2013 Andreas and Palm Canyons

These hikes are part of the Indian Canyons which is on the Aqua Caliente Indian Reservation.  The Andreas Canyon is quite a bit drier this year and the cottonwood trees and other plants were under increased stress.  

Andreas Creek was still flowing with cold, clear water that provided a great contrast to the canyon walls and California Fan Palms.  We only saw one predator out hunting today and that was a red tailed hawk.  We first saw it sitting on the cliff top and later soaring over the canyon looking for food.  The wings and tail changing colour as maneuvered under the sun's rays. 

Water flowing clear and cold.

These cabins above the trail are part of the Andreas Canyon Club that formed in 1923 on land bought from the Southern Pacific Railroad.  The club is conservation and preservation oriented.  No shooting, hunting or trapping is allowed.  Native plants and animals are protected.  The members first camped in the stream bed using caches made of rocks. The clubhouse was built in 1925.

Our hikers among the dried up cottonwood.

Trading stories as they wait for the other hikers to catch up. The return to the cars takes the hikers just above the canyon floor.

View looking back up the canyon.

The second part of the day's hiking was from the Trading Post and heading south east further up the Palm Canyon.  It is about 15 miles long but we only hiked back about a mile.  We walked along Palm Canyon Creek through the palm trees to a very short slot canyon.  

One of our hikers checking out the native dwellings.

Fording the creek was the peak of treacherousness for this hike. 

The end ... a few of us climbed about the rocks but not really a good spot for a hike.

2013 - Never Ending Canyon Loop

The blog is a great way to apologize to all the hikers for my efforts at leading a group.  Instead of saying we are going on a hike I should just say we are going on an adventure.  

I started off having difficulty identifying the trail head from the road.  The funny part was this guy pulls alongside in his vehicle and asked me where we were going and then told me he wrote the book about hikes.    So Philip Ferranti told us it was just up a short distance on the left.

This is the start of the hike and we quickly headed in the wrong direction and we also lost two people at the back when we went up the wrong canyon.  Two of us went back for them and then the remainder hiked ahead into a blind canyon...  

I found the tracks of the two hikers and as I followed them I realized we were on the right trail.  It just so happened that Phillip Ferranti showed up at that time.  He said he was checking out how the trail had eroded over the last two years.  I suspect he was curious as to how messed up this group could get.  He wasn't disappointed on either reason.  

Phillip went on ahead for us and we headed back to get the rest of the group and just as I had figured they were on the way up toward us. (About 6 years ago a hike leader had taken us up the same blind canyon)

As we started following behind the two hikers we had an opportunity to take pictures of this Mecca Aster.

This picture was taken near the top of the ridge if you look down about two or three ridges you will see the area where we were supposed to go to the right.  We had met up with our two wayward hikers below this point and they said they were headed back to the car.  You can see the Salton Sea in the background.  

At least these two hikers were happy to be out on an adventure. (Not the same ones that got separated from the group)

The group happy to be heading back to the cars.  I spent my time on the way back identifying way-points  to avoid a repeat of today's hike.

First time I ever saw a mushroom in the desert.  It appears it was growing under a bush that is now dead.  The mushroom was in a very petrified state.

You can just hear what the dog is saying "hurry up there's more water in the car!"

I climbed a short ridge to take this picture down on the hikers.  End of the adventure.  I wonder if many will sign up for the next hike/adventure.

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.