22 replies to this topic

[Occidental]

I'm working on a new series of trip reports. We spent a bit over three weeks (planned to be longer, but, life...) exploring the southern California desert with an unplanned side trip to Arizona due to an extreme wind storm that blew us out of California for a few days.  We visited Death Valley National Park, the Mojave National Preserve as well as other locations in the Mojave Desert around Barstow, Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego State Park and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.  

 

The backstory is, we had planned to go to Baja, Mexico, but that trip didn't come together. Next year I hope. Then, we thought we'd just enjoy winter in Idaho, but winter didn't ever seem to show.  Sick of the freeze thaw, rain and mud, without many prospects for getting out and about, we decided to speed up spring by heading south. So our trip is dubbed: South to Spring.  

 

I'm breaking the posts into small(er) bits, so I have several more posts to make.  As of now I have the Death Valley segment posted.  I'll add links to the rest of the report as I get them done, likely over the next week or two.  

 

I hope you enjoy.

 

South to Spring (trip intro)

South to Spring | Exploring Death Valley Part 1: Echo Canyon

South to Spring | Exploring Death Valley Part 2: Hole in the Wall, Lake Manly and Beyond

Video: Exploring Death Valley | South to Spring Episode 1

South to Spring | Mojave National Preserve Part 1: Caruthers Canyon

South to Spring | Mojave National Preserve Part 2: Hole in the Wall

South to Spring | Mojave National Preserve Part 3: Kelso Dunes

Video: Meandering the Mojave | South to Spring Episode 2

South to Spring | Beyond Barstow

Video: Rock Art and Rough Roads | South to Spring Episode 3

South to Spring | Hiking Joshua Tree

South to Spring | Conversation With a Ranger

Video: Strolling Through Joshua Tree | South to Spring Episode 4

South to Spring | Anza Borrego Part 1

South to Spring | Organ Pipe Part 1

South to Spring | Organ Pipe Part 2

Video: Escape to Organ Pipe | South to Spring Episode 5

South to Spring | Anza Borrego Part 2

South to Spring | Anza Borrego Part 3

Video: Wildflowers and Washes of Anza Borrego | South to Spring Episode 6

Edited by Occidental, 22 April 2024 - 01:30 AM.

[ski3pin]

Very nice start to your quest for Spring! We're looking forward to the following installments.

 

In regards to Spring, our peach trees have blossoms and it is snowing here this morning.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks nice spring photos.

Frank

[Lighthawk]

I enjoyed the whole series!  Amazing to see how regulated parts of DV have become in the last four years.

 

My trip visiting Hole in the Wall was twenty years ago, car camping.  Driving out, the wash was wide and I gave my 15 year old son the wheel of our Chevy Tahoe.  He promptly grazed some brush and added some pinstripes to my paint job.  I don't think we saw anyone else.

 

Looking forward to your journey farther south. 

[Occidental]

Mr. Ski, I hope your peach blossoms survived the storm!

 

Thanks Frank.

 

Lightwawk, Hole in the Wall was a bit busier for us.  Among the traffic on the road were about a dozen adventure bikers buzzing up and down the road, and a guy filming his trip up the road with his drone in tow (not allowed, but....).  Still a nice visit though.

[Occidental]

I have a few more installments posted to the blog, covering our time on the Mojave National Preserve:

 

South to Spring | Mojave National Preserve Part 1: Caruthers Canyon

South to Spring | Mojave National Preserve Part 2: Hole in the Wall

South to Spring | Mojave National Preserve Part 3: Kelso Dunes

 

More to come!

[ski3pin]

<snip>

 

More to come!

 

[Vic Harder]

Super nice!

[Occidental]

I have a few more updates to our trip completed.  As we continue south we spent some time north and south of Barstow and then a couple days in Joshua Tree National Park:

 

Video: Meandering the Mojave | South to Spring Episode 2

South to Spring | Beyond Barstow

Video: Rock Art and Rough Roads | South to Spring Episode 3

South to Spring | Hiking Joshua Tree

[Occidental]

Three more updates to the trip linked here.  Finishing out our time in Joshua Tree and we moved on to Anza Borrego:

 

South to Spring | Conversation With a Ranger

Video: Strolling Through Joshua Tree | South to Spring Episode 4

South to Spring | Anza Borrego Part 1