Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. or how to get from palm trees and sage brush to a mixed conifer forest in ten minutes.  Ride the revolving tram car 2 1/2 miles up Chino Canyon, from the valley station at 2643' to the mountain station at 8516'.

 Outside the mountain station, Palm Springs some 8500' below. 

 Temperature can be 25 to as much as 40 degrees cooler between stations. 

The North Palm Springs Wind Farm is a large collection of electricity-producing windmills that stretches from the desert floor up to the hills surrounding the Banning Pass, a place where the wind blows 300 days a year. This Wind Farm produces enough electricity to power up the entire Palm Springs Area. The windmills are easily visible on both sides of the Interstate 10 as you're driving through Banning Pass.

Outside Long Valley Ranger Station, about a half mile west of the Mountain Station.

In Palm Desert it was 85 degree when we went swimming in the morning, but at 8400 feet yes that is snow on the ground.  People ride the tram to snow shoeing and cross county skying, don't forget to check in at the Ranger Station.

Inside the highlighted area on the map is the Tram, Chino Canyon and a couple of short trail for those who want to get some fresh area at the top of the mountain.  Don't forget your coat if your there in the winter.  The two trails are Nature Trail 0.6 miles, and Desert View Trail a 1.5 mile loop.

                                 From the Desert View Trail looking south east to the Salton Sea.

At Mountain Station Eileen takes in the view.  You will also fined the usual gift shop and snack bar.  There is also a restaurant.

Passing the tram car going the opposite direction.  Each car is 8ft high in side and 18ft in diameter.  Total occupancy is 80 passengers and one operator.

 Five towers support four 1-7/8" steel cables as well as four hauling cables, two auxiliary cables and a communications cable. The first tower is the tallest at 214' high; Tower Number Four is the shortest at 56 1/2' high. The weight of steel in the five towers totals 263 tons; the weight of the 11 cables totals 330 tons. The maximum span between towers is 3,455' between Towers 3 and 4.

 The big horn sheep statues displayed around town were painted by local artists.  This one is located at the Valley Station.  I have no idea why, nor did I ever hope to see a blue Big Horn Sheep, but to quote Ogden Nash, "I would rather see than be one".

Salton Sea

Picnic area and parking lot at Salton Sea Visitor Center.
Salton Sea and Mount San Jacinto in back ground.

Salton Sea, man made, accident, natural lake, or part of the Gulf of California? Marginal or major ecological and economic resource? Toxic dump?

Deck behind visitor center.

A bit of history. During the Pleistocene glacial age (2.5 million to 1200 years ago.) the Colorado River worked to build its delta. The Colorado River delta formed the Salton Sink, the area were the Salton Sea is now located. So, yes, the Salton sea was the norther reach of the Gulf of California.

A pair of Black-necked Stilts near the visitor center.

As the Colorado River changed course over thousands of years the Salton Sink has dried up and filled with water, dried up and filled with water repeatedly. For hundreds of years at a time it would alternated between desert and lake.

A variety of Egrets, Great, Snowy, and Cattle.

In 1901 the Imperial canal was built to bring water from the Colorado River to the Imperial Valley. By 1904 silt had blocked the canal preventing it from supplying water to the Valley. In 1905 a temporary diversion of the Colorado River was constructed to replace water from the blocked canal. This was breached by floodwater's changing the course of the river and flowing into the Salton Sink. Floodwater's continued to fill the Salton Sea until February 1907 when the Southern Pacific Railroad closed the river breach. 

Pelican

OK, originally part of the Gulf of California cut off by Colorado River Delta. A natural lake created by Colorado River floodwater's. A man made lake caused by an accident due to floodwater's. That covers the type of lake, but what sustains the lake and were dose the salt and other pollutants come from.

The present water level of the Sea is sustained by agricultural runoff and, to a lesser extent, by municipal effluent and storm water that flows into the Sea through rivers and creeks in the Imperial, Coachella, and Mexicali Valleys. Inflow comes from sources such as the Whitewater, Alamo, and New rivers.  

 The largest industry in the area is agricultural, 48% of all employment in Imperial county is related to agricultural. The average annual rainfall is 3 inches per year. The water distribution system includes over 1,400 miles of canal and 1,100 , miles of pipeline. The Imperial Irrigation District Annual Inventory of Areas
Receiving Water at 498,821 acres of crops. Agricultural runoff is the major source of salt and other pollutants.

The Salton Sea provides vital habitat for more than 380 species of birds. It is a lake twenty-five percent saltier than the ocean yet teeming with fish. The sea has a productive ecosystem marred by frequent fish and bird die-offs. These contrasts mark the challenges faced by federal/state strategy for restoring the Salton Sea.

Since the mid-1960's federal, state, and local entities have done studies and developed plans to improve water quality, stabilize water elevation, and enhance recreational and economic development potential of the Sea. Today the beaches are littered with dead fish, you see no boats on the lake, and only a few curious tourists travel around the lake.

Beginning in the 1920's, the Salton Sea was developed into a tourist attraction featuring yacht clubs, restaurants, and a golf course. Many celebrities vacationed and kept their boats there. In the 1950's it was billed as the “French Riviera of California, but it was not to last. By the 1970's, salinity began to rise. Salt leftover from a prehistoric ocean had been infiltrating the Salton Sea. There was also toxic run-off and industrial waste from Mexicali, Pesticides from the nearby Imperial Valley agriculture fields – and more salt. By the mid 1980's it started to become a ghost town.

Diamond Valley Lake

 Southern California's largest freshwater lake is four and a half miles long and two miles wide, 4500 acres.  The 260 billion gallons of water that fill this lake came from the Colorado River and Northern California through elaborate aqueducts.  The reservoir and distribution systems meet the water needs of 18 million Southern Californians.

Diamond Valley Lake is open to boating and fishing, along
with hiking and other recreational activities around the lake.

Dedicated March 19, 2000

Diamond Valley Lake offers fishing and light boating on the lake.

Stocked game fish include Bass both large and small mouth.

Rainbow Trout, Bluegill, Sunfish, Channel and Blue Catfish.

Some other species have been introduced with water.

Mount San Jaacinto in the back ground, on the other side
is Palm Springs.

The west dam, 110,000,000 cubic yards of sand, clay, and rock.

Three dams were required for the lake, East, West, and Saddle.

Much of the materials needed were obtained from the project area.

Clay and sand from the floor of the reservoir and the rock fill came  

from the bedrock highlands of  the reservoir's south rim.

The Saddle Dam was built to increase the storage capacity of the lake.

I/O tower in foreground above.

Filling of the lake began in 1999 and finished in 2003.

The unique idea here is there are no streams that flow in to the

reservoir.  Water from the fore-bay is pumped up into the lake.

The fore-bay is filled by canals and the lake, from there distributed

through out Southern California.

The fore-bay and pumping station.

Birds of Wilderness Lakes

          Moving from Soledad Canyon to Wilderness Lakes we found not only a change in weather but a welcome difference in Thousand Trails management.  We were pleased to find the parks maintenance in good order.  There were also activity personnel on duty to help guests and have activities posted in a timely fashion.

           We arrived at Wilderness Lakes late in January.  With warmer day time temperatures we were able to take long walks around the preserve and adjoining properties.  There were many days in our three week stay that we were able to use the swimming pool.

            Walking the trails and roads in the preserve were always a joy.  There are these great birds to watch.  From the Great Blue Heron to the Snowy Egret, ducks and geese.   Educational to, somehow I always thought long legged bird would nest on the ground. (I have know idea were I got that idea).  We watched Great Blue Herons feed there young in there nest high in a tall tree.

Black-crowned Night-Heron, a medium sized heron

Night Herons are found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions.

Great Egret a member of the heron family slightly smaller than a  Great Blue Heron

Snowy Egret, American counterpart to the similar Old World Little Egret.

Mallard, thought to be the most abundant and wide ranging duck on Earth.

Chinese Goose, a domesticated goose descended from the wild Swan Goose.

One of the canals at Wilderness Lakes, a Thousand Trails preserve near Menifee, CA.

Rest in Peace Big Guy Rest in Peace.

Vasquez Rocks

This is Hollywood outdoors.  Scenes from  no less than 39 full  length movies have been filmed here.  It was used for scenes from upwards of 65 TV series, some with more than one episode.  Also, numerous music videos.  Then there is the Advertising industry, and nobody is keep track.

Look at the pictures, get a feel for the area, and you may see something you recognize.

I will try to show the complete area not just the scenes from movies.  The scenes will be there if you look for them.

All of the houses in the area are in danger.  Vasquez Rocks were created by and are within a short distance of the San Andrea's Fault.

The rocks are a series of parallel ridges formed by exposed, eroded sandstone strata, angled upwards at about 50 degrees, and surrounded by the arid foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Kirk's Rock

Vasquez Rocks are located in the vicinity of Aqua Dulce between the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita and can be seen easily by motorists on the Antelope Valley Freeway.

Antelope Valley Freeway , CA Hwy 14 in back ground

So did you see any thing familiar?  Maybe Kirk's Rock named after Captain James Kirk of Star Trek.  Not because he went were no man had gone before,  but because scenes from every series in the Star Trek franchise as well as scenes from three of the movies were filmed here.

The Cat House

 We were at Solidad Canyon Thousand Trails for the new year, and yes it snowed.

Bella loves the snow. 

 

Black Leopard from India through Southeast Asia.

Snow Leopard from mountainous regions of Central Asia. 

Hunger makes Leopards cranky. 

The Cat House is dedicated to the protection and preservation of endangered felines.  Exotic Feline Breeding Compound's Feline Conservation Center is home to over 70 of the worlds most endangered Felines. Residents include 18 species to include tiger, jaguar, fishing cat, serval, pallas' cat, caracal, ocelot, bobcat, Canada lynx, Geoffroy's cat, margay, jaguarundi, jungle cat, cougar, leopard cat, clouded leopard, snow leopard, and 4 subspecies of leopards.

The six species pictured here hardly do justice to this preserve, to learn more this conservation center visit there website.


                              http://www.cathouse-fcc.org/

Jaguar, from Mexico to Argentina.

Most of the compound is open for viewing, guests are aloud to explore at their own pace. There are sign at all the enclosures that describe the species, range, habitat, and general characteristics.




Unlike a zoo there are no moats.  Visitors can get within five feet of these beautiful cats.

Canada Lynx from, you guest it Canada.  OK, as well as Alaska
and the Rocky Mountains of the US.

Cougar, Puma, Mountain Lion from Western North America and
most of South America.

Once roaming free over all of North America populations have
been eliminated in the east except for a small area of Southern
Florida.

Bobcat smallest of the North American wild cats.