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The Trip

The San Andreas Fault slices through southeastern California, marking the collision of the Pacific and North American continental plates. Although surface evidence of this notorious fault is largely hidden, reminders of ancient plate tectonic activity are common place in the region of our trip. This corner of California contains dramatic volcanic spires and domes, desert pavements, and fault lines, set in the arid Colorado Desert, where the absence of vegetation lays bare evidence of past geologic forces. The Little Picacho, Picacho Peak, and Indian Pass Wilderness Areas, which we will visit or witness, were designated by the Bureau of Land Management, in part, because of this dramatic geology.

The first part of our trip explores these geologic wonders from the comfort of a base camp at Picacho State Recreation Area. Our day hikes may include a slot canyon, a wilderness wash, or a circumnavigation of Picacho Peak to walk among the spectacular scenery and to enjoy the beautiful natural compositions created by rock, cactus, and other unusual desert plants.

There’s more than geology present in southeastern California. The Colorado Desert, an area that receives less than three inches of rain per year, is home to unique plants and animals. One day hike will take us into the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area. We’ll learn about the conflict between off-highway vehicle use and the protection of rare desert plants. The wilderness area is home to Peirson’s milkvetch, a threaten plant under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The second part of our trip involves a 45-mile paddle down the lower Colorado River from Walter’s Camp to Squaw Lake. This easy paddle allows us spectacular views of the three wilderness areas in California and the Trigo Wilderness Area in Arizona. Several short day hikes are planned to visit abandoned cabins and to witness interesting geology. At night we might hear the braying of wild burros that roam the region. The night skies will also offer a stunning display of stars since there is little to no light pollution.

We will paddle through portions of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, which coincides with approximately 30 miles of the lower Colorado River. The canoe journey concludes with passage along the Arizona Channel, a waterway that parallels the Colorado River, but prohibits high-speed boat use. This area offers stark contrasts between the lush riparian environment adjacent to an arid desert ecosystem.

Itinerary

The following is the planned itinerary, but the final hiking locales may change due to weather, access conditions, leader judgment, or group strengths.

Day 1: Meet at the Picacho State Recreation Area for a hearty dinner, complete with a Dutch oven treat.

Day 2: We’ll conduct a day hike into Unnamed Wash, which leads into a slot canyon containing evidence of previous faults. The hike concludes with a return route that crosses the barren desert landscape of the Colorado Desert.

Day 3: Picacho Peak is a spectacular sentinel to geologic forces that result from the collision of continental plates. Our group will either circumnavigate the peak or hike to overlooks that allow us peer across a volcanic landscape.

Day 4: On this transition day we leave the Picacho Peak State Recreation Area and travel to our canoeing put in, Walters Camp. We’ll stop at a visitor center established for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and hike the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area.

Day 5: Today is our first day of canoeing on the lower Colorado River with short hikes to visit an abandoned cabin. We’ll camp at the boat-in camp site at the northern part of the Picacho State Recreation Area.

Day 6: Paddle to the Picacho State Recreation Area boat-in group campground with side trips to lakes along the Colorado River, if water level permits entry.

Day 7: The day begins with a short paddle to a hike that leads to the ruins of a historic cabin and the scant remains of an old mining site. We’ll dry camp at Ferguson Lake.

Day 8: This day will see us paddling along the Arizona Channel, a parallel waterway to the Colorado River. Our arrival at Squaw Lake concludes the trip.

Getting There

The meeting place, Picacho State Recreation Area, lies approximately 25 miles north of Yuma, Arizona. The last 18 miles of Picacho Road are unpaved and all-weather. The Yuma International Airport has a limited number of arrivals through United Express and US Airways Express. The San Diego International Airport lies approximately 180 miles west of Yuma and the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport lies approximately 190 miles east.

Accommodations and Food

The Picacho State Recreation Area group campground, our base camp residence for the first three days of the trip, has toilets and solar showers. Camping during the canoe element will be at established boat-in camps found in the Picacho State Recreation Area, except for the last night when we’ll dry camp at Ferguson Lake.

All meals are provided by the Sierra Club and will be prepared through the combined efforts of the trip participants. The dinner meal will often feature something delectable from a Dutch oven. Participants will be contacted prior to the trip to determine if there are any special dietary restrictions that need to be accommodated.

Trip Difficulty

The hiking element of Exploring Southeastern California: Hiking and Paddling the Colorado is rated as moderate with one short strenuous section. Most of the hiking will be relatively flat, but the sandy washes and loose desert sand will make for slow walking. The one strenuous stretch occurs on our approximately four-mile trip around Picacho Peak. Near the end of the hike there is a short and steep uphill scramble to a saddle, followed by a steep and rocky descent. The troubles offered by this section are offset by spectacular views.

The canoeing element of this trip is easy, and suitable for beginner paddlers. We will cover approximately 45 miles from the put-in to the take-out. The lower Colorado River is slow and lacks rapids. The most strenuous aspect of the paddle will be the loading and unloading of the canoes, particularly at the canoe group camp site at Picacho State Recreation Area. Here we will have to carry our gear approximately 400 feet to the camp site.

Equipment and Clothing

Participants will be required to provide their own camping gear, such as tents, sleeping bags, and clothing. Canoeing gear, such as canoes, paddles and personal flotation devices, will be provided. Dry bags will not be provided, although duffels lined with plastic bags are suitable since there are no rapids on this stretch of the Colorado River.

If people would like to use their own canoes or other paddling equipment, they are asked to coordinate with the trip leader to ensure that the boat meets group needs.

References

Maps:

USGS quadrangles are not really needed -- we will use the hiking maps provided by the BLM and Picacho SRA. If you are interested in maps, we will be in a number of 7.5' CA USGS quadrangles:

• Hiking: Canoeing
• Picacho Peak Little Picacho Peak
• Little Picacho Peak Imperial Reservoir
• Quartz Peak Picacho
• Glamis NW Picacho SW
• Picacho NW

Books: (General and not necessarily specific to the lower Colorado region)

Desert Lore of Southern California by Choral Pepper. Interesting tidbits and legends.

Pavlik, Bruce, The California Deserts: an Ecological Rediscovery. Human and natural history.

Collins, Barbara J., Key to Trees and Shrubs of the Deserts of Southern California (1976). An oldie but still servicable.

Any current bird, animal, plant, insect, star, etc. guides that you want to bring along!

Websites: (Not great sites, but they are about all that is available)

• http://www.imperial.edu/~birds/ Birds of the Imperial Valley (to the west of our trip area)
• http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/picacho_peak.html Picacho Peak Wilderness
• http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/indian_pass.html Indian Pass Wilderness Area
• http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/little_picacho.html Little Picacho Wilderness Area
• http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/north_algodones_dunes.html North Algodones Dunes Wilderness Area
• http://www.wilderness.net/printFactSheet.cfm?WID=415
• http://www.westernmininghistory.com/articles/505/page1/ Picacho Mine History

Conservation

This trip will allow participants an opportunity to contrast pristine desert environments found in federally designated wilderness areas with locales that have been used for activities such as mining and off-road travel. Desert ecosystems are highly fragile, and once used by humans, show the scars from roads and machinery for a surprisingly long time.

While we paddle the Colorado River, we will discuss the long history of struggles over water quality and water usage, both on the U.S. and the Mexican sides of the border. Besides human use, the river provides life-giving water to many plant and animal species, including a rich bird fauna, which when tampered with due to water diversion or increase of particulate matter, can impact the ability to support various species.

The deserts of the Southwest are currently being eyed for large-acreage, industrial-style solar energy complexes. Imperial County is home to one such site, to the west of our trip. The topic of balancing protection of desert species with the need for renewable energy sources will be of interest to us as we explore the southeastern corner of California.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from the Bureau of Land Management.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Leader:

Holly Wenger has had the privilege of leading a variety of national outings for the Sierra Club since 2002, including canoeing, kayaking, rafting, backpacking and van trips, from the Everglades of Florida to Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. At home in Sacramento, CA she leads local canoe and kayak trips, and teaches canoeing for the American Red Cross. Holly is still amazed by the beauty of wilderness on every trip, and by the cohesion each group forges as they experience new surroundings. Holly is a Wilderness First Responder. If she's not out paddling, hiking, or enjoying the arts, you can reach her at holly.wenger@sierraclub.org.

E-mail: holly.wenger@sierraclub.org

Co-Leader:

Patrick Welch, retired from a 32-year career as an archeologist with the Federal government, currently lives in Sacramento, California. He spent 10 years conducting field work throughout Imperial County, the area managed by the Bureau of Land Management in El Centro, California. During the past 20 years Patrick developed an interest in all types of canoeing and is also a certified canoe instructor with the American Red Cross. He can be reached at pwelch7102@gmail.com if you can get him off the water.

E-mail: pwelch7102@gmail.com

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners