Trip Report
Sometimes A Lad Just Needs A Change Of Scenery!!
Tuesday November 27, 2012 11:37am
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Credit: survival
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My son Justin spent the whole summer/fall working in Coldfoot Alaska, then he goes back to work in Anchorage!

So, y'all can guess what the weather is like up there right now.

Is it any wonder that he wanted to get a little sunshine and family action for Thanksgiving?



So I offer him a couple of east side "cold" desert options, but he prefers a few extra degrees of warmth. Well, I'm an easy going guy, so we zero in on something that might fit the bill. But I've never been there so it's an exploration run!


Who can guess where we went?


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Hope you enjoy the change of scenery as much as we did!
More in a bit!!!

  Trip Report Views: 2,178
survival
About the Author
survival is a big wall climber from A Token of My Extreme.

Comments
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 27, 2012 - 11:41am PT
It's a good thing Justin is better looking than I am!



















nutjob

Sport climber
Almost to Hollywood, Baby!
  Nov 27, 2012 - 11:43am PT
Looking down on the desert reminded me of Organ Mountains, but I know you've been there and the rocks and plants seem a little different. In any case, it looks like a GREAT place to visit.
Studly

Trad climber
WA
  Nov 27, 2012 - 11:43am PT
For a minute there I thought you went to ......Fresno
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 27, 2012 - 11:48am PT
For a minute there I thought you went to ......Fresno


Well, Fresno is one of the culture capitols of the world isn't it?
Actually, we were a tad further afield than good ol' Fresno.































ydpl8s

Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:00pm PT
Are you off of I-80 somewhere E. of Reno but W. of Lovelock?
Gal

Trad climber
going big air to fakie
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:04pm PT
Cool stuff... I dig the dilapidated truck pic too.
rwedgee

Ice climber
CA
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:06pm PT
Looks like Carrizo Plain and Soda Lake
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:17pm PT
DING DING DING!!!!!!

Too bad I have no prize for you!

I've been coming to CA for over half my life and had never heard of the place until recently. (California is a big place..)

I needed to get out of these foothills for a couple days. It was damn near 80 degrees down there a couple times!

Soda lake is seasonal, that's how you get that salt plain. The San Andreas fault runs right at the base of the Tremblor Range you see in the distance.
At Williams, or Wilson Creek, you can see where the stream bed has moved thirty feet!





















Painted Rock was sacred to the Chumash, and there are some great weathered paintings there. We didn't get to go there though, we didn't have the BLM permit. But this is the similar formation nearby.
dirt claud

Social climber
san diego,ca
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:18pm PT
Really cool TR. Glad you had a great time with your son. The pics are awesome.
rwedgee

Ice climber
CA
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:21pm PT
What area is the barn and corral ?? Nice phots by the way, most peoples end up bleached out.
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:25pm PT
Some nice pictures there Bruce. Strange landscape.
ladyscarlett

Trad climber
SF Bay Area, California
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:45pm PT
yeah!
I was also going to put a vote in for carrizo plains...that grassland with the salt pan and foothills are a unique combo.

did you visit the creeks that flows back and up because of the kink that the san andreas fault put in the creek bed?

In the spring they have a hot air baloon gathering when the flowers come out...its amazing. TFPU!

cheers

LS
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:47pm PT
The barn and corral are near the Selby campground.

There's a three mile road that goes up on top of Caliente Ridge from there. Beautiful!





































Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:52pm PT
Interesting place.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  Nov 27, 2012 - 12:53pm PT
I was thinking between Bakersfield and Tehachapi until I saw the salt flats. Good to see you traveling and back in California.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
  Nov 27, 2012 - 01:03pm PT
Nice shootin'! But I need either more general or more specific references
than 'Selby Campground', if you please. :-)

Never mind, I went back and saw Carrizo Plain. Duh....

Last time I went by there I guess I was lookin' out the wrong side of
the car...

survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 27, 2012 - 01:44pm PT




































SCseagoat

Trad climber
Santa Cruz
  Nov 27, 2012 - 03:41pm PT
Ahhh....not more I can say than "wish I was there"...so so so nice!

Susan
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Nov 27, 2012 - 05:07pm PT
Stellar pics are usual Bruce,
Good to see your sun getting some viatmin D (sunshine) during the long alaska winter!

Thanks!!!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 27, 2012 - 05:25pm PT
AND. . . FarmerBruce. . . NO WAY could you have a kid that old!


Heh heh heh..... a comment on my youthful good looks I hope?


Thanks for all the nice comments everybody. Whenever I'm someplace cool and taking pictures that I think will come out I always think "Man, I can't wait to share these on Supertopo!"

Dingus, we will do a desert thing one of these days. I need someone to show me around Death Valley a little.......

























































Enthusiast

Sport climber
Port Townsend WA
  Nov 27, 2012 - 06:47pm PT
That's some beautiful rock!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 28, 2012 - 03:04pm PT
Bump for the best son this side of anywhere!



Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
  Nov 28, 2012 - 10:29pm PT
You are a phenomenally good photographer. I'm not sure if you
realize how clear and beautiful these images are. I noticed this
in your wonderful trip report into the Sierra with your family,
absolutely compelling, and one of the best contributions to
SuperTopo in a long time. You have a gift, I believe, a real gift,
that could develop into something very powerful and important,
if you should by chance have the desire to focus that direction.
A true artist can see simple things, a fence, a clump of grass,
some lichen on a slab of granite..., and find something in it, or
draw something out of it that takes us to some strangely quiet,
mystical place. Ansel Adams had this and applied it to the amazing
grandeur of the Sierra Nevada. Keep up the great work.
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
  Nov 29, 2012 - 09:16am PT
Nice pics Bruce!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
Author's Reply  Nov 29, 2012 - 11:47am PT
Thanks for the kind words Pat. I think I have a good eye sometimes, but the truth is that digital photography makes it so much easier than back in the day with our old film jobs. Some people had the skills even with that stuff!


El Cornhole, from The Land Of The Cone? The one up your a*#? Yeah we went for a few walks, BFD.
I see that you're a n00b here, who doesn't play well with others. Maybe you should try to learn some climbing and then you can contribute some real goods.
Until then, you're a nobody, but thanks for bumping my thread dickweed.
Captain...or Skully

climber
Boise, ID
  Nov 29, 2012 - 02:52pm PT
Looks like a cool place to groove around in, Bruce.
TFPU!!3!
Prezwoodz

climber
Anchorage
  Nov 29, 2012 - 02:57pm PT
Many great places were discovered by people just going for walks. Personally I appreciate any type of trip report! Looks like you had a good time, and I didn't know your son was living in Anchorage! Let me know if he needs a climbing partner anytime.
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