Every November, my brother-in-law organizes a trip to Joshua Tree National Park for some of his buddies. He calls it the “J Tree Walkabout” since we head out into the harsh desert terrain for a couple of nights. With the temperature in the mid 50s during the day and low 30s at night, pretty much everyone stayed home this year. Their loss. We were treated to a whole new desert experience this year.
We stuck to the California Hiking and Riding Trail this year. Along the way, we bagged Quail Mountain, the tallest peak in the park (5,813 ft.), and were treated with outstanding views and patches of snow—the first time I’ve seen snow out there.
We did have a little bit of rain, but when the skies opened up on the second evening, it was thrilling to see all of the stars mapped out in the heavens above. I was torn between staring at them and the warmth of my quilt and pad.
On our final morning, we met up with a friend who is a rock climbing guide. He set us up with the gear and I tried that sport for the first time. I really enjoyed it, but that is one tough challenge. After having hiked all over the park I didn’t have much energy for that, but it was fun to try and great way to cap off a wonderful trip.
No hanging on this trip. Joshua Trees are not very strong (from what I can tell) and they are protected. But the discomfort of the ground pales in comparison to the unique panorama one experiences here. If you haven’t been to J Tree, do your best to get there. You won’t be disappointed.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Michael (SoCal Mike)
Pics: (1) Sunset on Day 1; (2) The California Hiking and Riding Trail; (3) View from Quail Mountain; (4) Snow on top of Quail Mtn; (5) Rock Climbing at Hemingway.
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