I have no idea how that wash was given the name Fish Creek. It might have something to do with fossil fish since this area does have bones in them.
Carnage story.
I was camped up in a place called Coyote Canyon. Many moons ago you drove up the canyon, literally. This involved driving up the stream, this one with lots of water, as the willows canopy over your vehicle. It was a cool experience that I did several times, and at least once in my Subaru. This spot was called Lower Willows. You then went up a bit further and did the same thing through Middle Willows. Upper Willows you went around, IIRC, and you proceeded up Turkey Track to Anza.
About 20 years or so ago, the State Park decided that driving up the stream was not a good idea and graded in a bypass around Lower Willows that ended at Middle Willows. They closed the section between Middle Willows and Upper Willows. You can still come down Turkey Track to Upper Willows. The bypass trail around Lower Willows is a 3+ on the old Moab scale. It sends most people with SUVs into reverse when they see it.
This was on Monday morning. These guys had camped in the canyon Sunday night and were on the way down the bypass when their wheel came off. The rocky pieces of the trail were in sections and they had one more section down to go. At the bottom of the section I saw what looked like somebody doing a burn-out, but a few feet later the Pathfinder came into view. I looked at it and told the guy he was screwed.
He jumped into my truck, leaving his buddy behind with the Pathfinder. We went to the visitor center where the folks there were very helpful. He called a fella with an off-road tow truck who quoted him $250 if he has to extract him. I told Brent he was getting off cheap. We then went into town for burritos to wait for the tow truck driver who was going to access the damage first with his FJC before coming out with the tow truck.
From there my story ends. I went across the street to the Natural History Association gift shop to sign books and when I came out they were gone.
Here is the kicker. This guy and his buddy are in the Navy stationed on the Ronald Regan. They were shipping out the next morning and he had to be in San Diego that night. As you can see from the pics the two bolts holding on the upper a-arm came out. This took out one shock and the lower ball joint. Fixable in the field? I don't know. It looked like the two holes in the frame might have been stripped and I couldn't feel any space behind them for nuts. Keep in mind that Borrego-Springs is a small community. I don't think they have a parts store, let alone a boneyard with Nissan parts.
And thanks.
