For those who are
new to SCCX, or have not been on this trip before, or have not been to Anza Borrego before, here's a bit more info. Also, if you have not yet read the Xcursion Guidelines, now might be a good time.
Xcursion Guidelines- The meet spot is at the
Anza Borrego State Park Visitor Center. If you have not been there before you may want to get there early and wander into the Center itself to take a quick look around, and pick up the free map/brochure that they have (or buy a guidebook and/or map, the proceeds go to a good cause). There are real rest rooms at the Visitor Center. After that it's the vault toilets at Fish Creek Primitive Camp, and then it’s rocks and bushes the rest of the way. I'm hoping we can leave the Visitor Center fairly early this year, because it is a bit of a drive to the trail head. I would like to roll out of there by 10:30AM at the latest.
- The trail head at the end of Split Mountain Road is 28 miles from the Visitor Center, so it does take some time to get out there. We'll stop to air down at the trail head, and then head up Fish Creek about 12.5 miles before turning in to Sandstone Canyon. We'll make a few short stops in Fish Creek to check out the geology. There are some very interesting rock formations along the way.
- Because of the rock fall from the Easter Sunday earthquake we may not be able to get to our usual lunch spot in Sandstone Canyon. We’ll figure that out when we get there, unless I have time to get out there before to look around. We've done this run several times, and it's always pretty leisurely, with a long stop for lunch.
- No alcohol on the trail while driving or at the lunch stop. If you’re camping and want to have something after you’re done driving for the day, that’s fine.
- Anza Borrego is part of the California State Parks system. Possession of firearms is prohibited in California State Parks.
- Sandstone Canyon is a dead-end (now more so than ever), so we'll be coming out the same way we came in. Our afternoon hike may well be the route we used to drive. On foot or in a vehicle, either way it’s pretty spectacular.
- There is gas available in Borrego Springs, but there could be a line and prices could be high. This will be a very busy weekend. If you plan to fill up there be sure to allow enough time to do so before getting to the meet spot. If you're coming in via Hwy 79 from I-15 at Temecula it would be best to top off there. If coming from San Diego fill up at Ramona at the latest. Please don’t show up at the meet spot low on fuel.
- I plan to stop at the Julian Pie Company main bakery in Santa Ysabel when they open at 9:00AM. This is at the intersection of Hwy 78 and Hwy 79, it is
not in the town of Julian. Going through Julian takes you well out of the way if headed towards the Visitor Center. The best way from Santa Ysabel to the Visitor Center is north on Hwy 79 to a right on S-2, then a left on S-22 through Ranchita (watch out for the Yeti) and down the Montezuma Grade into Borrego Springs.
- For those of us who are not camping it is quite possible we'll get back to Split Mountain Road after dark, or close to it. A flashlight or headlamp is nice to have when airing back up.
I realize that this may seem like a lot of rules, etc. Actually, this is a very fun, very scenic low-key run, but there are State Park Rangers that patrol out there, and we don’t like to have them get upset with us. If you don’t believe me, just ask Paul about that.
