Anza Borrego Desert

Register
Lost password
sign in with Twitter sign in with facebook 

Home ▶ Completed Trips

Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego

Goat Canyon Trestle Hike Trip Report Messages in this topic - RSS

AdventureGraham
AdventureGraham
Posts: 170


11/18/2012
AdventureGraham
AdventureGraham
Posts: 170
The Carrizo Gorge at the southern edge of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a spectacular chasm and home to the Goat Canyon railroad trestle. Two hundred feet tall and 750 feet long, it's the tallest curved wooden trestle ever built in the world.

The construction of the San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railroad began during World War I in the steep-walled Carrizo Gorge near the town of Jacumba. Many people were convinced at the time that it couldn't be done, but John D. Spreckels didn't rest until the "impossible track" was completed in November, 1919, at a cost of $18 million. The Goat Canyon trestle was built in 1932 after an earthquake collapsed one of the tunnels.

Heading east along I-8.


Nearing the desert town of Ocotillo.


A portion of desert not ruined by the Ocotillo Express wind farm.


The area was busy with construction.




Montero Palms Oasis.






A bit of boulder scrambling above the palms.


Looking back towards where we came.


Still climbing...


We found Native American morteros below and above the palms.






Steve and his brother-in-law, at the top of the first ridge.


First glimpse of the trestle.


Working our way down the dry waterfalls.










Don't fall!


Steve was feeling adventurous.


King of the world... or wreck.


Looking back towards the trestle.


Carrizo Gorge snakes its way below us.


Something was hungry...






We make our way into a valley that contains various remnants of the railroad construction work.




Looks like a fixer-upper!


The old railroad workers camp.


Here's the pic Tom posted earier.






We passed Indian Hill on the way back but didn't look for the Indian village site since we were feeling tired and it was getting late. We piled in my Jeep and made our way back to where we had left Steve's 4runner at the trail head. It was a great hike and I hope I don't let another two years go by before I head out there again.
edited by BorregoWrangler on 11/18/2012
link





Powered by Jitbit Forum 8.3.8.0 © 2006-2013 Jitbit Software