2012 - Ladders and Painted Canyon - New Views



Our hike this week has always been a favorite with all that have hiked it.  They may end up tired after hiking 5 miles and climbing 700 feet up but the views and experience leave you in awe.

 

For those like myself who have hiked here often over the years there is always something new.  This time it was interrupting a Kit Fox as it was scavenging the canyon floor.  Beautiful creature...

 

We started off our hike following a family from Seattle area who decided to go for a hike.  We had a great chuckle about the grocery bag the guy was using to pack the snacks and water.  He was a good sport and modeled it for us.  Who knows it might be a fashion statement that catches on.

 



 

Bright yellow bag good for signalling in time of distress.

Picking our way through a boulder field and into the first narrow canyon.

Yeti encounter as soon as we entered the canyon.

OK lets have a pose before you turn the next corner...

Lots of scenery once you get free of the narrow canyon walls.

Kit Fox checking us out.

The fox took very little effort to climb up the canyon walls and one hiker was heard to say I wish I could scamper around like that.

One reason this part of the hike is called Painted Canyon

More ladders... oh what fun especially when they are about 4 - 5 feet too short.

Another way to navigate the on short ladders.

A final shot of the colour contrasts

2012 - Pushawalla Palms Loop

This hike was 4.5 miles long and an elevation change of 325 feet.  Earlier that week a 61 year old male died on this same hike.  There were lots of people hiking in this area but not many seemed very prepared.  Quite a few people were asking if this was the way to Pushawalla...

 

Wait for the rest of us before we descend into the oasis.

 

Lots of lose rock that required some care to navigate.

Pushawalla Palms Oasis

View of the Palms against the canyon wall.

The trail disappears behind the palms behind us.

 

Butterfly having a salt lick.

 

Screw bean Mesquite

 

 

Narrow trail on top of a ridge on the return to the vehicles. A long way down if you stumble...

View of the San Andreas Fault from the ridge.

 



2012 - Palm Canyon - East Fork Trail

This was the first time hiking up at the top end of the Indian Canyons and this hike was as enjoyable as the Murray and Andreas Canyons to the north.  This area is part of the Aqua Caliente Cahuilla Indian Reservation and there is an admission fee to enter the area.

 

We left the Trading Post and headed south and then south east up the Palm Canyon.  The hike was 10.2 km (6.4 miles) and the elevation gain was about 900 feet.  Some of this trail was marked moderate as there was a bit of rock scrambling up the east fork wash.

View of the canyon from the Trading Post.

Below the Trading Post is a picnic area and a cultural display of how the Cahuilla (pronounced Kaw-we-ah) people lived.  I tried to convince Don to crawl into the hut for a photo but he reminded me that that is why he had grandchildren.

Palm Canyon Creek was only a trickle as it hasn't rained here for a while.

The fan palms provide a nice shade against the heat of the sun.

The trail has been carved out by water that has left rock formations to scramble over.  This was the easiest one.

There were many corners to go around on this trail and with each one a new view of mountains, hills and palms.

View of the San Jacinto Mountains in the background.

A butterfly feeding on a Lavender bush.  I don't know my butterflies but think this might be a Monarch.

More rocks to negotiate through...



This Brittle Bush must have received some moisture to have these flowers.

Another view looking north.

If it wasn't for the presence of vegetation you would think this area was moonscape.

We always use a GPS and topo maps but it is always reassuring when you arrive at the right trail marker.

This photo interested me because of the contrast of vegetation, sand, rock and trees up at the top of the mountain.

This is a patch of wild squash.  First time I have ever seen one.  There was one on the ground that had come off the vine so we tried to open it up.  The outer shell is like a thick egg shell and it is full of seeds.

Close enough to civilization to see buildings.

It was nice to see the palm trees after walking out in the open in the sun.  There was a light wind that kept the temperature down to the high 20's C.

 

The trail comes back to the canyon floor and we follow the Palm Canyon Creek out to the Trading Post.

 

2012 - Whitewater to Mecca Hills

I took a short break from writing the blog as I didn't feel motivated after losing our wee dog Chip.  He was pound for pound the best hiker I ever met...  We didn't stop hiking though, so here are a few areas that we visited.



Horse Thief Creek

The cottonwood trees always make this hike worthwhile at this time of year.

The dolomite mine looked better on the way back to the car, still a blight on the land but this is part of  history.

Whitewater Canyon looking down river toward Palm Springs

We are standing on the bridge/culvert.  When the rains are heavy the water runs right over this bridge.

As we gain elevation the view opens up down the canyon.

View of the Ranger station

Great views at the top of the ridge...

Whitewater river has many paths to follow through the canyon.



Desert variety of broom

A Preying Mantis that we saved from a Roadrunner's attention

Snakes now Mountain Lions... are they like Cougars...

Fish are still here from the days when this was a fish hatchery

Beautiful contrast, ponds to dry canyon walls

Butterflies are all over the valley this year. We discovered this one on our way to Willis Palms.

Found this lizard on the way, looks like he is moulting.

One of the views on the hill above Willis Palms.

View of palms from above.  The trunks and all the palm fronds were burnt a few years ago but the trees themselves survived the intense heat and flames.

The Ladders hike in the Mecca Hills is always a wonder.

Short-cut around a ladder

Canyon walls haven't open up much since last year.

This ant got my attention... he is packing a small twig.  I would be about the same as one of us packing a 8 foot 2x4 in our teeth.

We took a new route up the last part of the ladders.  It is the way you are directed in the hiking guide but I'm a guy and I never read guides...

butterflies here too

Painted Canyon always seems to give you a fresh palette every hike.

Ladders are all in place...