Friday, December 18, 2015

Cove to Lake and McCallum Pond and Whitewater

La Quinta Cove to Lake Cahuilla/
Whitewater Canyon Ridge

The hike to Lake Cahuilla always seems like a good idea at the time but when the sun climbs directly above us and we start to hike back uphill we realize that we didn't want to do this trail again the last time...  It is like walking along a soft beach each step taking more effort, there is little shade and today there was no wind just the sun directly overhead. I guess it builds character...

View looking south from the top of the cove.  The lake is just around the corner to the left, at the end of the valley.

The Quarry golf course has this wild stallion gracing the golfer's view from below.  


Another view south, on the right is a private golf course and community.

The golf course also tries to show some of the old equipment used for gold mining.

Trail heading back to the Cove.

Here is a very rare sight out on the trails. The sheep have been on the watch list for a long time but there is so many people hiking these days that they usually stay higher up.  They blend in very well with their surroundings.

Coachella Valley Preserve/McCallum Pond


The centre of preserve is on the San Andreas Fault. Water comes up to the surface and allows the plants to flourish in a very dry area.

McCallum pond is a great pond for taking shots of reflections...

This is how the palms look in the wild, quite often the branches will be cleared off the trunk due to fire and high winds.

Bees are drawn to the pond for their water.  The pond is alive with the sound of their buzzing as well as many birds that make this place home.

The base of the palms offer great hiding places as well a place of shelter.

Reflections


We had a few days of high winds that stir up the sand.  The hills in the background are getting the sun's rays and the hills below are dark because of a cloud of sand.

Whitewater Canyon - Ridge Loop

View of the lower canyon and the field of wind turbines. 

Morning sun providing a mosaic of shadows on the surrounding hills.

Our hikers following the ridge trail, we hope to come back in February to see a sea of yellow flowers on the tops of all these shrubs.

Red-tail Hawk was gliding overhead hoping we might scare up something for him to eat.

Looking down on the Whitewater River which isn't too full of water right now.  This part of our trail is also part of the Pacific Crest Trail.  If you take a wrong turn you could find yourself in Canada or Mexico!


Must be a water source in those hills. Interesting to see a splash of colour in only that one spot.

The start and finish point of our hike is an old fish hatchery. It is a great place for watching the fish, birds and people.  Thanks for the pics...Terry.



The coot wasn't too sure of that rainbow trout swimming underneath him.


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

November Hikes

November hikes were great as our group were able to do most of the trails as exercise so there aren't too many photos.  The first photos are things happening around the RV Park.

Morning balloon flight over the park

Resident ducks on the move, they usually follow the person that fed them last.

Had to take this photo fast and leave so they didn't start to follow me.

Bump and Grind 

You have to make sure you keep hydrated when walking in the desert.

Got a ways to go...

Start of the hike to the cross on the Homestead Trail. Hope those aren't rain clouds!




Here is the view from the cross.

We took a longer route that was part of the Hopalong Cassidy and Gabby Hayes Trails


When it rains around here you get immediate run-off and this is how they channel it away... Like a two lane highway.

Start of the hikes around the Big Morongo Preserve.

Parts of the Preserve get water and other parts are extremely dry.

Some Scrub Jays were following us around hoping for some treats.

Linda and I posing in front of some cottonwoods.

There are marsh areas here with cattails 

The Preserve is a great habitat for birds.  I this area we spotted a small woodpecker

This large wash is one of the ways to reach the Pushawalla Palms. Have to watch your ankles on the loose rock.  Not much vehicle traffic theses days though.

Pushawalla Palms


View of the Horse Shoe Palms on the way back to the parking lot.

One of the many side trails in the Big Split Rock Walk-about

A rock slide since last year blocks one of the trails

Portrait among the rock formations



Split rock area gets a bit tight

And tighter and on an angle... 

Trail to Horse Thief Creek



Canyon with creek and cottonwoods


Afternoon sun shining on the cactus