Hellhole Canyon Trail

Ron Niebrugge Anza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 5 Comments

Maidenhair Falls, Hellhole Canyon Trail, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

Maidenhair Falls, Hellhole Canyon Trail, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

More water than this pours off our roof on a typical summer day in Alaska, but to see a little waterfall like this in this desert environment is really a treat!  It just seems so out of place, it is fascinating. 

This waterfall is found at the end of the Hellhole Canyon Trail.  This trail beginsRead More

Green!

Ron Niebrugge Anza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 4 Comments

Green!

Cactus from today in Anza-Borrego State Park, California.

After spending many months in a black and white world – winter in Alaska – seeing anything green just look amazing! 

Speaking of green, many area of Anza-Borrego are really green right now – and they received another half an inch of rain here just yesterday!  Even before yesterday’s rain, this was reported in the Borrego Sun;

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Ranger Steve Bier reported the area is “certainly looking good” for a spring wildflower crop, he said predicting it could arrive as early as late February.  Some plants in Borrego Palm Canyon, he said are just “waiting to go”.

I must admit, we are here a bit early, I saw very few flowers today – but you can tell there should be some great areas showing in the next few weeks!

2008 Desert Wildflower Forecast

Ron Niebrugge Anza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 6 Comments

Carrizo Badlands Overlook in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.
Carrizo Badlands Overlook in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

Well now I’m officially excited about the wildflower prospects for this year!  Anza-Borrego just received another .4 inches of rain in the last few days to go with the .88 earlier this year, and the person I just talked to at the visitor center said more could still fall today.  It may not be a huge year like 2005, but unlike the past two years, there should be at least some wildflower activity.  I could tell the ranger was excited even though she did say there are no guarantees.  Some of the other southwest desert areas sound even more promising.  Read More

Bighorn Sheep

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Bighorn Sheep 

Bighorn Sheep in Borrego.

We are traveling to Santee Lakes today, thus the short post.  I am amazed at the number and variety of birds I have seen here at Santee in just a short period of time before dark.  I am really excited about the next few days – heck, we had a few beautiful wood ducks walk right up to us as we got here!