DVD
Adventurer
Just got back from a 3-day trip to Anza Borrego, in southeastern CA. It was our first time there and well worth the visit. It was very helpful reading trip reports, so I'll return the favor in hopes it might help somebody else's planning.
We were planning to stay at Sheep Canyon (elevation approx 1200 ft), which is accessible via a moderately difficult 4WD trail and promised better scenery and more remoteness, but Fish Creek was nice. Within Anza Borrego, campfires are allowed only within fire rings, so we were kind of constrained to designated campsites. In cold weather, a campfire is key to enjoyment.
My son is studying astronomy, and he brought his big telescope, hoping to take advantage of the dark, wilderness skies. Our first night was clear, so we had good stargazing.
It was a cold night, and then the clouds started rolling during the next day, but we had a good day exploring Coyote Canyon trail. This is the trail that leads to Sheep Canyon campground (our initially planned site).
Exploring Coyote Canyon the first full day. The trail had some rough spots.
Sheep Canyon campground, on Coyote Canyon trail, hasn't gotten the outhouse upgrade
Making a splash on the Coyote Canyon trail
After exploring Coyote Canyon, we spent some time around the town of Borrego Springs checking out the many metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda.
Quality Control checking the grapes
Dramatic moment! Don't get caught in the pincers
Then back to camp for the night.
Hearty dinner of sloppy joe over fire-baked potato at the end of the day
Then stoke up the fire to keep warm as evening descends
The weather wasn't great, but at least its timing wasn't too bad. The rain held out until after dinner. We stoked up the fire, and then intermittent showers started. When they stopped, we'd attempt to appease the rain gods by putting another log on the fire as act of good faith. The 2 times we did this, it started to rain again soon thereafter, so we saved our wood and retired to the tent to read. I have to put in a good word for the Turbo Tent: It rained all night, and the tent stayed completely dry.
The morning dawned cold, but the rain stopped. This day we stayed closer to camp and headed up the Sand Canyon trail.
This fault ridge is near the beginning of the Sandstone Canyon trail
After steady rain the entire previous night, tires didn't shed the muck very well on trip up Sand Canyon trail.
The first exploration stop was the wind caves, which are approx 1 mi hike up a hillside. This is a really cool area, and it was great that we were the only ones there.
Don't get stuck in the cave
Wind caves exploration
Wind caves
The Sand Canyon trail is also scenic.
Lunch at the top of Sandstone Canyon
A tight spot on the Sandstone Canyon trail
After returning from the Sand Canyon trail, we had a couple hours of daylight, so we headed to the aptly named "The Slot" slot canyon. This was also very interesting.
Exploring the aptly named "The Slot"
Holding up the boulder with fingertips!
[video]https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/101677970851250361785/albums/6099867885686828305/6099872224393253794?pid=6099872224393253794&oid=101677970851250361785[/video]
Video really shows the dramatic nature of the slot canyon
We had a great New Years Eve camp dinner and a big fire, but Laurie still got cold, and retired early to the tent (and the Mr Buddy heater). John and I managed to celebrate New Years with our central time zone friends before tiring out after a long day.
We broke camp on New Years day, packed up the rig, and headed for home, but we caught a few more sights on the way out of the area.
We viewed more of the sculptures by Ricardo Breceda on our final day
Note the feather detail
My Beowulf imitation - slaying the dragon
Jeeps and Land Rovers
Oops, the Jeep needs a push
Fonts Point - our final Anza Borrego destination
All in all, it was a great trip, and a great way to see the close of 2014 and ring in the new year.
For even more photos and info, here's a blog post with more details:
http://dirkvandyke.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-at-anza-borrego-rain-snow.html
Day 1. Tent is up and camp is set!
We were planning to stay at Sheep Canyon (elevation approx 1200 ft), which is accessible via a moderately difficult 4WD trail and promised better scenery and more remoteness, but Fish Creek was nice. Within Anza Borrego, campfires are allowed only within fire rings, so we were kind of constrained to designated campsites. In cold weather, a campfire is key to enjoyment.
My son is studying astronomy, and he brought his big telescope, hoping to take advantage of the dark, wilderness skies. Our first night was clear, so we had good stargazing.
That's a big telescope! We had a good, clear night the first night.
It was a cold night, and then the clouds started rolling during the next day, but we had a good day exploring Coyote Canyon trail. This is the trail that leads to Sheep Canyon campground (our initially planned site).
Exploring Coyote Canyon the first full day. The trail had some rough spots.
Sheep Canyon campground, on Coyote Canyon trail, hasn't gotten the outhouse upgrade
Making a splash on the Coyote Canyon trail
After exploring Coyote Canyon, we spent some time around the town of Borrego Springs checking out the many metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda.
Quality Control checking the grapes
Dramatic moment! Don't get caught in the pincers
Then back to camp for the night.
Hearty dinner of sloppy joe over fire-baked potato at the end of the day
Then stoke up the fire to keep warm as evening descends
The weather wasn't great, but at least its timing wasn't too bad. The rain held out until after dinner. We stoked up the fire, and then intermittent showers started. When they stopped, we'd attempt to appease the rain gods by putting another log on the fire as act of good faith. The 2 times we did this, it started to rain again soon thereafter, so we saved our wood and retired to the tent to read. I have to put in a good word for the Turbo Tent: It rained all night, and the tent stayed completely dry.
The morning dawned cold, but the rain stopped. This day we stayed closer to camp and headed up the Sand Canyon trail.
This fault ridge is near the beginning of the Sandstone Canyon trail
After steady rain the entire previous night, tires didn't shed the muck very well on trip up Sand Canyon trail.
The first exploration stop was the wind caves, which are approx 1 mi hike up a hillside. This is a really cool area, and it was great that we were the only ones there.
Don't get stuck in the cave
Wind caves exploration
Wind caves
The Sand Canyon trail is also scenic.
Lunch at the top of Sandstone Canyon
A tight spot on the Sandstone Canyon trail
After returning from the Sand Canyon trail, we had a couple hours of daylight, so we headed to the aptly named "The Slot" slot canyon. This was also very interesting.
Exploring the aptly named "The Slot"
Holding up the boulder with fingertips!
[video]https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/101677970851250361785/albums/6099867885686828305/6099872224393253794?pid=6099872224393253794&oid=101677970851250361785[/video]
Video really shows the dramatic nature of the slot canyon
We had a great New Years Eve camp dinner and a big fire, but Laurie still got cold, and retired early to the tent (and the Mr Buddy heater). John and I managed to celebrate New Years with our central time zone friends before tiring out after a long day.
We broke camp on New Years day, packed up the rig, and headed for home, but we caught a few more sights on the way out of the area.
We viewed more of the sculptures by Ricardo Breceda on our final day
Note the feather detail
My Beowulf imitation - slaying the dragon
Jeeps and Land Rovers
Oops, the Jeep needs a push
Fonts Point - our final Anza Borrego destination
All in all, it was a great trip, and a great way to see the close of 2014 and ring in the new year.
For even more photos and info, here's a blog post with more details:
http://dirkvandyke.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-at-anza-borrego-rain-snow.html
