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Talk about a trip you took out to Anza Borrego

Solo Backpack to Whale Peak Messages in this topic - RSS

hikerdmb
hikerdmb
Posts: 423


11/7/2010
hikerdmb
hikerdmb
Posts: 423
I loaded my backpack into the Desert TJ and headed out for a quick trip up Whale Peak. I got to the beginning of the route which is up in the valley a few miles in on Pinyon Mountain Road.


The weather report forecasted wind of 40 MPH but the hike up was beautiful with very little wind. The rain from a couple weeks ago let some of the grasses grow a little earlier than usual. This pic is from the climb up the slope above the first valley you cross.


Soon I was high enough that I was surrounded by Pinyon Pine trees. Whale Peak is called an island in the sky. The trees at this elevation are amazing to see. Views like these are what make this my favorite hike in ABDSP.






About half way to the summit I passed the route coming up from Smuggler Canyon. This route starts near the pictographs in Blair Valley. It is pretty rugged down this gorge. You can also see the difference in vegetation on north facing and south facing slopes in this pic.


It took one and a half hours to reach the summit. When I signed in the summit register, I was the first signer in over a month. I thought this was kind of strange since the weather has been pretty good this fall. About the time I got to the summit the wind started blowing hard and so after reading through old summit register books I headed for my favorite campsite on the summit plateau. In this site I would be protected from the wind by large boulders and a wall of Pinyon trees. The wind howled all night but I was nice and warm and wind free, for the most part, in my protected site. No tent for this trip.


This is the valley that is west of Whale Peak, west of S-2, and at the base of the Laguna Mountains. It became part of ABDSP a couple years ago. It was just opened last year to bicycles, hikers, and I think horses. I hope to make some time soon to get into this area. It looks very cool from up on Whale Peak.


The stars were fantastic. I saw several shooting stars and satellites. There was no moon so it was quite dark. I left early Sunday morning for the hike down the mountain. The number of ducks along the trail was more than I have ever seen on this mountain. Also someone decided to leave other trail markers like these hanging from many trees along the route.


So if you have never been up Whale Peak by this particular route, now is the time to go. The ducks and the ribbons in the trees will make it easy to find your way.

Unfortunately not all the Pinyon trees are doing so well. The lack of rain in the past few years (not counting 2009-2010) has really taken its toll on some of the trees. Let's hope we get another wet winter in the desert this year.


One last pic... dinner on Saturday night was chicken tacos. This is becoming one of my favorite desert backpacking meals. No cooking and no water required and I get two of these tacos from one packet of southwest chicken, a couple of Trader Joe handmade tortillas, a couple of cheese sticks, some lettuce, and some hot suace packets. I get the chicken near the canned tuna at Vons. I keep the lettuce and cheese in an insulated water bottle holder along with one quart of frozen Gatorade. It keeps nicely and then I have a cold drink too, always nice in the desert.


All in all it was a great trip. The wind was strong but not a problem. This is hands down my favorite hike/climb in ABDSP.
<em>edited by hikerdmb on 11/8/2010</em>
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