Andreas Canyon

My folks and I trekked into Palm Springs to visit Palm Canyon and Andreas Canyon. It is amazing that such a hot desert has ready access to water, which seeps to the surface through earth quake faults. This year Palm Canyon was fairly dry compared to previous years, and Andreas Canyon was lush and full of water. Palm Canyon and Andreas Canyon are on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation.

Picnic under the skirted fan palms.

Mom and I were surprised how cool it was inside the rounded wiki.

Ingenious construction using available material.

The woven palm fronds provide an airy interior.

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We ate our picnic lunch in the shade of native fan palms (Washingtonia filifera). Nearby, we explored several wikis constructed of wood frames and covered with dried palm fronds. It is surprising how well the structures blocked the sun, and remained relatively cool and aerated. In late afternoon we hiked the trail that winds by the stream and is surrounded by palms. The afternoon was warm but cooled by a breeze; the golden palm skirts and green palm fans were backlit by afternoon sun; the air was rich with bird song; and lizards basked on warm rocks.

Hiking the lush palm oasis.

We regrouped in Palm Springs at the Maracas Restaurant for Mexican food and conversation.

Colorado Desert Wildflowers

A favorite book to take to the desert is Colorado Desert Wildflowers, by Jon Mark Stewart, published in 1993. It is a guide to flowers in the low desert, including Joshua Tree National Monument and Anza-Borrego Desert. The book is organized by flower color, with a special section for cactus. The text includes the common name, binomial name, family, and a short description of the plant. The photography is exquisite.

The book is slim and portable, and easy to throw into a day pack. The author does not intend to include all the plants you will find, but those included are representative. I like this concise practical approach.

Whitewater Preserve

My folks and I visited Whitewater Preserve again this year, this time sharing it with Borregos and Boy Scouts. We watched a herd of 11 Borrego sheep high above us through binoculars and zoom lenses. What a treat to see such a large group grazing in a lush meadow high on the hills overlooking the preserve, and to see the steep, rocky cliffs surrounding them, which they need to navigate routinely. We also enjoyed the youth and vitality of a Webelo scout troop that was breaking camp while we ate our picnic lunch in the cottonwood grove.

Lush vegetation along the river bed.

We hiked up the Pacific Crest Trail a ways, enjoying the bright vistas of rock, sky, and the Whitewater River. Water was moving pretty quickly in the river, but we were able to navigate across the water into the willows that grow close to the water.

Exploring the trail that follows the Whitewater River.

We didn’t see as many spring blooms this year, probably due to being earlier in the year, and a drier spring. But we did see a Yucca whipplei (Our Lord's Candle) just starting to bloom, with many blossoms emerging from between its bracts.

Blossoms are just starting to emerge from between the
bracts. Last year the blossoms were mature.