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BorregoFest 2017 Trip Report: Cottonwood Canyon Hike 10-08-17

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 1:37 pm
by BorregoWrangler
Cottonwood Canyon Hike

On the last day of my long BorregoFest desert weekend, I enjoyed a six mile round trip hike up Cottonwood Canyon right out of our camp at the Butterfield Ranch Resort. One can look down the length of this canyon from above along Sunrise Highway at the Pioneer Mail Picnic Area, or from Kwaaymii Point. From my vantage point below, I could see the concrete retaining walls of the old Sunrise Highway roadbed high above, which is now part of the PCT.

I made my way up to the first grove of Cottonwood trees, sat down in the shade and enjoyed the breeze. Along the way, I found an old rock house (remains of a bee keeper's place I'm told) and over a dozen morteros. There is a spring in the area that I wanted to find, but that'll have to wait for another day. I think this would be a great hike to offer and lead right out of the campground for next year's event.

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Re: BorregoFest 2017 Trip Report: Cottonwood Canyon Hike 10-08-17

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 3:35 pm
by brentbba
Nice. I know we've done the hike as far as the ruins of the house in the past, but not beyond that.

Re: BorregoFest 2017 Trip Report: Cottonwood Canyon Hike 10-08-17

Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 6:36 pm
by BorregoWrangler
brentbba wrote: Mon Oct 09, 2017 3:35 pm Nice. I know we've done the hike as far as the ruins of the house in the past, but not beyond that.
I'll get out there again this winter and explore more of the canyon to see if there's anything else worth checking out.