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| Pothole at the 2500 level on the ascent |
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| Ring at the head of Wonderstone |
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| Puddle at the big drop el 2350 |
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| View down Wonderstone from the big drop |
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| Ring at the saddle el 20250 |
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| Peak 649 |
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| Near the end |
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This trail goes from highway 22 and up over a ridge then down Wonderstone. It's mostly within the boundary of Anza Borrego State Park. It's the most dramatic I've ever done and doubt it can be surpassed. I put a track on peakbagger under Marble Peak 3320. This trip report would only be needed as backup. Take highway 86 to Brawley Rd and drive to a gravel plant. Go south along it on an easy 4wd power road for nearly a mile and leave a vehicle at N33 21629, W116 02188. Ebikes and cycles can turn right up a wash there for another half mile. Then drive to mp 32.55 on S22 and walk a tenth mile to a smooth channel at 17973, 11202. Follow that to the west side of a hill and walk the channel along the base. Upon reaching the north side of the hill, drift right a little to get in the main channel of Palo Verde Wash where you'll see a million footprints. Go on up the wash thru point 18536, 11111 then on to the start of the trail at 18873, 10748 el 1350. The trail goes up along the rim of a side canyon and be sure not to miss where it crosses to the left side of the creekbed at the 1550 level. It goes on up steeply to the top of the ridge el 2000 then down to the bed of Smoke Tree Canyon el 1900. Go up the main canyon 400 feet as the crow flies and the trail exits right at cairns. It gets fuzzy, but be sure to be on it where it levels off at 19430, 09720 el 2250. It's easy to follow to a creekbed where it vanishes. A pothole there had several gallons. Go up the bed for 300 feet and it exits left. The reading there is 19838, 09605 el 2500. It goes on to a saddle on the main ridge el 3150 then runs toward Rosa BM. It gets fuzzy and I dropped off it and down a ridge at 20493, 09839 then picked it up again at 20758, 09607. A rock ring is along the way at 20699, 09685. The trail goes on to 20895, 09359 then runs left of center at 20933, 09041 el 2480. I took the option to drop down and check for water in the canyon. There were some puddles and wet sand then a big drop. I went back on the rim there then down to where it gets skinny at el 2050. Some rock rings are there and I could see water below. I went down the skinny rim and soon the trail drops right down an obvious slope and bends left and hits bottom where the wash goes over a drop. A flat top boulder there has a grinding hole. The trail runs on the right bank to get past the fall and there is a sand slide. I didn't think that to be risky with a good stick, but a likely option is to get in the main arm of the canyon at about 20911, 08495. I came up canyon that far on a previous hike if my GPS was reading correct. It's a smooth wash on out to the mouth and I stayed in smooth channels near center to 20950, 05151 then cut over to another channel at 20905, 05037 that took me to the west saddle of peak 649. A trail runs down a wash there and goes up on the left bank at 20811, 04653 then on to higher ground. I then moved left to 20978, 04202 where I could walk the rim of a wash on down to 21404, 03068 and then obvious the rest of the way. That took 8 hours, 15 minutes and nearly 14 miles. Noticeable gain is 2000. The hike is over 15 miles for a party with 2 cars. That hiking time is for a 70 year old. Hikers half that age should do it in half the time. The water I saw was from rain 2 weeks before. Be careful around those rings. Posted 2026
