Driving out on Doz Cabezas Road next to the San Diego and Arizona Eastern RR tracks.
Starting out from the trailhead.
The path winds through the boulders.
We soon come to Mortero Palms.
This palm grove is one of the densest in Anza-Borrego, arising from the seeps amid a jumble of huge boulders. It makes for a cool spot to rest on warm days.
Continuing on up the canyon.
The route behind us.
View of where we started way down below.
Oh look, more climbing ahead.
We've come a long ways.
A realitivly easy section.
Starting down Goat Canyon.
Detour down the first dry waterfall.
Our first glimpse of the railroad tracks and trestles in Carrizo Gorge.
We finaly get within sight of Goat Canyon trestle.
The last section of the descent down is a tough one with a few very steep dry waterfalls that must be navigated around. I used my hands for hanging on rather than taking pictures.
Almost there!
Just about level with the tracks now.
We just came down that!
I guess they decided that wasn't a good place for a tunnel.
From what I've heard the company that was using the tracks went bankrupt and there hasn't been any trains running out here for a few years. You can tell...
Carrizo Gorge.
We got to the trestle at 1pm. After lunch and pictures we were back in camp around 4:30pm. The wind was getting pretty bad so we moved closer to the mountains in Dos Cabezas Camp. After dinner and hanging around the fire for a bit everyone was in bed by 9pm. The wind finally stopped blowing a short time later.
Dos Cabezas Camp on Sunday morning.
After saying our goodbyes Clark and James followed me out to Pinyon Mountain Road. The plan was once we got out through Split Mountain and Fish Creek to follow the trail along the railroad tracks to Carrizo Wash and take Old Kane Springs Road to San Felipe Wash and on out to Highway 78. But things didn't go as smoothly as planned...
Heading on out Mortero Wash.
A quick stop at Dos Cabezas siding.
Clark having a little too much fun.
Once at the Pinyon Mountain trailhead we stopped to air down. However I accidentally pulled out the valve stem on the front tire letting all the air out. Clark had a compressor under the hood of his 4runner but couldnt get the hood open.
We finally managed to unbolt the latch only to have the tiny pebble that caused the problem to fly out!
Now onto the trail!
The squeeze.
Continuing onward.
A few Jeeps ahead of us.
Pinyon Dropoff (aka Heart Attack Hill)
On the last major obstacle we ran into another Jeep having some trouble.
Good thing there was another group out there who winched him up. A Ford F-150 out there also broke an axle.
Split rock.
Fish Creek Wash.
Split Mountain.
Carrizo Wash.
San Felipe Wash.
We arrived at Highway 78 at around 6pm. After airing up a saying goodbye to Clark and James, who had another two days in the desert, I realized that I was gonna be about 2 hours late for dinner plans back home! So I blasted back to El Cajon and ran through the door and into my dark house. The lights snapped on and about 30 of my family and friends yelled "YOU'RE SO BUSTED!!!"
It was a surprised anniversary party for us!
What a great weekend it was! I'll be doing that hike again.
