Topic: Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

[Paul]

Made my first day trip, a 9 AM to 5 PM trip driveway to driveway on one tank of gas. Went along the 78 freeway up Buttes Pass trail to the Slot area. There was a bit of crowd there, lots of sedans and people. We walked half up the West Butte to the east and found some wonderful views to the north. I shrank these down to 1024 high which ought to fit on at 19" monitor.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Nice views without a doubt and pretty windy.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Down in the slot there wasn't any wind and it was nice a cool. This is a great trip for the club.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

A bit tight in places.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

But I fit.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Lots and lots of flowers.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

The Desert Lilly is always hard to find.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

The Ocotillo is in bloom like crazy.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

This Golden Eagle was just hovering in the wind.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

North out of the Slot through the Borrego Mountain Wash was fun. There's a seriously steep drop off with some 12"-18" deep holes which are staggered just enough to give you lots of two wheel action ... all while coming down at 20-25 degrees. Along the bottom of the wash are a couple of nice waterfalls. Lots of fun. In the map above the the little green jeep and arrow mark the one-way drop off.

We posed along side the "bee hives"

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

A Century Plant just ready to bloom.

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

Out of the wash we headed south east along the San Felipe Creek. We found some good camping areas around Buttes Canyon and Blow Sand Canyon. Continued SE past the East Butte to Military Wash and out to the 78 again. I think next time I'll run the Butte Canyon to the Hawk Canyon camp ground areas.

[Paul]

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

[Paul]

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

[Paul]

Anza Borrego Desert State Park - The Slot - 27 Mar 2010

[FrankB]

Paul, nice pics (as always).

Glad to see you made it out to that area, it's one of my new favorite places.  Heather and I hiked The Slot with Brian#2 from the club in early January.  We didn't want to try the Dropoff so we entered the Slot from the bottom by driving out Buttes Pass Road to San Felipe Wash, then back south in Borrego Mountain Wash, past the bottom of the DO and up the Slot until it was too narrow to drive, then walked it from there.  I like that better than parking on top and walking down. Those little waterfalls in BM Wash are fun, and that wash has some great rock formations and even some small wind caves up on one hill.  I've been through there several times now, and I find new stuff each time.

Hawk Canyon is small, but has some nice camp spots.  I drove part of the Goat Trail last Sunday, its got some nice views.

I just got home from Sandstone Canyon and the Cactus Garden off of Harper Canyon / Kane Springs Road. I'll post some pics tomorrow.  I did run into Mike (Dezurtrat) from thenewx/Arizona at the Wind Caves.

[xtatik]

Hey Paul, Great shots!
Since you took a shot of it. The flower pic you've posted between the Lupine and Desert Lily is a plant called Phacelia (or, Scorpion Plant).....I'm crazy allergic to it, as most people are. After contact with it a rash somewhat like Poison Oak will result.
We'll probably see a lot of it this Spring, so I thought I'd mention it.

[Paul]

Hey Paul, Great shots!
Since you took a shot of it. The flower pic you've posted between the Lupine and Desert Lily is a plant called Phacelia (or, Scorpion Plant).....I'm crazy allergic to it, as most people are. After contact with it a rash somewhat like Poison Oak will result.
We'll probably see a lot of it this Spring, so I thought I'd mention it.

No kidding! My wife found one of those out on the Mojave and tried digging it up and bringing it home.  

It died. Those little hairs worried me.

[FrankB]

Anza Borrego is filled with those right now, I've shot quite a few pictures of the Phaecilia in the last week.  Thanks for the warning.  They are carpeting the hillsides in Fish Creek, and under many of the larger bushes in Harper Canyon, and I'm starting to itch just writing this.

[Soylent Yellow]

Great pictures Paul.  Yesterday was a great day to be out in the ABD.

[Goldfish]

Awesome pictures and I like your maps you include.

[Ghost65]

Paul, thank you for the always informative post and fantastic pictures.  I am acutally heaed out to AB this week to golf, hike, and now run this trail. I am thankful for your maps! 

Spoke to Frank (thanks Frank!  ) over the phone last week and he gave me some great tips for areas to check out.  Looking forward to getting away from my phone, the computer, and the GRIND!

[Paul]

Real slow that one-way drop off. Looks to be about 175 feet down from the top.

[FrankB]

Real slow that one-way drop off. Looks to be about 175 feet down from the top.

No kidding about the drop off Paul.  Here is what it looked like in Feb 2010, and when I saw it again a week ago the holes were noticeably bigger.



It should come as no surprise to anyone here that I chose not to go down that one.  Besides, I prefer the drive up Borrego Mountain Wash from San Felipe Wash.  After you come up the little rock waterfall there is a trail that breaks off to the left (with the right fork going to the bottom of the drop off) that eventually ends at the end of The Slot. We park there and walk upstream in the Slot, then turn around at the point where most people park and start their walk.

By the way Paul, I know that area where you shot the "beehive" picture pretty well. Nice shot, but let's just say it's a good thing the rangers didn't happen by right about then.