Painted Canyon Loop - 4.14.2020
We parked at the end of Painted Canyon Road in Mecca, California... this unpaved 4.7 mile long road is not for everyone... 4WD or AWD is recommended.
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Painted Canyon starts our very broad.
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After hiking a half-mile this sign points out a not-so-obvious left turn if you intend to do the slot canyon route.
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Yes... the slot canyon goes up there.
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Denali Girl starts up into the slot canyon.
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Definitely a Class 2 route leads up into the slot canyon.
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Stay to the left here... no need to go into the cave.
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The first ladder in the slot.
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In the slot.
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The slot had evidence of the recent rainfall in the area.
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The second ladder was a bit awkward.
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We came out of the slot canyon into a broader canyon and found all kinds of flowers... I think this is a common sunflower.
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I think you are looking at a Wild Heliotrope.
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Desert Tobacco... Native Americans dried the plant and smoked it.
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Arizona Lupine.
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Indigo Bush.
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Out of the slot canyon and in a broader canyon.
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A bug enjoys this California Poppy.
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More California Poppies.
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Ghost Flower.
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Denali Girl coming up out of the canyon into open terrain.
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After hiking 1.2 miles we have come out of the canyon into open terrain... here looking beyond the Mecca Hills to the Santa Rosa Mountains on the horizon.
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Continuing north and gaining elevation as we look back to the south... where the Salton Sea starts to come into view between the Mecca Hills and Santa Rosa Mountains.
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Continuing north and looking at the radio towers on the hill beyond the blooming Ocotillo plants.
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After hiking 2 miles we have reached our high point (1332 feet) for the day... looking NW between the two cairns to the snow covered San Jacinto Mountains and San Gorgonio Mountains.
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We have continued hiking north from our high point... and after hiking 2.2 miles we will leave the open terrain and go down into another canyon.
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Denali Girl going down what I call 'Poppy Gulch'... on the way to the canyon floor.
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Tons of poppies in 'Poppy Gulch'.
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Looking back at Denali Girl as she comes down 'Poppy Gulch' to join me on the canyon floor.
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Back in a canyon... now heading SW to finish our loop hike.
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Looking back in this very broad canyon that will get us back to the car.
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Lots of Smoke Trees in the canyon.
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Looking back as Denali Girl comes down the canyon.
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Almost back to our car.
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Our car is a stone's throw away... the loop hike was 4.5 miles, gaining 800 feet of elevation.
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