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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
1/6/2012
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Hi All,
Thanks for the advice on places to check out over the New Years weekend. We managed to squeeze in numerous day trips and reconnoiter several places to go back and visit when there is more time. The down side of that strategy is that we only spent enough time in one place to wet our whistle for more.
We managed to locate the cave/shelter on Indian Hill and spent some time checking out the hill a little. Very impressive and I would like to go back and "explore" more, as well as check out the RR camp. Makes me wonder how many similar Native American sites are out there waiting to be found for the first time  The campfire remains are still there and look the same as in other pics on this site.
We also hiked up through Moonlight Canyon all the way to Inner Pasture. We did not go into the Inner Pasture, but ate some snacks and hung out a while before heading back down Moonlight. I was really hoping to see some sheep, (their droppings were everywhere, some quite fresh) but we were skunked this time. Watched a couple Red Tailed Hawks for a while and saw a few lizards but that was it. No people.
Later on the same day, we headed out Indian Gorge and into the south fork all the way to the end. What a pretty place... No one in the camp spot at the end, so we checked out the palms, scrambled around on the boulders and just enjoyed the solitude.
Another day we drove out to the end of one fork (west?) of June Wash just to see what was there. Hiked around and explored a little. Only a few people camping along the wash, but we did see a park ranger near far end of the wash--she was heading back out. I wonder if that is part of their rounds, or they just do a "head count" occasionally.
All in all a successful trip, we checked out a lot of places, the samurai didn't break down, and now we have more info about some sites for future/return trips. Cant wait to go back
I am working to convince the wife to do some primitive camping in the area, she loves to hike and explore, but it might be a hard sell. She's a trooper but she doesn't have much interest in tent camping and sleeping in the back of a truck anymore. Those days might be over : )
My brother says he is game, so maybe a trip in the next few weeks, work schedule permitting. I wouldn't mind doing the Indian Valley thing and hiking to the top of Sombrero.
Out of curiosity can you overnight in Inner Pasture? What about the parts that are outside of the park boundaries?
Here is a link to some pics:
link
Happy New Year!
Dave
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
1/6/2012
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Sounds like a great trip. I love that whole Dos Cabezas/Indian Hill area. Lots to explore.
As far as Inner Pasture camping and I will wait for Daren to chime in but since a lot of it is actually BLM land I believe camping is fine.
I think they give you a 7 day limit or something like that.
Best,
Bob
DRT Lakeside wrote:
Hi All,
Thanks for the advice on places to check out over the New Years weekend. We managed to squeeze in numerous day trips and reconnoiter several places to go back and visit when there is more time. The down side of that strategy is that we only spent enough time in one place to wet our whistle for more.
We managed to locate the cave/shelter on Indian Hill and spent some time checking out the hill a little. Very impressive and I would like to go back and "explore" more, as well as check out the RR camp. Makes me wonder how many similar Native American sites are out there waiting to be found for the first time The campfire remains are still there and look the same as in other pics on this site.
We also hiked up through Moonlight Canyon all the way to Inner Pasture. We did not go into the Inner Pasture, but ate some snacks and hung out a while before heading back down Moonlight. I was really hoping to see some sheep, (their droppings were everywhere, some quite fresh) but we were skunked this time. Watched a couple Red Tailed Hawks for a while and saw a few lizards but that was it. No people.
Later on the same day, we headed out Indian Gorge and into the south fork all the way to the end. What a pretty place... No one in the camp spot at the end, so we checked out the palms, scrambled around on the boulders and just enjoyed the solitude.
Another day we drove out to the end of one fork (west?) of June Wash just to see what was there. Hiked around and explored a little. Only a few people camping along the wash, but we did see a park ranger near far end of the wash--she was heading back out. I wonder if that is part of their rounds, or they just do a "head count" occasionally.
All in all a successful trip, we checked out a lot of places, the samurai didn't break down, and now we have more info about some sites for future/return trips. Cant wait to go back
I am working to convince the wife to do some primitive camping in the area, she loves to hike and explore, but it might be a hard sell. She's a trooper but she doesn't have much interest in tent camping and sleeping in the back of a truck anymore. Those days might be over : )
My brother says he is game, so maybe a trip in the next few weeks, work schedule permitting. I wouldn't mind doing the Indian Valley thing and hiking to the top of Sombrero.
Out of curiosity can you overnight in Inner Pasture? What about the parts that are outside of the park boundaries?
Here is a link to some pics:
link
Happy New Year!
Dave
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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DHeuschele Posts: 87
1/6/2012
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I am interested in the dead hawk. Was there any visible injury resulting in the death?
I saw 2 hawks fighting over hwy 15 once and they both came all the way down and were history. Unfortuante.
For Borregos I recommend Borrego Palm Canyon noticably before dusk. I have only seen the borregos once else where (the once elsewhere was the best though as they were putting on a show with some real hard head butts) but I have seen them a few times in Borrego Palm Canyon and barely missed them a couple other times. The borregos seem to know the people in that canyon are not a threat and likely provide some protection from the lions. They leave before dusk due to the lion danger. They usually do not move much and blend somewhat with the surroundings. I bet I have walked by them without seeing them quite a few times in my various hikes.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
1/6/2012
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Great report, thanks for sharing...I am glad you were able to leverage help from this website to make your visit a fun one.
I am interested in the dead hawk in Indian Valley since I saw an injured hawk the week before Christmas. I saw him in the North Fork, where did you see the one you photographed?
As for Inner Pasture, check the map boundaries but in general most of it is BLM and they don't care, camp all you want. From Moonlight canyon straight out to the first ridge or so is ABDSP so their camping rules apply but outside of that you will probably only encounter wildlife or undocumented travelers.
The injured hawk I saw the week before Christmas, he could not fly
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
1/6/2012
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The hawk remains were pretty matted up. I was hoping to get a skull or talon picture or something cool like that. It turned out to be pretty much a lump of feathers without much else, even bones. My dad was very into falconry for a while when I was growing up and I know the mortality rate is really high for birds of prey in the wild. Between injuries, failed attempts at food and competition with other adults, I don't think many make it through the first year.
About 10 years ago and closer to home, I actually saw an adult Cooper's Hawk chasing a first year hawk of the same species. The younger bird was doing all he/she could to get away, and while looking backwards flew into a building causing its death. The weird thing is the mature bird, swooped down and started eating the meat/bird parts that was in the younger birds crop. Nature is tough sometimes I guess.
As far as the sheep go, I fear I was being quite hopeful and optimistic We stopped and scanned the hills every so often, but it's like you said, they could be right next to us and we may not know. Also I am starting to think that maybe all the droppings we saw could have been deer? I don't know if there is an easy way to tell them apart or not.
It sure is a pretty place out there. I am hoping to get back out soon.
Dave
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DRT Lakeside Posts: 62
1/6/2012
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The remains I saw were at the very end of the S. Fork of Indian Valley, but I did think about the pics you had posted when I saw it, just couldn't remember where your pic was from at the time.
As I look at the map, it seems like Sombrero Peak is about a mile from the end of the S. Fork road, is that a decent place to start from to get there, or is there another place that is more suitable? I know it looks steep, but how steep is it really : )
Dave
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
1/6/2012
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Accessing Sombrero Peak from the south fork is probably one of the more popular routes because it is a shorter distance than from McCain Valley. It is a bit steeper though. From the end of the south fork just follow the faint trail and rock piles up the main draw until you reach the first side canyon on your left. You will see rock piles going up, just follow that up to the ridge line and keep going up.
I saw several cars of people going up over the holiday break when I was there.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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surfponto Administrator Posts: 1362
1/6/2012
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Hey Dave,
My wife and I took that route to Sombrero Peak a few years back
Like Daren says it is short , but pretty steep in places.
Great view of the whole area from the top.
Bob
DRT Lakeside wrote:
The remains I saw were at the very end of the S. Fork of Indian Valley, but I did think about the pics you had posted when I saw it, just couldn't remember where your pic was from at the time.
As I look at the map, it seems like Sombrero Peak is about a mile from the end of the S. Fork road, is that a decent place to start from to get there, or is there another place that is more suitable? I know it looks steep, but how steep is it really : )
Dave
<em>edited by surfponto on 1/6/2012</em>
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https://www.anzaborrego.net/
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2609
1/7/2012
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surfponto wrote:
Great view of the whole area from the top.
You can see the Goat Canyon Trestle from Sombrero Peak
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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mrkmc Posts: 87
1/7/2012
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I saw the dead hawk on 12-31-11 when I was hiking Sombrero. It looked like it had been there a while. Mostly just feathers.
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