Macomber Palms Ridge at Sunrise

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE

My work schedule required that I go out hiking before the sunrise. For some people this is the best part of the day. I, however, have retained my sanity and realize that God intended these hours for sleeping. Some days a little insanity is required and today was such a day. I set my alarm for 6 and rose while it was still dark. When the alarm went off I wondered if I'd died and gone to hell. I drove over to the Indio Hills and decided to do a little hike I last attempted in the summer. This is the location I encountered my one rattlesnake that I encountered this year. Rattlers shouldn't be a problem since the temperature was in the 30s.

The trails are very eroded in this area so I tried to access the ridge from the bottom but ran into a little problem.

At this point there's nowhere to go but up.

The sun has not yet crested the horizon but it is light enough to see. I was afraid that I'd have to spend part of this hike in the dark and I did enough of that last night.

Looking back toward Mount San Jacinto I can see that the sun has reached some portions of a valley. It is still and cool and I wish I were back in bed.

Finally, the sun decided to make an appearance and I start to feel it's actually OK to be awake.

The light hasn't filtered down to the canyon where I parked my Jeep but most of the area is starting to wake up.

At one time there was a very good trail here. I wonder who made it and why. There are sections of severe erosion but most of the trail is in superb shape. With just a little work, it could be usable for others besides me.

Up on the hilltop someone has built a little campsite. There are certainly better campsites around but if you're looking for solitude, nice views and no chance of starting a forest fire then this might just be the place for you.

Here's a section of the incredible erosion on this trail. It may look like the trail goes down to the left but it doesn't. It actually continues straight.

The light has finally touched to top of the palms and it's time to go home and get ready for work. I've already done my hike and haven't even had a cup of coffee. Maybe I have lost my sanity. That's OK. It's only temporary. Tomorrow, I'm sleeping in.

Art Smith Trail to Cat Canyon Oasis

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY

After yesterday's "take it easy" hike: I decided to do something a little more challenging today. As usual, I didn't have as much time as I would've liked and ended up hiking back in the dark but I'm used to it by now. The wife isn't, though, and she called me twice to make sure I was still alive. I don't think I have ever been more so.

It seems that I'm not the only one out to burn off a few Christmas calories. While the Art Smith is certainly the best trail in Palm Desert, this is, by far, the most cars I've ever seen in the trailhead parking lot. I don't even want to imagine how many people are at the Bump and Grind trailhead parking area today.

I have a little over nine miles to go and less than two hours of daylight left so I put my head down and get moving up the trail. One bad thing about keeping your eye on the trail is that you miss a lot of the scenery. I hiked right past a whole herd of Bighorn Sheep and didn't even see them. I talked to a lady on the trail and she asked if I saw the sheep and, when I told her no, she said they were back a few hundred yards. Some things are worth turning around for.

I tried to get as close as possible but they were wary and retreated when I moved their direction. They didn't go far but they knew I was there. (Click on this or any picture for a closer view).

This guy is the obvious leader of this herd of at least nine.

Here's a closer look.

You'll have to click on this picture to enlarge it but eight Bighorn are here. It's like Where's Waldo trying to find them all. It's amazing how well they blend it. I could have possibly gotten closer to them but with other people on the trail I did not want to take a chance of a scaring them away. Whenever I come upon a scene like this I realize that my next big investment has to be a really good camera.

I wanted to just stay and watch the sheep all day but I had places to go so off I went. The trail passes several palm oases before coming to the Cat Canyon Palms.

It also gains a good amount of elevation.

I wonder what the wife is making for dinner tonight. For some reason, I have a hankering for asparagus.

The trail levels off as you get near Haystack Mountain and then actually starts going down. I hate it when trails start losing elevation that you've already gained.

This benchmark is right next to the trail. Not too interesting, just coordinates.

But it's not long after that when Cat Canyon Palms comes into view.

I won't have much time to look around but I'm sure this was an area that the Indians used.

It's a very healthy oasis and there is surface water available. I'm not going to stomp around in here today but some time I'd like to investigate this whole area more. I think there's another, even larger, oasis up a bit further but this one is all I'll have time for today.

There is a little trail leaving the oasis and I'll take a shortcut whenever I can get one.

With the sun having already set I won't have much light left before the headlamp comes out of the pack and it'll just me, the moon, the stars and the trail.

But before that happens I get to enjoy the wonder of an area that few visitors to the desert, or even locals, will ever see.

Home For The Holidays

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE

I understand the importance of Christmas in building family traditions so I decided to forgo a hike today and just hang out with the family.

Just kidding.

I didn't get this far to quit now even though it was tempting. My father in law came down from his home in Mountain Center to hang out and help my wife in the kitchen. He was a restaurant owner his whole life and so we were very grateful for his help with the Christmas feast. Here he is with my son, Nikolas.

I needed to burn off a few calories from last night's prime rib and all the cookies around the house so I decided to do the hike over near my house, in what I call the Yucatan Fan. That way I could get my hike in and not be away from the family for too long.

I asked the family if anyone wanted to go out with me on my hike but no one said yes except Kahlua. She's just a girl who can't say no.

I'm getting thirsty so it's time to head home and give Kahlua her Christmas present.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Pushawalla Palms Ridge Loop Trail

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT

A week ago I went out and hiked a new trail (for me) on the ridge east of Pushawalla Canyon. I forgot my camera and something went wrong with the pictures on my phone so I decided to come back and get some pictures. I really like this trail and think it would be a nice one for anyone to enjoy if you want to walk off some of your holiday weight gain.

Since this is a Preserve area there are no motor vehicles allowed, you know, like bicycles and dogs.

To get to the trail, you have to walk through all the oases in the canyon.

At the last oasis, you can go either straight through this muddy section or take the trail to the left. Just for fun, I went straight.

Once you have gone through the last oasis, keep your eye on the right for this little opening in the canyon wall. It's not really a trail but it's how I got up.

It's across the canyon from this big gap in the west wall, the one with a rusted out old car.

When you top out at the gap, start heading east. You'll hit a trail, cross a little wash and start heading up hill. At least, hopefully you will.

The trail is pretty good but there are sections where erosion has caused significant damage. It's pretty rocky until you hit the top.

But once you hit the top the trail is smooth and beautiful. I initially thought this might be an Indian Trail but the trail meanders along the ridge top while an Indian trail would go from point A to point B.

It meanders along so you can take in the views of the canyons below and the mountains beyond. There are wonderful views all around.

I wonder if the rider of this bike got too caught up in the views and crashed his bike.

It certainly wouldn't have been because he couldn't see at night with this superb lighting.

Keep following the trail until you come to a split and go to the left. I went right and that fork just does a circle and comes back. Go left.

OK, you can go to the right if you want to take one more look at the view before you head down into the canyons again.

The canyon you drop into is rockier than any of the others so far. Be very careful while descending because most of those rocks are loose.

Once you've gone down the canyon, take a right into the next canyon and that will return you to Pushawalla Canyon. From there, it's a short walk back to your vehicle. That is if you have a 4X4 and can drive to the trailhead. If not, your walk will be longer. All in all this loop is just a touch over 3 miles and I highly recommend it. I saw only one set of footprints on the trail itself--mine from a week ago.

Between Devil Canyon and Martinez Landslide

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN

There's an Indian Trail that heads from Devil Canyon in South La Quinta over toward the Martinez Landslide. I know it's there because I stumbled on it months ago while returning from another hike. I went out today to try and locate it.

By the time I get to my starting point, the area where I plan on hiking is already well in the shade. In the summer, I would have greatly appreciated it but right now it's a tad chilly.

I get to the trail and ascend onto the little mesa area above the wash. The trail quickly dies out. I may have taken the wrong path.

I hit a few intermittent trails along the way but none of them last for very long. I am certainly not on the path that I intended to travel but it's too late to go back now. I know where I'm going so I'll just continue on.

In addition to the little trails I find something else that lets me know that I'm not the only one who comes out here and wanders around.

Hiking over to the landslide area is about a couple miles. It doesn't look that far but the terrain is challenging with lots of up and down travel and rocks. I finally make it over to the base of the landslide and then go to explore an area with these large rocks. Not much to see here.

The only thing I find is this little small mortar.

But there is a trail. I am going to follow it for a while because there is no way I am going back the way I came, over the rocks, in the dark.

I follow the trail until I come to a road, which I will follow until I hit an old vineyard.

There's an old tumbledown shack and lots of trash. Anyone who doesn't think that recycling makes a difference has never seen a big pile of old cans like this. I've seen several of these around the desert. Now that cans are worth money there will never be another pile like this. Someone would pick these up and cash in.

There's not enough moonlight to walk without a headlamp but it's a beautiful evening and I make it back knowing where the trail is not and a better idea of where it is for the next time. Hopefully, I'll be able to start a bit earlier then.