This past week provided two great off-road adventures within the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The first one in our jeep Wrangler took off from S-22 at the Arroyo Salado Trail wash
| | 
Arroyo Salado Wash |
. After 7 or 8 miles we connected with the Cross-Over trail and continued for a total of 22 miles in a somewhat southwesterly direction, ending up on Buttes Pass Trail and Highway 78 near Ocotillo Wells. Arroyo Salado cuts a deep swath into the hills of the barren Borrego Badlands that comprise much of the center section of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The trail is a very pretty one, running in the shallow multihued Arroyo Salado Wash and then the equally colorful badlands. Seventeen Palms Oasis
At 17 Palms Oasis | |
and the prospector’s post office, 5 Palms and Una Palma offered short side trips for photos. We always take along our off-road trail map (and water) and most of the washes are well-signed along the way.
Now, the next off-road adventure becomes a little bit more.....well, adventuresome! Just a short distance off Buttes Pass we had noticed that Borrego Mountain Road (trail, actually) led to a slot canyon
| | 
The Slot Canyon! |
with a one-way "drop-off" noted on the map. Our previous trip had not required much in the way of 4-wheel manuevering and we wanted Rodger and Sharon (Yes, they're back!)to go with us. The back seat of our jeep is somewhat less than comfortable, so Rodger said "let's take the CRV, it has all-wheel drive". No problema, right!?
We easily found the slot canyon off Buttes Pass trail but one needs to hike/climb down into the narrowest section and it was extremely hot, so we just took pictures from the top of the canyon. But now to continue, we must somehow drive down
Our destination-The road below! | |
this incredibly steep, sandy, one-way mogul run for a couple of hundred feet. Hmmm! Well, Rodger decides to go for it! There was absolutely no way any pictures could or would be taken as we slipped and slid, twisted and bounced down this trail. I for one had wedged myself in a horizontal "death grip" position between the back and forward driver's seats. Rodger, in his unique Minnesotan way just said, "Ahh, Geez"! About a third of the way down we decided we should not have attempted this but, alas, it is much too late and impossible to go back up! We knew we would get to the bottom, just not exactly with which end up!
Thinking the worse was over as we saw no black smoke or fluids leaking, we continued on only to discover we must negotiate several hundred feet more of narrow rocky ledges
| | 
OK, let's take a look at this! |
and outcroppings surely meant to decapitate a tire or oil pan. At this point, we 3 passengers were out of the car bravely taking pictures and offering hand signals to our driver. I don't think the pictures do us justice and as far as
"Heart Attack Hill" is concerned, you will have to be happy with my internet version!
The rest of our trip was, well you could say, "down hill" from there!
A much needed respite! | |
