A Brand New Ancient Trail

Recently, I've really developed a desire to go and explore the great wealth of alluvial fans down at the southern end of the Santa Rosa Mountains.  There are two reasons for this:

One: Hundreds of years ago, when the ancient Lake Cahuilla filled the lower part of the Coachella Valley, this area was a hotbed of Cahuilla Indian activity.  Generations of Indians lived near the banks of this great lake and flourished due to the richness of life it created.  Even after it dried up, its basin became a large repository for salt which was then traded with other Indian tribes throughout the region.  I know there have to be lots of trails remaining in the area that mark these ancient people's routes of travel.

The second thing that attracts me to the area is that nobody goes there.  Even in our great National Parks and Wilderness areas you will find signs that people frequent even to most remote locations and the highest peaks.  In this place, except for the trails of Ancients, there's no sign anyone has ever gone there.  Except me.

After wandering around for a couple miles I come upon what looks like start of a bedrock mortar.  I think this is probably a good sign.

I jump up onto a nearby bluff and find a faint but followable trail.

There are sections that are actually quite distinct— like this one--while other parts are barely discernible.

Other than the trail, I have found no other sign of human inhabitation except for this little pile of rocks. It's not much but they did not get this way on their own.  Someone had to do this.

The trail becomes more difficult to follow so I wonder if maybe I should head up to this ridge to see if I can spot anything.

It's obvious that there's not a trail here but maybe I can see something interesting.

I wander up the ridge a bit and looking down I see a large boulder covered with petroglyphs.  Had I just continued on the path I was on I'd be there already.

There are petroglyphs on a few boulders here but this is the largest.  

I always love finding new places and I wonder, with a hillside full of boulders, why the Indians chose these to create this rock art on.

Another etching.

In the distance it looks like there's another large boulder which may have some more art on it.  I hike over to it but it just a rock.

Here's another shot of the main boulder.

I find this nice little petroglyph of an early model sports car.  Those Indians were sure ahead of their time.

Beavertail Cactus flowers

I find this piece of what at first glance appears to be pottery.

But it ends up just being a rock.

Silver Cholla cactus flower

Now this IS pottery.  There are several pieces of what was probably a dropped pot.  I'm sure someone got in trouble for this.

Another piece.

And yet another.

Making my way back to my Jeep I come upon this section that looks like it's an old cobblestone wall.  The water coming down this wash has sheared off this section so cleanly that it looks like someone built it here.  This area is so full of fascinating finds that I'm really surprised that no one ever comes out here. That's OK with me, though; I'm glad they don't.

Another Martinez Canyon Adventure

A couple weeks ago I went on an adventure to Martinez Canyon with by buddy, Mike.  The area is filled with a wealth of things to discover and it very seldom visited.  Judging from the footprints in the canyon, since we were their two weeks ago only one other person has hiked there.  I'm hoping we can find a trail leading from the village site we were at a couple weeks ago but you never know what you'll actually discover on one of this expeditions.  The joy, however, is in the looking.

I always feel that you cannot have a truly great adventure until you draw blood.  This day is starting off just right.

We leave the canyon after a couple miles to see if we can find an easier path overland on the mesa above the canyon.  We don't find a trail but we do discover that other's have been here before us.

There are a number of grinding slabs in the area where Cahuilla made their meals.

Pottery sherds are also quite prevalent.

This large flat stone would be the perfect kitchen table.

This area would have been the master bedroom.

This would have been the kid's room.  After traversing the entire mesa we decided to go up instead of down into the canyon.  We thought we might find an easier pathway down to the place we wanted to go.

We didn't.  It's a LONG way down

But the Ocotillo are starting to green up and the views are outstanding.  We also know which way NOT to go.

When we finally make our way back to the canyon--after I have a nasty encounter with an agave--we find remnants of a recent visitor.  With all the things out here that can stick and cut you I don't know why anyone would want to leave their clothing behind.

More recent remnants of inhabitation are some barbed wire fences that we used to keep stock.

This area is an incredibly rich in archaeological interest.  Pottery sherds are everywhere.

Old and newer litter abound.

The newer ones will doubtlessly disappear due to rust.  The Indian remnants will remain.

We make our way back up to the site we were at two weeks ago to look for a trail.  I have a new respect for Agave like those pictured here.  I've got some new body piercings and a few of the tips still remain in my flesh.  My wife tried to dig a couple out last night to no avail.  I'll have to wait until they work their way out, I guess.

Although we saw over a dozen bedrock mortars at this site we come upon a few more that we missed.

We work our way up a ridge but, alas, no trail.  All we're met with is wonderful views in every direction.

We've barely tapped the potential of this wonderful section of the Santa Rosa Mountains.  As we leave today the only thing that's exhausted is us.  I'm looking forward to many, many explorations in this remarkable area.

West of the Martinez Landslide

Went out to do a bit more exploring in the area of the Martinez Landslide.  This area is very interesting to me for several reasons.  One, it's fairly close to my house, only about a fifteen minute drive.  Two, it's very seldom visited.  While other hiking areas in the desert are like a parade of people, I never see anyone else in this area and seldom even see human footprints.  And lastly, there's an incredible potential for discovery in this area.  The Torrez Martinez Indian Reservation is near here and the Desert Cahuilla have lived in this area for hundreds of years.  I have already found four trails out here and there are sure to be more.  My time is limited to a couple hours so I won't be able to get far but hopefully I'll be able to find something interesting.

I start hiking southeast from my parking area on an old Indian trail that I discovered last year.

It's obvious that people have been here before but this is not the type of discovery that I'm hoping to make.

Ocotillo are blooming and beautiful.

I'm heading up toward this canyon which is west of the Martinez Landslide.

To drop into the canyon which I hope to go up is steep, loose and rocky. I have to be extremely cautious going down this stuff.

I successful negotiate the hillside of death and make it into the canyon.  It's pretty easy going now.

Unlike any of the canyons in more accessible areas this canyon is devoid of any footprints.

There's a section of rock that is calcified so that indicates that water frequently comes through here although none is flowing today.

This is very exciting to me!  It's a mesquite.  That means two things.  One, there's water beneath the surface because mesquite needs a steady supply of water to survive.  Two, it means the Indians probably came here.  Mesquite was a major food source for the Cahuilla.

The canyon is quite chocked with brush and I find a little trail that leaves the canyon and skirts this mess of skin flaying vegetation.

I also find what looks like a sleeping circle on the side of the canyon.  In  a very short time I've discovered  some interesting things that make me want to return when I have more time.

Just as I'm about to turn back I find something else interesting, a date palm.  I had hoped to find a native Palm Oasis but this is a positive sign.  It means there's enough water in the canyon to support a palm and there may be native palms further up the canyon.

On my hike back I see some pottery sherds along the trail.

Another positive sign that I'm in a place with a wealth of fascinating finds yet to be discovered.