A Quick Trip To Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (1 Viewer)

[pappy]

Work sent me to San Diego for a few days, so I took an extra day off and went camping in Anza-Borrego. It rained on me Monday, but not enough to ruin the trip. Just enough to make it muddy. Here are a few pics.

Una Palma Oasis in the Borrego Badlands

17 Palms Oasis in the Borrego Badlands

Borrego Badlands

Fish Creek

Split Rock Camp

Approaching Split Mountain

Nissan Carnage in Coyote Canyon
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[pappy]

I do have two stories to go with these. Obviously the carnage. The second is how I ended up at Split Rock. Tomorrow when I'm rested.

 

[evanz80]

I'm interested to hear the carnage story. That's not going to be an easy fix.

As always, loved your pics, however, I think the naming of Fish Creek is a little optimistic. Don't you need at least a little water to have fish?!?

 

[pappy]

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.

 

[SteveLCetc]

Coyote Canyon is a cool trip. I took it right at 20 years ago with the Hemet Jeep Club. We left from Hemet, went down the canyon and camped for a couple of nights on the desert floor. We spent the next day and a half on runs around the area. Can you even get all the way through anymore?

 

[pappy]

No, they closed the canyon when they installed the bypass. Ya, great trip in the day.

 

[SteveLCetc]

Not surprising. Out there is where the vast majority of the trail abuse happens. Then, some bureaucrat in DC decides that since they have to close down those trails they need to close down a bunch here too - trails here that get less traffic in a year than those out there get on some *days*.

 

[pappy]

Correct. Part of the problem is the Ocotillo open off-road area is next to ABDSP and it does spill over. I saw plenty of it in the badlands.

 

[marcfj60]

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.

That's pushing their luck. I'm guessing they're in BIG trouble if they miss it and having a busted truck up in the hills isn't a good excuse.

As an interesting coincidence, I was one of the thousands of people that helped build the Ronald Reagan. I even got the pleasure of attending the christening (along with G.W., Rumsfeld, Nancy Reagan and other VIPs). My only regret is that I quit that job and moved away from Virginia before sea trials and final delivery. They allow some employees to go out on the sea trials while they 'ring' it out.

 

[DanS HJ-45]

I believe I am now required to take a trip out there. It's probably a law or something. Nice pictures as usual sir!

Dan

 

[pappy]

I believe I am now required to take a trip out there. It's probably a law or something. Nice pictures as usual sire!

Dan

Fixed. And thanks.

 

[alia176]

Nice pics Pappy. I lived in El Centro (worked in Plaster City) for five months and it was during smack dab in the middle of summer. So, venturing out into Anza wasn't something I did and I regret that now. I should've sucked it up and checked out that beautiful area. Looks like a club trip to Anza is in order.

 

[pappy]

Let's go. I have a trail that I half chickened out on because I was running bald 32" AT tires, and was solo.

 

[alia176]

A combo trip of Mohave desert park plus Anza Borrego would make a very nice potential club trip.