Bloated Chipmunk Cock Rock Searcher
Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 2993 | TRs | Pics Location: Margaritaville |
3 mos. prior to this trip we hiked to this area w/the goal of both Squaw Tit & Table Mtn., but due to the 1st part of that hike being a rocky scramble that sucked up a bunch of time, we had skipped Table after doing Tit & vowed to find a better, faster way this time. Well, we found a different way.
As a reminder, this is an area just east of a nudist resort. See prior TRs for details on access, etc. to the property. From the parking lot, we walked over to the SE corner of the property once again, to the trail that takes us past a "fixer upper".
This time instead of jumping the gun too quickly & going up a rocky gully, we continued walking on a nice trail that was heading SE along the base of Gray Mtn. We kept our eyes peeled for a trail heading off to the left, hopefully up a saddle before too long so we could start aiming for Table Mtn. in the distance. We found one possible slope that didn't look too bad, & decided we'd check a little further on just in case & come back to this spot if need be. Everything else was a jumbled rock mess & we didn't want a repeat experience to last time.
Round Mtn. pokes up Temple Mtn. Phallic rock
We weren't finding anything promising so as we stood there contemplating what to do, a naked guy came hiking up behind us...not sure if he even had a backpack, only hiking boots. As he approached he asked if we needed help finding our way. We mentioned going to Table Mtn., & he motioned back behind us to indeed go up that slope we had been considering. He said there was an old faint trail that led up the slope & beyond & went in that general direction of Table Mtn. As he passed with his bouncing bits, he slipped & almost fell into a cactus. Thankfully disaster was averted & we didn't have to spend the next several minutes pulling spines out of his penis.
So, we started up the slope. Easy enough @ 1st, then turned a little steep. A faint trail came & went & eventually was gone altogether as we reached the top of the saddle.
Climbing up the slope from the Temple Pk. trail Temple Pk. Yoni?
We did pick up a trail for a short distance on the other side, but it turned south & appeared to be going toward the top of Gray Mtn. A short bit later it ended in a jumble of boulders. Time to boulder hop again.
Temple Pk. & DeAnza Springs Resort Rt. marker(?)
It was a situation where we kept coming across large boulders with deep holes in between, had to backtrack, try a different way, backtrack a bit more, go over, & finally climb up to the south to find a good way down to the flatlands on the other side. Thanks, naked guy...but your "trail" had petered out long before we reached easier ground.
We found a nice little spot to have lunch since it'd still be awhile before we were atop Table Mtn. In the area was a pictograph.
Pictograph
We continued on, now on familiar terrain from a few mos. back.
Again we followed the main, W/NW wash coming off of Table Mtn., aimed for a saddle, then turned east to summit the plateau.
Plateau pano
What a flower show!
Yellow carpet
This time we made it to the high point of Table Mtn.
Summit register Summit pano
We dropped down the steep north slope of the pk., just east of Pink Wash, & picked up a jeep rd.
Table edge Coming down from Table Mtn. Table edge Jacumba Mtn.
We looped back west & took the usual route back to the resort, incorporating an interesting bypass wash along the way.
Coming back to the resort Morteros Stats Rt. Post-hike beverages
Perhaps the 3rd time will be a charm as far as finding a good, continuous trail from the resort over the boulders & into the valley between Gray Mtn. & Table Mtn. It'll have to wait 'til winter tho!
Home is where the hiking is.
"Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas
A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
Home is where the hiking is.
"Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas
A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.
|