Show Us Where You've Been..

[rangermatt]

Some of our travels over the years

Yellowstone in my old chevy...before I drank the Yota kool aid

Devils tower on the same trip, on the way back east

Spent a season on a USFS fire crew out here in CA

Chasin trout in Maine

Heading north in the new Tundra this past summer

 

[Hilldweller]

This was a 2-week roadtrip we took in 2008 right after we bought the Jeep.
Over 7000 miles. Georgia to Jasper, Alberta, back again.

[video=youtube_share;Nr63wj1-jTw]http://youtu.be/Nr63wj1-jTw[/video]

 

[Fowldarr]

a couple of shots from this weekend at the Historic Winchester Ranch near Crowheart Wyoming. The Winchester Ranch is deeded white land in the middle of the Wind River Indian Reservation. It sits right on the Wind River, and is a beautiful place. I didn't get any pictures of my actual camp (I was camping with the boyscouts again)

, but some cool pics of the river.

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Horse Canyon & Upper Coyote Canyon, Anza-Borrego - May 2009

It turned out to be a busy day in upper Coyote and Horse Canyon. Lots of folks out enjoying the terrain before the seasonal closure kicks in. As always this time around, some spots were easier while others much more difficult. I wonder what the coming floods this year through the canyon will have in store for us when it reopens in October? Fun stuff, no doubt.

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Pinyon Mountain Road to Carrizo Mountain, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - October 2009

Well it turned out to be an absolutely beautiful day out in the desert. We couldn't have asked for better weather. I met up with two Jeep Cherokees at Dudley's Bakery in Santa Ysabel around 7am. In no time at all we were at the trail head to Pinyon Mountain where we aired down and made sure everything was secure inside the vehicles.

As we made our way easily through The Squeeze we notice a group of bikes coming up and waited to see how they would fair at the obstacle. They all made it through okay, but the drop off was to be another story. As I squared my rig up at the top of Pinyon Drop off the small crowd gathered to see how the old YJ would do. It did great. After easing into the rut at the top of the hill and lifting a rear wheel, I made my way down the loose decent towards the bottom. No problem. Once the Cherokees made their way down it was the bikers turn. The first fellow skillfully motored his way down the steep drop off without and problems. However the next two guys decided to walk their bikes down. That didn't seem like a good idea to me, with gravity pulling on a few hundred pounds of motor bike down a steep, loose hill. Of course they ate it halfway down but fortunately no one was hurt.

Soon we were blasting down Fish Creek and on up to Arroyo Seco Del Diablo Canyon. Although there were quite a few areas where the canyon walls had collapsed, the trail had already been well traveled. After a quick run through muddy Carrizo Creek and onto the old stagecoach station, we made our way out to hwy S-2 via Canyon Sin Nombre. The next stop was Painted Gorge and the Carrizo Mountain area.

As usual, the shelf road up the mountain was nice and rough. At the summit we had clear views of the Salton Sea, Superstition Mountain, Plaster City and Mexico. On the way down we took a quick detour to the base of the mountain on the Cliffhanger trail. By 5pm we were aired up and back on the pavement. It was a great long day on the trail!

 

[Cnynrat]

Some places we've been ...

We spent a week at Chaco Canyon last Thanksgiving, and had a great time exploring the ruins and hiking the canyons.

Inside Pueblo Bonito

Penasco Blanco Ruin

Supernova rock art

A couple years ago we spent a week in the Maze District of Canyonlands. Awesome trip!

Hiking in Horseshoe Canyon

Working our way down the Flint Trail switchbacks

From our camp at the Maze Overlook

Down in the Maze at the Harvest Scene

Twilight at the Doll House

Putting the AT through its paces

More trips later!

 

[Cnynrat]

Like many of us based in SoCal, we've been to Coyote Flats outside of Bishop in the eastern Sierras. This trip was in late September, and we had some dicey weather, but it made for interesting clouds.

Some cool old snags in the area

Nice little tarn up behind camp

We've spent some time poking around old mines in the Inyo Mountains, often on trips planned by Teotwaki.

Ghost miners returning from the depths

On this particular trip we also spent some time up at the famous Salt Tram. This is a shot of some of the group on the way up with bits of Cerro Gordo visible in the background.

The top tram tower at sunset

 

[Storz]

URE in my old D1

OBX, same truck

OBX with the DII

Somewhere in Pisgah - 02 DII

Messin around

Had an Impreza back in '05 - frozen Saginaw bay

Racing on "The Edge" circa 2009 - Chesapeake Bay

NC105/Kistler Memorial Highway

The "Chimneys" looking east

Table Rock Summit, NC looking at the Linville Gorge

 

[jim65wagon]

Coopers Rock State Park, West Virginia



Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Upper Coyote Canyon & Santa Rosa Mountain - November 2009

We enjoyed a variety of terrain and scenery, from sandy desert trails and boulder-strewn washes to pine-shaded, rocky mountain climbs. I may have also pushed the old YJ to its limits on a few obstacles. Anyway, I met up with Craig in Escondido on the way up to the town of Anza just off Highway 371. After grabbing a few breakfast burritos in town we were soon making our way down the trail into Coyote Canyon and on towards Bailey's Cabin to set up camp. I was planning to just stay in the cabin but didn't feel like killing the small family of mice that had made their home in an old Coleman stove, so I just set up my tent real quick.

Before exploring the rest of the area in our rigs, we decided to park a little ways over by the closure fence and hike down through upper willows for a bit. We actually followed a vehicel's tire tracks all the way down. You could see where there was a break in that part of the fence. Well, not a fence, just a few wooden post and logs stuck in the ground a few feet apart. I don't know if it was just some hooligan going off the trail or if it was a park ranger, maybe patrolling the area. In any case, we followed what used to be the vehicle trail down a ways, before it was closed off around 1996. It didn't look all that different from the areas there that you are allowed to drive. The State Park Service could very easily reopen that section of Coyote Canyon without causing any damage to any sensitive resource area.

Anyway, we then drove through Alder Canyon and then up into Horse Canyon to test our rigs and skill on some of the tough obstacles there. Craig and I both ended up needing to use the recovery strap. You know you're having fun when you get stuck every now and then! Towards the back of the canyon we ran into another Jeeper, David, who had been with me on my last run through here. He lives right there in Anza so we had plans to meet up again the next day and head on over to Santa Rosa Mountain and make our way up Santa Rosa Mountain via Sawmill Trail. We made it back to camp at sunset and we're soon enjoying conversation and drinks by the campfire.

The next day we broke camp and rolled into town where we aired and gassed up. David soon joined us in his very capable red TJ Wrangler. From here on, it would be my first time through this next trail that snaked its way up the Santa Rosa Mountains. From hwy 371 we turned east on the 74 to the Sawmill trail head, where we aired down. Now this trail has some very steep, rocky, off-camber climbs that I would consider one of the most difficult trails I've been on. I ended up blowing out one of my rear shocks on the way up. This route eventually came to an end at the easy Santa Rosa Mountain Truck Trail. From the top we had clear views of Palm Springs, the Salton Sea and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Being on the mountain reminded me of northern California and Big Bear.

Airing down at the trailhead.

They need to update this sign since they graded the Turkey Track.

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the road here.

Start of the long descent down Coyote Canyon. Tule Canyon Wash comes in from the right.

Upper Coyote Canyon, separating the Santa Rosa Mountains to the north from the San Ysidro Mountains to the south.

Coyote Creek.

Native Americans made winter camps in this area and processed their foods in these mortar beds.

Fig Tree Valley.

Bailey's Cabin.

Hike through upper willows.

The Anza Expedition monument.

"Near this spot on christmas eve, 1775, was born one of California's first white children, Salvador Ignacio Linares. His mother, senora Gertrudis Linares, was a member of the colonizing expedition of Juan Bautista De Anza from western Mexico to Alta California. Here in Coyote Canyon, the child was baptized on christmas day.

Marker placed by California Centennials Commission. Base furnished by roads to romance association INC. 1950."

The Anza Trail. (Hope it reopens one day.)

Alder & Horse Canyons

Sawmill Trail to Santa Rosa Mountain

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Lower Colorado River - November 2009

It was a very fun-filled and relaxing weekend. Steve and a few of my wife's coworkers joined us for a camping trip down at Ferguson Lake along the lower Colorado River. We stayed at the Imperial Valley Hunting & Fishing Club, which is convenient (bathrooms and showers) for the women and those who haven't camped much yet. For all our guest, this was their first time there. I actually prefer camping out in my tent out on a point along the water. Anyway, we all arrived Friday evening and everyone but my wife and I left on Sunday. The fishing was a little slow, as it always is with the cooler weather but the quail hunting was great. I forgot how challenging it is just by yourself. The little buggers kept circling back behind me, but I managed to get my limit by the end of the trip. I did miss having my Jeep there, so we didn't get any good wheelin' in either. Next time for sure! Well, I guess I'll get to the pictures now...

Where we stayed.

The overlook coming in.

Our view each morning.

These coots just kept gathered in this area. I think they eat the weeds.

Teaching Autumn the finer points of fishing.

The hounds keeping her company.

Steve, hanging out on the dock.

Cast that bait!

Bringing in the big one!

Crap, its only a carp.

These two kept falling in! :

Steve, cutting bait.

Little bass.

Hiking back into one of the canyons behind the cabin.

Waterfall.

Hanging out in the kitchen.

View of the cabin from the next point over.

Delicious quail!

Sunrise over the lake.

These guys were eyeing us on the way out.

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Black Friday Jacumba/In-Ko-Pah Mountains Run - November 2009

On this day run out to some local trails I rode in the passenger seat of my friend Eric's Landcruiser. We met up with a few others and rolled on out to the high-desert town of Jacumba, just south of Interstate 8. Our first stop was high atop Elliot Mine overlooking the Valley of the Moon. After coming down the other side of the Jacumba Mountains we crossed under the freeway and headed north around Table Mountain to the old Mountain Springs Stagecoach Trail and then to the overlook of Carrizo Gorge. By the time we got back down towards Jacumba at the gas stations, sunset was upon us. We enjoyed beautiful weather and great wheelin' with no breakdowns or carnage. This is one of my all-time favorite San Diego back country areas. It was nice to just ride along for once and take in the views.

Airing down.

Heading up to Elliot Mine.

Eyes on the trail, Eric. Its a long way down!

Yep, they're still back there.

Valley of the Moon. (Wilderness)

Ok, who wants to go rock-climbing?

Let's explore the dark underworld!

Steve, deep in one of the mines.

I'm there too. Hey, what was that! :?

US-Mexican border.

On to Mountain Springs stagecoach trail.

A bit of a squeeze.

Showoff.

Now onto the overlook.

Carrizo Gorge.

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Blair Valley Camp, Ghost Mtn. Hike, Carrizo Creek, & Dos Cabezas - Anza Borrego Desert State Park - February 2010

I spent the weekend camping out in Little Blair Valley in the Anza-Borrego desert. We hiked up to see the old homestead ruins atop Ghost Mountain and the native-american pictographs in Blair Valley. We also explored the old Butterfield Stage route through Carrizo Creek and train station ruins along Dos Cabezas Road.

Ghost Mountain was named by Tanya and Marshal South in 1930 when they began their “great experiment” in primitive living, which was later chronicled in the pages of Desert Magazine. No where in the pages of the magazine can a reader find background on the Souths. Their life, as far as the magazine was concerned, began when they commenced building their home, called Yaquitepec, on the waterless ridge of Ghost Mountain in Blair Valley. Visitors to the ruins found on Ghost Mountain in Blair Valley, on the western edge of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, may find it hard to believe that there was once a comfortable home found there that was originally built beginning in 1930. The builders wanted a home that was isolated yet inspiring that would allow them the freedom to pursue their own interests, totally unfettered by the demands of civilization.

The adobe home belonged to Marshal and Tanya South, and it was built over several years as they were dependent on water to make the adobe home and cement cisterns. At first they carried the water up the one-mile steep trail, 12 gallons per trip, until the new cisterns were able to catch and store rainwater. All building materials, including bags of heavy cement, and supplies were carried up a trail they also had to construct. At the end of several years they had a very livable home, which they called Yaquitepec (YAKeete-PECK), naming it after the freedom-loving Yaqui Indians of Sonora, Mexico, and “tepec” because it was on a hill. The home faced magnetic west to catch the rays or the morning sun. In its final form in the l940's, the interior of the house measured 15 feet by almost 40 feet.

South wrote not only about his family’s adventures and the desert, but also about his unconventional philosophy of life. The naysayers, his supporters, and even his guests never knew that things were not going well on the personal side. He took care to only write about the positive aspects of life on Ghost Mountain. He made life there sound so interesting. From Tanya’s perspective, however, it was a very difficult life with no future. It was even more difficult for her because of Marshal’s steadfastness to his own personal beliefs and his inability to compromise and meet Tanya part way. Personal tension continued to mount as they both voiced different opinions over how the children should be raised. The two moves away from Yaquitepec in the mid 1940's set the stage for the divorce and final move.

Because water was such a problem with a growing family that now consisted of three children, two goats, and two burrows, the Souths decided to move in the fall of 1942. They sealed up Yaquitepec, packed their Model A Ford and trailer, and went in search of a new home in Utah or Arizona. But with no money to buy land with the needed isolation to live their chosen lifestyle, the Souths returned to Yaquitepec a year later with determination to improve and enlarge their cisterns. Before their plans could be completed, the U.S. Navy asked them to move as Ghost Mountain was in the flight path for an artillery range.

Neighbors Everett and Lena Campbell came to the rescue and offered them the use of a comfortable stone lined shack in Storm Canyon from July or August 1945 to June 1946. In June the Navy moved the family and all of their belongings back to the foot of Ghost Mountain. Marshal would not allow the Navy to carry their household goods to Yaquitepec because the officer in charge insisted on using a caterpillar tractor that would have left a tremendous scar on the mountainside. So the Navy left them to carry their own goods back up the hill. Unbeknownst to anyone outside of the immediate family was the increased tension between Marshal and Tanya. It finally came to a head a few months later when Tanya summoned up the courage to file for divorce. As divorce could only be granted for cause, Tanya exaggerated the charges.

Marshal did not contest the divorce because he felt the children would be better off with their mother. He wrote the judge and told him to give everything to Tanya. He only requested that the land not be sold until the youngest child was of age. He wanted to make sure that if Tanya could not survive in the city that she would have a home she could return to. Tanya’s attorney briefed Rider on what to say at the divorce proceedings in January 1947. As instructed, he said that his father had beaten and threatened his mother. The fact was that he had not. But he stated that to prove cause, and a judgment favorable to Tanya was granted. Marshal never recovered from the divorce. His whole world was shattered. The experiment in primitive living had failed. He died in October 1948, and he was buried in an unmarked grave, paid for by Myrtle and Louis Botts and Marshal Jr. and his mother Margaret. Tanya and the children did not attend the service, but they visited the funeral home in El Cajon before the body was taken to Julian.

Years later the location of South’s grave was lost because the cemetery records were burned in a fire. The discovery of a letter written by Myrtle Botts to Marshal Jr. while doing research for the South book has established the location of the grave. The letter gives detailed instructions on how to find the grave site. In January 2005, the South children placed a headstone on their father’s grave. Tanya lived to be a few months short of 100 years. She died in 1997. She remained bitter about Marshal and her life on Ghost Mountain to the end. In retrospect, her plan for the children was best for them. All have had very successful lives, and each has had their own happy and bright children.

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Goat Canyon Trestle Hike & Pinyon Mountain Road, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, March 2010

I awoke early on Saturday March 13 and headed out east along Interstate 8 to the small desert town of Ocotillo. From there it was just a few miles north along Highway S2 to Doz Cabezas Road (EC119) out to where Doug (FishPOET on Myjeeprocks.com) and several others where camped. Clark and James from Arizona, who had been in contact with me over at Expedition Portal about exploring Anza Borrego, were there as well. I pulled in around 8:30am and we departed from the Mortero Palms trail head shortly after 9.

Driving out on Doz Cabezas Road next to the San Diego and Arizona Eastern RR tracks.

Starting out from the trailhead.

The path winds through the boulders.

We soon come to Mortero Palms.

This palm grove is one of the densest in Anza-Borrego, arising from the seeps amid a jumble of huge boulders. It makes for a cool spot to rest on warm days.

Continuing on up the canyon.

The route behind us.

View of where we started way down below.

Oh look, more climbing ahead.

We've come a long ways.

A realitivly easy section.

Starting down Goat Canyon.

Detour down the first dry waterfall.

Our first glimpse of the railroad tracks and trestles in Carrizo Gorge.

We finaly get within sight of Goat Canyon trestle.

The last section of the descent down is a tough one with a few very steep dry waterfalls that must be navigated around. I used my hands for hanging on rather than taking pictures.

Almost there!

Just about level with the tracks now.

We just came down that!

I guess they decided that wasn't a good place for a tunnel.

From what I've heard the company that was using the tracks went bankrupt and there hasn't been any trains running out here for a few years. You can tell...

Carrizo Gorge.

We got to the trestle at 1pm. After lunch and pictures we were back in camp around 4:30pm. The wind was getting pretty bad so we moved closer to the mountains in Dos Cabezas Camp. After dinner and hanging around the fire for a bit everyone was in bed by 9pm. The wind finally stopped blowing a short time later.

Dos Cabezas Camp on Sunday morning.

After saying our goodbyes Clark and James followed me out to Pinyon Mountain Road. The plan was once we got out through Split Mountain and Fish Creek to follow the trail along the railroad tracks to Carrizo Wash and take Old Kane Springs Road to San Felipe Wash and on out to Highway 78. But things didn't go as smoothly as planned...

Heading on out Mortero Wash.

A quick stop at Dos Cabezas siding.

Once at the Pinyon Mountain trailhead we stopped to air down. However I accidentally pulled out the valve stem on the front tire letting all the air out. Clark had a compressor under the hood of his 4runner but couldnt get the hood open.

We finally managed to unbolt the latch only to have the tiny pebble that caused the problem to fly out!

Now onto the trail!

The squeeze.

Pinyon Dropoff (aka Heart Attack Hill)

On the last major obstacle we ran into another Jeep having some trouble.

Good thing there was another group out there who winched him up. A Ford F-150 out there also broke an axle.

Split rock.

Fish Creek Wash.

Split Mountain.

Carrizo Wash.

San Felipe Wash.

We arrived at Highway 78 at around 6pm. After airing up a saying goodbye to Clark and James, who had another two days in the desert, I realized that I was gonna be about 2 hours late for dinner plans back home! So I blasted back to El Cajon and ran through the door and into my dark house. The lights snapped on and saw about 30 of my family and friends gathered for a surprised anniversary party for us!

What a great weekend it was! I'll be doing that hike again.

 

[BrentHaywoodPhotography]

Just returned from 9 days in the Mammoth area. Quick pic of camp at 3:00 am halfway up Laurel Lakes Road over looking the Mammoth Valley. More coming...

 

[Dave]

Just returned from 9 days in the Mammoth area. Quick pic of camp at 3:00 am halfway up Laurel Lakes Road over looking the Mammoth Valley. More coming...

View attachment 3404

Sweet!

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Just returned from 9 days in the Mammoth area. Quick pic of camp at 3:00 am halfway up Laurel Lakes Road over looking the Mammoth Valley. More coming...

View attachment 3404

Great shot! That's another area I need to get out to someday...

 

[heehawhardy]

Headed to west Texas and Oklahoma this week. Short video from it

Wichita Mountains Bison Crossing: http://youtu.be/MG2etZyyYNQ

 

[Mr. Leary]

Camping at Broken Bow Lake, OK this weekend with the wife.

A little too low to squeeze through. Had to drag this one out of the way with a tow strap.

Oh yes, there will be burritos!

 

[Mr. Leary]

Sunrise from our window.

Back up camera view as we headed out.