tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72241649756377252102024-03-13T03:49:09.883-07:00Daren SefcikModeration is for the fence-sitters out thereDaren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-30421921583867686242019-11-29T09:55:00.000-08:002019-11-29T09:55:31.491-08:00Death Valley Trip Report November 2019Gary and I spent about 9 days roaming around Death Valley the week before Thanksgiving, no real plan other than hike around in the desert a bit. Drove out via Trona and hit up Telescope Peak the first day. After that we just kinda picked some locations each night looking at the map. Rogers Peak radio towers, Charcoal Kilns, Jayhawker Cyn, Greene-Denner-Drake Mill Site, Greenwater, Saratoga Springs, Crystal Camp, Skidoo Mill Site, Owlhead Mtns and a few more along the way. I really like the whole Greenwater Valley area and the Saratoga Springs / Crystal Camp area has amazing colors, I totally recommend the Owlhead Mtns area. The Skidoo Mill Site was very cool also but you need to spend some time hiking around to find everything. We got perfect weather and went home just before the big storm rolled in.<br />
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I am losing energy these days to write up long trip reports so am just gonna post up a few pics here and you can <a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/">see more of the trip photos here</a>.<br />
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These are all B/W film using a very contrasty Rollie Retro 80s film, I kinda like it personally. Developed with Rodinal. Shot with an Olympus OM-4 and a 30-105mm Zuiko lens.<br />
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My last Trip Report for Death Valley was back in 2010, you can read that long trip report <a href="http://www.sefcik.com/2010/09/death-valley-trip-august-2010.html">here</a>.<br />
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Funeral Peak early morning<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-Vbrwrxc/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-Vbrwrxc/0/3fbdd795/L/Death_Valley_11272019_160-L.jpg" alt="Funeral Peak"></a><br />
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Saratoga Springs Mill Site, this was a great place to hike around for half a day<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-xw3SspS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-xw3SspS/0/16ba3275/L/Death_Valley_11272019_176-L.jpg" alt="Saratoga Springs Mill Site"></a><br />
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Owl Dry Lake, we found several 50 caliber and 20mm casings and the machine gun "belt" clips out on the dry lake.<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-vQmpCfc/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-vQmpCfc/0/f6bfaf68/L/Death_Valley_11272019_194-L.jpg" alt="Owl Dry Lake"></a><br />
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Black Magic Mine is another great place to explore, here is Gary looking out towards Owl Dry Lake from one of the viewpoints<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-q4Wcqtx/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-q4Wcqtx/0/b4f80a72/L/Death_Valley_11272019_202-L.jpg" alt="Black Magic Mine Viewpoint"></a><br />
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Greenwater Valley early morning<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-PShqmPb/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-PShqmPb/0/d5051860/L/Death_Valley_11272019_233-L.jpg" alt="Greenwater Valley"></a><br />
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The feral burros have really taken over many areas of the park and surrounding BLM lands. They have a whole network of deep rutted paths all over out there.<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-Ngf8zXC/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/i-Ngf8zXC/0/23df2e64/L/Death_Valley_11272019_209-L.jpg" alt="Burros"></a><br />
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If you like these photos, you can see the rest of them from our trip here <a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/">https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Death-Valley/Death-Valley-11-2019/</a><br />
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I may add color photos also if the mood strikes me.<br />
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Total mylar balloons this trip: 5 (color photos on my phone)<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-11530990047163089982019-10-20T18:08:00.000-07:002019-10-20T18:08:21.987-07:00Earthquake & Mason Valley DaysTook a few days off from work and did some day hiking with Gary. We hit up Pinyon Mtn and Grapevine Mtn VABM's. We also spent a day hiking around Cottonwood Canyon.<br />
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B/W photos are from an Olympus OM-4 with Rollie Retros 80s film developed in Rodinal.<br />
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View of Granite Mountain from Pinyon Mountain<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-WhP3xf9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-WhP3xf9/0/8d90e3b0/L/Earthquake_Valley_10202019_045-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Gary reading the Pinyon Mountain register<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-ktw9jdJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-ktw9jdJ/0/39c4795b/X2/Earthquake_Valley_10202019_044-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Looking towards Borrego Springs<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-P4gQ8G2/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-P4gQ8G2/0/2c1d632c/L/Earthquake_Valley_10202019_043-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Sunset at our campsite off Pinyon Mtn Road<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-F9dT7b5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-F9dT7b5/0/3ffa85bf/L/Earthquake_Valley_10202019_048-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Here is the GPS track for the hike<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-gSZfFV4/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-gSZfFV4/0/a276241f/L/pinyon_mtn_gps_track-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Grapevine Mtn VABM<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-52nWgsG/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-52nWgsG/0/2a2d3ce4/L/Earthquake_Valley_10202019_053-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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GPS track for the Grapevine hike<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-Kfh5jT3/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-Kfh5jT3/0/caa6ba1c/L/grapevine_mtn_gps_track-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Found this rattlesnake dead, only signs of trauma was a smashed head...recent. I would half speculate someone or something smashed his head and left him for dead....sad.<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-MkmVwW9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-MkmVwW9/0/19edb99b/L/img_20191018_135400_2019-10-18-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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There are several dry falls going up the drainage we took, all passible with a little effort. Here is Gary on the last one near the top<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-nxqDK5X/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-nxqDK5X/0/a128321f/X3/img_20191018_100226_2019-10-18-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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The Grapevine Mtn register is still there, over to the right of Gary in the picture under some rocks<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-WCcJ8Mn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-WCcJ8Mn/0/e6c91b43/L/img_20191018_115021_2019-10-18-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Bitter Creek Spring bathtub<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-NbDc3pm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-NbDc3pm/0/40b9a7ca/L/img_20191018_140818_2019-10-18-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Gary at the top<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-pTWtGtK/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-pTWtGtK/0/7258336d/L/Earthquake_Valley_10202019_054-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Cottonwood Canyon is an interesting place and worthy of a day of exploring. Purchase a day parking permit at the Butterfield store for $5 and you can park on their property and hike in.<br />
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Water Tanker wheel, spokes are made of wood<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-PDfjHLw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-PDfjHLw/0/347a9b68/L/img_20191017_103819_2019-10-17-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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There are many old cattle troughs out in Cottonwood Cyn<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-gRTdvT5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-gRTdvT5/0/2f431a66/L/Cottonwood_Canyon_10202019_066-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-C54sqDD/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-C54sqDD/0/a64fd26c/X3/img_20191017_115522_2019-10-17-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-njCjHTQ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-njCjHTQ/0/b2e295b3/M/img_20191017_115541_2019-10-17-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Several beautiful cottonwood tree patches are in the canyon. They are very peaceful to sit under and just listen to the wind whip thru their leaves...hard to leave those cottonwood trees.<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-w57JsxN/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-w57JsxN/0/dcb0d2da/L/img_20191017_113348_2019-10-17-L.jpg" alt="Cottonwood Trees"></a><br />
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A couple of water tankers we found<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-pz8R4tJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-pz8R4tJ/0/8ebd4e41/L/Cottonwood_Canyon_10202019_067-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-CWFS5JJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-CWFS5JJ/0/d1a69bc1/L/img_20191017_122242_2019-10-17-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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An old stone flume in one of the drainages<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-QDFRGMk/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-QDFRGMk/0/99a77d16/L/img_20191017_134731_2019-10-17-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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This guy had an upset tummy<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-nT8x6Jz/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-nT8x6Jz/0/5114c4a7/L/img_20191017_122717_2019-10-17-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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I spent an extra night out in the desert and camped out near the Shake VABM<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-XVKKm4S/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-XVKKm4S/0/d0950212/L/img_20191019_083353_2019-10-19-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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View from the Shake VABM<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-9HsD4B4/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-9HsD4B4/0/cce9a983/L/img_20191019_083406_2019-10-19-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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The Shake resgister does not see a whole lot of visitors<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-wLLHsLP/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-wLLHsLP/0/b056ed01/L/img_20191019_083514_2019-10-19-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Total Mylar Baloons this trip - 9<br />
<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-mtffp6t/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Earthquake-Valley-Mason-Valley-10-16-2019/i-mtffp6t/0/ee7ef156/L/img_20191018_162934_2019-10-18-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-22671072279105203032018-07-15T12:27:00.000-07:002018-07-15T12:27:54.578-07:00ABDSP Bighorn Sheep Count 2018I thought I would post up a few pics from the BHS count this last July 4th weekend. All in all it was a good count year, numbers of sheep are stable. I don't carry my 600mm lens anymore, instead I just prop a trail camera up near the spring when the sheep are gone and let it do all the work.<br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-VVvTpW6/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-VVvTpW6/0/de0b3249/L/IMG_0200-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-ZjMN7Ss/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-ZjMN7Ss/0/39b23801/L/IMG_0221-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-TkgnprC/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-TkgnprC/0/89f6be0b/L/IMG_0295-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-32JdJJ6/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-32JdJJ6/0/e93a389b/L/IMG_0306-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-DWfkFL6/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-DWfkFL6/0/71ae8338/L/IMG_0403-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-xLWBkMf/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-xLWBkMf/0/e94b7993/L/IMG_1514-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-bDzq5QJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-bDzq5QJ/0/2668a34a/L/IMG_1809-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-4cJmNNk/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-4cJmNNk/0/3a9fadf7/L/IMG_1911-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-jnQBQGm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-jnQBQGm/0/28285a76/L/IMG_1963-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-z6JSCJc/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-z6JSCJc/0/e2c7d0d5/L/IMG_2100-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-6Q2L88f/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-6Q2L88f/0/9d1a2ab1/L/IMG_2176-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-vXj5F3N/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-vXj5F3N/0/7de40ef6/L/IMG_2194-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-54vZPmP/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-54vZPmP/0/4a14f70e/L/IMG_2354-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-Fk9sKfJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-Fk9sKfJ/0/4dfa7545/L/IMG_2372-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-fSMVKjQ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-fSMVKjQ/0/54350a81/L/IMG_2448-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-tsDgvVb/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-tsDgvVb/0/485c4098/L/IMG_2479-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-5xzJ24f/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-5xzJ24f/0/befdd375/L/IMG_2543-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-SbZWsz5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-SbZWsz5/0/0ec19174/L/IMG_2589-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-bpDqTDZ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-bpDqTDZ/0/36e86651/L/IMG_2656-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-g7VxcL4/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-g7VxcL4/0/0020556d/L/IMG_2672-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-2qM72K3/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-2qM72K3/0/b6fb0b43/L/IMG_2739-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-HPjt47H/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-HPjt47H/0/9f767115/L/IMG_2761-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-D836HkQ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-D836HkQ/0/52fd73a7/L/IMG_2785-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-t2XjzfH/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-t2XjzfH/0/76367121/L/IMG_2805-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-hv8g3tT/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2018/i-hv8g3tT/0/821279aa/L/IMG_2985-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Total Mylar balloons this trip - 3<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-14648858236509138982018-02-18T08:56:00.000-08:002018-02-18T08:56:59.407-08:00Anza Borrego RacetrackOut near Carrizo Marsh I found the Anza Borrego Racetrack.....<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-XdmGjL7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-XdmGjL7/0/1665d63c/XL/img_20161219_132558_2016-12-19-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-f435Lxx/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-f435Lxx/0/c24e7b98/XL/img_20161219_132613_2016-12-19-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-bq7Cxnw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-bq7Cxnw/0/10277707/XL/img_20161219_132605_2016-12-19-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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---Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-80318244897855856982017-09-06T20:39:00.002-07:002017-09-18T06:13:23.173-07:00The Island - PAH BMA couple of weeks ago when the temperatures in Ocotillo were hovering around 108 degrees Tom and I set out to try and find the PAH BM which lies on one of the final bumps of the north end of <a href="http://www.sefcik.com/2017/08/the-island.html">The Island</a>....or so we thought. I was using a link from <a href="http://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=27325">Peakbagger</a> and CalTopo maps to locate the BM but they are not correct on those maps and Tom and I found out the hard and Hot way that afternoon. <br />
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We met up at Millers Garage and took the old highway until it turned into the sandy wash road which would cross under 2 bridges until the road ended at our steep rocky climb up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-VSzbjW7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-VSzbjW7/0/581f7b82/M/kimg0086_2017-08-26_v2-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-g42v6Rf/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-g42v6Rf/0/74004d32/M/kimg0087_2017-08-26_v2-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-wzJT8mB/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-wzJT8mB/0/5f10544d/XL/kimg0088_2017-08-26_v2-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-tMdGVNH/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-tMdGVNH/0/52b92406/XL/kimg0089_2017-08-26_v2-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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At a flat open sandy spot near the top Tom was looking for rock art while I was checking out the view<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-HbD2Ztd/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-HbD2Ztd/0/bd0d3e7c/L/kimg0093_2017-08-26_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-bRZ7brk/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-bRZ7brk/0/8319e9ca/L/kimg0094_2017-08-26_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-LCqNZxc/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-LCqNZxc/0/8984732c/L/kimg0095_2017-08-26_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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At the top of peak 1740 we looked around for the PAH BM for about an hour and finally conceded it wasn't there, we must be looking in the wrong place. We found some shade and rested a bit, my thermometer in the shade showed 107.6. While we were discussing where the BM could possibly be my radio caught a SURCOM dispatcher call in a downed motorcycle 5 miles east of Ocotillo Wells and then changed it to 5 miles east of the Border Patrol, Tom says "that would make it in the Salton Sea"....well the rest of the dispatch was kinda funny<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DMcQeR-tkJk" width="480"></iframe><br />
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It was hot and we called it a day and headed back home empty handed except for the one mylar balloon we found, a Mothers Day left over.<br />
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With Tom's help I found the <a href="https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ds_mark.prl?PidBox=DC1882">correct listing</a> on the USGS site for the PAH BM and this last weekend I tried again to find it, in another 107 degree day.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-G83gnFt/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-G83gnFt/0/bd9090eb/M/kimg0107_2017-09-04_v2-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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I think I finally found a BM that the Monday Manics have not visited..!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Q8tx9RF/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Q8tx9RF/0/dbd73a9b/X3/kimg0122_2017-09-04_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-shrXBHs/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-shrXBHs/0/cde6eb14/X3/kimg0118_2017-09-04_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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There are some great views of Ocotillo and the windfarm...and a Turkey Vulture flew into view and buzzed close enough I could take a photo with my phone<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-tq7npNt/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-tq7npNt/0/11d84b36/L/kimg0102_2017-09-04_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Zq6bfWs/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Zq6bfWs/0/fcb00dd1/L/kimg0104_2017-09-04_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-q2zDM94/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-q2zDM94/0/ac6dc081/L/kimg0105_2017-09-04_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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I decided to try a selfie of me blending in with the desert environment<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-3MQzf4D/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-3MQzf4D/0/0dbfc204/L/kimg0109_2017-09-04_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Driving home I noticed it looked like they finally replaced the Old Highway Cafe sign in Ocotillo<br />
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--Original sign<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-J3K2vDH/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-J3K2vDH/0/8999231a/XL/dsc05442_2012-05-04_v3-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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--New sign<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-WCh5z5V/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-WCh5z5V/0/5c1ea8ac/X2/kimg0126_2017-09-04_v2-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Total Mylar Balloons for both trips - 2<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-27140095227152834832017-08-20T12:36:00.000-07:002017-08-20T12:36:23.325-07:00The Island - Inko BMHeaded back out to <a href="http://www.sefcik.com/2017/08/the-island.html">The Island </a> yesterday to try and find the Inko Benchmark. It is one of several that are not marked on most maps but can be found as peak 2222 on the USGS topo maps. It was another hot day out, probably 100+ again. I parked where some shooting debris was and headed up into the boulders eventually picking up an old indian trail that had several roasting pits along the way. Some great views and this was another seldom visited BM as the register was only 2 small pages with a few sign ins....Monday Manics strike again.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-bxwmpJN/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-bxwmpJN/0/919a1bff/M/kimg0075_2017-08-19_v2-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-9RsfpRN/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-9RsfpRN/0/bc4d907c/X3/kimg0080_2017-08-19_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Wd7rMts/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Wd7rMts/0/8f706cce/X3/kimg0081_2017-08-19_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Most of the route was straight thru SDG&E power lines, this is some rugged terrain.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-C9LcVp2/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-C9LcVp2/0/1c90e0fd/X3/kimg0067_2017-08-19_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-STM52DT/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-STM52DT/0/38317a43/L/kimg0069_2017-08-19_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Here is one of the hadnful of roasting pits I found with the powerline tower in the background<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-QnfWtPk/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-QnfWtPk/0/d212da2f/X3/kimg0070_2017-08-19_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Great views up on the Inko peak, here is looking at the windfarm in Ocotillo<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-xJJrBsn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-xJJrBsn/0/54b748b6/L/kimg0076_2017-08-19_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Highway 8 west and Devil BM peak<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-rKR5Ppp/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-rKR5Ppp/0/7de076df/L/kimg0077_2017-08-19_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Here is looking south at Myer Valley and Slant Peak<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-4XvxmMw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-4XvxmMw/0/91eda49e/L/kimg0078_2017-08-19_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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There was one mine pit near the peak, there is supposed to be another but I did not see it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-fq75PsR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-fq75PsR/0/40cc9441/L/kimg0073_2017-08-19_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Pottery, slicks, mortars, metates, etc all checked in this trip as well<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-gN3pQcn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-gN3pQcn/0/e0b33a57/L/dscf0995_2017-08-19-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Vz4ZWrz/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Vz4ZWrz/0/27e32056/L/kimg0068_2017-08-19_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Wildlife noted were a variety of birds, lizards, antelope squirrels, the rest had the good sense to hide in the shade for the day.<br />
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Total Mylar balloons this trip - 0 (we must be making a dent in them!)<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-57617419516184848632017-08-06T09:44:00.000-07:002017-08-06T09:44:40.650-07:00The IslandWhen you drive the 8 highway between Ocotillo and Jacumba you can see "The Island" between the East & West bound lanes of the highway. There is one exit on the The Island named Mountain Springs. There is a lot of rugged terrain to explore from that exit, Devils Canyon, In-Ko-Pah Gorge, Myer Creek to name just a few places. This trip I decided to go try and find the Devil benchmark located on a peak just east of the Devils Canyon #2 bridge. It was a pretty warm day, maybe 100 degrees or so, not too bad. This is a relatively easy BM to get to, my total mileage hiking was about 2.5 miles and elevation gain/loss was about 800'. Most maps will not have this named as Devil BM but it is marked as peak 2532. There are several other BM's in the area to find as well.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-FGZsR6V/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-FGZsR6V/0/dd46c1ed/L/kimg0046_2017-08-05_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
There are some great views from the peak, or at least there were...now all you see are wind turbines<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-jSkbggb/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-jSkbggb/0/8a57abba/L/kimg0051_2017-08-05_v2-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
The migrants coming from Mexico have used this peak as route north as evidenced by the abandoned backpacks and water bottles everywhere. I am still amazed at some of the remote and rugged areas of the desert I find their discards, they are some tough and determined folks.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-9843DZq/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-9843DZq/0/aec91390/X3/kimg0044_2017-08-05_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Looks like the BM register was established in 1998<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-jsfg4Nm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-jsfg4Nm/0/2a88ed6a/XL/kimg0048_2017-08-05_v2-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Last entry was 2010 so I guess not a very popular destination.<br />
BTW, is there ANYWHERE the Monday Maniacs don't go???<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-rRgF4W2/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-rRgF4W2/0/c175373e/XL/kimg0049_2017-08-05_v2-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Looking off towards the west you can see the Mountain Springs area, lots of SDG&E power line towers and the infamous Desert View Tower<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-D3PRcx9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-D3PRcx9/0/acf3056b/XL/kimg0052_2017-08-05_v2-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
All of the usual desert suspects were around<br />
Mortars, slicks, pottery and such<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Sgc7hXv/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-Sgc7hXv/0/f8ba49e4/X3/kimg0054_2017-08-05_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-tbdk2wm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-tbdk2wm/0/25d6f923/XL/kimg0042_2017-08-05_v3-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Kit Kat Scat<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-CT4BJHw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-CT4BJHw/0/27253583/X3/kimg0037_2017-08-05_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Highway vehicle debris<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-p9GzwQP/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-p9GzwQP/0/cad286c3/X3/kimg0055_2017-08-05_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
And of course our BFF of the desert, mylar balloons<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-DFPcmjx/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Jacumba/i-DFPcmjx/0/48645941/X3/kimg0053_2017-08-05_v2-X3.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Total Mylar Balloons this trip: 2 (1 per mile)<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-25631056109153348922017-02-11T14:33:00.000-08:002017-02-11T14:33:52.339-08:00Kofa Wildlife Refuge / Castle Dome ArizonaA trip out to the Kofa Wildlife Refuge area and Castle Dome<br />
<br />
<br />
Big Eye Mine<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-p9TppHf/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-p9TppHf/0/M/Big%20Eye%20Mine%20Cabin%20with%20Gary%202017-01-14-0002-M.jpg" alt="Big Eye Mine Cabin"></a><br />
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Daren and his Wisner 5x7 Film Camera<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-RNwJ66x/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-RNwJ66x/0/M/Old%20vs%20New%20from%20tom-M.jpg" alt="Daren and his Wisner 5x7 Film Camera"></a><br />
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Thumb Butte or Peak, I can't remember<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-nDrr67G/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-nDrr67G/0/XL/dsc00253_2016-12-26-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Sunset on McPherson Pass<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-DvpTRNn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-DvpTRNn/0/M/img_4529_2016-12-28-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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When there's a fork in the road....take it.....<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-VHfkx2r/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-VHfkx2r/0/XL/dsc00255_2016-12-28-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Tom walking on a cliff way over there<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-5Dn6vLv/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-5Dn6vLv/0/M/dsc00256_2016-12-28-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Figueroa Tank<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-9jL8WTt/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-9jL8WTt/0/M/dsc00258_2016-12-28-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Looking out across King Valley<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-wNBK8ms/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-wNBK8ms/0/M/dsc00257_2016-12-28-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Petroglyphs<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-gSTLJhV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-gSTLJhV/0/XL/dsc00265_2016-12-28-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-4jCvx2b/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-4jCvx2b/0/M/dsc00263_2016-12-28-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-fTV3vr9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-fTV3vr9/0/XL/dsc00269_2016-12-28-XL.jpg" alt="Petroglyph on a broken rock piece"></a><br />
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Tom finds a Rock Circle<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-tjChq9D/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-tjChq9D/0/M/dsc00275_2016-12-28-M.jpg" alt="Tom finds several rock alignments on this trip"></a><br />
<br />
I found a Rock Square<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-r2DgXx9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-r2DgXx9/0/M/dsc00302_2016-12-30-M.jpg" alt="Castle Dome"></a><br />
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Tom walking down a cliff looking out across King Valley<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-R9mJ3kG/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-R9mJ3kG/0/M/dsc00284_2016-12-29-M.jpg" alt="Tom walking on a steep hill"></a><br />
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Deep Morteros<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-ptBXP3z/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-ptBXP3z/0/M/dsc00288_2016-12-29-M.jpg" alt="Deep morteros in a rock shelter"></a><br />
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More Petroglyphs<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-K6ZSsX9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-K6ZSsX9/0/M/dsc00294_2016-12-29-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Big Eye Mine<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-Vc4MjJR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-Vc4MjJR/0/M/img_4518_2016-12-27-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-5D7G32r/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-5D7G32r/0/XL/img_4519_2016-12-27-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Castle Dome<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-DBtPDWV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-DBtPDWV/0/M/img_4526_2016-12-27-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
Some Pictographs<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-5X4fhzr/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-5X4fhzr/0/XL/ds_20161228_142259_ydt_2016-12-31-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-3rrd54W/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-3rrd54W/0/XL/ds_20161228_142445_crgb_2016-12-31-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-QDsm6kx/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-QDsm6kx/0/M/ds_20161228_143403_crgb_2016-12-31-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-KNwKMrn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Arizona/Kofa-Wilderness/Kofa-Wilderness-12-26-2016/i-KNwKMrn/0/M/ds_20161230_095227_crgb_2016-12-31-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-52540852379476490062016-11-05T13:59:00.001-07:002016-11-05T13:59:05.263-07:00Wordpress Multisite and Apache LDAP Auth with Certain Site ExceptionsSo I ran into a situation that had me stumped for a couple of days with one of our Wordpress Multisite installations. We needed to have Apache 2.4 provide Active Directory basic auth over the entire installation with the exception of a few individual sites we wanted to have public access to. We also needed to have the whole installation open to our internal local networks.<br />
<br />
The stumbling block was that Wordpress does redirects on the site URL's which interferes with how Apache can apply it's authorization logic. In the end I needed 2 directives in my conf file.<br />
<br />
<b>Require env NOAUTH<br />
Require env REDIRECT_NOAUTH</b><br />
<br />
So let's say my site installation was http://wordpress.mydomain.com and I had 500 subfolder sites ie:<br />
<br />
http://wordpress.mydomain.com/private01<br />
http://wordpress.mydomain.com/private02<br />
http://wordpress.mydomain.com/public01<br />
http://wordpress.mydomain.com/public02<br />
etc.....<br />
<br />
and I needed to have only the 2 public01 & public02 sites be open with no password protection but all the other sites needed to be password protected against our internal Active Directory servers. I also needed to make sure that our local subnets were not prompted for passwords.<br />
<br />
Here are the relevant apache 2.4 config entries<br />
<br />
# These 2 url paths are public, no password required<br />
<b>SetEnvIfNoCase REQUEST_URI /public01 NOAUTH</b><br />
<b>SetEnvIfNoCase REQUEST_URI /public02 NOAUTH</b><br />
<br />
# These 3 subnets are local, no passwords are required<br />
# We use X-Forwarded-For since we use proxy servers behind load balance systems <br />
<b>SetEnvIf X-Forwarded-For ^10\.1\. NOAUTH</b><br />
<b>SetEnvIf X-Forwarded-For ^10\.2\. NOAUTH</b><br />
<b>SetEnvIf X-Forwarded-For ^10\.3\. NOAUTH</b><br />
<requireany><br />
<b>Require env NOAUTH<br />
Require env REDIRECT_NOAUTH<br />
Require valid-user</b><br />
</requireany><br />
<br />
The most important line of all of this for me was<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Require env REDIRECT_NOAUTH</b><br />
<br />
This is what made it work with Wordpress but this line by itself is not enough, you need both of the Require env NOAUTH lines to make it all work.<br />
<br />
Here is the complete apache 2.4 conf file for reference<br />
<br />
<pre style="background: #f0f0f0; border: 1px dashed #cccccc; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; height: auto; line-height: 20px; overflow: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 99%;"><code style="color: black; word-wrap: normal;"> <VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin webmaster@mydomain.com
ServerName mydomain.com
ServerAlias blogs.mydomain.com
DocumentRoot /www/wordpress
# These 2 url paths are public, no password required
SetEnvIfNoCase REQUEST_URI /public01 NOAUTH
SetEnvIfNoCase REQUEST_URI /public02 NOAUTH
# These 3 subnets are local, no passwords are required
SetEnvIf X-Forwarded-For ^10\.1\. NOAUTH
SetEnvIf X-Forwarded-For ^10\.2\. NOAUTH
SetEnvIf X-Forwarded-For ^10\.3\. NOAUTH
<Directory /www/wordpress/ >
AllowOverride All
AuthName "Please enter your name & password"
AuthType Basic
AuthBasicProvider ldap
AuthUserFile /dev/null
AuthLDAPURL "ldap://adserver.mydomain.com/OU=Users,DC=mydomain,DC=com?sAMAccountName?sub?(objectClass=user)"
AuthLDAPBindDN "CN=LDAP User Account,OU=Users,DC=mydomain,DC=com"
AuthLDAPBindPassword "ldapuserpassword"
<RequireAny>
Require env NOAUTH
Require env REDIRECT_NOAUTH
Require valid-user
</RequireAny>
</Directory>
</VirtualHost>
</code></pre>
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This stumped me for 2 days so I hope somebody else will find this useful and save them some time searching for an answer to this problem.<br />
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<br />Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-37544551876623103852016-09-29T20:04:00.000-07:002016-09-29T20:04:04.960-07:00Mt Langley / Miter Basin / Cottonwood Lakes 4 Day Backpack Trip4 Day Backpack Trip with Tom, about 34 miles total. We started in Horseshoe Meadows, spent the 1'st night at Cottonwood Lakes 4/5. Next day headed up Old Army Pass to summit Mt Langley and then down to Upper Soldier Lake for night 2. On the 3rd day we explored Miter Basin, Sky Blue Lake and then headed down Rock Creek to spend night 3 at Lower Soldier Lake. Day 4 we hiked out via the PCT and Chicken Spring Lake.<br />
<br />
All photos were taken with my old Canon S95 point'n shoot camera in jpg format. Panorama's created with Autopano Giga software.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-sh2Kzbd/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-sh2Kzbd/0/M/Mt%20Langley%20%26%20Cottonwood%20Lakes%20Backpack%20Trip%20GPS%20Track%20Log%20Map-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
GPS Track Log<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-qxBfzfj/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-qxBfzfj/0/L/img_4287_2016-09-24-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Cottonwood Lakes area<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-TwGhkbm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-TwGhkbm/0/L/%5BGroup%200%5D-img_4288_2016-09-24_img_4290_2016-09-24-3%20images-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Cottonwood Lake #3<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-bWZs3HB/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-bWZs3HB/0/L/img_4291_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Cottonwood Lakes 4 & 5. This is looking down from Old Army Pass<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-Vh6kbQ9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-Vh6kbQ9/0/L/img_4303_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Saw quite a few Bighorn Sheep around the 12,000' range as we summited Mt Langley <br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-Btrn88M/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-Btrn88M/0/L/img_4321_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-79Xg5k5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-79Xg5k5/0/L/img_4322_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-VWvv4fq/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-VWvv4fq/0/L/img_4324_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Bighorn Sheep heading down towards Upper Soldier Lake<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-zbMcxS5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-zbMcxS5/0/L/img_4306_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
One of the new large cairn's built to summit Mt Langley<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-WGQLBPS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-WGQLBPS/0/L/img_4307_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Looking straight down from the top of Mt Langley, what is that, about 1,000' straight down? Not for those afraid of heights!<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-hjpgGdP/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-hjpgGdP/0/L/img_4317_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Looking at Mt Whitney from the top of Mt Langley<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-nWpvRbR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-nWpvRbR/0/L/img_4325_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Tom coming down the ravine to Upper Soldier Lake<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-FQ2H469/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-FQ2H469/0/L/%5BGroup%200%5D-img_4332_2016-09-25_img_4335_2016-09-25-4%20images-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Upper Soldier Lake<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-bxxhjNV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-bxxhjNV/0/L/img_4337_2016-09-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Is this a baby marmot?? Totally wrong time of year if so, maybe one of you reading this knows? Please let me know if you can identify this little baby creature<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-LFTRMdB/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-LFTRMdB/0/L/img_4342_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Lodgepole Chipmunk<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-GZ7tfsr/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-GZ7tfsr/0/X2/img_4346_2016-09-26-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
The Mighty Miter Basin area<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-k2F6Cgv/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-k2F6Cgv/0/L/img_4348_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Looking down at Lower Soldier Lake<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-x8SxMk5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-x8SxMk5/0/L/img_4355_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Very pretty unnamed lake in Miter Basin<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-9xg759M/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-9xg759M/0/L/img_4356_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Tom in Miter Basin (The Miter in the left background)<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-GnVF6Ds/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-GnVF6Ds/0/L/img_4357_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Sky Blue Lake<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-B78cSMb/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-B78cSMb/0/L/%5BGroup%201%5D-img_4358_2016-09-26_img_4362_2016-09-26-5%20images-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Sky Blue Lake panorama<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-z3j5WB6/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-z3j5WB6/0/L/img_4363_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Miter Basin<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-WjBb6P5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-WjBb6P5/0/L/img_4366_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Marmot Scat<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-m4MQw9c/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-m4MQw9c/0/L/img_4370_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Still some pretty flowers in Miter Basin<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-vCMBfmL/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-vCMBfmL/0/XL/img_4373_2016-09-26-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
This is heading down Rock Creek<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-zT8rzck/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-zT8rzck/0/L/img_4379_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Beautiful Rock Creek<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-5wZFLfQ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-5wZFLfQ/0/L/img_4382_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Sierra Tree Frog<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-gjfgXDV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-gjfgXDV/0/L/img_4385_2016-09-26-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Rock Creek area looking back at the Miter Basin area<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-JNBKfZh/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Mt-Langley-Cottonwood-Lakes/i-JNBKfZh/0/L/img_4401_2016-09-27-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
Looking out over Big Whitney Meadow and Kern Peak in the far distance<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-74120680823189450802016-07-04T21:06:00.002-07:002016-07-10T15:37:48.413-07:00Bighorn Sheep Census Count 2016 ABDSPAnnual ABDSP Bighorn Sheep Census Count happened this July 1'st - 3rd. I counted at Rattlesnake Spring again with a total of 40 unique sheep, thatis about 50% of our normal count numbers. Temperatures were much lower this year so the sheep seemed to just not be very thirsty. I opted out of bringing my digital camera and 600mm lens this year and instead took a trail camera. Here is my lame attempt at making a video from the hundreds of movie clips and photos it captured over the course of 3 days in triple digit temps....enjoy!<br />
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BTW, Total Mylar balloons this trip - 1 right at our count site!<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-HP8bc8bjR4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2016/i-gTS7vMv/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2016/i-gTS7vMv/0/L/vlcsnap-2016-07-04-16h09m21s12-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2016/i-XMBnHdS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2016/i-XMBnHdS/0/L/vlcsnap-2016-07-04-16h05m24s218-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2016/i-qbJX5n8/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2016/i-qbJX5n8/0/L/vlcsnap-2016-07-04-17h47m44s196-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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--Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-90466503544405472522016-06-18T15:40:00.000-07:002016-07-10T16:46:19.233-07:00Rocky Basin Lakes & Big Whitney Meadow 7 Day BackpackGary and I had another great 7 day backpack trip in the Golden Trout Wilderness. This year we looped thru Rocky Basin Lakes again but also made it to Johnson Peak, Big Whitney Meadow, Volcano Meadow & Cold Meadow. We did see one bear in Volcano Meadow, it was early morning and hew was scratching his back on a pine tree..he took off running after he got wind of us though. This was also the first time we took bear canisters, normally we double hang our food but last year we felt hindered by camp site locations since we were always looking for that perfect tree. Can't say I liked the size or weight of the canisters but we were able to camp anywhere we wanted this time. We had good timing this year, there was plenty of water, green meadows and the cowboys were bringing in the cows on the last day we were leaving. I had 6 rolls of 120 Fuji Velvia 50 film in the refrigerator that was getting kinda old so took that and shoot all of them (Film scanned on an Epson v750). We stopped off at a few rock arts sites on the way to the trailhead, some petroglyphs and pictograph sites. Taker a look at the map, it was a great route and I would recommend it to anybody thinking about where to go.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-2LQ6gSX/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-2LQ6gSX/0/XL/Rocky%20Basin%20Lakes%20Backpack%20Trip%2006-18-2016%20%20Map-XL.png" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-NWPfXGN/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-NWPfXGN/0/O/Rocky%20Basin%20Lakes%20Backpack%20Trip%2006-18-2016%20%20Elevation%20Profile.png" alt=""></a><br />
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Guzzler out near Squaw Spring<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-RF37r3q/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-RF37r3q/0/L/2016-07-05-0001-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Petroglyphs at Squaw Spring<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-pQNwPFj/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-pQNwPFj/0/L/dsc00138_2016-06-17-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-23DtzWs/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-23DtzWs/0/L/2016-07-05-0002-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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We camped out near the Golden Valley Wilderness area to check out more petroglyphs in the morning before heading off to Blackrock Trailhead<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-WVhXPX5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-WVhXPX5/0/L/2016-07-05-0004-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Steam Well Petroglyphs<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-vdnnVBh/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-TwGtG2F/0/L/2016-07-05-0009-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-H2rFWBq/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-H2rFWBq/0/L/2016-07-05-0011-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-QsTdR77/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-QsTdR77/0/L/2016-07-05-0012-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-z6kMVdk/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-z6kMVdk/0/L/2016-07-05-0014-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-XbZzsbF/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-XbZzsbF/0/L/2016-07-05-0019-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-XHxMdZr/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-XHxMdZr/0/L/2016-07-05-0020-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Here are a few pictographs we found after looking at some old BLM maps<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-QdmsFtL/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-QdmsFtL/0/L/2016-07-05-0022-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-97Sw6nJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-97Sw6nJ/0/L/2016-07-05-0023-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-gcwGrQJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-gcwGrQJ/0/L/2016-07-05-0016-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-x7SqwNL/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-x7SqwNL/0/L/2016-07-05-0025-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Here is the same shot with Gary for size comparison, I took this with my phone and the <a href="http://www.dstretch.com/Apps/index3.html">amazing DStretch app</a><br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-D5WcvZx/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-D5WcvZx/0/X2/ds_20160618_133606_yrd_2016-06-25-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Johnson Creek / Meadow at the bottom of Johnson Peak<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-9nTvzM4/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-9nTvzM4/0/X2/2016-07-06-0001-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Johnson Lake<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-bBPtShB/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-bBPtShB/0/L/2016-07-06-0023-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Gary on top of Johnson Peak<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-2vwGbGF/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-2vwGbGF/0/X2/2016-07-06-0002-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Peak register box..only a few entries per year, mostly June-August. Can't believe Bob Burd's entry was only as recent as 2015..<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-kGgdc3K/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-kGgdc3K/0/L/img_4269_2016-06-22-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Cold Meadows which is just below Kern Peak and not often visited is my guess, beautiful meadow<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-kjd7HwD/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-kjd7HwD/0/X2/2016-07-06-0003-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Redrock Meadows & Indian Head, I way over exposed this by accident and lost all the beautiful color on Indian Head. It was deep lava red with lots of yellow & orange lichen<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-JrfhrDc/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-JrfhrDc/0/X2/2016-07-06-0008-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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This is somewhere near Long Canyon & Redrock Meadows junction<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-kvhg9G5/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-kvhg9G5/0/X2/2016-07-06-0027-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Big Whitney Meadow and part of Cirque Peak in the background, water was cold and some snow was still up on the peaks and ridges<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-rnHhHBX/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-ZCXznRJ/0/L/2016-07-06-0015-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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We had Big Whitney meadow to ourselves, in fact we only saw a few people the whole trip<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-h2Ff9Cz/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-h2Ff9Cz/0/X2/2016-07-06-0017-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-38qm349/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-38qm349/0/X2/2016-07-06-0018-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Casa Vieja was green and there were several folks out there fishing<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-tKDGp3P/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-tKDGp3P/0/L/2016-07-06-0019-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-KtPK4vH/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-KtPK4vH/0/X2/2016-07-06-0030-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Somewhere along the Golden Trout Creek headoing towards Big Whitney Meadow<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-rnHhHBX/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-rnHhHBX/0/X2/2016-07-06-0012-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-ZCZF8S4/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-ZCZF8S4/0/X2/2016-07-06-0020-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Moonrise over Templeton Mountain, we had a full moon almost every night and I don't think we really used our headlamps at all<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-cmDNb9N/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-cmDNb9N/0/X2/2016-07-06-0029-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Wildlife along the way<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-HBFwz6H/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-HBFwz6H/0/L/img_4218_2016-06-20-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-gfrbHWg/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-gfrbHWg/0/L/img_4222_2016-06-21-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Found a nice biface at one of our campsites<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-zgKB4cF/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-zgKB4cF/0/L/img_4274_2016-06-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Total Mylar Balloons this trip - 2<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-Pb2GhQf/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Big-Whitney/i-Pb2GhQf/0/L/img_4276_2016-06-25-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com1Visalia-Porterville, CA, CA, USA36.312358699869854 -118.2060241699218836.261185199869857 -118.28670516992187 36.363532199869852 -118.12534316992188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-22195591769677217332016-05-17T22:29:00.000-07:002016-05-17T22:34:52.599-07:00Rockhouse Canyon Wildflower Blooms in May - ABDSPGary and I spent 4 days backpacking in Rockhouse Canyon a couple weekends ago and I was suprised by all of the bright, beautiful wildflower blooms we saw. Most were at and above the 3,000' level or so, mainly starting around the base of the Santa Rosa ridge line but some extended down into Rockhouse Canyon Valley area. We got rained on 2 days and endured heavy winds most of the trip but it was fun, backpacking in Rockhouse Canyon never gets boring. Water at the springs was lower then normal which was a surprise.<br />
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Color photos taken with Garmin Montana 680t GPS.<br />
B/W taken with an Olympus XA 35mm & TMax 100 film developed Pyrocat-HD.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-zSrtTRC/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-zSrtTRC/0/L/dsc00162_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-jRGfszX/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-jRGfszX/0/L/dsc00164_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-X5V47Rs/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-X5V47Rs/0/L/dsc00170_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-zP38kqS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-zP38kqS/0/L/dsc00169_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-jZNJbzp/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-jZNJbzp/0/L/dsc00163_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-Sxvkw9d/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-Sxvkw9d/0/L/dsc00161_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-kJXMsSv/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-kJXMsSv/0/L/dsc00160_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-rVTJn34/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-rVTJn34/0/L/dsc00100_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-6ksMJSw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-6ksMJSw/0/L/dsc00103_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-682twZV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-682twZV/0/L/dsc00102_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-JSDJ2D9/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-JSDJ2D9/0/L/dsc00108_2016-05-07-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-Zn7KrVS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-Zn7KrVS/0/L/dsc00158_2016-05-06-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-6LrQZ7D/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-6LrQZ7D/0/L/dsc00116_2016-05-08-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Happy Mothers Day, I found this balloon heading back to our cars, literally on Mothers Day..!!<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-9V3VcvS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-9V3VcvS/0/L/dsc00120_2016-05-08-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-q3m6sGw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-q3m6sGw/0/X2/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20Storm%202016-05-13-0022-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-cxx4fj2/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-cxx4fj2/0/L/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20Deer%20Bones%202016-05-13-0013-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-ng7pHpF/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-ng7pHpF/1/L/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20Agave%20Blooms%202016-05-13-0017-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-XS5qLQD/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-XS5qLQD/0/X2/Rockhouse%20Giant%20Cairn%202016-05-13-0019-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Total Mylar Balloons this trip - 9<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-2FfzCSD/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-05-06-2016/i-2FfzCSD/0/L/img_4207_2016-05-17-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-56990958942423948062016-01-09T20:59:00.000-08:002016-05-01T21:42:33.482-07:00Santa Rosa Mountains / Martinez Canyon 12 Days of Backpacking Christmas TripLong overdue are some trip reports for Dec 2015 and the first quarter of 2016. Over the Christmas/Winter/Holiday (take your pick) Break I managed to get almost 12 days of backpacking in the Santa Rosa Mountains and Martinez Canyon area. Most of these photos are from a small Olympus XA film camera I picked up just for backpacking trips. It is a small lightweight 35mm film camera that takes very sharp pictures. Fuji Velvia 50 slide film provided lots of color and an old school look that I love so much in photos.<br />
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Sort of an Ansel Adams moment atop a razor sharp and crumbly limestone ridge<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-ZR8qkHJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-ZR8qkHJ/0/M/Pinyon%20Tree%20Above%20Ash%20Canyon-M.jpg" alt="Pinyon Tree ABove Ash Canyon"></a><br />
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A panorama from the same ridge looking towards Cochella (click to see full size image)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-N2pMWQQ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-N2pMWQQ/0/L/Ash%20Canyon%20Panorama-L.jpg" alt="Ash Canyon - Santa Rosa Wilderness"></a><br />
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This is a small area of the now dried up Lake Cahuilla shoreline. The years gone by have left an easily seen water line on the rocks<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-MCL8Hgw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-MCL8Hgw/0/L/Fish%20Traps%20Water%20Line-L.jpg" alt="Ancient Lake Cahuilla Water Lines"></a><br />
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Personally I prefer to just squat over a hole in the ground but if you gotta sit while taking care of business then this would be your best friend<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-zt8kN3n/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-zt8kN3n/0/XL/Cowboy%20Crapper%20Chair-XL.jpg" alt="Cowboy Crapper"></a><br />
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Moon rise from an unnamed canyon we camped in<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-DkPfjdb/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-DkPfjdb/0/XL/Moonrise%20in%20Ash%20Canyon-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Lots of Bighorn Tracks and body parts<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-8jHHX2W/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-8jHHX2W/0/L/Ram%20Horn-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-GPNfXtg/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-GPNfXtg/0/L/Ram%20Skull%20and%20Horns-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Those old time cowboys really knew how to party, Gallo Wine and <a href="http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22424">Hostetter's Stomach Bitters</a><br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-SczqCT7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-SczqCT7/0/L/Stomach%20Bitters%20and%20Gallo%20Wine%20Glass%20Botlles-L.jpg" alt="Hostetters Stomach Bitters"></a><br />
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There are also a handful of photos from my new Garmin Montana 600 GPS, it surprised me with how good of photos it can take and it is able to evaluate some tough low light exposures pretty well (sunrise/sunset).<br />
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Early morning sunrise looking at Toro Peak, yes, those are patches of snow on the ground, it was cold at night up on the mountain range!<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-825GH6K/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-825GH6K/0/L/img_3716_2015-12-30-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Randy is hauling a hefty pack up several thousand feet of climbing in one day, I am not sure how he does it, especially with the light snow all over the place making it very slippery<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-JbmrVMT/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-JbmrVMT/0/XL/dsc00111_2015-12-29-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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The snow we had for a couple of days made animal tracking lots of fun and we did not need to carry much water since we could drink/eat the snow<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-ZdLzsxX/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-ZdLzsxX/0/X2/dsc00119_2015-12-30-X2.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Sunrise over the Salton Sea. I have to say that waking up in the morning and looking out over the Salton Sea from anywhere on the Santa Rosa mountain range is without a doubt one of my favorite parts of any trip up there, it is just magical<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-F8g4299/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-F8g4299/0/L/dsc00117_2015-12-30-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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There are probably dozens of airplane wrecks in the Santa Rosa mountains, we found one<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-WDjLzD7/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-WDjLzD7/0/L/dsc00112_2015-12-29-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-SKwfG5B/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-SKwfG5B/0/L/dsc00113_2015-12-29-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-b6mJXLZ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-b6mJXLZ/0/L/img_3726_2015-12-30-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-WTFLngg/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-WTFLngg/0/L/img_3722_2015-12-30-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-M6qR5W4/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-M6qR5W4/0/M/dsc00110_2015-12-28-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Gary & Randy enjoying some morning Starbucks looking out over Cochella Valley, damn it was cold..!!<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-9S73N2z/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-9S73N2z/0/L/img_3742_2015-12-31-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Up near Rabbit Peak we could see down into Borrego Springs and Clark Lake<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-ZTDRmmw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-12-2015/i-ZTDRmmw/0/L/img_3741_2015-12-30-L.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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I hope you enjoy these photos of Martinez Canyon area and the Santa Rosa Mountain range<br />
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Daren R. Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798795352517991700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-20598322589825916902015-12-03T01:41:00.000-08:002015-12-03T07:51:38.645-08:00Martinez Canyon - Agua Alta Loop 4 Day BackpackA picture is worth a 1,000 words...<br />
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<i>B/W / Sepia Photos from my 1937 Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2 6x9 folding pocket camera. Ilford HP4, 1:100 Rodinal @90 minutes<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-PN5w6WK/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-PN5w6WK/0/XL/Gary%20%26%20Tom%20at%20the%20Narrows%202015-11-30-0001-XL.jpg" alt="Gary & Tom at the Narrows"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-fXVsMjM/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-fXVsMjM/0/XL/Tahquitz%20Canyon%202015-11-30-0002-XL.jpg" alt="Tahquitz Canyon"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-3KPSd45/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-3KPSd45/0/XL/Smoke%20Tree%202015-11-30-0007-XL.jpg" alt="Smoke Tree"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-3NnQbfX/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-3NnQbfX/0/XL/Jack%20Miller%20Cabin%202015-11-30-0008-XL.jpg" alt="Jack Miller Cabin"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-KjbK2Fh/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-KjbK2Fh/0/XL/Joel%20%26%20Tom%20at%20Agua%20Alta%202015-11-30-0006-XL.jpg" alt="Joel & Tom at Agua Alta"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-wCzv24p/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-wCzv24p/0/XL/Gary%20%26%20Joel%20in%20Martinez%20Canyon%202015-11-30-0005-XL.jpg" alt="Gary & Joel in Martinez Canyon"></a><br />
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Canon S95 digital camera</i><br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-pvfzf5m/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-pvfzf5m/0/XL/%5BGroup%201%5D-img_3555_2015-11-23_img_3561_2015-11-23-7%20images_v3-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-kn5R226/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-kn5R226/0/XL/%5BGroup%200%5D-img_3543_2015-11-23_img_3554_2015-11-23-12%20images_v3-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-kSVQjtr/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-kSVQjtr/0/XL/img_3566_2015-11-23-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-xr8V5dg/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-xr8V5dg/0/XL/img_3534_2015-11-22-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-pQrpLFZ/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-pQrpLFZ/0/XL/img_3597_2015-11-25-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-QcZt3wz/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-QcZt3wz/0/XL/img_3599_2015-11-25-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-n4cMPdv/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-n4cMPdv/0/XL/img_3602_2015-11-25-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-zthVLLK/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-zthVLLK/0/XL/img_3583_2015-11-25-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-wbFNrBX/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-wbFNrBX/0/XL/img_3609_2015-11-25-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-vRrzLHp/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-vRrzLHp/0/XL/img_3647_2015-11-27-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-BWhGSTK/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-BWhGSTK/0/XL/img_3643_2015-11-27-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-qvbRFdQ/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-qvbRFdQ/0/XL/img_3649_2015-11-28-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-CckkvX7/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-CckkvX7/0/XL/img_3651_2015-11-28-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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About 4 bags total between all of us<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyohttp://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Misc-ABDSP/i-V5sfS6X/0/XL/img_3643_2015-11-27-XL.jpgn/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-mnBHnb8/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/Martinez-Canyon/Martinez-Canyon-11-22-2015/i-mnBHnb8/0/XL/img_3653_2015-11-29-XL.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/625/23305460852_e2bf182d17_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://farm1.staticflickr.com/625/23305460852_e2bf182d17_b.jpg" /></a><br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-26997301290245752912015-11-12T00:29:00.000-08:002015-11-12T00:32:56.777-08:00Santa Rosas / Rockhouse Canyon 4 Day BackpackHere are a few pics from our recent backpack trip into Rockhouse Canyon where we spent 3 days base camped near the trail that leads up and over to Martinez Canyon and explored the various fingers that lead to and around the Necklace. It felt good to just relax for a few days and explore with a light day pack instead of lugging around a big heavy pack everyday. We were able to squeeze enough good water out of Stifferino to keep us happy for the whole trip. The repairs we made several years ago to the spring seem to be holding up with minor upkeep and it is also providing a bit better of a watering hole for the wildlife. <br />
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With the exception of the close up insects all of the photos are Fuji Velvia 50 film taken with my medium format Fuji GSW645 camera<br />
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Hope you enjoy<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-sgCvz2D/0/L/img_3344_2015-10-23-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-sgCvz2D/0/L/img_3344_2015-10-23-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-kxht3gg/0/M/img_3356_2015-10-24-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-kxht3gg/0/M/img_3356_2015-10-24-M.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-TgJR726/0/L/img_3377_2015-10-25-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-TgJR726/0/L/img_3377_2015-10-25-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-SF2nBDJ/0/M/img_3382_2015-10-25-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-SF2nBDJ/0/M/img_3382_2015-10-25-M.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-6nLsCfj/0/M/Cowboy%20Spring%202015-10-27-0019-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-6nLsCfj/0/M/Cowboy%20Spring%202015-10-27-0019-M.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-zx6DHHV/0/L/Cottonwood%20Arrow%20Point%202015-10-27-0020-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-zx6DHHV/0/L/Cottonwood%20Arrow%20Point%202015-10-27-0020-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-Z4bgX2c/0/M/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20View%20From%20Santa%20Rosa%20Ridgeline%202015-10-27-0021-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-Z4bgX2c/0/M/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20View%20From%20Santa%20Rosa%20Ridgeline%202015-10-27-0021-M.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-35ptH28/0/M/Mortar%20and%20Pestle%202015-10-28-0002-M.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-35ptH28/0/M/Mortar%20and%20Pestle%202015-10-28-0002-M.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-sfqnZLx/0/L/Metate%20With%20GPS%202015-10-28-0006-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-sfqnZLx/0/L/Metate%20With%20GPS%202015-10-28-0006-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-fbTmRVj/0/L/Desert%20Wash%20Flower%20Colors%202015-10-28-0009-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-fbTmRVj/0/L/Desert%20Wash%20Flower%20Colors%202015-10-28-0009-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-CL255BN/0/L/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20Sine%20Wave%202015-10-28-0012-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Rockhouse-Canyon-10-23-2015/i-CL255BN/0/L/Rockhouse%20Canyon%20Sine%20Wave%202015-10-28-0012-L.jpg" /></a><br />
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Total Balloon count this trip - 10+ I have been pretty lame lately not taking pictures and not keeping good count, maybe that can be my new years resolution..haha...<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-91856036523011148292015-10-08T23:25:00.000-07:002015-11-01T20:51:10.217-08:00McCain Valley & The In-Ko-Pah Mountains Misc Summer Trips With Fujia Velvia 50Tom and I have been going out to McCain Valley the last couple of months for some backpack and car camping trips just exploring around the immense boulder strewn In-Ko-Pah mountain range. Some of our explorations were in ABDSP and some crossed into BLM territories. The weather has been pretty hot this summer and the 4,000+' higher altitude of McCain Valley was tolerable for many weekends. Wildlife was scarce, Pepperwood Spring was dry and the only other people we saw on any of our hikes were OHV users driving around where they shouldn't have been.<br />
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I lugged along my Olympus 35mm camera with a roll of Fuji Velvia and struggled to take 29 pictures before I finally decided to roll it up and get it developed..wasting 7 precious frames of Velvia goodness. There really is something magical about Velvia film, it is amazing sharp, colors are warm and beautiful and holding the film in your hands and looking at it thru a loupe reminds me of when I was kid and had all the Disney slides for my <a href="http://www.manteresting.com/sites/default/files/field/image/nail/2013/Mar/30/http-www-andrewhazelden-com-blog-wp-content-uploads-2010-12-view-master-jpg_216268.jpeg">View Master</a>....pure joy....<br />
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All of the photos on this post are Fuji Velvia 50 35mm from my Olympus OM-1n. Processed at NCP in Carlsbad CA and scanned by me with an Epson V700 scanner. I did no touch up to them other than a small zap of USM.<br />
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Here is a really nice early morning view of Canebrake Wash from the Pepperwood trail. Red Top is just out of site on the right side. I have crossed over that pass on the left several times on trips to Potrero<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-6Jvwk8X/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-6Jvwk8X/0/M/2015-10-08-0001-M.jpg" alt="View of Canebrake Wash from the Pepperwood Trail"></a><br />
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One place I have been trying to find for several years was Thunder Canyon and Tom and I found it...barely. It is very difficult to find and we almost gave up but decided to look down "one more" crack in the boulders. Here is a view of the boulder pile where we found it, even standing right next to it you will miss it if you are not trying to find it on purpose<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-C9wh2J8/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-C9wh2J8/0/M/2015-10-08-0006-M.jpg" alt="Entrance to Thunder Canyon is near the Juniper tree in the middle of the photo"></a><br />
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There is an old coral nearby but has no significant clues to it's location<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-3CFs5rZ/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-3CFs5rZ/0/M/2015-10-08-0005-M.jpg" alt="Corral near Thunder Canyon"></a><br />
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We did find some nice pictographs and mortars nearby. Here are before and after pictures of DStretch in action with Film photographs. These were scanned on an Epson v700 and Vuescan Pro. I think they are very nice and in some ways better than the digital versions. Large format film I am sure would really make the quality of DStretch images better than any digital cameras<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-TrpJ2sq/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-TrpJ2sq/0/M/2015-10-08-0003-M.jpg" alt="Morteros"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-Gfgzxgx/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-Gfgzxgx/0/L/2015-10-08-0017-L.jpg" alt="Tom's Cave"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-p7Fsjsx/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-p7Fsjsx/0/L/2015-10-08-0017_yxx-L.jpg" alt="Tom's Cave"></a><br />
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Pepperwood Trail is a regular corridor for undocumented travelers and they will leave behind all kinds clothing discards and in particular shoe covers that keep their tracks from being seen<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-ww4VW9q/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-ww4VW9q/0/M/2015-10-08-0004-M.jpg" alt="Mexican Track Erasers near Pepperwood Spring"></a><br />
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Some people may not know about it but there will be a <a href="http://iberdrolarenewables.us/tulewind/">wind turbine farm soon built in McCain Valley</a> and turbines will be along one of the ridges that separate McCain Valley and Thing Valley so Tom and I climbed up the ridge to have a look around and the views were amazing. It will be such a shame to put big turbines there.<br />
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Here is the ridge we climbed up, my camera jammed on the shot so it doubled up the exposure but you get the idea<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-H6f6k6b/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-H6f6k6b/0/M/2015-10-08-0015-M.jpg" alt="Film bunched up and double exposed the ridgeline where the Thing Vally Wind Turbines will be"></a><br />
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Up on the ridge line where the turbines will be placed you can see all of the Carrizo Mtn range, Ocotillo, Canebrake, Fish Creek, just about anywhere east<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-wDqgtZs/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-wDqgtZs/0/M/2015-10-08-0019-M.jpg" alt="Sombrero Peak in the distance and McCain Valley Rd"></a><br />
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Tom and I surmised this was some kind of wind data collection pole since it had several spinning things at the top and what looked like CDMA communications strapped on the pole<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-w3kbb65/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-w3kbb65/0/L/%5BGroup%201%5D-2015-10-08-0012_2015-10-08-0013-2%20images-L.jpg" alt="Panorama of Tom at the wind collector tower thingASCII Kolor stitching | 2 pictures | Size: 3166 x 7284 | Lens: Standard | RMS: 5.83 | FOV: 26.32 x 48.43 ~ 20.89 | Projection: Panini | Color: LDR |"></a><br />
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Tom looking out over Thing Valley and towards the Laguna Observatory<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-d664rL8/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-d664rL8/0/M/2015-10-08-0011-M.jpg" alt="Tom taking in the view of Thing Valley and the Laguna Observatory near the Cuyapaipe Reservation"></a><br />
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Misc Flora<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-6m79hFm/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-6m79hFm/0/L/2015-10-08-0002-L.jpg" alt="Pepperwood Trail"></a><br />
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And Tom near Lowenbrau Pinnacle<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-cbkmJLf/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-cbkmJLf/0/M/2015-10-08-0020-M.jpg" alt="Tom and Lowenbrau Pinnacle in the far distance"></a><br />
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<b>UPDATED</b> with a few more photos that I developed from another roll<br />
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These old state park signs were originally mounted to redwood posts (sombrero peak background)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-sNtpQDS/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-sNtpQDS/0/M/Old%20State%20Park%20Sign%20near%20Sombrero%20Peak%20Cropped%202015-10-27-0014-M.jpg" alt="Old State Park Sign near Sombrero Peak"></a><br />
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This is the headwaters of Bow Willow Creek where it meets the Thing Valley ridge line (home of the new Tule wind turbines).I thought it was an interesting picture, the shadows were just right to bring out the long draw of the dried up creek bottom. Note the lone Cottonwood in the middle of the creek (yellow leaves)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-kDXkKcc/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-kDXkKcc/0/M/Bow%20Willow%20Creek%20Headwaters%202015-10-27-0007-M.jpg" alt="Bow Willow Creek Headwaters in McCain Valley"></a><br />
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Here is the Cowboy Crapper...I think I prefer the bushes....<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-NB9cBd2/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-NB9cBd2/0/M/Cowboy%20Crapper%202015-10-27-0015-M.jpg" alt="Cowboy Crapper in the desert"></a><br />
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In the midst of arguably the driest season known to us there is still some water in the middle of the high desert<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-xLtggpq/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-xLtggpq/0/M/Sombrero%20Peak%20Spring%202015-10-27-0011-M.jpg" alt="SpringSombrero Peak Spring"></a><br />
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Tom enjoying great views from the In-Ko-Pah mountains, Carrizo Gorge and the Ocotillo Wind Farm below.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-Rg2zPqh/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-Rg2zPqh/0/M/Tom%20Overlooking%20Carrizo%20Gorge%20in%20the%20In-Ko-Pah%27s%202015-10-27-0013-M.jpg" alt=""></a><br />
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Panorama of the whole desert floor from Sombrero Peak to Ocotillo (yes, you can stitch together film shots!)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-F6BrB6L/A"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/McCain-Valley/McCain-Valley-Misc/i-F6BrB6L/0/M/Sombrero%20Peak%20and%20Carrizo%20Gorge%20Panorama-M.jpg" alt="Panorama of Sombrero Peak, Carrizo Gorge from McCain Valley"></a><br />
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Total Balloons for these trips - 20+ stopped counting<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-24818711264474993552015-08-12T07:46:00.000-07:002015-08-12T07:46:38.999-07:00Overnight Backpack in the In-Ko-Pah MountainsJust a quick overnight backpack trip around the In-Ko-Pah mountains to explore Fingertail Spring. Temps were in the high 90's during the day and high 70's at night if not low 80's. The spring was dry and we didn't see much wildlife, fairly uneventful but the rugged terrain is always beautiful to see and be a part of. Most of the photos are from my Olympus OM-1n and some expired Ilford FP4 plus film,<br />
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Tom, the Mastermind behind our trip, Sombrero Peak in the distance and Whale Peak way off<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-GCFT52q/A" title="Tom and Sombrero Peak"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-GCFT52q/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Tom%20and%20Sombrero%20Peak%202015-08-10-0001-M.jpg" title="Tom and Sombrero Peak" alt="Tom and Sombrero Peak"></a><br />
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Fingertail Spring, located above Rockhouse Canyon in Carrizo Gorge<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-s5w78M6/A" title="Fingertail Spring"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-s5w78M6/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Fingertail%20Spring%202015-08-10-0002-M.jpg" title="Fingertail Spring" alt="Fingertail Spring"></a><br />
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This is looking down at Rockhouse Canyon and Carrizo Gorge, Carrizo Mtn and the Coyote's are off in the distance<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-TqFvpBn/A" title="Carrizo Gorge & Rockhouse Canyon View from the In-Ko-Pah Mountains"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-TqFvpBn/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Rockhouse%20Canyon%20View%202015-08-10-0001-M.jpg" title="Carrizo Gorge & Rockhouse Canyon View from the In-Ko-Pah Mountains" alt="Carrizo Gorge & Rockhouse Canyon View from the In-Ko-Pah Mountains"></a><br />
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Tom at the Palms at the spring, I have been here a couple of times and not found any surface water<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-7FhpL4f/A" title="Fingertail Spring and Tom"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-7FhpL4f/0/L/In-Ko-Pah%20Fingertail%20Spring%20and%20Tom%202015-08-10-0004-L.jpg" title="Fingertail Spring and Tom" alt="Fingertail Spring and Tom"></a><br />
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If you have ever hiked in the massive boulder area of McCain Valley and the In-Ko-Pah mountains you will have seen many interesting shaped boulders that change with the time of day<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-btCxbpD/A" title="Desert Pinnacle"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-btCxbpD/0/L/In-Ko-Pah%20Pinnacle%202015-08-10-0001-L.jpg" title="Desert Pinnacle" alt="Desert Pinnacle"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-vkdWCv3/A" title="Desert Pyramid"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-vkdWCv3/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Pyramid%202015-08-10-0002-M.jpg" title="Desert Pyramid" alt="Desert Pyramid"></a><br />
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Modern Rock Art<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-sg3k73b/A" title="Modern Rock Art"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-sg3k73b/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Modern%20Rock%20Art%202015-08-10-0006-M.jpg" title="Modern Rock Art" alt="Modern Rock Art"></a><br />
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These are a coupe of water troughs nestled in near one of the old and now inaccessible vehicle roads along the ridge line above Rockhouse Canyon. There is an older cement trough broken in half and another newer metal one full of bullet holes near it. I toook this photo with a 4x5 large format view camera<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-gWWpFPR/A" title="In-Ko-Pah Mountains Wildlife Water Tanks. Old cement tank and a newer steel tank, both non operational. Carrizo Mtn in far distance. Photo taken on 4x5 Arista EDU film and Anba Ikeda Field Camera, f/22 150mm, Red 25A Filter . Developed in 1:100 Rodinal @60minutes"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-gWWpFPR/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Water%20Troughs%202015-08-04-0001-M.jpg" title="In-Ko-Pah Mountains Wildlife Water Tanks. Old cement tank and a newer steel tank, both non operational. Carrizo Mtn in far distance. Photo taken on 4x5 Arista EDU film and Anba Ikeda Field Camera, f/22 150mm, Red 25A Filter . Developed in 1:100 Rodinal @60minutes" alt="In-Ko-Pah Mountains Wildlife Water Tanks. Old cement tank and a newer steel tank, both non operational. Carrizo Mtn in far distance. Photo taken on 4x5 Arista EDU film and Anba Ikeda Field Camera, f/22 150mm, Red 25A Filter . Developed in 1:100 Rodinal @60minutes"></a><br />
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Total Balloons This Trip - 4<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-LsN5cvp/A" title="Balloons"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/San-Diego/In-Ko-Pah-Mountains/i-LsN5cvp/0/M/In-Ko-Pah%20Balloons%202015-08-10-0001-M.jpg" title="Balloons" alt="Balloons"></a><br />
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Daren R. Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798795352517991700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-39346845196592104552015-07-12T10:59:00.000-07:002015-07-12T10:59:13.961-07:00Bighorn Sheep Count 2015 - ABDSPAnother year of Bighorn Sheep counting is over, we had nice easy going temperatures (low 100's) and normal sheep numbers. We counted 73 unique sheep this year, a full report of the sheep count can be found on the <a href="http://theabf.org/45th-annual-anza-borrego-sheep-count-results-0">Anza Borrego Foundation website</a><br />
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You can see all of my photos from the count <a href="http://smu.gs/1UyIRtx">here</a><br />
Photos taken with a Fuji X-E1 and a Sigma 600mm manual focus lens from my old Olympus OM-1n film camera (using an adapter)<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/50432774_DV9dvK#!i=4185713093&k=LKXgxHs&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/i-LKXgxHs/0/M/dscf0643_2015-07-05-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/50432774_DV9dvK#!i=4185710282&k=5FCVK8P&lb=1&s=A" title="Bighorn Sheep Count 2015"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/i-5FCVK8P/0/M/dscf0420_2015-07-03-M.jpg" title="Bighorn Sheep Count 2015" alt="Bighorn Sheep Count 2015"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/50432774_DV9dvK#!i=4185711508&k=6qx2Qch&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/i-6qx2Qch/0/M/dscf0481_2015-07-03-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/50432774_DV9dvK#!i=4185710372&k=34ZrKK2&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/i-34ZrKK2/0/M/dscf0423_2015-07-03-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/50432774_DV9dvK#!i=4185713891&k=q6vnQN7&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Bighorn-Sheep-Count-2015/i-q6vnQN7/0/M/dscf0700_2015-07-05-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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--Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-49353135031418333852015-06-27T11:09:00.000-07:002015-06-27T11:26:27.799-07:00Rocky Basin Lakes 7 Day Backpack in the Southern Sierra MountainsOne thing I learned on this trip is I need to pay more attention to my route planning when it comes to ascents and descents. I showed Gary the map of where I planned our route and he looked at it and said...looks good but we probably should go in reverse order, that would save us from going up hill all this way and on the way back would be a lot easier since we probably won’t find water in any of these creeks since everything is so dry right now...dry in June in the Sierras?? Yep, pretty damn dry, water was scarce enough that we had to plan our days to make sure we had water. And it turns out Gary was right (as always) and 2 days were dry until we made camp at the end of the day.<br />
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We started at the Schaeffer Meadow trail in Monache Meadow and did a figure 8 loop going up to Rocky Basin Lakes and back. Water was available enough thru Templeton and Ramshaw Meadows but dry on the trail to Rocky Basin Lakes from Tunnel Meadows. It was also dry from Rocky Basin Lakes all the way down Johnson Creek to Salt Lick Meadow, where Johnson Creek splits and the trail crosses the creek there is good water. The trail up from Salt Lick is a bit tricky to follow for a few miles from lots of downed trees as there doesn’t seem to be much trail maintenance happening. Luckily Gary was smart enough to make sure we came *down* the Johnson Creek trail and not up like I had planned.<br />
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Here is the southern portion of our figure 8 route<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159829999&k=2wQMx3T&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-2wQMx3T/0/L/southern_route_map-L.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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Here is the northern portion<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159830007&k=5QfwQXx&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-5QfwQXx/0/L/northern_route_map-L.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://caltopo.com">Caltopo</a> gave me a profile of our route. I did not track the trip but instead drew it up on <a href="http://caltopo.com">Caltopo</a> as close as possible to the marked trails. While it was off in a few places it is amazing how accurate it is on the GPS, I did bring a GPS and pretty much used it only to amuse myself and for a few areas where we lost the trail big time.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159842592&k=wPkcpTJ&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-wPkcpTJ/0/M/rocky_basin_lakes_backpack_trip_06-13-2015_PROFILE_MAP-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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This trip I took 3 Cameras, a 4x5 sheet film cigar box pinhole camera I made recently, my waist belt holstered Canon S95 point ‘n shoot and a recently acquired Fuji GA645W medium format film camera. The pinhole camera stayed in the truck and I only took a few pictures with it when we were car camping. I have been using B/W film on almost all my trips for the last year or so and it is kinda growing on me. I have recently started doing prints with an enlarger in the darkroom and that has been a lot of fun, learning how to Dodge & Burn with my hands and pieces of cardboard. I am really happy with the film photos from this trip, I used Ilford HP5 Plus 400 and developed it in Formulary PMK Pyro.<br />
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I originally had some really long lenses, a tripod and my Fuji X-E1 in my pack thinking it would be good for wildlife but the weight of a 600mm lens, it's carry case and a tripod was more weight than I wanted to carry so it stayed home. Turns out it would have been great to have as we saw 2 bears, deer, marmots, coyotes and many birds all close enough to fill a 600mm lens frame. Ended up having to use the Canon S95 to zoom in on the distance wildlife so the pictures are not that great.<br />
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On the road into Blackrock just before the Monache Trail this sign was worked into a Bigfoot Crossing, I thought it was kinda cool<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154995981&k=JcdJ4dm&lb=1&s=A" title="Bigfoot Crossing"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-JcdJ4dm/0/L/Bigfoot%20Sign%20near%20Blackrock%202015-06-21-0015-L.jpg" title="Bigfoot Crossing" alt="Bigfoot Crossing"></a><br />
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Here is where we started the trip down in Monache Meadow<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154999041&k=q2578L9&lb=1&s=A" title="Shcaeffer Meadow Trail Sign in Monache"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-q2578L9/0/L/Schaeffer%20Meadow%20Trail%20Sign%202015-06-21-0020-L.jpg" title="Shcaeffer Meadow Trail Sign in Monache" alt="Schaeffer Meadow Trail Sign in Monache"></a><br />
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There were many great meadow views and the first day we had lots of puffy big white clouds but that didn't last any longer than one day. Here is Schaeffer Meadow with Templeton Mtn in the distance<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154999185&k=GwgnGwH&lb=1&s=A" title="Schaeffer Meadow and Templton Mtn in the background"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-GwgnGwH/0/L/Schaeffer%20Meadow%202015-06-21-0022-L.jpg" title="Schaeffer Meadow and Templton Mtn in the background" alt="Schaeffer Meadow and Templton Mtn in the background"></a><br />
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In no particular other order here are some other photos from the trip, B/W is medium format Ilford HP5 Plus film, color is noted as either digital from the Canon S95 or Vevlvia 50 film although I think the difference between the Velvia 50 and the digital is somewhat obvious.<br />
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Gary at the Snow Survey Cabin in Little Whitney Meadow<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154999628&k=ZGmDFs4&lb=1&s=A" title="Snow Survey Cabin at Little Whitney Meadow"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-ZGmDFs4/0/L/Snow%20Survey%20Cabin%202015-06-21-0005-L.jpg" title="Snow Survey Cabin at Little Whitney Meadow" alt="Snow Survey Cabin at Little Whitney Meadow"></a><br />
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Snow Survey Cabin Horse Shoe Station<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154997773&k=z7Zhc6S&lb=1&s=A" title="Horseshoe Station at Snow Survey Cabin"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-z7Zhc6S/0/L/Horseshoe%20Station%202015-06-21-0011-L.jpg" title="Horseshoe Station at Snow Survey Cabin" alt="Horseshoe Station at Snow Survey Cabin"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154997364&k=njG3zsR&lb=1&s=A" title="Horseshoe Rack at the Snow Survey Cabin"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-njG3zsR/0/L/Horseshoe%20Rack%202015-06-21-0014-L.jpg" title="Horseshoe Rack at the Snow Survey Cabin" alt="Horseshoe Rack at the Snow Survey Cabin"></a><br />
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Dragon Outhouse<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154997055&k=37sh8DX&lb=1&s=A" title="Pink dragon toilet seat"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-37sh8DX/0/L/Dragon%20Outhouse%202015-06-21-0007-L.jpg" title="Pink dragon toilet seat" alt="Pink dragon toilet seat"></a><br />
<br />
Trail Cross Roads<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154996153&k=pCDmxJm&lb=1&s=A" title="Crossroads of Big & Little Whitney Meadow Trails"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-pCDmxJm/0/L/Big%20Whitney%20Meadow%20Trail%20Sign%202015-06-22-0021-L.jpg" title="Crossroads of Big & Little Whitney Meadow Trails" alt="Crossroads of Big & Little Whitney Meadow Trails"></a><br />
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Lower Salmon Creek Falls<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154997789&k=mcWDQ8w&lb=1&s=A" title="Lower Salmon Creek Falls"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-mcWDQ8w/0/L/Lower%20Salmon%20Creek%20Falls%202015-06-21-0018-L.jpg" title="Lower Salmon Creek Falls" alt="Lower Salmon Creek Falls"></a><br />
<br />
Rocky Basin Lakes - #25A Filter and Polarizer<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154998539&k=d5d5CXQ&lb=1&s=A" title="Rocky Basin Lakes Red 25A Filter & Polarizer"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-d5d5CXQ/0/L/Rocky%20Basin%20Lakes%202015-06-22-0022-L.jpg" title="Rocky Basin Lakes Red 25A Filter & Polarizer" alt="Rocky Basin Lakes Red 25A Filter & Polarizer"></a><br />
<br />
Rocky Basin Lakes Evening Shadows<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154998531&k=HTS4Znn&lb=1&s=A" title="Rocky Basin Lakes Evening Shadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-HTS4Znn/0/L/Rocky%20Basin%20Lakes%20Evening%20Shadows%2002%202015-06-22-0009-L.jpg" title="Rocky Basin Lakes Evening Shadows" alt="Rocky Basin Lakes Evening Shadows"></a><br />
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At the top of Red Hill you can look down thru Ramshaw Meadows and see Olancha Peak off in the distance. Olancha & Kern Peaks are prominent landscape features in the southern Sierra range<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154997944&k=XfMNtMh&lb=1&s=A" title="Ramshaw Meadows looking down from Red Hill. Olancha Peak is way off in the distance"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-XfMNtMh/0/L/Ramshaw%20Meadow%20from%20Red%20Hill%202015-06-22-0018-L.jpg" title="Ramshaw Meadows looking down from Red Hill. Olancha Peak is way off in the distance" alt="Ramshaw Meadows looking down from Red Hill. Olancha Peak is way off in the distance"></a><br />
<br />
According to the topo map this is Rocky Basin Lake WL 10802T, the west'ish most lake of the bunch<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154998973&k=bFTppWs&lb=1&s=A" title="Rocky Basin Lakes"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-bFTppWs/0/L/Rocky%20Basin%20Lakes%20South%20Lake%202015-06-22-0004-L.jpg" title="Rocky Basin Lakes" alt="Rocky Basin Lakes"></a><br />
<br />
There are many burned out trees in the Sierras and many have some stunning colors and patterns, here is one I tried to be artsy with but probably failed at since it really is not in my blood to be artsy<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4155000027&k=hcxRJt4&lb=1&s=A" title="Burned out tree trunk"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-hcxRJt4/0/L/Tree%20Trunk%202015-06-21-0025-L.jpg" title="Burned out tree trunk" alt="Burned out tree trunk"></a><br />
<br />
Handing the camera over to Gary you get a rarely seen photograph of yours truly in a uniquely split tree trunk<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4154996285&k=f6RpHjH&lb=1&s=A" title="Me in a split tree"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-f6RpHjH/0/L/Daren%20in%20Tree%20Trunk%202015-06-21-0003-L.jpg" title="Me in a split tree" alt="Me in a split tree"></a><br />
<br />
One of the teachers where I work did a project with cigar boxes and had a few left over so I built a 4x5 sheet film pinhole camera out of one of them and took it on the trip with us but only for car camping. We stopped at Sherman Pass and it was a cloudy, windy and just about to be rainy day. I set up the pinhole camera and guessed at a 1.5 minute long exposure, here is the result...not bad for a small hole in a box<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4160229599&k=wcRTVjG&lb=1&s=A" title="Sherman Pass in the Sierra Mountains. Photograph taken with a Pinhole Camera made from a cigar box.using 4x5 sheet film, 0.5mm pinhole, 110mm focal length. Arista Edu 100 ISO film @ 1 minute exposure developed in Rodinal 1:10 @ 60 minutes"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-wcRTVjG/0/L/Sherman%20Pass%20Pinhole%20Camera%202015-06-26-0001-L.jpg" title="Sherman Pass in the Sierra Mountains. Photograph taken with a Pinhole Camera made from a cigar box.using 4x5 sheet film, 0.5mm pinhole, 110mm focal length. Arista Edu 100 ISO film @ 1 minute exposure developed in Rodinal 1:10 @ 60 minutes" alt="Sherman Pass in the Sierra Mountains. Photograph taken with a Pinhole Camera made from a cigar box.using 4x5 sheet film, 0.5mm pinhole, 110mm focal length. Arista Edu 100 ISO film @ 1 minute exposure developed in Rodinal 1:10 @ 60 minutes"></a><br />
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Here is another I took on the last morning of our trip in Monache Meadow before we drove off<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4160229580&k=HFj8Bxr&lb=1&s=A" title="Monache Meadows Morning. Photograph taken with a Pinhole Camera made from a cigar box.using 4x5 sheet film, 0.5mm pinhole, 110mm focal length. Arista Edu 100 ISO film @ 1 minute exposure developed in Rodinal 1:10 @ 60 minutes"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-HFj8Bxr/0/L/Monache%20Mountain%20Morning%20Sun%202015-06-26-0002-L.jpg" title="Monache Meadows Morning. Photograph taken with a Pinhole Camera made from a cigar box.using 4x5 sheet film, 0.5mm pinhole, 110mm focal length. Arista Edu 100 ISO film @ 1 minute exposure developed in Rodinal 1:10 @ 60 minutes" alt="Monache Meadows Morning. Photograph taken with a Pinhole Camera made from a cigar box.using 4x5 sheet film, 0.5mm pinhole, 110mm focal length. Arista Edu 100 ISO film @ 1 minute exposure developed in Rodinal 1:10 @ 60 minutes"></a><br />
<br />
The last day of our trip I put a roll of Fuji Velvia 50 slide film in the Fuji GA645W camera. I was skeptical of how it would turn out and I knew it wouldn't be cheap to get just one roll developed but my curiosity won my wallet over. I have to say, looking at the color slide film on a light table with a loupe is just amazing, the transparencies are razor sharp and almost 3D like with amazing colors. The scanned B/W negatives and transparency photographs really do not do justice to the actual film photographs, the film is just so sharp and beautiful to look at that the scanned images are almost painful to show you....but I am gonna do it anyway....<br />
<br />
Here is the sunrise in Strawberry Meadows (Fuji Velvia 50)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161695719&k=RjkSXJ2&lb=1&s=A" title="Strawberry Meadows Sunrise"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-RjkSXJ2/0/L/Strawberry%20Meadows%20Sunrise%202015-06-26-0002-L.jpg" title="Strawberry Meadows Sunrise" alt="Strawberry Meadows Sunrise"></a><br />
<br />
The Schaeffer Meadow Trail Sign, I have a B/W version in the beginning of this TR for a comparison (Fuji Velvia 50)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161694072&k=XcCXVDk&lb=1&s=A" title="Schaeffer Meadow Trail Sign"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-XcCXVDk/0/L/Schaeffer%20Meadow%20Trail%20Sign%202015-06-26-0005-L.jpg" title="Schaeffer Meadow Trail Sign" alt="Schaeffer Meadow Trail Sign"></a><br />
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Here is Gary on the boulders overlooking the Kern River near Strawberry Meadows, this was my most favorite place in the whole trip, I could spend days there. The colors of the film photographs to me have a kind of visual appeal I just don't get in the digital photographs..not sure how to really define it though, maybe just nostalgia, childhood memories of waiting for Thrifty's to develop my film..not sure but I do like it. (Fuji Velvia 50)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161691585&k=W3JR8jB&lb=1&s=A" title="Gary on Rocks in Strawberry Meadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-W3JR8jB/0/L/Gary%20on%20Rocks%20in%20Strawberry%20Meadow%202015-06-26-0007-L.jpg" title="Gary on Rocks in Strawberry Meadows" alt="Gary on Rocks in Strawberry Meadows"></a><br />
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Brown Cow Camp, it was pretty run down, it has not been used in awhile (Fuji Velvia 50)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161692386&k=62TkXRM&lb=1&s=A" title="Brown Cow Camp Cabins"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-62TkXRM/0/L/Brown%20Cow%20Camp%202015-06-26-0003-L.jpg" title="Brown Cow Camp Cabins" alt="Brown Cow Camp Cabins"></a><br />
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Kern River in Strawberry Meadows (Fuji Velvia 50)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161692819&k=LnpTK8p&lb=1&s=A" title="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-LnpTK8p/0/L/Kern%20River%20near%20Strawberry%20Meadows2%20015-06-26-0009-L.jpg" title="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows" alt="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161693356&k=9ZQV56j&lb=1&s=A" title="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-9ZQV56j/0/L/Kern%20River%20near%20Strawberry%20Meadows%202015-06-26-0008-L.jpg" title="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows" alt="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows"></a><br />
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Here is a west view of Strawberry Meadows with Kern Peak way off in the far distance and a Marmot perched on the boulder in front of me (Fuji Velvia 50)<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161693484&k=hDr8x2q&lb=1&s=A" title="Marmot in the Morning Sun"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-hDr8x2q/0/L/Marmot%20in%20the%20Morning%20Sun%202015-06-26-0011-L.jpg" title="Marmot in the Morning Sun" alt="Marmot in the Morning Sun"></a><br />
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Kern River flowing south down towards Monache<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4161693636&k=TCPfs2T&lb=1&s=A" title="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-TCPfs2T/0/L/Kern%20River%20near%20Strawberry%20Meadows%202015-06-26-0013-L.jpg" title="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows" alt="Kern River near Strawberry Meadows"></a><br />
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The rest of the photos here are from the Canon S95 digital camera, a fine little 8oz camera.<br />
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Small yellow flowers like this bloomed for 2-3 days before all dying off<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614043&k=2bT82rS&lb=1&s=A" title="Yellow ground flowers were blooming everywhere for about 2 days"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-2bT82rS/0/L/img_2970_2015-06-15-L.jpg" title="Yellow ground flowers were blooming everywhere for about 2 days" alt="Yellow ground flowers were blooming everywhere for about 2 days"></a><br />
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We had several Marmots check us out at various parts of the trip<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614168&k=hfTxfVS&lb=1&s=A" title="Marmot checking out our packs"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-hfTxfVS/0/L/img_2996_2015-06-17-L.jpg" title="Marmot checking out our packs" alt="Marmot checking out our packs"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615340&k=CGVWVkS&lb=1&s=A" title="Morning with the Marmots"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-CGVWVkS/0/L/img_3047_2015-06-19-L.jpg" title="Morning with the Marmots" alt="Morning with the Marmots"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615402&k=gcmvQdC&lb=1&s=A" title="Morning with the Marmots"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-gcmvQdC/0/L/img_3049_2015-06-19-L.jpg" title="Morning with the Marmots" alt="Morning with the Marmots"></a><br />
<br />
We also saw 2 definite bears grazing in the meadows and 2 more we believe at sundown but it was getting dark so we could not be certain.<br />
<br />
Looks like bear tracks<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614899&k=LMVJdLk&lb=1&s=A" title="Bear Tracks"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-LMVJdLk/0/L/img_3028_2015-06-18-L.jpg" title="Bear Tracks" alt="Bear Tracks"></a><br />
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Looks like bear crap<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615015&k=kqf9HTD&lb=1&s=A" title="Bear Scat"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-kqf9HTD/0/L/img_3030_2015-06-18-L.jpg" title="Bear Scat" alt="Bear Scat"></a><br />
<br />
Must be bears....<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614626&k=DQxFhtN&lb=1&s=A" title="Brown Bear in Strawberry Meadows. Olancha Peak in the background"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-DQxFhtN/0/L/img_3024_2015-06-18-L.jpg" title="Brown Bear in Strawberry Meadows. Olancha Peak in the background" alt="Brown Bear in Strawberry Meadows. Olancha Peak in the background"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614196&k=JLcgqHj&lb=1&s=A" title="Brown Bear foraging in Ranshaw Meadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-JLcgqHj/0/L/img_3000_2015-06-18-L.jpg" title="Brown Bear foraging in Ramshaw Meadows" alt="Brown Bear foraging in Ranshaw Meadows"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614359&k=3rhr8zr&lb=1&s=A" title="Brown Bear in Strawberry Meadows. He finally ran off once we got pretty close"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-3rhr8zr/0/M/img_3027_2015-06-18_v2-M.jpg" title="Brown Bear in Strawberry Meadows. He finally ran off once we got pretty close" alt="Brown Bear in Strawberry Meadows. He finally ran off once we got pretty close"></a><br />
<br />
The last bear we saw was about 1/4 mile away from where we setup camp so we were extra careful about hanging our food really high<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615125&k=xcPrkRD&lb=1&s=A" title="Campsite in Strawberry Meadows, this was my favorite area of the whole trip"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-xcPrkRD/0/L/img_3032_2015-06-18-L.jpg" title="Campsite in Strawberry Meadows, this was my favorite area of the whole trip" alt="Campsite in Strawberry Meadows, this was my favorite area of the whole trip"></a><br />
<br />
We crossed paths with deer a few times also<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615760&k=VxJwnxQ&lb=1&s=A" title="Deer"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-VxJwnxQ/0/L/img_3069_2015-06-19-L.jpg" title="Deer" alt="Deer"></a><br />
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We spent quite a few hours hanging out by the Kern River watching the Golden Trout swim by and every now and then there would be some pretty cool reflections<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614276&k=bb3ScKR&lb=1&s=A" title="Reflections in the Kern River South Fork in Ramshaw Meadows"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-bb3ScKR/0/L/img_3006_2015-06-18-L.jpg" title="Reflections in the Kern River South Fork in Ramshaw Meadows" alt="Reflections in the Kern River South Fork in Ramshaw Meadows"></a><br />
<br />
Gary and I share the same cultural and historical interests and we are always looking for signs of the past in our backcountry excursions. The Sierras were also home to Native Americans and evidence of their habitation can be found if you look close enough<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159614095&k=9LFLbK5&lb=1&s=A" title="Native American Morteros"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-9LFLbK5/0/L/img_2974_2015-06-15-L.jpg" title="Native American Morteros" alt="Native American Morteros"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615726&k=m68XQ56&lb=1&s=A" title="Native American Morteros"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-m68XQ56/0/L/img_3052_2015-06-19-L.jpg" title="Native American Morteros" alt="Native American Morteros"></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/50146991_23tWm2#!i=4159615622&k=xQFgvSm&lb=1&s=A" title="Native American Arrow Point, Desert Side Notch"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Sierra-Mountains/Rocky-Basin-Lakes-Backpack-06/i-xQFgvSm/0/L/img_3051_2015-06-19-L.jpg" title="Native American Arrow Point, Desert Side Notch" alt="Native American Arrow Point, Desert Side Notch"></a><br />
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<br />
This was another great backpack trip with Gary and I hope you enjoy the photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them.<br />
<br />
Total Balloons this trip - 3 (1 mylar + 2 latex) Sorry, no photos<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-83686152523913969432015-05-31T01:59:00.000-07:002015-05-31T01:59:53.120-07:00Carrizo Gorge Wilderness Backpack - ABDSPGary and I spent the long 3 day Memorial Day weekend leisurely traversing the Carrizo Gorge Wilderness with no more of an agenda other than getting back to our trucks sometime by the end of the day Monday. Mr Tom was kind enough to drop us off at Jacumba on Sat morning and was going to hike with us for the day but the weather was kinda cold and blustery and I guess his jacuzzi and booze back home sounded better so it was just Gary and I.<br />
<br />
Carrizo Gorge is one of those easy to get to wilderness areas that just never gets old and it has a long history with the railroad and the now famous Goat Canyon Trestle. The trestle seems to be growing exponentially in popularity and I suspect that will continue until the railway patrols pickup again. This particular trip we saw as many as 10 motorcycle adventurers in addition to all of the usual hikers and MTB'ers.<br />
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There is something about the Gorge that seems to beckon film photography and I always enjoy taking at least one older analog camera with me. The B/W photos here are from my Fuji GW690 6x9 medium format camera and the film is Fuji Acros 100 developed 1+2+100 in PMK Pyro @13 minutes. A few of the photos I took were an attempt to mirror photos found in the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738581488/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0738581488&linkCode=as2&tag=daresefc-20&linkId=C2IACAZL5KBNNZ7Y">The Impossible Railroad</a> book.<br />
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Carrizo Gorge with Sombrero Peak way off in the distance to the right<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095953918&k=KKRpcKb&lb=1&s=A" title="View of Carrizo Gorge Anza Borrrego Desert State Park from the Railroad Tracks"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-KKRpcKb/0/M/Carrizo%20Gorge%20Canyon%20View%202015-05-28-0010-M.jpg" title="View of Carrizo Gorge Anza Borrrego Desert State Park from the Railroad Tracks" alt="View of Carrizo Gorge Anza Borrrego Desert State Park from the Railroad Tracks"></a><br />
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Following the tracks, some of the trestles are in good shape, others not so much<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095956868&k=C5D69Sz&lb=1&s=A" title="Carrizo Gorge Train Tracks near Tule Spring in Quad 19 USGS Maps"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-C5D69Sz/0/M/Carrizo%20Gorge%20Train%20Tracks%202015-05-26-0003-M.jpg" title="Carrizo Gorge Train Tracks near Tule Spring in Quad 19 USGS Maps" alt="Carrizo Gorge Train Tracks near Tule Spring in Quad 19 USGS Maps"></a><br />
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One particular set of railway cars that has been out on the tracks for several years now has been heavily vandalized.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095956047&k=mM95vJc&lb=1&s=A" title="Inside one of the railraw cars abandoned on the tracks. It has suffered quite a bit of vandalism over the years, When I first saw it there was no graffitti or broken windows."><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-mM95vJc/0/M/Carrizo%20Gorge%20Train%20Seats%202015-05-26-0005-M.jpg" title="Inside one of the railraw cars abandoned on the tracks. It has suffered quite a bit of vandalism over the years, When I first saw it there was no graffitti or broken windows." alt="Inside one of the railraw cars abandoned on the tracks. It has suffered quite a bit of vandalism over the years, When I first saw it there was no graffitti or broken windows."></a><br />
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On page 36 of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738581488/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0738581488&linkCode=as2&tag=daresefc-20&linkId=C2IACAZL5KBNNZ7Y">The Impossible Railroad</a> book there is a picture showing the Young & Crooks Camp 1 and all of the workers tents and the compressor plant equipment. This is the roughly the same photograph but the only thing you can still see are foundations of cement and many of the cleared areas that were built up with rocks to form a tiered foundation for the large tents they used<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095963875&k=wwgBPSh&lb=1&s=A" title="Young & Crooks Camp 1 in Carrizo Gorge. This view is looking straight down at the camp area and was me trying to capture the same image as on page 36 of the San Diego And Arizona Railway Impossible Railroad book"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-wwgBPSh/0/M/Young%20%26%20Crooks%20Camp%202015-05-27-0006-M.jpg" title="Young & Crooks Camp 1 in Carrizo Gorge. This view is looking straight down at the camp area and was me trying to capture the same image as on page 36 of the San Diego And Arizona Railway Impossible Railroad book" alt="Young & Crooks Camp 1 in Carrizo Gorge. This view is looking straight down at the camp area and was me trying to capture the same image as on page 36 of the San Diego And Arizona Railway Impossible Railroad book"></a><br />
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Gary at a few of the railroad camps<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095959058&k=KpBqFw7&lb=1&s=A" title="Gary at Railroad Camp near Indian Hill"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-KpBqFw7/0/M/Gary%20at%20Indian%20Hill%202015-05-27-0002-M.jpg" title="Gary at Railroad Camp near Indian Hill" alt="Gary at Railroad Camp near Indian Hill"></a><br />
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This workers camp overlooks the gorge and has approx 5-6 built up tiers for large tents. Most of it is overgrown with cholla now though.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095960528&k=394D6xz&lb=1&s=A" title="Gary standing on an overlook at tunnel 17"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-394D6xz/0/M/Gary%20Standing%20on%20Railroad%20Camp%20Overlook%20of%20Carrizo%20Gorge%20at%20Tunnel%2017%202015-05-28-0007-M.jpg" title="Gary standing on an overlook at tunnel 17" alt="Gary standing on an overlook at tunnel 17"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095955674&k=QTBFccL&lb=1&s=A" title="When building the Carrizo Gorge Railway sections the workers would build camp sites on the bypass roads for the tunnels. Some of the rock wall foundations are still visible and are quite elaborate"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-QTBFccL/0/M/Carrizo%20Gorge%20Railroad%20Camp%20Rock%20Walls%202015-05-28-0009-M.jpg" title="When building the Carrizo Gorge Railway sections the workers would build camp sites on the bypass roads for the tunnels. Some of the rock wall foundations are still visible and are quite elaborate" alt="When building the Carrizo Gorge Railway sections the workers would build camp sites on the bypass roads for the tunnels. Some of the rock wall foundations are still visible and are quite elaborate"></a><br />
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Here is another photo from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0738581488/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0738581488&linkCode=as2&tag=daresefc-20&linkId=C2IACAZL5KBNNZ7Y">The Impossible Railroad</a> book<br />
on page 40 showing tunnel 15 where they eventually gave up on that tunnel and built the tracks around it<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095962148&k=V6xKzBj&lb=1&s=A" title="Carrizo Gorge Tunnel 15a near Goat Canyon Trestle. This tunnel was abandoned after multiple collapses and the tracks were built around the side of the mountain. This view was me trying to capture the same image as on page 40 of the San Diego And Arizona Railway Impossible Railroad book"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-V6xKzBj/0/M/Tunnel%2015a%20%26%20The%20Seven%20Sisters%202015-05-27-0007-M.jpg" title="Carrizo Gorge Tunnel 15a near Goat Canyon Trestle. This tunnel was abandoned after multiple collapses and the tracks were built around the side of the mountain. This view was me trying to capture the same image as on page 40 of the San Diego And Arizona Railway Impossible Railroad book" alt="Carrizo Gorge Tunnel 15a near Goat Canyon Trestle. This tunnel was abandoned after multiple collapses and the tracks were built around the side of the mountain. This view was me trying to capture the same image as on page 40 of the San Diego And Arizona Railway Impossible Railroad book"></a><br />
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We found a huge horseshoe, looked more decorative than useful<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095960165&k=xhNDjL7&lb=1&s=A" title="We found a large horseshoe at one of the railroad camps, it looks decorative and not functional"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-xhNDjL7/0/L/Gary%20with%20Horseshoe%202015-05-27-0001-L.jpg" title="We found a large horseshoe at one of the railroad camps, it looks decorative and not functional" alt="We found a large horseshoe at one of the railroad camps, it looks decorative and not functional"></a><br />
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This is one of the cooler tunnels out there<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095962700&k=S6Hvh9r&lb=1&s=A" title="This is a cool tunnel built deep into a large boulder mountain"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-S6Hvh9r/0/M/Piedras%20Grandes%20Camp%20Tunnel%202015-05-28-0011-M.jpg" title="This is a cool tunnel built deep into a large boulder mountain" alt="This is a cool tunnel built deep into a large boulder mountain"></a><br />
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Gary heading into tunnel 16, this one has a history of fires and collapses which is evidenced by the tweak on the top. The inside supports you see in the other tunnels are missing which I am guessing is from the 1986 fire that burned it out<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095959173&k=9v4bPxJ&lb=1&s=A" title="Gary walking towards tunnel 16"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-9v4bPxJ/0/M/Gary%20at%20Tunnel%2016%202015-05-28-0005-M.jpg" title="Gary walking towards tunnel 16" alt="Gary walking towards tunnel 16"></a><br />
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What would a trip thru the Gorge be without a photo of the Trestle<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095960353&k=44XXFJH&lb=1&s=A" title="Goat Canyon Trestle in Carrizo Gorge"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-44XXFJH/0/M/Goat%20Canyon%20Trestle%202015-05-28-0006-M.jpg" title="Goat Canyon Trestle in Carrizo Gorge" alt="Goat Canyon Trestle in Carrizo Gorge"></a><br />
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Eventually we found our way to the East Fork and the Carrizo Palms. There was some water and lots of wildlife tracks<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095957301&k=Z6ZSFgh&lb=1&s=A" title="One of the several palm groves in the East Fork of Carrizo Gorge"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-Z6ZSFgh/0/M/Carrizo%20Palms%202015-05-27-0003-M.jpg" title="One of the several palm groves in the East Fork of Carrizo Gorge" alt="One of the several palm groves in the East Fork of Carrizo Gorge"></a><br />
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Unfortunately this poor gal was not able to make it to the water source. I was able to go out a few days later with a Fish & Game Biologist to perform a post-mortem and the cause of death was determined to be from disease <br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095957493&k=n6Mh6Jc&lb=1&s=A" title="Dead Ewe we found in a remote canyon. Cause of death was most likely dieasese as evedince of horn and foot dieasese was present. The collar indicates she was about 13 years old."><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-n6Mh6Jc/0/L/Dead%20Ewe%20Front%20View%202015-05-28-0004-L.jpg" title="Dead Ewe we found in a remote canyon. Cause of death was most likely dieasese as evedince of horn and foot dieasese was present. The collar indicates she was about 13 years old." alt="Dead Ewe we found in a remote canyon. Cause of death was most likely dieasese as evedince of horn and foot dieasese was present. The collar indicates she was about 13 years old."></a><br />
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Rock Art<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4095955225&k=WjzvxKq&lb=1&s=A" title="Carrizo Gorge Pictographs"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-WjzvxKq/0/M/Carrizo%20Gorge%20Pictographs%202015-05-27-0004-M.jpg" title="Carrizo Gorge Pictographs" alt="Carrizo Gorge Pictographs"></a><br />
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I did manage to get some digital shots as well, love the sunrise photos with a super zoom<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096046692&k=8fDfdqd&lb=1&s=A" title="Sunrise over the Coyote Mtns"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-8fDfdqd/0/M/dscf0369_2015-05-23-M.jpg" title="Sunrise over the Coyote Mtns" alt="Sunrise over the Coyote Mtns"></a><br />
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The Goat Canyon Trestle has several "catwalks" built in to facilitate repairs and maintenance duties and there is also an elaborate fire supression system built into the trestle with many pipes and valves that lead up to the water tanker on the hillside above. This photo is looking straight thru the first catwalk and some of the water pipes are visible. I can't recommend walking these catwalks at all, they are sketchy at best<br />
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Gary enjoying some of the water at Carrizo Palms<br />
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Reptiles were out and about, we found 2 in the same spot with head injuries, pretty strange, anybody have any ideas? We were thinking hawks or such<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096047096&k=cf9vvpG&lb=1&s=A" title="2 dead snakes with their heads bitten into"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-cf9vvpG/0/M/img_2900_2015-05-24-M.jpg" title="2 dead snakes with their heads bitten into" alt="2 dead snakes with their heads bitten into"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096047030&k=TQcP4JG&lb=1&s=A" title="Bloody head of one of the snakes"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-TQcP4JG/0/M/img_2901_2015-05-24-M.jpg" title="Bloody head of one of the snakes" alt="Bloody head of one of the snakes"></a><br />
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This guy was chilling in the shade of the tunnels<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096047562&k=Zrdr8md&lb=1&s=A" title="Snake in a dark tunnel"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-Zrdr8md/0/M/img_2924_2015-05-24-M.jpg" title="Snake in a dark tunnel" alt="Snake in a dark tunnel"></a><br />
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Railroad camp debris, re-purposing a shovel for something?<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096047429&k=RxhJXqg&lb=1&s=A" title="Curious hole cut out of a shovel"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-RxhJXqg/0/M/img_2909_2015-05-24-M.jpg" title="Curious hole cut out of a shovel" alt="Curious hole cut out of a shovel"></a><br />
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This is more my speed, a real fifth bottle of whisky<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096046830&k=NPz5kSw&lb=1&s=A" title="A real fifth of whisky"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-NPz5kSw/0/M/img_2896_2015-05-24-M.jpg" title="A real fifth of whisky" alt="A real fifth of whisky"></a><br />
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Anyways, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed...time to turn in.....<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/49611363_XXs8QZ#!i=4096312318&k=PjQWLgD&lb=1&s=A" title="Sleep setup in the Gorge"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Carrizo-Gorge-05-23-2015/i-PjQWLgD/0/M/img_2943_2015-05-25-M.jpg" title="Sleep setup in the Gorge" alt="Sleep setup in the Gorge"></a><br />
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-----Daren R. Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13798795352517991700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-59899927573103255202015-05-04T06:31:00.000-07:002015-05-04T23:31:01.043-07:00Sigma 600mm F8 Mirror LensAdding to my collection of Olympus OM mount lenses that I can use on both my older OM-2sp and my Fuji X-E1 cameras is a Sigma 600mm f8 mirror lens. There are a lot of write ups already you can find on the Internet about this lens so you can search them out and read the reviews. My impression so far with this lens is that it works very well on my digital camera, better than my Minolta 500mm mirror lens. Hand held at 1000/sec or higher gives fairly sharp results all things considered but the more daylight you have the better. For the price you can find these on ebay for it is a pretty good deal if you want a long focal length without spending a lot of money.<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Inner-Pasture-05-02-2015/49031994_KB4TsZ#!i=4033317609&k=ftZf38w&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Inner-Pasture-05-02-2015/i-ftZf38w/0/M/dscf0305_2015-05-03-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-4561058643363706692015-03-26T07:58:00.002-07:002015-03-26T07:59:52.794-07:00Asahi Pentax Spotmeter V Repair<br />
I recently picked up an Asahi Pantax Spotmeter V to compliment my growing collection of older film cameras. I bought the spotmeter advertised as used but in good working condition...I guess everyone has different standards. It was in working condition but the calculation dials were loose and there was spider web fungus on the optics and fresnel lens where the spotmeter indicator was. There were also a couple of cracks on the plastic housing and something rattling around inside. It worked but those things really bothered me so I took it apart and fixed it all up. If you are looking to repair your Spotmeter V then hopefully these photos will help you disassemble yours and not make the mistakes I did.<br />
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Here is the spotmeter mostly disassembled<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720588&k=5T7tVxv&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-5T7tVxv/0/M/IMG_2739-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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The spotmeter housing has 1 screw behind the small serial number sticker plate on the grip that needs to be removed and then also the eyecup housing needs to be unscrewed to completely remove the outer housing. Typically in electronic items there are hidden screws behind stickers and name plates, I thought there were a couple more screws underneath the Pentax badge on top of the housing and removed that also but it turned out that the top of the housing is only a snap fit piece and I buggered up the badge getting it off. I told myself it was OK because I didn't pay much for the spotmeter.<br />
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Here is the screw that lives behind the serial# sticker badge, carefully pry the sticker off at the edges or corner with a sharp razor blade. You can glue this back on later with contact cement...yes, contact cement, it works perfect and is what was used way back when.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720988&k=F7nfWQh&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-F7nfWQh/0/M/IMG_2752-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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You will also need to unscrew the eyecup piece and then using a spanner wrench remove the locking ring, I guess I forgot to get a good picture of that part so take my word on it...just unscrew by hand the eyecup piece and when removed you will see the lock ring and the 2 indent holes for the spanner wrench, unscrew and remove that and you will see something like this<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720584&k=q75WvFG&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-q75WvFG/0/M/IMG_2741-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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Then carefully pull the housing off, the top has a snap fit piece like this<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720574&k=mKp6Rx6&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-mKp6Rx6/0/M/IMG_2740-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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The main front lens just unscrews as a whole unit, that will get you access to the spotmeter needle and fresnel/mirror chamber, that is where I used a q-tip to clean the fresnel area. The main glass element needs to be removed by using a spanner wrench to unscrew the holding lug inside the lens housing, it is a single piece of glass so it can easily be removed and cleaned of fungus or dust.<br />
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Here is looking down into the fresnel/mirror chamber with the main lens removed<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720670&k=BwRZmpk&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-BwRZmpk/0/M/IMG_2744-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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This is the dial calculation assembly removed<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720680&k=dtGjwFj&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-dtGjwFj/0/M/IMG_2742-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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On the inside of the plastic housing I used some locktite to secure the nuts holding the dial calculation wheels<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720876&k=WcWDfcL&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-WcWDfcL/0/M/IMG_2751-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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Here is the whole mess apart on my table<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720925&k=Fwpwhcw&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-Fwpwhcw/0/M/IMG_2750-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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I used some Gorilla Glue to repair the cracks in the housing and used a rubber band to clamp it together during the drying period.<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp#!i=3949720858&k=BMvXj9R&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/i-BMvXj9R/0/M/IMG_2749-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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Everything went back together good and now I have a nice working spotmeter!<br />
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A few more photos are <a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Asahi-Pentax-V-Spot-Meter/48193681_4LJxpp">here</a><br />
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I hope this is helpful to anyone else looking to repair their Pentax Spotmeter V<br />
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Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-11043757156655014592015-03-09T18:48:00.000-07:002015-03-09T18:48:08.058-07:00Wildflower Blooms 2015 - Anza Borrego Desert State ParkWildflowers are beginning to bloom out in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, get out in the next couple of weeks before they are gone!<br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921578389&k=VJ4SZKM&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-VJ4SZKM/0/M/%5BGroup%200%5D-img_2687_2015-03-08_img_2692_2015-03-08-6%20images-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921568409&k=kLbpjfS&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-kLbpjfS/0/M/img_2639_2015-03-07-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921570717&k=FCwLHsB&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-FCwLHsB/0/M/img_2678_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921569129&k=KjDwx5f&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-KjDwx5f/0/M/img_2670_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921574644&k=Z3bPmVS&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-Z3bPmVS/0/M/img_2684_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921561865&k=D49vDHF&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-D49vDHF/0/M/img_2698_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921562235&k=27xCvHf&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-27xCvHf/0/M/img_2699_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921565389&k=jWgjgPx&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-jWgjgPx/0/M/img_2702_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921566516&k=cKSWpdr&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-cKSWpdr/0/M/img_2703_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921567166&k=s2SfRzL&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-s2SfRzL/0/M/img_2714_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/47928149_gpCxGz#!i=3921567857&k=m6jSwGQ&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Wildflowers/Wildflowers-2015/i-m6jSwGQ/0/M/img_2715_2015-03-08-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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--Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7224164975637725210.post-6388748487969603982015-03-01T19:48:00.000-08:002015-03-01T19:48:31.898-08:00Tintype Photography - A second tryHere are a few more shots with my tintype kit. I think the emulsion is too thick, I was able to put a more consistent and thinner coating on this batch of plates and it looks like they exposed better but something is still not right and the bubbles were a surprise as I was very careful to clean the plates with rubbing alcohol and did not touch either the plates or emulsion so not sure with that either. I am gonna try and pour some more plates this week, maybe the 3rd try will be the charm.<br />
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Rocky Bones my dog makes a great model<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Tintype/47752170_2Gjnzf#!i=3906341335&k=vkQJQTc&lb=1&s=A" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Tintype/i-vkQJQTc/0/M/2015-03-01-0001-M.jpg" title="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug" alt="Photo & Video Sharing by SmugMug"></a><br />
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Except when he moves during a 3 second exposure<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Tintype/47752170_2Gjnzf#!i=3906341322&k=tQtStgg&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Tintype/i-tQtStgg/0/M/2015-03-01-0002-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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This one was underexposed for Rocky but the background seemed decent...<br />
<a href="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Tintype/47752170_2Gjnzf#!i=3906341331&k=XWbbxmN&lb=1&s=A" title=""><img src="http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Film/Tintype/i-XWbbxmN/0/M/2015-03-01-0003-M.jpg" title="" alt=""></a><br />
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I have a lot of respect for old time photographers and their perseverance to keep trying new methods to get better results. If you have any experience with tintypes and the Rockland specific emulsions I would love to hear from you!<br />
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--Daren Sefcikhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15263407636242945068noreply@blogger.com0