Outdoor Adventure USA

I awoke early on Saturday March 13 and headed out east along Interstate 8 to the small desert town of Ocotillo. From there it was just a few miles north along Highway S2 to Doz Cabezas Road (EC119) out to where Doug (FishPOET on Myjeeprocks.com) and several others where camped. Clark and James from Arizona, who had been in contact with me over at expedition portal about exploring Anza Borrego, were there as well. I pulled in around 8:30am and we departed from the Mortero Palms trailhead shortly after 9.

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.

Great pictures and what a great weekend. Let me know when you will be going to the Trestle again, that is if you do not mind a tag-along. A couple of us tried the last weekend in January and after 3 hours we turned back because of time and trouble following the trail.

Wow! Looks like a great day out, John! I'd love to go see the trestle some time if the hike wasn't such a bi-atch

When we got to the bridge we found some mountain bike tracks and some motorcycle tracks. It may not be exactly legal and some of the bridges might be sketchy to cross on a motorcycle, but that is certainly the path of least resistance. The hike thru Mortero Palms and Goat Canyon was amazing. Even without the trestle bridge it would have been worth the hike. My legs are still a little sore but it wasn't too bad. I wouldn't mind doing it again before it gets hot. If I do I'll post up. It will be a little easier now that I have GPS tracks.

-Scott

Hi there Scott. I forgot to mention that you were there didn't I? Maybe you can help me remember who all was there. What I found interesting is how easy the foot trail was to follow. I'm sure that if I had gone out there alone I could have followed it all the way back to the trestle with no problems.

Great trip report, John. When did the Railroad Company go Bankrupt. Are any of the tunnels caved in?

I think it was:

Doug (FishPOET) from MyJeepRocks in the F-250
Clark and James from Expidition Portal. In the green 4Runner.
Bill in the highlander
Vern (Britian) on MyJeepRocks in the red Wrangler
Materdaddy and me in the white 4runner.
And you

That makes Eight. I think thats right.

DaveK wrote:Great trip report, John. When did the Railroad Company go Bankrupt. Are any of the tunnels caved in?

Thanks. I've heard that the company went bankrupt about a year ago. None of the tunnels are caved in but there are a few rock and mud slides covering a few sections.

Here's a profile of the elevation gain/loss for the hike. 1200 feet in 3 miles.



Doug's trip report: http://www.myjeeprocks.com/forums/showt ... 599&page=2

Great write-up John. The best I've seen with pictures anyway. How much of an elevation gain was there? Wish I could have made this trip.