Hiking in the desert and a community experience

Mar 3, 2018
4 min read

A shift has occured again. From spending our days amongst people in the seclusion of the Slabs we have travelled first into the metropolis of Palm Springs and then into the quiet of camping just the two of us. After restocking our supplies in the city we headed straight back out and North. The San Andres fault and the San Bernardino Mountains seperate the high desert, the Mojave and the low desert, the Colorado. Visually they are very different. The Colorado almost barren except for agriculture in the form of vegetable farms and dry river beds or washes. The Mojave is much more lush with its larger cactus and rocky surface. I would have never guessed the temperature would change so drastically, but of course it would with an elevation difference of 3000ft.

We finally purchased our annual park pass which allows us enterance into all the National Parks. Which brings us to Joshua Tree National Park(JTNP).

I can best describe this area as eclectic desert art and a very beatnic culture mixed with an old west style, which are often expressed simultaneously. We situated on some BLM land just North of JTNP and only a 10 minute bike ride into the town of Joshua Tree. We spent a few days in the park hiking through the many trails. This park as I imagine many of them to be is very busy. But so worth the experience.

A few of the hikes we did Fourtynine Palms The palms have grown in this area as a reult of a fault line in the rock has created an area in which water flows during the rainy season and palms thrive around water.

Ryan Mountain With an elevation of 1000ft it provides a pretty sweet panoramic view of the valley around us. To the distance and peaking through the clouds is a snow covered mountain...the first we have seen in a long while. I believe this is Big Bear mountain.

Hidden Valley This was a fairly easy walk but the landscape was breathtaking! Joshua trees with its spiculated almost psychedelic bright green leaves and giant stacks of bolder rock. These rocks are the result of volcanic activity and magma forming these monzogranite rocks. That look like they have been placed carefully in such a design. This is a prime area for climbers to practice.

This last photograph you can see people harnessed and climbing through the crack

Boulder Garden We try to always listen to people's recommendations for places to see. Which often changes our direction and is why we have thrown all direction out the van window! A neighbor at Slab City drew us a rough map of this place he called Garth's place, and without much more explanation than "you have to go here" we were in. We did get lost a few times and asked a park ranger if he knew where Garth lived, to which he said yes and gave us the rest of the directions. When we arrived we really didn't know what to expect and said kind of sheepishly to the first person we saw "we are hear and not really sure why, and that someone had told us we had to come" to which he relpied "yes that's how most people get here". I'm not sure I can put into words the type of place and the kind of experience we had here.

But here goes... Garth is the owner of this huge area of land high in the Mojave desert. He has been building this place up for the past 37 years. This is an open community, which means that in exchange for work people stay here for any length of time. 2 days, 2 weeks, 22 months, 22 years... There is a Buddhist influence that ripples off the boulders. There seems to be 3 common living areas, there are 2 covered outdoor kitchens and adjacent lounging area complete with fire pit and comfy couches.

Outdoor kitchen

There is opportunity to Airbnb on his property. The accomodations are very creative and unique.

Bird Houses

The Tipi

The Cosmic Castle

Inside the Cosmic Castle

There is pretty good wifi signal out here, running water, compostable toilets. The shower is locaed in the greenhouse and can be quite refreshing as is heated with wood fire or solar.

A bitchin amphitheater, that hosts events from time to time. While we were staying here there was a scene from a movie being filmed here and gifted Garth their geodesic dome from the scene.

Sauna and the pool

Below is the kitchen and lounging area. It was a common site to have people milling around soaking up the mid day sun discussing some pretty far out concepts. The area is landscaped to provide sustainability, but with a flair for creativity.

We spent free time exploring the many caves and jumping around boulders.

There are so many great places to sit and meditate or just sit quietly and enjoy your surroundings

Whie staying at Garth's the temperature dropped to -5 Celcius at night. In fact we even saw a snow flurry. So that was enough for us, time to head back South. We really enjoyed our time at Boulder Gardens. I think this experience will linger deep in our minds for years to come.

Pioneertown is an "old west town" created by the hollywood film industry. It has also beccome famous since Paul McCartney performed at the local pub.

Hiking the slot canyons with my Uncle Brian and Auntie Marianne and their friend Don at Mecca Wilderness Area. This particular hike was Ladder Canyon, named for all the ladders we had to climb up and down. These formations are caused ffrom water during a flood. Notice the different rock types throughout the hills

It's so nice to have family to visit with. I seem to get a little lump in my throat when I see all these friendly smiles. Thanks for providing me with a lumpy throat!!