Boyz in the Hood

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE

After two days of new hikes I was back to the familiar terrain of La Quinta today. But to make it seem new again I took my son, Nikolas, and some boys from the neighborhood.

We start at the La Quinta flood control basin. It's like a gateway to another world for these kids. We'll soon leave the concrete completely behind.

We make our way up a little draw and Johnnie says he saw a rat run into a hole. I think it was probably an Antelope Ground Squirrel but it's a rat to him.

Taking the boys out to climb on some rocks is like putting a fish in water.

Maybe I should have told them not to touch the cactus. I figured they'd have known that but I guess not.

These guys feel right at home here and while a lot of the country is buried under snow we have a perfect day for a hike.

I get the strange feeling I'm about to get ambushed.

We are headed up to the watering hole in the canyon to see if there is still any water or maybe we'll get lucky and spot an animal. Nik is ready in case we come across a mountain lion or coyote.

There's still water here almost two weeks after the last rain but Kahlua is the only one to enjoy it. The boys think it looks a little too much like pee to want to take a drink. Of course, if they were really thirsty they might not care but we're close enough to home that they will wait until we can get some clean water. I really enjoy taking the boys out so they can see what kind of things their neighborhood has to offer.

Water Canyon

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR

This morning my schedule forced me to get up early and do my hike before taking Nikolas to school. I don't like it this early but you do what you gotta do.

I don't often enjoy it but the sunrise sure is purdy.

I hiked up to some water tanks yesterday so today I headed over to another spot where water collects to see how it looks. Over twenty years ago when I hiked this trail it was faint and rarely used. Now, there's a sign and a fair amount of traffic although this time of day it's pretty deserted.

Kahlua and I have the place to ourselves.

One of these days I'm going to follow this canyon to the end but today we're just going to see if there's any water.

Someone has built this little dam but with a sandy bottom there's no chance for any water to stay for long.

Above this first dry waterfall is a tank that should have some water.

There's a significant amount of water in this tank and Kahlua says it's really tasty, too.

There may be more water further up this canyon but Kahlua, while a good hiker, isn't much of a rock climber so we'll have to stop here.

Tanked Up

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY THREE

Rain is rare in the desert and water sources were important to the Cahuilla Indians. Trails criss cross the desert between springs and other various watering holes. If there's a spot where water is available you can bet the Indians knew about it. Not only would it be used for water but they could stake out an area in order to hunt animals coming for water.

Today I went out to a spot just off the Morrow Trail to see if any water might remain after our rains on Monday. I had some camera issues--cameras don't like me--so I don't have a full assortment of pictures but I do have some. I've done most of this hike before anyway so it shouldn't matter.

I start out at the top of the cove in La Quinta and head out to the trail that goes over to Lake Cahuilla.

The ground out here is still wet so I think there's a good chance I might find some water.

I hike the trail and then head cross country near its highest point. I find a section that's in a steep canyon and some precious water.

There are two holes that hold water. This is the other one.

The surprising thing is that this huge hole doesn't have any water.

The canyon ends at this dry waterfall that I'm sure was running nicely on Monday. I'll have to remember this next time it rains.

Crazy Ridge, Indio Hills

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY

The Indio Hills are along the San Andreas Fault and contain several palm oases, sandy washes and rocky ridges. Today I choose to explore one of the rocky ridges and regretted it almost from the moment I left my Jeep. The ridge was rocky, steep, hard and loose, really ugly.

Thankfully, the beauty of the setting sun helped make up for the unsure footing of the ridge I, for some reason, decided to climb.

Doesn't this look like great hiking terrain?

Part way up I look down and see this rock pile that someone made up here. Why? I have no idea.

Higher up I am able to see this water tank that is hidden from view unless you climb up here. I hope the water drawn from this well doesn't adversely affect the nearby palm oases.

Oddly enough I find the remnants of a faint trail along the ridge. What kind of lunatic would hike up here? Besides me, of course.

I get to the top and there's not much to see. Gee, I'm glad I made the effort.

I, at least, am able to look out upon what is probably the last large expanse of undeveloped desert in the Coachella Valley.

With the sun now behind Mount San Jacinto I need to get down. There is no way I want to go down this thing at night. It's like walking on ball bearings.

Part way down I come upon this little shrine. I totally missed it on the way up even though I passed within six feet of it. I was too busy concentrating on not falling. I don't know what this could be a shrine to, probably insanity.

Coming down this ridge to check out the rock pile I think about scooching down the hill but a voice in my head says, "Men do not scooch. You are not a worm ridden poodle on a carpet". I don't know if that was the voice of reason, testosterone or utter folly talking but I listened to it. Thankfully, I didn't fall and bruise my butt.

I get to this pile of rocks and find out that it's not manmade like I thought it was. It's a natural occurrence, the product of uplifting and erosion, very weird. The landscape around these hills is very strange and potentially dangerous but I made it back in one piece. I doubt I'll be back. Whaddaya think I am? Crazy?

Pinyon Wells -- Joshua Tree National Park

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY

The weather was still nice in the desert (for August) so I decided to head up the Joshua Tree for a little exploration. It is not a short drive so I took the short cut up Berdoo Canyon in my Jeep.

There is a lot of target shooting that goes on in Berdoo Canyon and some people think these Park Service signs were put there just for them.

Flash Flooding, huh? I don't think that'll be a problem today.

Of course, it looks like someone got caught in the last flash flood.

I drive up the canyon and pass some tourists driving down in a Volvo SUV. They are stopped at the rockiest section and wondering if they can make it. I tell them I just bombed up the canyon, no problem. They took one look at the dirt and door dings on my Jeep and decided to turn around. I kept going until I got to the wash that leads to the Pinyon Well area. Hiking uphill in the sand again. That's what I live for.

As I get up the canyon, I catch a whiff of something horrendous. It smells like it's rotten cheese but I suspect it's something dead and something fairly big. The stench remains in my nostrils for hours.

I get past the rocks and discover this bighorn carcass. The coyotes and vultures in the area must have had quite a feast on this guy.

It's still fairly fresh although you could never tell from the smell.

In the wash a bit further up, a small trough sits dry.

At the well site there are several cement structures that I'm sure held water at one time.

Although none of them do now.

There was once a mining camp higher up and the remnants of a asphalt road still remain.

In a side canyon I discover this old animal guzzler. Again, it's dry.

The water tank is on the side of the hill and I climb up the check it out, careful to keep a look out for rattlers. This is perfect weather for them.

To my surprise, there is not a well here but this roof-like structure. It is designed to catch the rain or winter snows and channel it down into the main water tank. Too bad it hasn't rained in months.

It's also too bad that the pipe feeding the tank is busted. I try to put it back together but it needs to be replaced with some new plumbing.

But the roof on the water tank looks to be in good shape so it seems this place gets pretty regular maintenance. Time for the Park Service to spend some stimulus money

There's an old mining camp further up the canyon but I'll have to come back in the fall when it's just a bit cooler. Right now I'm going to head back and make sure those tourists made it out OK.