Blair Valley Loop, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, with hiking to Ghost Mountain (Marshal South home site) and Pictograph Hiking Trail.Saturday Feb 21: This month's Xcursion is a mild one, at least on Satuday, with probably more time out of the trucks hiking than driving. Blair Valley Loop is an easy 14 miles or so of sandy trail, with 3 nice hikes along the way.
We'll start out driving through Blair Valley to the trailhead for Yaquitepec, the site of Marshal South's family home on the top of Ghost Mountain. The hiking trail is a steep mile each way, with a significant elevation gain on the way up. Wear sturdy shoes. At the top are the remains of the adobe home and South's elaborate water system. The views from the summit of Ghost Mountain are spectacular.
You can read about Marshal South here:
http://marshalsouth.com/index.aspAfter lunch somewhere in the valley we'll drive to the trail head for the Pictograph Hiking Trail, an easy 1-mile each way trail that leads to a large boulder covered with Indian pictographs. This area sits at a much higher elevation than where we were in November, the vegetation is completely different, and much more abundant. If time permits we can also do the half mile or so hike to the Morteros, and the site of an old Indian village.
Camping Saturday Night: There are several options for camping on Saturday if anyone is interested. I will not be able to stay the night due to commitments on Sunday. There is a State Park Primitive Camp at Blair Valley, with vault toilets. You can also camp in other parts of the valley, there are marked and unmarked spots in both Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley. Across S-2 and south a bit is the entrance to Chariot and Rodriquez Canyons, there are a few nice camp spots in there as well.
Sunday Feb 22: Open for now, depending on what those on hand want to do. There are several options close by, ranging from easy to very difficult. Blair Valley is very to close to the start of the Pinyon Mountain trails, including the Squeeze (difficult). A bit further south on S-2 is the entrance to Chariot (moderate) and Rodriquez (difficult) Canyons, either of which lead up to the Banner Store. Even further south is the entrance to Arroyo Seco del Diablo, with the Mud Caves (easy) and Diablo Drop-Off (difficult).
Meet Time / Spot: Saturday Feb 21 -
10:00 AM at
Blair Valley Primitive Camp, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego County
Approx. 6 miles south of Scissors Crossing (where S-2 crosses SR 78) on County Road S-2, look for the campground on the left, just before mile post 23.
GPS: N33 02 13.7 W116 24 35.1
Reference:Wells
Guide to So Cal Backroads & 4WD Trails, number 53, page 191.
Comm:FRS Channel 2, sub-code 24CB Channel 24
Please post any comments, suggestions or questions.
