Here are some photos of the trip up Berdoo Canyon near Palm Springs, CA. The approach was from Indio on Dillon Road, with a right turn north up the canyon. Forgive the crude route map.
The road up the canyon was paved at one time. Some parts you can still drive, but most of the route up to the former aqueduct camp skips the road and follows the bottom of the wash.
The Goodyear MT/R tires run normally at 65 psi. We aired down to 45 psi to smooth things out a bit. Here we have just passed the camp ruins and are entering Joshua Tree National Park.
Most of the trail was easy going with a mix of small rocks and packed sand. There were two tight spots low in the canyon which required some spotting. The first had a small step up as well, and we met a Jeep tour on its way down.
The jeep looks a little small next to the van.
We climbed throughout, but in a few places we climbed more than others.
When we passed the jeep, I asked the driver about the trail ahead. She said there was a rock pile ahead that would be "fun". I got a sinking feeling as I thought about billwilson's comments. Eventually we got there. The canyon had alternated off an on from wide to narrow. Now it got to the narrow side. It's definitely no Steel Pass in DV, but it took some care. Really, the rocks looked much bigger in person.
That's my buddy Andy who joined me from LA for the day.
I found out from another jeep driver up past this point that they call this section "The Cataract". She asked, "Did you come up the Cataract in that?" "Why yes, I did."
Once through Cataract, we entered the more open desert. The road was sandy but firm. It was narrow in spots and I had to dodge joshua trees and other brush at times.
Eventually we joined the Geology Tour Road.
We made a quick stop at Jumbo Rocks CG, then east toward the Cottonwood Entrance.
We stopped by the cholla cactus patch on the way out.
After reading the "TRIP REPORT: Death Valley & Surroundings Jan. 2010 (Long)" at
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=4572, this seems a bit anti-climactic, but it was a fun afternoon, and not too difficult.