Start point
Oriflamme Creek, mile 56
End point
Dirt road intersection at mile 63.7
Miles hiked
7.8 miles
Wilderness area
Anza Borrego State Park
People I met
Superbloom
The day on trail

I can’t be mad waking up to that. Though I almost was.
Last night was horrific. Wind wind wind. So much wind. The rocks didn’t provide any shelter. I woke up multiple times thinking tiny ice crystals were hitting me, only to find out it was super fine dust blowing through the mesh of my tent.
Beyond the dust, everything was frozen solid. My shoes, my soaked socks, my gaiters…even the dust that blew and adhered to my Crocs was frozen. The water bottle was frozen but the water, thankfully, was not! I’m really glad I had the foresight to put my water filter in my backpacking quilt with me, or it would have frozen and broken.
The wind was so bad it pulled up multiple stakes. Even ones from the corner of my tent. This is how I found it this morning, it wasn’t laid out for demonstration.
But hell. The sun came out and I was able to dry everything. Everything. I started the day with dry socks. And they stayed dry! Huzzah! It took a bit to dry but I had a short day planned. My plan is to get to the road crossing to Julian early-ish Sunday and hitch in. That leaves me 21 miles for three days. 8 and change today, 12 the next, then I can be lazy on Sunday and hike just a mile to get it. A nearo (almost a zero day) and then a zero day.
It’s still chilly but it was sunny and warm enough I was able to hike without a jacket or gloves. Finally!
It was a lovely hike. Lots of rolling mountains and gorgeous views. Abundant water that could dry up in two weeks.

There was this interesting yellow stuff on this bush. I think it’s a fungus.
I love this image. The snow covered peak in the far back is Mt. San Jacinto. That’s outside Idyllwild and is the subject and cause of much concern from hikers. It’s snowy, icy, and treacherous. I believe some of the state park inside it is still closed, even.
And here’s some people ahead…way ahead of me.
(I caught up to them later)
I really like watching water come out of the ground.
And century plants. Or whatever this is. I’m no botanist.
Finally this beautiful rock formation. It was made of stacked, paper thin sheets of rock stretched and stretched. There were areas where it undulated and was rolled as it was compressed deep in the earth. Now it’s coming out and turning into soil thanks to lichens and moss. I love this planet.
I’m dummy happy.
Hey there singsong dingdong!! I cracked up reading that description of yourself. Anywho….that plant is a yucca. I believe it’s specifically a Mojave yucca. I have several of these plants in my yard, but a smaller type with green and yellow spiky leaves. Once a year it grows a stalk with incredible white flowers. Those paper thin rocks look like shale to me. Regarding that evil wind….did you keep your camera covered or inside your sleeping bag?
It’s some kind of yucca for sure! I don’t know if it’s the Mojave, but it would certainly make sense!
When I want to know the name of something, I take a photo of it with my iPhone. The phone tells me what it’s called. Beth taught me that LOL.
A beautiful morning view and dry socks, heck yeah!
What’s not to love??
Okay, but what a crazy night! Just seeing all that dust caked on your things… I’m glad your entire tent didn’t float away with you in it. That aside… gosh, I am really enjoying your pics. Like… there is so much raw, naked beauty on this planet. Half of it we never even experience because we don’t go wild or feral occasionally. We’re too domesticated… On another note: Julian is so close and your birthday is in 2 days!!!!
The craziest part was how *frozen* it all was!
PS. I forgot to mention that I love how you used the tent as a frame in the first photo. Layers like that add so much to all photos but especially to landscape shots.