Storm Canyon / Vallecito - ABDSP

A hike out into Storm Canyon before the Perseid Meteor Shower. Temperatures on my truck thermometer showed a high of 110 degrees. The humidity was thick.

Big thunderstorm clouds over the south part of the canyon, you can see Monument and Garnet Peaks off in the distance. I did get rained on and saw many lightning strikes. This is a 360 degree panorama photo.


Found 2 old Coke bottles. Based on some research I did I believe they are probably from the early 1970's, bottle evolution #14. On one side is the name in script and on the other is only the word Coke. They are the 6.5 ounce bottles.



There was a nice rock shelter with a single mortero out in front


Descending an unnamed small peak I saw some morteros at the base of the ridge


I love finding bony scat, here is a great find! Probably coyote


Here is a zoomed in shot, notice what looks like an entire limb with the joint and what looks like a couple of black whiskers poking out above to the right


The question nobody seems to be able to answer every time I ask is why do animals always crap in the holes in rocks or right on rocks obviously out of the way? This scat is beginning to take on the same colors as the rock around it


Rock Art comes in a variety forms, here is an example of a very controversial form known as a Yoni. You can decide for yourself, Yoni or not


Other forms are more widely accepted, modern or pre-historic


He looked like he was painted blue at some point so I DStretched him


Something a little more authentic



I think this a Burrowing Owl burrow but I am no expert. For size reference you could probably roll a softball down this hole


Can't go hike in the desert without finding some mylar balloons, this was a 5 balloon wreck in the cactus


Total Mylar balloons this trip - (7)

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Inner Pasture - ABDSP

The next morning following my Whale Peak Hike I hiked to Inner Pasture for some exploring. There is no easy way out to Inner Pasture, you are almost guaranteed a minimum of 6 miles round trip just to get to the edge of the valley. My trip was about 14 miles total, I could have done close to 20 miles if I had left earlier but I got a late start.

You can see all of the pictures from the trip here http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Inner-Pasture-10-08-2011/19490183_7TtrGM

Inner Pasture is raw and vast, if you decide to go explore Inner Pasture be sure not to follow my actions and go with a few people if possible. The undocumented travelers in Inner Pasture is obvious and active, hiking solo out there is not recommended.


Cool Dragonfly


Morteros and Pottery around this rock shelter suggest it was used by Native Americans



There was also evidence of undocumented travelers in this shelter and others nearby.


Pottery sherds and what appeared to be a possible projectile made from stone



Lots of morteros nearby



Yoni rock carvings are always a favorite to find



Inner Pasture was once home to cattle who grazed the open valley. You can still find evidence of them today




Here is a close up of the steer teeth just in case you wondered what they looked like


Here is a close up of the horn


I also stumbled across a small shelter with a really funky pictograph, not really sure what it is supposed to be.


Here is an enhanced version with DStretch


This is with my hand in front as a reference for size


This the alcove wall I found it in, look in the lower right


Here is my mandatory scat inside of a mortero photo


Total mylar balloon count for this trip - 5

Eagle Fire / Vallecito Hike - ABDSP

************ Update Aug 1st 2011 ************
According to CAL FIRE the Eagle fire is now 100% contained
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The Eagle fire has burned more than 14,000 acres and spread into the Anza Borrego Desert State park canyons. On a recent trip to the desert I photographed some of the helicopters making water drops on the blaze. They were filling up from the Borrego Community water ponds. It was very interesting to watch, they were flying circles around Indinan Head Peak dropping water onto the fires in Palm Canyon and Henderson Canyon. They were moving very quickly, these guys were really good and busting some serious ass fighting the fire. It was amazing to watch.

You can see more photos of the helicopters in action and a few videos here

This is one video of a helicopter coming in to pickup water




This is the SDG&E SPL Tower helicopter helping out



Two helicopters fill up at once, looked a little sketchy to me but I guess they know what they are doing


Sky Art sculptures near Henderson Canyon, you can see the smoke from the blaze in the background and the many trucks from the fire crew on stand by


On a hike out thru a very remote area of Vallecito I found a few pictographs, pottery sherds, morteros and a Bobcat watching me from up in a small cave. I also had a couple of coyotes dart out away from me while boulder hopping in a few areas. As usual for that area I saw a lot of large mountain lion scat.

You can see all of the pictures from Vallecito here

This Bobcat was watching me while I ate some lunch, this was in a very remote area of Vallecito


This was a very interesting rock, it has the looks of possible carvings but is most likely a natural formation


I saw several large scats that looked like Century Plant pods and seeds


These were pretty cool looking morteros


I was not sure what to make of these prints. I followed them for about a mile thru a wash until I had to turn onto the road. They were large, roundish and deep. Almost like a basketball was thrown down into the sand, my sunglasses are next to them for size comparison and you can see my foot prints to the left, very faint so you know these were made by something heavy footed.


A nice size mountain lion scat


I found some interesting pictographs. Here are a couple with the originals and then with a Dstretch enhancement