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9/19/2011 11:14:26 PM
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dsefcik
Posts 546
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The full TR with lots of pictures is on my website http://www.sefcik.com/2011/09/grapevine-mountain-bitter-creek-canyon.html
If you just want to see the pictures, look here http://www.darensefcik.com/Photography/Anza-Borrego-Desert-State-Park/Grapevine-Mountain-09-16-2011/19117034_fZLDMF
Finding somewhere to hike in Anza Borrego is never a problem, instead the problem is just trying to make up your mind where! I settled on hiking up to the peak of Grapevine Mountain using Jerry Schad's route as described in his book. I drove down Grapevine Canyon from the Ranchita area the day before and camped out at the starting area of the hiking route. The full hiking distance was about 6.3 miles and the elevation gain/loss was around '2500. This was a great hike that only took about 7 hours to complete and that includes 95 degree temps and lots of lolly gagging on my part. I would recommend a hike up thru Bitter Creek Canyon alone as I found it a fascinating area.
Google Earth map of the route I hiked
Stuart Spring had plenty of water and bees guarding it
It had rained heavily early in the day, the dirt roads were muddy and the morteros near Angelina Spring were filled with water
I am a sucker for scat...
Grapevine Peak off in the distance, no trail on this hike. It is all cross country
I love the blue juniper berries in this scat
The register, this peak does not seem to have much activity as almost all of the entires are months apart. The last one before mine was March 18th, seven months ago. If you look at the entry in the jar you can see it is from park ranger Robert Theriault dated 1985. I tried to find an entry from Jerry Schad but did not see one on any of the sheets. I did see many entries from the Monday Maniacs over the years, they seem to like this peak
Old survey markers at the top
View of the Volcan Mountains
Bitter Creek Canyon
Lots of honey comb up in the rocks
Bitter Creek Springs Resort Hot Tub
Pottery in Bitter Creek Canyon
My hiking partner
Anybody ever see these glyphs driving thru Ocotillo? Not much patina, probably fake
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Why do they always crap in the morteros? After it rains, some sink and some will float...
More pictures and TR on my website http://www.sefcik.com/2011/09/grapevine-mountain-bitter-creek-canyon.html
Daren
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
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9/20/2011 8:53:57 PM
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hikerdmb
Posts 229
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Nice hike Daren. Do you ever stay home on the weekend? That is a nice looking area. The marker sticks/poles are very similar to what is on top of Wilson Peak on Pinyon Ridge, which I believe is just to the north north east of your mountain, across Grapevine Canyon. Glad the temps are starting to cool off out there. Also nice to hear that it rained too. I saw that even the Fish Creek mountains got some rain from that last "storm" that came through.
David
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9/25/2011 12:57:44 PM
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dsefcik
Posts 546
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I forgot to also mention the park ranger buzzed me in her plane about half way up to the peak. She circled once and then came back and flew right over me..not sure why. Then on my way to the Stop the Ocotillo Wind Energy Project meeting I saw a very "out of place" person stumble out onto the highway at mile marker 41. He had no shirt, a small backpack and a bottle of Gatorade...lets just say he did not look like a hiker....
Daren
BTW David..I stayed home this weekend...haha...
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
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9/25/2011 1:05:42 PM
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hikerdmb
Posts 229
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I did my part to fill the backcountry this weekend by heading to the Lagunas. Saw a SAR operation on the east side of Sunrise Hwy where the hang gliders launch.
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9/26/2011 6:11:49 PM
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dsefcik
Posts 546
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The photo of the petroglyph shaped like an "eight" that I found out near Ocotillo is very similar to one out in Clark Dry Lake. Near the glyphs in Ocotillo I also found many pieces of pottery..maybe they are genuine...
Here is the glyph out in Clark Dry Lake
Here is the one in Ocotillo
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
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9/26/2011 6:13:19 PM
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dsefcik
Posts 546
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Also forgot, total mylar balloon count for this 1.25 day trip was 5. I think I am getting most of them as each trip yields less and less...
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
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