Downhill All The Way

THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN

I have so many plans I could fill ten lifetimes but since I only have one I have to prioritize. Since my kids are not yet of an age where they can be left alone for any length of time I have to either wait until the wife gets home or take them along with me on my hikes. Since I like to enjoy my hikes I usually wait until the wife gets home from work. That's what I did today.

I wanted to go up to Joshua Tree but the kids wouldn't budge. They look forward to Saturday as a day to play with their neighborhood buddies and I hate to take that away from them. Then I thought about going to Palm Springs and looking for a good starting point to get on the mythical Gordon Trail from the 1930s. But that would take too much work and I'm saving myself for Tuesday.

So I decided to hike from the La Quinta Cove to Lake Cahuilla. I've done this hike a couple of times in the other direction but never in this direction. I had the wife drop me off at the trailhead and off I went.

At the trailhead there were a group of hikers just finishing up from their day on the trail. The temperature is once again perfect and it feels good to be outside, especially after a day with my boys. It feels like freedom.

There's one little uphill section on this trip and it's not too long. Like many experienced hikers I greatly prefer hiking uphill hiking to downhill but it's nice to change it up sometimes.

While a lot of the trail is downhill, that doesn't make it easy. Erosion has caused the trail to become very rough and rocky. It's not easy to negotiate and it requires intense concentration not to fall. Going uphill doesn't usually require me to watch my step as diligently; maybe that's why I like it better. Also, gaining elevation is better to me than losing it.

After dropping off the ridge it's a long walk in a sandy wash to Lake Cahuilla. I think walking downhill in sand is even harder than going uphill. At least this afternoon it is.

I get to Lake Cahuilla just as the wife is pulling up to get me and take me home. It's always great to get out on a hike, even a short one just to stretch your legs but I think that next time I'll go uphill instead. Being a climber is so much better than being a loser.

Hot and Bothered

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY

After hiking in the mountains the last couple of days I was getting spoiled. I was looking forward to going up high again today but it didn't happen. I had the day off but the kids were tired from their weekend and didn't feel like going anywhere. So we stayed home and I was not happy about it. I would much rather have spent the day high in the mountains with the temperature in the 70s than here in the desert with the temperature in the 100s. But sometimes being a parent means you don't get to do everything you want. Actually, that's most of the time.

So I waited as long as possible to go out and started hiking once the sun went behind the hill. The temperature was still around 100 degrees but it wasn't bad once I started going. Really.

I went over the Lake Cahuilla and was going to get dropped off at the Morrow Trail Head. There was a small problem, though. The road to Lake Cahuilla was closed and locked. It says it's closed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Somebody needs to tell them today is Monday.

While the air is hot, the sun is mercifully behind the mountains and there is just enough light to make it. I hope.

The trail will connect me to the top of the Cove where my wife will pick me up. If the pool at Lake Cahuilla were open it might be a better hike to do in the opposite direction and end with a plunge. Maybe next time.

On the hillside near the trail there are several trail monuments that generally mean there is an Indian trail somewhere near here. I don't have enough light to go exploring today, though. I'll have to remember this for the fall.

While it's tempting to go and walk down the fairway, I will respect the owners and their willingness to allow the trail to cross their property. The trail heads up the sandy wash on the right.

The trail climbs up to the left but I decide to go straight instead. It looks like people have climbed up that way and since I'm a little pressed for time it looks like a short cut.

The climb was steep, loose and rocky but doable. It also was definitely shorter.

At the top there are some type of monuments, similar to what I've seen along trails in 1000 Palms as well as a few others.

There are also a few large rocks mounds. I don't have time to really explore around here but this is pretty interesting and I must have hiked by here a hundred times.

There is also a trail. Hopefully, it's another short cut because the light is fading fast.

I lose the trail and have to travel cross country. It's slow going because the terrain is rocky and loose and I have to make sure I don't fall or step on a snake. Some short cut this turns out to be.

After going through a couple of little rocky canyons I hit the trail that will take me home and with just enough light to see.

Good Day Sunshine

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE

A morning person I am not. So I was incredibly surprised when my eyes opened at 5:45 a.m. and I was wide awake. I do not believe that has ever happened before. EVER. My wife saw me awake and asked me if I was planning to go hiking this morning. I hadn't planned it but since I was totally awake I figured it wasn't a bad idea.

At 6 a.m. the temperature is 69º. It's amazing and it actually helps keep me awake. Of course, the huge cups of Peets® Coffee I had before leaving the house didn't hurt, either. What's more amazing is that people are actually awake and walking around this time of day. I don't know what might prompt them to do that but I figure it's got to be insomnia, some sort of mental illness or drugs. It's probably drugs.

They finally replaced that terrible map at the top of the Cove with another slightly less terrible map. At least on this map you can see what the colored arrows on the trail markers stand for. It is also nice to have an idea of the mileage of certain trails.

I hike up like I'm going to Lake Cahuilla and it's beautiful in the shade. I don't plan on making a habit of getting up early but it is nice out.

The sun finally decides to make an appearance, kind of.

In the amber light of early morning the Indian trail that takes off from the main trail is clearly visible. At least to me it is.

I drop down to the canyon and follow it up. There are several tinajas, naturally occurring rock water tanks in the wash so it's easy to see why the Indians hiked over here. They knew every possible water source in these mountains. The tanks are all dry now but you can see that some are still moist.

The canyon continues beyond where I am able to hike today but I've just got to see how far it goes. Maybe this fall or if we get some cooler weather any time soon.

There are a lot of holes in the rocks here, so many in fact that I'm going to call this Swiss Cheese Canyon.

Several of these little mini caves have obviously been used as animal dens.

Instead of following the trail back, I decide to follow the canyon to where it hits the Morrow Trail. I've got to see where it goes. There are several more little rock tanks in this section of canyon. None are very large or contain water but if we get a good thunderstorm I'd imagine the water here might last for months.

It starts getting a little sketchy and it doesn't look as if I can follow the canyon all the way.

No, definitely not. The drop off here is about thirty feet so I decide to leave the canyon and follow the ridge down. It's a short little rocky section but at least it's doable.

I hit the wash where the Morrow Trail goes and it's covered with hundreds of footprints from hikers. In the sandy wash sections of the canyon I was in, there were none. I wonder how many hundreds or even thousands of hikers pass by here every year and never even consider what might be up in these canyons?

Just like a hike doesn't start until you leave the road, an adventure doesn't start until you leave the trail. I'm sure I've hiked by here plenty of times myself but never again will I go by without thinking about what awaits me up in these little passages to adventure. And maybe if I just got up a little earlier I'd be able to find out how far that canyon actually goes. Of course, I think that now, at night in front of my computer. When morning comes, I feel differently. I always do. Well, almost always.

Tomorrow Is Another Day

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN

Some days you wish you could take a Mulligan, like today. Everything just started out wrong from the time my wife woke me up an hour before I had intended on awakening.

My wife is the most wonderful person I know but she has one terrible flaw: she's a morning person. You know, the energetic, cheery people who always smile and say, "Good morning" in a sing song voice at an hour when the only sound that should be heard is snoring. They would be the life of every party if every party were held some time before noon. After noon, they're ready for a nap. They have never seen Letterman, Leno or Saturday Night Live. Don't even think of mentioning The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. Good Morning America is their idea of a talk show (I've never seen it myself). Morning People have a place in the world, I guess. It's their job getting things ready for the rest of us. They're like prep cooks. Only prep cooks let the chefs sleep in.

I think it must be lonely being a morning person because she seems to think it is OK to start a conversation with a sleeping (non-morning) person. I have told her the only reason to wake me up is if the house is on fire but not once has that been the reason for our early morning all-too one-sided conversations.

Usually they go like this:

Wife: Good Morning!

Hal: mmmbmbmsbbm

Wife: Are you going to make the kids breakfast this morning?

Hal: What?!?

Wife: Are you going to make the kids.....

Hal: I'M ASLEEP!

Wife: Well, I was wondering if you were going to make the kid breakfast this morning.

Hal: Whatever! They'll have cereal or donuts, I don't care. I'm asleep.

Wife: well, they have a big day a school.

Hal: Can you see I'm asleep?

Wife: It's such a beautiful morning out, it's cool and so clear...

Hal: Sounds like a great time to sleep. Is it still dark out? Good night!

Such was my morning today. Being awakened before your time is disconcerting and throws your whole day into turmoil. First, I left my hiking shoes in my wife's vehicle and had to retrieve them. Then, I left my camera in her vehicle but only realized it after I got to the trailhead.

And what an ugly trailhead it is.

The trailhead for the Morrow Trail is just west of the entrance to Lake Cahuilla. However, there is no sign designating it as such and there is a big pile of trash right near the parking area. If I didn't know this was the place to park I would never think about hiking here. Maybe that's the point.

The trail walks by the Quarry Golf Course to the top of the La Quinta Cove but I don't have time to cover the whole area. I'll only go about half way and then come back.

You'd think there was an old mining camp here but those are just props for the golf course.

A large Desert Iguana lounges in the shade along the course. Ordinarily I'd take a close up but my camera is in my wife's van.

This statue is a good turn around point today. I think public artwork along trails is a nice idea that should be expanded. I know it's for the golf course but I think a statue in a remote area might not be a bad idea.

As I walk back, I notice a couple of stray golf balls WAY out of bounds. Obviously, I'm not the only person in need of a Mulligan today. Maybe we can both sleep in tomorrow.

Walking The Earth

DAY ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE

It is a fact of my life that some days my time is very limited. Traveling to hike is not an option. I have to do something near home. Today was such a day.

I head off from the top of the La Quinta Cove and see that someone has built some type of rock structure to enhance the experience. That person obviously does not have a life like I do. Even if I wanted to build a rock pile, I just don't have the time.

There's a new snazzy Monument sign to greet me and a new No Dogs sign. I'm sure people will not be happy about this particular sign. Now, the No Dogs signs are a bit further up the wash and a LOT of people currently walk their dogs beyond where this new sign is. I wonder how long it will be until someone vandalizes this new sign. I'm guessing less than a week. Personally, I think people are getting fed up with some of these restrictions that do nothing to protect the sheep. I wonder if anyone with a dog has ever encountered a sheep within one mile of this sign. My guess would be no and, if I am correct, why would you restrict someone's freedoms on the off chance one dog walker MIGHT see a sheep? I don't get it.

I hike up the Morrow Trail that heads to Lake Cahuilla. It's nice to know a horse camp is two miles from here although I doubt anyone is bringing their horse to the top of the cove to access the horse camp. I think they'd probably just go straight there. Especially since there's not any trailer parking in the cove.

After going up the trail a bit, you get to a steep drop off and the trail goes to the right. If you look closely, you can see it on the right side of the picture. (Click on this, or any, picture to enlarge). I head over this way and discover something I hadn't expected.

I find another trail. Do you see it? Really, it's not the heat. I think I see a trail here.

After hiking around the corner a bit, it becomes a bit more obvious. It IS a trail.

But why is there a trail here and where does it go? From the look of it, the trail goes to this canyon. I do not have time to check it out but there must be reason it goes here. Perhaps a water tank or maybe another reason. I cannot find out today but I'll find out on a day when I have more time and the temperature is under 100º.

Just so I know the heat isn't playing tricks on me, I take a picture of the trail heading back from the way I came. It's a trail all right. A trail I'll hopefully be on again soon. Can you think of a better way of celebrating Earth Day than discovering a new trail?

Simply Perfect

This afternoon I wanted to do a little hike that required a shuttle.  My wife was willing to be my taxi but she had to pick up kids at school and then pick me up after that.  Sounds like a plan.

She left me off at Lake Cahuilla County Park so I could do the Morrow Trail over to the La Quinta Cove.  This trail has a special place in my heart.  I helped save it.

About eighteen years ago, I was hiking the entire loop of the Boo Hoof Trail and in the area near Lake Cahuilla came up to a bunch of survey markers all around this section of the trail.  The next morning I went to the city to find out what was going on out there.  They told me a country club was going in.  Asked if they knew there was a hiking trail that went through there, the city planning officer said he was not aware of it.  I gave him my business card--I ran a hiking shop-- and left.

About a half an hour after opening a gentleman came in my shop and introduced himself as the developer of the land.  I guess he didn't want some tree hugger putting a monkey wrench in his development plans.  We talked a bit about the trail.  I suggested that the trail be built around the property and everyone could be happy.  I got him in touch with the Desert Riders, a local equestrian group who built and maintained most of the local trails, and hoped for the best.  As it turned out the developer was a horseman from Montana and hit it off with the top dogs in the Desert Riders.  They went for a few rides together and came up with an agreement to route the trail around the outskirts of the club and keep it intact.  It was probably the best possible solution with the least amount of  hassle ever for two possibly opposing forces.  No court battles.  No bad words in the press.  No yelling at city council meetings.  Just two groups sitting down and working out something to everyone's benefit.  And even though my contribution was very minor, I'm still proud to have been a part of it just a little bit.  I wonder what might have happened had I not gone for that hike and noticed those survey markers.  It seems like I was there at just the right time.

I start hiking by Lake Cahuilla and head into the setting sun. 

The Morrow Trail is the name of this new section of the Boo Hoff Trail.  

Golfers out enjoying a round at The Quarry.  They asked my how I was doing and offered me some water.  I wish I'd seen them yesterday but I brought water today.  Too bad they didn't offer a cold beer.

Gee, I wonder if I would be able to find the trail without this cairn someone built here. 

A sculpture on the hilltop above the course.

A beautiful ocotillo starting to flower.

Just as I get to the trailhead my wife pulls up with my ride.  Sometimes things just work out perfectly.