trip

Join David, a member of our Anza Borrego Forums, as he hikes up the Wilson Trail for a solo overnight backpack trip.

The trail to Pinyon Ridge is called the Wilson Trail. It follows an old Jeep road for about 5 miles and ends in a beautiful little valley just to the east of Wilson Peak.
This is the sign that greets you as you pull off S-22 and head for the trail head.

As the trail began I gained ground quickly and then dropped down and gained more until I had a view of Cuyamaca Peak off to the west.

Eventually I gained enough elevation that I saw the first of many Pinyon Pine trees.

As I climbed the last hill up to the small valley where I would make camp I looked off to the north and saw down into Borrego Springs.

After dropping my pack at the campsite I headed up Wilson Peak and had a 360 degree view. Here is a very nice Pinyon Pine tree and Whale Peak in the distance.

There was an okay sunset on Saturday night.

But the sunrise Sunday morning was spectacular. If you look close you can see the reflection of the Salton Sea.

Here is a picture of my campsite for the night. I did not bring a tent and did not need it as the sky was overcast but no rain.

As I was leaving my camp and heading back to the jeep I passed these two huge and healthy Pinyon Pines that mark the place where I would leave the peaceful little valley and begin the hike out.
On the way out I passed this Picture Rock.I saw what I think is Mountain Lion scat.And saw many many beautiful little flowers.

There were lots of these plants blooming however for each one of these I saw blooming there were at least 10 more ready to explode into color.

On the drive home I passed by Lake Henshaw. The valley around the lake is so green and covered with many flowers. The orange in the foreground are California Poppies.

It was an amazing backpacking trip. I have done this hike 6 or 7 times over the years and this was the third time I did it solo as a backpacking trip. The view from the top of Wilson Peak and from the eastern edge of Pinyon Ridge is wonderful. It is a pretty easy hike but it does cover about 10 miles with lots of ups and downs going in and coming out. The trail (old jeep road) is easy to follow and takes you to a cool elevation. If you do this hike you will NOT be disappointed.

Earthquake damage in Anza Borrego

April 04, 2010

The girls over at DzrtGrls.com forwarded me some great pictures from  the recent 7.2 earthquake. The quake itself occured just over the border in Mexicali on April 4, 2010 and apparently shook things up pretty well in Anza Borrego. These pictures are from the Fishcreek / Sandstone Canyon area and are from a post on the Ford Truck Enthusiast forum.

We missed this by one day on our recent trip to the Arroyo Tapiado Mud Caves.

What you should take away from these pictures is that camping in a narrow canyon is a very bad idea.

There are more pictures and a trail report over at the Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

Revisiting the Mud Caves in Arroyo Tapiado

04/04/2010

Tucked away in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park is a place that seems to have more similarities with moon, or at least what I would imagine the moon to look like.

Arroyo Tapiado or "Mud Wall Wash" is an area of southern Anza Borrego that has some of the most extensive mud caves in the world. A few of the dark, twisting passages can be hundreds of feet long ending in rooms with two story ceilings, while other areas require you to suck in your gut and crawl on all fours.

Archaeological excavations have uncovered fossils of mammoths, sabre-tooth tigers and other animals dating back millions of years which adds to the otherworldly feel of the area.

When exploring a place like Arroyo Tapiado it is always nice to have a guide, or someone in the know. Fortunately for us one of my friends from work Mark, is an experienced "spelunker" and is always up for a day of exploring. He was also the one that guided us around the Arroyo Tapiado Mud Caves 5 years ago.  We were also able to entice few more of our friends to join us, so after a quick meetup at Starbucks we jumped in the four-wheel drives and headed east towards Anza Borrego.

Our first stop was the Plunge Pool cave and the surrounding slot canyons. We hiked a bit up the canyon until lunch time and then headed back to the vehicles. Out came the BBQ and grill-master JP took center stage grilling up an assortment of hamburgers, veggie burgers and hot dogs. Once everone was stuffed with BBQ food it was time to don headlamps and squeeze into the narrow entrance of Plunge Pool Cave.

The cave is a fairly short trek but opens up into an amazing two story cavern with a small skylight. Upon our arrival into the cavern, a family that had been sitting in the dark having lunch decided  5 more mouths were too many to feed and quickly left. We spent some time enjoying the coolness of the cave, and then decided it was time for something a bit more challenging.

The next mud cave on our list was "Hidden Cave" which was a short hike down the wash from our camp. This particular cave will reinforce your fears of tight places or possibly cure it. The passage has you crawling on all fours and squeezing between narrow sections in complete darkness, save your headlamp.

If you have not been out to visit this amazing part of the Anza Borrego desert you have to put it on your to do list. Be prepared to get dirty and do a lot of crawling, ducking and climbing. Another thing I should mention is that if you are claustrophobic you may want to stay away from some of the tighter caves like "Hidden Cave".

Rest of post coming soon....

Slideshow from trip

Photo Album from trip

Wildflowers , Cactus Blooms and Jackrabbits in the southern Anza Borrego Desert

03/25/2010

The wildflowers and cactus blooms have arrived in the southern Anza Borrego Desert

When my sister Linda viewed last week's wildflower update post she insisted I take her on a mid-week flower hunting trip. After much arm twisting I agreed and here is what we found.

 :

We had this great encounter with a couple of Jackrabbits in Indian Valley. Once they realized that we weren't a threat they chased each other around the LandCruiser for a good ten minutes. Linda commented that it was probably some rabbit mating ritual being Spring and all. 

Check the rest of the Wildflower Photos Here

Trythe slideshow (beta)

The hunt for the elusive Carrizo Gorge pictographs

Deep in the rugged expanse of Carrizo Gorge in the Anza Borrego desert, there is a small cave of pictographs that few have ever seen. The area is surrounded by large unstable mountains, choked with catclaw, and littered with large truck size boulders. The Carrizo Gorge also marks the transition from the Colorado Desert to the dry San Diego coastal mountains.

We have visited the area numerous times. At one point Mary and I tried to scout a route to Goat Canyon along Carrizo Gorge. While this is doable, we were eventually turned back by thick groves of catclaw that proceeded to tear at our skin and clothes. 

Fast forward to a couple months ago; while Googling "Anza Borrego Pictographs" I found an image of what appeared to be dark, ghost -like apparitions painted on a cave wall. The caption read "Rock Shelter, Carrizo Gorge, Anza-Borrego State Park. I did a little research to try to narrow down the location of the rock shelter but came up empty handed. Finally while talking to retired Park Superintendent Mark Jorgensen at an ABF sposored hike, I got the clue I needed. 

I decided I would do this trip solo because deep down I didn't think I would find the shelter in Carrizo Gorge and I really didn't want to drag friends and family along on a wild goose chase. My back up plan was to hike to the cattleman's house in Rockhouse Canyon to take pictures and also scout the area for wildflowers. 

Flower season or not, mid-week in the southern Anza Borrego Desert is empty. Driving up the Imperial Highway I counted two parked cars, occupants frantically pointing their cameras at anything with a hint of color.

I turned off at Carrizo Creek and made my way up the jeep trail of Carrizo Gorge finally parking at the trailhead of Rockhouse Canyon. The majority of Rockhouse Canyon actually sits on BLM land just outside of the Anza Borrego State Park and is designated as part of the Carrizo Gorge Wilderness. The trail itself was in years past an old jeep road, now closed it is slowly being recalimed by the desert.

The trail up the sandy wash was lined with color. Desert Dandelions, Chuparosa, Desert Chicory and Brittle Bush were in abundance adding a sweet fragrance to the dry desert air. I explored a few small caves and rocks and finally arrived at the rock house.

According to historians, the rock house was built by cattleman Darrell McCain back in 1933. McCain built the cabin against two large boulders and added a small fireplace and a window that overlooks the expansive valley. It is always fun to sit in the rock house and gaze out the window much the same way the McCains might have done almost 75 years ago.

I explored the area a bit, snapped a few pictures and then headed back down the wash to the trailhead. After lunch and a short solo bongo session (seemed appropriate)  I jumped into the LandCruiser and lumbered further down the Carrizo Gorge road. First thing I noticed is that the trail has gotten much worse. I am not sure I would have ventured much past the East Fork turnoff without 4WD and low range. My guess is that the winter rains have affected the trail and that Carrizo Gorge has seen alot of flowing water in the past few months.

After bouncing along in low range for thirty minutes, the trail had become impassable, blocked by large boulders and over-growth. I parked my LandCruiser and began scouring the area for signs of a cave.

First thing I found was a "water drop" of a dozen one gallon containers. (This area is a frequently used route for Mexican immigrants making their way through the desert.)  A few minutes later I was able to locate the cave.

The pictographs are very dark, leading me to believe they have been touched up at some point. Nevertheless the cave is impressive with morteros and an spectacular view down into the Carrizo Gorge.

I sat in the cave and finished my water in preparation for the long drive back down the trail. The only sound was the water rushing over the rocks of the creek and a few birds that seemed upset by my intrusion.

Looking out over Carrizo Gorge I thought to myself, "Hmmm, not a bad spot."

Photos from this trip are here

Slideshow version of trip

San Diego Reader Published Version - Desert Treasure

Wildflower update for the southern Anza Borrego Desert

What I love about living in San Diego is that within two hours you can leave the coast, drive over the mountains and then drop down into the desert. Incredible diversity in my opinion.

With that in mind, I decided to take the day off work and check on the wildflowers out in the Anza Borrego desert. My preferred area of Borrego is the southern section where you can get away from the crowds, hike up a trail and be completely immersed in the solitude of the Desert. 

  Driving up the S2 I knew I was in for a great show. The road was lined with Desert Dandelions, Lupine amd Brittle Bush. The only downside was watching a Border Patrol Humvee casually lumber up the shoulder of the road plowing through patches of wildflowers. Wasn't really sure about his reasoning but...

Group of Beavertail Cacti ready to explode with flowers

Trio of Blooming Barrel cacti deep in Carrizo Gorge

Desert Dandelions in RockHouse Canyon - Anza Borrego

Staghorn Cholla off the trail in RockHouse Canyon

It looks like it will be a great weekend out in the Anza Borrego Desert for those seeking wildflowers and cactus blooms. Temperatures are suppose to be in the 80's on Saturday so bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water. Be wary of where you pull off to check the wildflowers as many areas of the highway will have deep sand on the shoulder. If you do get out there feel free to post your trip on our forum,

Most important have fun and take lots of pictures.

You can check the rest of the wildflower pictures here.

For easier viewing try the SlideShow based on PicasaViewer

Hike to Harper Cabin with the Anza Borrego Foundation

I signed Mary and I up for a day trip with the Anza-Borrego Foundation to Harper Cabin in the central part of the Anza Borrego Desert. My reasoning for signing up for an organized tour was two-fold. First the hike was being led by Mark Jorgensen who probably knows the Anza Borrego Desert better than anybody, and second while we know the southern area of the Anza Borrego Desert fairly well, we are not very familiar with the central area. We are "down-southers" according to Mark.

The tour was set to leave at 8AM from the Tamarisk Grove campground so with our neighbor's Don and Kathleen in tow we packed sandwiches, filled water bottles, lathered on sunscreen and headed east in our trusty Toyota Landcruiser.

Once we arrived quick introductions were made, and we jumped back into the Landcruiser and followed Mark Jorgen's red Jeep for the short drive to the trail at Pinyon Wash. The drive up Pinyon Wash takes you through some beautiful backcountry of the Anza Borrego Desert. Numerous Agave, with their stalks reaching for the sky and the crimson tipped Ocotillo lined the trail.

The hike began under a cloudless desert sky, with a little bouldering up a small canyon. The narrow canyon eventually opened up into the vast expanse of Harper Flat where we explored an old Indian camp rich with morteros, metates and pottery shards. We then continued up the valley into  the narrow tributary of Harper Canyon.

The hidden treasures of Harper Canyon are the multi-level dam that was built back in the 1920s and the cabin which was used by the Harper brothers. Like many cattlemen that came before them, Julius and Amby Harper tried to utilize the abundant vegetation of the Anza Borrego Desert landscape to graze their cattle. They were able to tap into some of the underground springs of the area and went as far as building a dam to control water flow down the narrow canyon. Unfortunately the dams eventually filled with sand and the Harper brothers abandoned their cattle operation years later.

Today all that remains of the Harper brother's endeavors are the sand-filled dam which forms two massive steps up the canyon, and the cabin, where according to rangers, one of the Harper brothers spent his honeymoon.There is also a stone structure at the mouth of the canyon which we are guessing served as some sort of outpost.

We sat, ate our lunches and imagined the effort it must have taken to construct such an operation in this remote area of the desert. The solid concrete walls of the dam are close to 10 feet tall and have stood the test of time. The cabin itself has not done so well, its' support system of Agave stalks long gone.

After lunch at the cabin, we hiked back down Harper Canyon realizing we were probably following the path the Harper brothers took so many years ago. Of course they probably didn't have a LandCruiser with solar panels and a fridge waiting for them at the trailhead. 

Special thanks to Mark Jorgensen, Bert Gildart and the Anza Borrego Foundation for making this a fun and memorable trip.

Trip Photos are Here

Anza Borrego Wildflowers and Cactus Bloom Update

I took another scouting trip to the south end of the Anza Borrego Desert to see how the wildflowers and cactus blooms were progressing. It looks like we have another couple weeks for a peak bloom in the southern areas. There are many cacti with buds that are ready to explode.

This beautiful Barrel Cactus near Indian Hill was getting a jump start on its neighbors.

We also noticed a few small Fishook Cacti with tiny rings of flowers.

Penstemon pseudospectabilis(?) nestled between the rocks.

Unfortunately on our search for wildflowers near Arroyo Seco del Diablo and Arroyo Tapiado we noticed a large amount of Sahara Mustard in areas that were previously covered with Sand Verbena. From doing some research I found out that Sahara Mustard is a real problem in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. This fast growing invasive plant smothers native wildflowers by steailing sunlight and soil moisture. 

Another thing that really bummed us out were these illegal ATV tracks up near Indian Hill.

This yahoo basically took his ATV right through an area of cholla, beavertail and other cacti and tore things up pretty bad. It sucks to see someone with such a blantant disregard for the environment, harm the desert  this way.

If you want to become an expert on the various wildflowers in the Anza Borrego Desert or just interested in learning more, I recommend the field guide Desert Wildflowers of the Sonoran Desert. If this guide doesn't have it , it probably does not exist.

Photo Slideshow from this trip

Piedras Grandes and the search for desert wildflowers

Mary and I left early Sunday for a day trip out to Anza Borrego. Our destination was Piedras Grandes in the southern end of the park. While Saturday's heavy rains had  dissuaded us from doing an overnight trip, Sunday had dawned with blue skies and warm temperatures. Perfect weather for an Anza Borrego trip.

After a quick stop at the Subway in Jacumba we dropped down into the desert around 9:30 AM. We drove up the S2 scanning the vast desert for any sign of desert wildflowers. A few budding Ocotillo and some yellow Brittle Bush flowers but not much else blooming. As we bounced up the Mortero Wash trail, we caught up to a 4Runner who had stopped to take pictures of an incredible Agave. Not ones to miss out on a good desert flower picture, we grabbed our camera and began snapping away.  The Agave or "Century Plant" has an average lifespan of 25 years, all of those preparing for its' culminating display of brilliant golden flowers. It is always fun to be on hand to witness such an event.

Our next stop was the trailhead at Piedras Grandes. Suprisingly, there were a couple of trucks already there,  so we drove a little further up the trail and parked. The Piedras Grandes "Big Rocks" area is well known for its abundance of cultural artifacts and habitats. Hiking up the former jeep trail, we were amazed by the sheer number of cave shelters and amazing rocks. We found the deepest mortero we have ever seen as well as the largest Yoni. There were also numerous water cachments carved out of the large boulders that held water from Saturday's rain.

About 1.5 miles up the trail we came upon the famous "Horse and Rider" pictograph. The pictograph depicts a figure of a man on a horse which according to Diana Liindsay's Guide is the only "known representation of horse and rider in Kumeyaay rock art". This had led archaeologist to deduce that this pictograph may have been drawn to record the Kumeyaay's first encounter with Juan Batista De Anza back in 1774. 

Unfortunately this amazing piece of history was no match for careless campfires and much of it is damaged and hard to make out. Luckily, there is a small sign that recreates the drawing from an archaelogical survey done back in the 70s.

It is nice to think that in this technologically obsessed world , a place like this even exists.

As we hiked back to the Landcruiser on a trail that we have driven in years past, we realized that some places in the Anza Borrego desert are better traveled on foot.

Photos are here

Slide Show is here

Should Ocotillo lose 15,000 acres to concrete and steel ?

In the small desert town of Ocotillo, CA the winds may be changing.

Pattern Energy, a San Francisco based energy company is proposing to turn 15,000 acres of public lands bordering the Anza Borrego Desert State Park into a 561 megawatt wind farm with 240 wind turbines.

Unfortunately for the small town of Ocotillo and the Imperial Valley, little would be gained as the power would be funneled to San Diego over the infamous Sunrise Powerlink.

John Calaway, Pattern Energy director of wind development states that the area would benefit from 400 construction jobs during the two year construction period of the Ocotillo Express Wind Farm.

Let me get this straight, Pattern Energy is "promising" 2 years of construction jobs and in return residents and visitors alike get to stare at 240 four hundred foot tall wind towers for the rest of their lives? I don't know about you but I think Pattern Energy is getting the better end of that deal.

If you do the research you will find that communities from California to Maine have been fighting industrial wind farms for years. Concerns over noise levels, destruction of views and effects on wildlife have prompted communities nationwide to oppose projects such as these.

Once again our public lands are under attack from corporations looking to fast track these projects with little public feedback. The race for alternative energy should not come at the expense of the environment.
Why are we tearing up our fragile deserts in the name of green energy when instead we should be covering our homes, businesses and parking garages with solar panels ?

Stay tuned for more updates.....

Bob B.

Ocotillo Express Wind Farm Draft Plan of Development (1.51 mb)

Journey to the Railroad Construction Camp in Anza Borrrego

   Our trip began with a late afternoon stop at the Lazy Lizard in Ocotillo. Mary and I had planned to head straight out to the campsite but Linda would have none of it. "We are stopping at the Lazy Lizard, aren't we ?",  she inquired as we started to drive up the S2. Hard to argue with that so, three beers, two t-shirts and a few dollars lighter the three of us were heading up the sandy washboard road of Mortero Wash.

After our last  failed attempt to find the railroad construction camp, I was determined to try again. This time I was lucky since recently I had been sent a scan of a topographic map with an "x" marking its' location.

Now, I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I am pretty new school, and need a GPS with a waypoint to pretty much find anything. Consequently when I received the map from a member of our forum my first question was "OK how do I get this onto my iPhone".  

Our hike to the railroad construction camp took us through some of the most beautiful areas of the Anza Borrego Desert. Numerous Ocotillo and other desert flora are in abundance here. The temperature was perfect, and the intense blue sky seemed to accent the large boulders prolific in the area. The Ocotillo were covered with bright green leaves and a few even had bloomed with beautiful orange flowers.

We took a quick detour to check out the pictographs at Indian Hill, and then continued north through the Desert using the map and the GPS to guide us. The first thing we found were thousands of old rusted tin cans, which I assume were discarded by the railroad workers. Pretty incredible to think that many of the cans were over one hundred years old and were still intact.  

The camp was constructed to support the railroad workers who were blasting tunnels through the Carrizo Gorge a century ago, so standing amongst the dilapidated wood structures is like getting a glimpse back in time. There is one wall of the camp still standing constructed of old blasting powder cans and held together by mortar.  There are also the remains of an above ground gravity feed water system which was quite necessary in the arid work conditions the workers had to endure.

The railroad construction camp is not easy to find , but if you are interested in the history of this area it is well worth the journey. Who knows I may even send you a map with an "x" on it. 

While we were hoping to see more flowers on this trip, it seemed we were 2-3 weeks early.  There were signs that this years flower bloom could be a good one. The Ocotillo looked very green and healthy, and we saw a few Chuparosa bushes that were beginning to bloom.

Guess it means we have another excuse to head out to Anza Borrego in a few weeks. 

Photo album is here

Slideshow beta here (using PicasaViewer)

The Forgotten Artist: Indians of Anza-Borrego and Their Rock Art

Alpine residents have more questions about the Sunrise Powerlink

SDG&E has scheduled a series of "Community Council" meetings in communities that will be affected by construction of the Sunrise Powerlink. In their words the purpose is to "keep the community informed so that accurate information is available and inconveniences can be kept to a minimum."

If Alpine is any indication of "keeping the community informed" then SDG&E has not been doing its' due diligence. Many Alpine residents who attended Monday nights Community Council meeting still feel like they are being left in the dark about the  undergrounding portion which will run under Alpine Blvd.  There were questions with regards to EMFs which SDG&E could not answer, as well as concerns over where the two million gallons of water required for the project would come from.

Regardless of what SDG&E states, the construction of the Sunrise Powerlink will have a devastating effect on the town of Alpine. No amount of mitigation will undo the damage that two years of construction will have on the businesses in Alpine and the quality of life for its' residents. 

News Crews ready for the fireworks	Alpine sings "We don't want the Sunrise Powerlink"
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SDG&E's Jose Lopez explains the undergrounding process to a tough Alpine crowd

Anza Borrego Wildflower Season 2010

It looks to be a great year for wildflowers out in the Anza Borrego desert due to the record rains we had in January.

We are planning on heading out this coming Valentine's weekend to scout out some areas. From what I have been reading, late February into mid March will be the peak, so make your plans to head on out. This year I am extra excited since we finally picked up a decent camera. Hopefully you will be able to tell by the new pictures we upload.

I am hoping to report back Monday so check back.  For now enjoy these pictures from our previous flower hunting trips.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has a wildflower hotline for Anza Borrego, (760) 767-4684. Updates will begin when the flowers start to bloom.

Pink blossoms of a Beavertail Cactus	Brilliant orange flowers on an Ocotillo
Sand Verbena (pink) and Desert Primrose (white)	Desert Dandelions
If you want to become an expert on the various wildflowers in the Anza Borrego Desert or just interested in learning more, I recommend the field guide Desert Wildflowers of the Sonoran Desert. If this guide doesn't have it, it probably does not exist.

The East County Community Action Coalition is getting the word out

I spent a couple hours Saturday, helping the ECCCAC get the word out to members of the Lakeside community about the Sunrise Powerlink . The East County Community Action Committee has been doing a great job of informing back country communities about the destructive path of this project.

What amazed me was the number of people who had no knowledge of the project and its' route through El Monte Valley and other protected, open-spaced habitats of San Diego's backcountry.

Many east county residents feel they have been blindsided by SDG&E and are now having this project dumped in their backyard. One attendee pointed out that he was going to be able to see 150' towers from every window of his Alpine residence due to its' path around his house.

It is great to see the dedication the ECCCAC is putting into fighting the Sunrise Powerlink. They are working untold hours attending community meetings, speaking and distributing literature to make sure that everyone is aware of the project.

For up to date news regarding the project check their website here.

Desert Bighorn Sheep in Anza Borrego

Just when I feel like I have seen everything there is to see in the Anza Borrego Desert, I read a BLOG or catch a book entry about someplace new and exciting. This time around it was an abandoned railroad camp in the southern end of the park. The ruins are almost 100 years old and were built to support the construction of the Carrizo Gorge Railway.

According to Jerry Schaad's book, the railroad camp ruins are located NW of Indian Hill so I felt pretty confident we could find them.

With this fresh on our minds, we packed up the LandCruiser in the late morning on Sunday and headed east. The straight week of heavy rain in San Diego had also brought a lot of snow to the local mountains. Traffic heading up Sunrise Highway towards Mount Laguna was completely stopped. Seems a lot of people wanted to go play in the snow and were busy purchasing Adventure Passes and putting on their tire chains. I breathed a sigh of relief that we were continuing east, far from the hordes of snow lovers.

  An hour later , we found ourselves driving up the sandy washboard trail of Mortero Canyon. A couple of lifted jeeps passed us on their way out but otherwise this area of the Desert was empty.

There was evidence of water everywhere. Parts of the trail were completely submerged, and as much as I wanted to test the capabilities of our diesel Toyota LandCruiser, Mary my voice of reason said otherwise.

Since our normal departure point to Indian Hill was a bit "crowded" (2 cars), we stopped for lunch at the end of the trail and tried to figure out the best route. No sooner did we cross the tracks to head up the wash when a herd of Desert Bighorn males appeared.  The group moved silently along the cliff above us and occasionally would stop to make sure we weren't making any sudden moves. Their movements along the crumbling cliff were nothing short of amazing. They moved nimbly from rock to rock just as you or I would step up a curb. Finally, the one large male that appeared to be the leader led the group of seven up the cliff and out of sight. 

We continued our hike, still in a state of awe and commenting that we need a better camera. In our 15 years coming out to Anza Borrego we have only seen one Desert Bighorn, which illustrates how rare these animals are. To see a herd of seven moving up a cliff in unison is just amazing.

We never were able to find the railroad construction camp which at this point seemed somewhat trivial, but vowed to come back one day and find it. Who knows maybe we will get lucky again.  

Our Desert Bighorn photos are here

Desert USA Desert Bighorn Page

The plight of Anza Borrego's Desert Bighorn Sheep

The Forgotten Artist: Indians of Anza-Borrego and Their Rock Art