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Calender Germar's Monthly Updater

March 2009: Wildflowers in the Desert

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March is wildflower season in the deserts surrounding San Diego. Displays of flowers and cacti were again spectacular this year as the winter was fairly wet. I spent almost every weekend in the desert with Annie, and sometimes friends of the San Diego Hiking Club were joining us. We went hiking, biking, and climbing while enjoying nature's grandeur.

Anza Borrego Desert
Outings in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park included a hike from June Wash to the slopes of Whale Peak; a hike up Carrizo Canyon to a peak called Gasp (with nice views on the historical tracks of the San Diego & Imperial Valley Railroad); a hike from Bow Willow to Rockhouse Canyon (we counted 43 different species of flowers on the way!); and a hike from Palo Verde to Smoke Tree Canyon (where we explored an old mine). We saw several horned lizards, and lots of hummingbirds, either flying or breeding.
 


Happy hikers

Flowers everywhere

Fishhook cactus

Fishhook cactus upclose

Happy bug

Beavertail & Happy Hikers

Horned lizard No. 1

Horned lizard No. 2

Hummingbird nest

Little cutie

 

 

Climbing in Joshua Tree National Park
On March 21, I drove with Annie to Joshua Tree National Park for rock climbing. We stayed with three other friends in the Indian Cove Campground. We could climb right from our campsite! We also hiked to Lost Horse Mine, a remnant of the Gold Rush. We saw great iridescent clouds, and enjoyed gourmet food prepared by Jen and Allen (thanks again!).

 


Lost Horse Mine

Iridescent cloud

Me

Annie

 

 

Coachwhip Canyon
On March 25, I hiked through Palo Verde Canyon with friends, and camped with Annie in Coachwhip Canyon. After setting up our tent and enjoying a glass of wine, we hiked up the meandering canyon to watch the sunset. The place was glowing with flowers, most notably Asters, Lupine, and Phacelia. The next day we biked around Granite Mountain, starting in Shelter Valley and going up Rodriguez Canyon.

 


Coachwhip Canyon

Phacelia

Orcutt's Aster in pink

Orcutt's Aster in white
 

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