Up the Calcite Mines and down the Palm Wash.

Because of a spammer robot that got hooked on this post I have taken it offline and now I am reposting it, hoping to shake that thing off.


Date: December 25, 2012
Place: The Calcite Mines Trail, Anza Borrego State Park, Borrego Springs, California.
Trailhead coordinates:  33.2811, -116.0964
Length: 3.6 miles
Difficulty: strenuous

After completing the Cactus Loop trail we stopped for a breakfast picnic at the park's visitor center, and got trail recommendations from the ranger on duty. Following the recommendation, we went to the Calcite Mines, in the north-east region of the park.

The calcite mines trail in the badlands at the north-east region of the park. There is a dirt road that leads all the way up hill to the mines but it is in very bad condition and would be challenging even for a high 4X4. We parked by the trailhead and hiked all the way up.

Sandstone formation

Badlands, in Anza Borrego as in other places so named, is an area of sediment soil and rocks that have eroded from the mountains. The entire area is carved by wind and flood water. Canyons and gullies run deeply across the land, making it difficult to traverse.
It is also very beautiful. Badlands - maybe for farmers. But for hikers and wilderness lovers it is a shrine of nature. A place where its raw power is lain naked before the eyes.


The trail starts by crossing the Palm Wash northward. On the roadside there were many sandstone formations such as the one to the right. I can imagine it was formed by eddies of long ago floods but I cannot tell what caused these to be exposed in this manner.

Palm Wash, the south fork.

Going up the dirt road gave me some great views of the deep ravine of the middle fork of Palm Wash. At the time I took these photos I did not know I will soon be going down through that very same rock slot. 

Palm Wash, the middle fork.

I didn't see much vegetation on the way to the mines. The intense radiation and the quick water runoff could be very limiting indeed. The shrubs I did encounter were well rooted inside rock cracks.

We saw interesting rock formations all along the trail. Some were very intriguing indeed.

The two-headed sentinel, a view from below

I liked this one so much that I photographed it from the trail below and also from the several view points.

The two-headed sentinel, a view from behind

I even gave it a name - the two-headed sentinel.

The two-headed sentinel, a view from above.

Early on the hike we saw a large rock far up the trail that looked like a huge chunk of pale swiss cheese.


The Calcite Mines trail goes up constantly with no let-up. At some point, quite high up, it crosses the middle fork of Palm Wash. A look upstream revealed some green bushes, hidden inside the wash where they are protected from winds and can rely on extra water during floods.

Wash shrubbery. 

At that point the chikas insisted on having a rest stop. Papa Quail sat with them while I went on to scout ahead.

The swiss-cheese rock

This rock is, in fact, right in the calcite mines area. We got really close to it but didn't climb there. I could, however, get a good close up view of its holes.









I called the chikas and their father and they joined me in appreciation of this geological wonder.





After the attach on Pearl Harbor, calcite was mined in this area to make gun sights. The trail we were walking on was once the road that serviced the mines.
At first we thought that these holes in the rock were man-made: the scars of mining. Thinking about it more, I now believe these are natural. Human mining is considerably more abrasive.

Some carvings, right by the trail, did appear to have been made by chisels. They reminded me of old runes or petroglyphs.








The trail ends at the Calcite Mines sign. A short distance to the south-east rises a reddish butte that  provides an excellent view of the entire area. A narrow foot trail leads to the top so naturally, we all ascended it.

The view from up there was spectacular.

To the east - the Salton Sea.

Salton Sea

To the south - the entire badlands spread before us.

The badlands of Anza Borrego State Park

To the west - the San Ysidro Mountains. In the overcast lighting they reminded me a bit of Mordor.



The most common plant up there is the Creosote, or 'stink' bush. I didn't think it smelled that bad. It grows all over the park, but it was in the Calcite Mines area that we first saw its flowers:

Creosote flowers

Many of the Creosote bushes bore brown ball-shaped galls, induced by the Creosote gall-midge fly.

Creosote gall

Upon descending from the red butte Papa Quail suggested that we return via the canyon. There were two factors to consider. One being that we didn't know whether the canyon is passable, and the other being that the canyon continued eastward towards Salton Sea, crossing the road some distance east to the trailhead where we've parked our car. 

We figured that we had enough time to backtrack in case we run into a problem. Looking down the canton with the binoculars we could see a trail climbing on the hillside to the east and thought it might connect us back to the Calcite Mines trail. So when we reached again the place where the trail crosses the middle fork of Palm Wash, we left the trail and headed into the wash.

Pigmy-cedar bush growing from a crack in the canyon wall.

The upper part of the wash is fairly wide and shallow, and easily traversed. That soon changed. Before long we dropped into a deep, narrow canyon.

Narrow canyon walls

I'd like to pause here for one very important warning for anyone who considers entering such a canyon - keep in mind that once inside, one must go through all the way. There is no other way out. Not unless you're an expert rock climber who can climb sheer rock without equipment.
Most of the year that would not be a problem. In winter time, however, it is crucially important to heed any warnings of flash floods for the area. It doesn't have to rain directly where you're hiking. Any rainfall within that watershed can create a flash flood, and desert watersheds can be very large.
It is not a common event but it does happen often enough. The flash flood is very sudden and very powerful. For anyone caught withing such a canyon, it is deadly!
This isn't an idle warning copied from some desert hiking instruction book. Growing up in the desert myself I have seen plenty of such floods and had the sad experience of witnessing casualties of such a flood in the wash near my childhood home. Please don't take lightly any warning of flash floods.

Okey. Now that that's been said, I can also tell you that hiking through such a canyon is a lot of fun!  It involves a lot of squeezing, climbing, rock scrambling, sliding down rock chutes and such. No theme park can match the unpredictability and uniqueness of Nature's playground. Needless to say, the chikas (as their parents) had a great time!

Boldly going where flash floods have gone before

In some sections, the canyon got so narrow that Winnie the Pooh would never have gone through after a honey feast at Rabbit's. We did ok, though. We had to help the little chika down some of the chutes, but my older one climbed them like a true Bighorn sheep.

Desert trumpet (Eriogonum inflatum)

Being the place where the precious rain water collects, the canyon bed can support more plants than the surrounding area. Quite a few of them were, in fact, blooming at the time.

Pigmy-cedar (Peucephyllum schottii)

Desert lavender

I didn't recognize this one

Inside the canyon we also saw interesting rocks. This boulder fell sometime ago from the canyon wall and split along the layers. It reminded me a bit of a smashed piece of layer cake.

This one looks like someone's hand print. It is called desert varnish and is similar to the red coloring of the observation hill above the calcite mines.

Desert varnish on a rock

Eventually the canyon grew wider. We could even see tire tracks on its gravel bed, indicative of vehicular use. Then we saw the trail that goes uphill to the west and ascended it. Sure enough - we were right back on the Calcite Mines trail, a short distance from the trailhead. We have successfully competed the loop.

The view into the canyon from the top of the exit trail.

I took one last farewell photo of the Palm Wash canyon, going on towards the Salton Sea. I really love the colors of the desert rocks there.
All and all, the entire hike took us about 3.5 hours. We saw interesting geology, wonderful views and many plants.The only wild animals we encountered were ants. No Bighorn sheep there.

Palm Wash

That night we camped in the park next to our new friends that we made at the Borrego Palm Canyon. The sunset was very pretty indeed:

Sunset in Anza Borrego

And the full moon that followed was no less enchanting. I really do love the desert.

A most elegant rock garden - the Cactus Loop Trail

Date: December 25, 2012
Place: Anza Borrego State Park, Borrego Springs, California
Coordinates: 33.13867, -116.37523
Length: about 1 mile
Difficulty: moderate

On Christmas morning we made and early start in the direction of Borrego Springs, coming from the Julian. Just past the left turn onto Yaqui Pass road, across from the Tamarisk campground, we made a stop. On the map we got a day before at the visitor center there was a little loop trail there, marked: Cactus Loop Trail. We thought it would be a good hike to begin the day with.

A field of cacti

And it was. The Cactus Loop Trail is an interpretive trail, with labeled stops along the way. I picked up a pamphlet at the trailhead and stopped to read the description at every number post.
The pamphlet had names and some information about the plants there. Mostly cacti, but not just.

The pale brittlebush provides the perfect background for the red Barrel Cactus. The grey color of the leaves come from their thick 'fur' coating of fine trichome hairs. These protect the plant from excess radiation and from water loss.

Barrel cactus

When people think 'cactus' they often imagine something that looks either like the giant saguaro (non of them there) or like the Beavertail Cactus - with the flat pads extending from one-another. These pads are stems, not leaves. The leaves of this and other cacti have evolved to be the thorns - the cactus protection against herbivores.  

Beavertail cactus

When it comes to thorns, the title goes to the Cholla cactus, which is very common in Anza Borrego. Its thorn cover is so thick one can barely see the stem underneath. It also tends to break upon contact, thus leaving its nasty thorns inside the flesh. A tackle with one of these isn't a nice experience, to say the least.

Golden Cholla

Nasty thorns alright, but when it comes to blossom, cacti flowers are amongst the most delicate and colorful in the plant kingdom. We were there in December so we didn't get to see any cacti in bloom. These yellow buttresses are the leftover pedicels of the Cholla blossom.

Another iconic plant of the southwestern deserts is the Agave. The green, succulent rosettes were all over the hillside.

Agave

Agave inflorescence

The Agave can grow for decades long, sprouting new plants from its root crowns. When reaching a certain age and size it blooms. Once. Then dies.












Another non-cactus typical to that region is the Ocotillo bush. Its bare branches extend upward, giving the entire plant the appearance of 'The burning bush'. At spring time, these Ocotillo will bear flame-red flowers at the tips of their branches.
No December flowers for us, though.

Ocotillo

The trail goes up quite a bit - on the side of a little desert wash. Being the part where most of the rare rain water collects, the wash bed is also the area most dense with vegetation.

Without their blossoms, desert plants blend in with their rocky environment. From far, many of them appear to be rocks to the scanning eye. It takes a close look to see the richness of plant life in the area that seemed to be barren at first glance.

In spring time, following a good wet winter, these brown hills would be aflame with bloom.

Buckhorn Cholla

Many people turn their yards into rock gardens for the sheer beauty of this landscape. Hiking the hills in Anza Borrego is taking a tour in Nature's great yard's rock garden. I was duly impressed.

We completed the loop and right next to our car a bird was standing on top of a bush. We all got excited - it was our first good sighting of this bird - a male Phainopepla. It sat there patiently, allowing Papa Quail to photograph him from every possible direction.
It is, in fact, a very common bird in those parts, but that was our first meeting with it.

Phainopepla, male

On post # 6 of the interpretive trail, there is a blurb about Bighorn sheep and their adaptation to the desert environment. The pamphlet suggested to look around for possible sightings. After missing them the day before, you can bet I did look for them all along the trail. The sheep, however, didn't show up. 

The phantom sheep of Borrego Palm Canyon

Dates: December 24 and 26, 2012
Place: Borrego Palm Canyon, Anza Borrego State Park, Borrego Springs, California
Coordinates: 33.26905, -116.41842
Length - about 2.5 miles round trip.
Difficulty: main trail - easy. Alternative trail - moderate.

A two-weeks long winter break from school gave us a great opportunity to travel to an area of California we've never been to before - the deserts of southern California. For 10 intensive days we hiked trails in Anza Borrego State Park, Salton Sea, San Jacinto and Santa Rosa National Monument and other preserves in that region. We saw great views, met interesting wild animals and plants, many of which where new to us, and took many photographs. We even made new friends in the most unexpected of places!
We returned home exhausted, but resolved to go back and explore more of California's wonderful deserts.

A double rainbow on the road from Julian to Anza Borrego

Our first destination was Anza Borrego State Park. We arrived there on the morning of December 24, and chanced to enter the park's visitor center just as they were about to show a 20 minute documentary about the park. I was eager to start hiking but the chikas along with Papa Quail were inside the auditorium before I could say 'Jack rabbit', so I went inside and sat to watch too.
It was there that we learned that Anza Borrego is the home of 2/3 of the population of bighorn sheep in California, and that it was on the Borrego Palm Canyon trail - just outside the visitor center - where most sightings occur. Naturally, this trail was to be our first hike. The trailhead is actually in the nearby campground. We parked in the day-use lot and headed into the canyon. 

 The mouth of Borrego Palm Canyon

It was almost immediately that we spotted the most exciting bird of the Southwest - the much celebrated roadrunner.

Roadrunner on a rock

It didn't run, just walked here and there, not bothered by anything or anyone, looking for food.
Anza Borrego is famous for its spectacle of spring flowers. At the time we were there, we didn't expect to see anything flowering. So I was much surprised to see some flowers here and there.

A bee visiting a desert lavender. 

Well, something's got to keep all the bees and hummingbirds alive until spring, right?

Most plants were not in bloom, of course. 

Brittle bush

The most common tree there is the cat-claw Acacia, named so after its hook-shaped thorns.

It is a small tree with thin leaves and scant shade. Enough shade though, for a tired chika to rest in.

Many of the Acacia trees we saw were infested with mistletoe - a parasite plant that lives off the sap of its host. 

After about a mile of walking on the dry sand of the wash bed and some minor rock-scrambling we saw our destination - an oasis - in the form of a tight group of fan palms nestled in the narrow, upper part of the wash. Fan (Washingtonia) palms require plenty of fresh water to survive. Their presence, therefore, indicates the presence of water, either openly or not too deep underground.

Borrego Palm Canyon oasis

Below the palms we met open, running water. The chikas enjoyed playing in the water, pulling long strands of algae and skipping on rocks.

Meanwhile I spent time observing the nearby vegetation, which included some unexpected species such as this cattail:

Cattail in the desert

We encountered many people on their way back, and all talked excitedly about seeing a ram above the oasis. We hurried along but were too late. No ram for us. But we did meet another family from the bay area and the chikas immediately connected with their children and before long all five of them were playing hide and seek among the palms and the boulders.

A perfect set for a game of hide-n-seek.

The other family were camping in the campground where we started and tried talking us into joining them, but we had already hotel reservation for that night. After some difficulty in breaking the children's game we left the oasis and headed back to the parking lot. We didn't see the ram, nor any other sheep all the way back.
We had an afternoon picnic by the trailhead, and as we were wrapping up, our new friends made their way back from the oasis. They had taken the alternative trail and yes, they did see the ram ...

Costa's hummingbird, female

Costa's hummingbird, male

December 26
We had our camping gear with us just in case. So after spending the night of December 24 at the hotel in Julian we decided to join our new friends for one night of camping for the next night. The human connection was the major determinant of course, but there was also the hope that if we could make it on the trail at first light we might be able to see some bighorn sheep. So at the crack of dawn we hurried the grumbling chikas out of their sleeping bags and headed into Borrego Palm Canyon once more - this time taking the alternative trail.

Sunrise at Borrego Palm Canyon

We got a bit confused at the beginning of the trail because it leads into an amphitheater and then disappears. We scrambled a bit between the rocks and Cholla cacti until we picked up the trail once more. The still dark canyon provided us with yet another pretty rainbow.

The alternative trail climbs on the canyon side and the chikas, who expected an easy walk 'to the bridge over the water' were grumpy and whined constantly.

We didn't see any sheep. Just awesome desert landscape. The early morning light really brings out the beautiful reddish hue of the rocks.

Not being covered with vegetation, the intricate and magnificent rock formations are laid naked to the eye (and the camera).

We arrived at the bridge without seeing any sheep. So we sat down and waited for them. The chikas, in compensation for the early rise, were treated to what is usually a big no-no in our home - a cookies breakfast.
We waited for a while. Then
gave up waiting and headed back on the main trail. Near the parking lot we met another hiker who informed us that he spotted a ram earlier that morning on the eastern slopes.
"They usually hang out by the golf course," he added. "Why don't you look for them there?"
Well, I didn't come all the way to the wilderness to see sheep grazing on a man-made lawn. That I can see in the bay area pastures.

We did not see any sheep that day. But we did see this little feller:

Black-breasted sparrow.

Far and Wide: The rolling hills of Briones Regional Park

Date: November 13, 2012
Place: Briones Regional Park, Martinez, California
Coordinates: 37.92741, -122.15872
Difficulty: moderate. 


A beautiful, warm day of fall and I am checking out a potential trail for group hiking. I have never been to Briones Regional Park before, and I was excited to discover an area that's new ground for me.
It took me a while to find the right staging area. After parking by Oak Grove picnic area I took my camera and headed north on Abrigo Valley trail. 

A portion of Briones Regional Park map, containing the trail I hiked (labeled yellow).

Abrigo Valley trail is a wide, packed-gravel road that leads to two of Briones Park group campgrounds, and is very convenient to walk. It begins in the shadow of large oak trees but soon enough the view opens to reveal the smooth hillsides, left and right.

And the wide, blue sky. There were many vultures about. This one, in the picture below, swooped gracefully by me. I assured it I was not dead yet, and it flew away.

Turkey Vulture

After inspecting the Wee Ta Chi campground, where I spotted a late flowering California Poppy, I turned west unto the Santos trail, connecting to the Briones Crest Trail. Unlike Abrigo Valley trail, Santos trail is a narrow path nestled in a hidden valley and trodden mostly by bovines. At times it was hard for me to make out the hiking trail from the numerous cow trails, or to see it at all under the fresh growth.

California Poppy

I trusted my instincts and climbed the creek westward where it seemed the trail was going. On the eastern side of the valley I saw an opposing creek, nourishing a number of trees. In the more arid, eastern side of the East Bay hills, creeks such as this are the main supporters of tree life and all animals that depend on them.

Here's the view of the valley from the hilltop where I connected to the Briones Crest Trail.  The trees peeking from the creek folds of the hills. 

Briones Crest Trail is well marked and easy to walk. The view from there - all around -is wonderful. To the east - Mt. Diablo.

And to the south-east, a peak I did not identify. Isn't it a great reason to go back with a wider map and a compass?

I left Briones Crest Trail to hike the Deer Creek loop trail - the trail I actually intended to test for the group hike. The loop is fairly short but involves a 600 ft elevation change. It encircles the creek near its bank and along the crest of the hill to its west. The creek itself was flowing nicely, but the cattle pond on one of its little tributaries was empty and overgrown with vegetation.

A mile-long trail connects the Deer Creek Trail with the parking lot. It runs between the sloping hills and the Bear Valley Road that borders Briones on the west. A little pond surrounded by a ring of tule grass was alive with sparrows. One of them stood long enough to be photographed:

The entire hike was a little over 5 miles long and took me, leisurely, about 3 hours and was very enjoyable. I am looking forward to my next visit of Briones.