Wildflowers - Joshua Tree

Joshua tree looks like something from Dr Seuss

Climbers on top near Jumbo Rock Campground

Hidden Oasis - Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree - Mastadon Peak

Hiking above abandoned mine

After a re-supply in Indio we moved on to Joshua Tree National Park and their Cottonwood campground on the south side of the park. Another beautiful spot. We joined up again with Doug and Frankie and spent nearly a week hiking the trails and enjoying days in the 80's again. The wildflower season in the deserts is a bit muted this year as the needed rainfall in December and January was pretty sparse. But we seemed to hit the right spot at the right time for these canyons and trails. Spectacular rock formations and hidden draws with palm oasis clusters made for some great days on the trail. The prediction of wind and snow again sent us out and farther east where we missed the bad weather as we wait out our chance to get into Death Valley on Tuesday. We are watching the weather at home and just cannot bring ourselves to voluntarily re-enter winter weather.

Steve's view from Mastadon Peak of Sue below by trees

 

Sue waits below Mastadon Peak

Rock steps coming down from Mastadon Peak

Huge split rock

Winter Storm

Predictions are for the strongest storm of the winter to be hitting on Sat and lasting until Monday. Winds are estimated at 45mph sustained with gusts to 70mph. Snow levels will drop to 2500 ft or lower and thunderstorms are predicted along with blowing dust/sand on the highways. Hard to believe that this summer like weather can turn so quickly. We have moved down to Borrego Springs (about 50 miles) where the State Park campground is and cell service, groceries, laundry, and showers. We are ready for the showers after over a week on the trails. Friday night was uneventful, hard to believe that the weather was going to turn. Highs in the 80's still and slept with all windows open. Saturday afternoon things turned blustery and we moved into the section of campground with electric hookups to ride this out. Doug and Frankie took their A-frame pop up and went about 100 miles north, out of the park, and into the suburbs of Palm Springs to a sheltered campground. Their pop up can only handle winds to about 45mph before it can be damaged. By 8:00 at night the winds were rocking our little boat ... actually it felt more like turbulence in an airplane ... or maybe a Mexican bus ride. It was still pretty warm and we were in shorts and t shirts and trying to keep a few windows slightly cracked for ventilation. Gusts were really strong but our little van was faced into the wind and we remained cozy. Winds slowed sometime after midnight and then the rains started. Rained most of the night and when we woke up the snow was on the mountains just above us and it was much cooler. Maybe into the low 50's. Today is still rocky with on and off winds and blustery conditions, a little hail, no thunderstorms yet, cool and we have holed up, done our shopping and laundry and catching up with everyone. Tomorrow should be moderating and most of this storm will have blown on through Arizona and into the midwest where it will probably cause some havoc. We think this is the same storm from he Pacific NW that dumped all the snow on the Oregon Coast and gave Larry & Gina a real ride outside of Florence. So we hope to have a few more days here in Anza and then move on to Joshua Tree if the weather improves. I am sure they got a lot of snow with this system as they are a lot higher in elevation. We will continue to work our way home, but are not quite ready to end this adventure.

Blair Valley-Anza Borrego

 We moved about 40 miles from Mountain Palm to Blair Valley, still all in Anza Borrego Park. We are at a higher elevation here (close to 3000 ft) and it is a little cooler, low 80's instead of the high 80's. This large valley is also primitive camping and the site of a native village long ago. Primitive camping means there are no facilities, no fees, and you can camp anywhere off a main road where you are not damaging the terrain. We spent a few days here in the wide open sky, but heard from other campers that there was a storm coming and snow levels would be dropping to where we are, so we need to move on. Lots of flowers in bloom here, and we hope to come back after this storm.

Anza Borrego Again

Southwest Palm Oasis

looking down to our camp from the ridge

We moved back to California and the Anza Borrego State Park. With over 650,000 acres, 500 miles of roads, and several mountain ranges this place is fascinating. We bumped into Doug and Frankie again at a small primitive camp at Mountain Palms in the SE part of the park where we stayed for several days and hiked the canyons into several different hidden palm oasis. The weather is back in the mid 80's with nights in the 50's and we are happily back into shorts and t shirts from dawn to dark. The dark night sky is alive with the stars and moon and the other campers in this area are friendly and social and we have had group campfires with live music. The trails are rocky with some scrambling around and over big boulders, and in some places non-existent or poorly marked, but with maps and open ground we were able to find some beautiful spots. While the desert looks pretty boring from a distance, when you get close there are lots of plants, cactus, and small flowers in bloom. Many of the rocks and boulders are granite and there are mica flecks everywhere that shine in the sun as you walk through the sand. We hiked several miles every day and we can feel that the sun has gotten a lot hotter than a few weeks ago .... it feels like a northwest summer day.

Rocky Trails

Heading up to Surprise Canyon

Hidden bowl of Palms when you walk up the wash

Doug and Frankie on the ridge

Lunch with Carol & Roger

 We continue to try to dodge winds storms and after a few days in the Quartzsite area we headed north to above Phoenix on Lake Pleasant for a few nights and then on to meet Carol & Roger at the Biltmore in Scottsdale for a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed compound and a wonderful lunch. It was great to see them basking in the sun and warmth and the Biltmore is beautiful with lush gardens and fragrant citrus trees in bloom.