Joshua Tree Nat'l Park Adventure
Eric Meissner drove Kyle, Tyler and Coach in the Ford F-150 Supercrew 4-door to the Joshua Tree Nat'l Park for a highpointing adventure. We stopped in Yucco Valley for breakfast then entered the park via the West Entrance Station. This was a first time visit for all four of us to the JTNP. We parked on the side of the road and walked South across the desert for two miles then followed a gully / wash toward the highest point of the nat'l park (Quail Mt 5,813 ft). In a gully just before the final climb to the summit ridge and on to the top we found the remains of a ribcage. It looked like it could have been human and was too large for any animal that is found in the Joshua Tree NP. We ascended to the summit for a great panoramic view of the Joshua Tree NP, SE Mojave Desert, Palm Springs, Mt San Jacinto 10,800+ ft (HP Riverside County), Mt San Gorgonio 11, 200+ (HP San Bernardino County). We bounced down the gully wash to the crossing near the ribcage where we found some more bones. A left scapula (shoulder blade) which again looked too large for any four-legged animal. Tyler took it home for a keepsake. We zipped back across the desert for 2+ miles to the truck and contiuned our journey through the park F-150 style. We drove to the overlook at Keys View which was only a few hundred verticle feet lower than Quail Mt and added scenic views of the Salton Sea and a mountian in Mexico (95 miles South). Then the fun began! We drove out via Berdoo Canyon Rd (off-road vehicles only!). The F-150 breezed down the rocky, dirt road passing the slower, less capable non-Ford 4-wheel vehicles. Then back to the I-10 West, dinner on Banning and home. Picture to come...
posted by miler_coach @ 1:58 PM
