It was a really nice day out in Anza Borrego today. The temps were low 80's, with some wind, but not howling like the last time we were there. Four of us met in San Diego (Chris, Mark, Hennie & Ilda, and me) and we met Brian #2 as we passed through Ramona. Of course we stopped at the Julian Pie Company bakery in Santa Ysabel to pick up a pie to go with lunch, then it was on to Butttes Pass Road.
Our first stop was Hawk Canyon, where we did spot several large nests and birds way up in the rocks. Here we are lined up in Hawk Canyon, 4 Xterras and a Frontier.
From Hawk Canyon we got back on to Buttes Pass Road heading north, then turned west in San Felipe Wash until we got to Borrego Mountain Wash, where we turned back south again. Here's Brian #2 coming up the little rock waterfall area partway through Borrego Mountain Wash.
We drove until it got too narrow for a vehicle, then headed up The Slot on foot. I'm still amazed that this leaning spire of fractured rock is still up there.
It's a really interesting walk, the shot above is actually one of the wider spots in the trail. At some points it was too narrow for some of us (well, only one really) to walk.
Heading back north in Borrego Mountain Wash. Mark's Frontier is so new it doesn't even have plates yet.
Next it was east in San Felipe Wash, then south in Blow Sand Canyon, which is an uphill very sandy stretch of trail that leads up to the Goat Trail.
While Blow Sand Canyon is really deep sand, the Goat Trail is hard packed, but with lots of ruts and loose little rocks on the surface. It runs along a ridgeline, with some spectacular views along the way. Many of the crests are so sharp that all you can see over the hood is sky.
We drove out to the top of of the Borrego Mountain Drop Off, and along the way stopped to look down into the Slot, where we had been earlier in the day.
We crossed Hwy 78 and took the little unnamed road just across from Buttes Pass down to Old Kane Springs Road, then took Harper Canyon to almost the end. Lots of fun little rocky sections in Harper Canyon.
There were very few flowers left, although the ocotillo in many spots were in bloom. We did spot a few lizards and lots of small furry animals along the way. We had to really look to find any cactus flowers, even in the Cactus Garden up Harper Canyon.
All in all it was a pretty good day. I've got a few more pictures
in this gallery.
