Anza Borrego - Sheep Canyon

[FORDGUY1]

Kim and I had a great time! Thanks for the invite. When the guy behind us started complaining that there was no way a 2wd 10k van would ever make it up the rock climb it was game on, it was going up that hill no matter what!

Thanks again for the invite, Capo Ford is always in!

[SteveInLA]

When the 2WD van is driven by Tim, anything is possible. That dude's crazy! Besides, you can't tell me you all weren't drooling for the chance to winch him up the hill if necessary.

I am sorry I had to miss this trip. I actually went back again in January and though I was in 4 low and had brand new BFG AT/KO's, I did forget to lock my hubs on the way in and got up the hill just fine. Looked like a fun trip and I hope to be able to join the next one.

Steve in L.A.

Edit: Rachael is crazy too. The only sane one is Felix.

[woodbee]

Looks like great fun. Sure wish I could have been along.
Thanks for the picts. It makes me drool.

Woody

[Christopher Thwaites]

Woody....you drooling is not a pretty picture!

[PatO]

I was a few hours behind the SMB gaggle and I stopped the van to allow all the cowboys to go by as they were heading back Horse Camp. The last straggler, about 50 feet behind the main bunch, asked me for a beer (jokingly? slightly hopeful?) but the cooler was buried in the back. I stopped by and chatted with the van crowd for a bit at Sheep Canyon but then went up to Salvador Canyon to remote camp. This was the first time I took the van up the bypass road even though I go to Coyote Canyon twice a year or more. 15 years ago the last approach on the first hill was called "the wall" and also it included some camber. We used to sit on the side of the hill and watch people with quite serious off road vehicles grind, spin and shred their way to the top. It was very common back then to have to back up and take another approach or get out and fill in holes with rocks.

Pat

On edit; here is a picture of my Comanche in 2002 on the lower part of the first hill. Pictures never do justice but I "injured" a rim and tire a few minutes after this picture was taken. You might be able to find the same hillside rocks in the previous pictures.

Click ->

[PatO]

Collins Valley at dusk from Salvador Canyon. Sheep Canyon is about 2 miles down on the right

[BroncoHauler]

So Salvador Canyon is further up the same draw as Sheep Canyon? I'll have to check that out sometime.


Herb

[rltilley]

Thanks for the pics everybody. Can't tell you how irritated I was when I was told Friday afternoon I'd be needed at work over the weekend. I'll hopefully get out there soon.

[PatO]

I wouldn't call it "up the same draw" unless you are referring to Coyote Canyon, Collins Valley is a large triangle with its base to the south, you enter at the eastern point (Lower Willows, Santa Catarina Springs, the entrance to Sheep Canyon and Indian Canyon (to Cougar Canyon) is the western point on the base. Coyote Canyon picks up again at the northern peak of the triangle on the way to Middle and Upper Willows (now gated). The Salvador Canyon entrance is halfway up the western leg of the triangle accessible via a quite fun, tightly snaking, highly banked sandy road through the basin. I highly recommend it for remote camping (when there are too many boy scouts at Sheep Canyon) and maybe as a hiking trail head if not too hot as there is no water back there. I should have climbed that little hill and got a better picture but I didn't want to ruin the rib eyes!

Originally Posted by BroncoHauler

So Salvador Canyon is further up the same draw as Sheep Canyon? I'll have to check that out sometime.


Herb

[daveb]

Originally Posted by Ocsmb

Ran into drunk cowboys that were nipping at our heels the whole way up

That's too funny Jacko. You should have renamed the trail the Petomane thruway and put up a toll gate! At least it would'a slowed em down.

Glad to see you all had a good time. Sure wish I could have made it.