Wandering Mojave Hiking Services

16/06/2024

On the rocks

On the ground

On the trunk

16/06/2024

Now.

15/06/2024

Nominate someone you think is making a difference in the CA Deserts.

Know someone who made a difference to the desert in 2023? Nominate them!

🏜️The annual Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award recognizes individuals or organizations that have made notable achievements in the areas of leadership, protection, preservation, research, education, and stewardship of California’s desert lands.

👉Submit your nomination at tinyurl.com/MinervaAward23! Submissions close on July 17, 2024.

💪This award honors the legacy of Minerva Hamilton Hoyt who is credited with the conservation movement that led to the establishment of Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936.

Image Description: Photograph of Cap Rock at sunset with the text "Nominations Are Open".

📷NPS/Brad Sutton

15/06/2024

Don't forget about our hot season hiking deals for High Desert residents! If you live in the Coachella Valley, we'll include you, too!

Early Monday morning will be the next best window for getting out for some cooler temps.

15/06/2024

We are at Mazamar Art Pottery in Pioneertown this afternoon surrounded by wonderful dark sky themed art. Come say hello!

15/06/2024

The coolest temps in the 10 day forecast for desert trekking will be early morning on Monday, June 17.

If you're in the park by 5am and at or above 4,000', you can hike in the 50s and 60s for an hour or two. By noon the low 80s will have set in.

If you're below 3,000', you'll want to be done by 10am, when temps will be around 93.

15/06/2024

If you're camping in JTNP between now and October...Be Advised...all campfires are suspended due to heat and fuel conditions.

We've had two consecutive average or slightly above spring blooms, which comes, not only with beautiful spring colors, but also hordes of invasive grasses.

These grasses often have a slower decomposition rate than native annuals, which means multiple seasons worth of dry tall grasses can accumulate.

The High Desert is home to a few areas more prone to fire than others, due both to presence of invasive plants and natives that burn hotter and longer.

Yucca Valley, from La Contenta (dirt end) to the Yucca Grade is certainly at higher risk. Pioneertown and Pipes Canyon also fall into this category. Morongo Valley, too.

California appears to be implementing more controlled burns, a technique used by cultures that have been here long before colonizers arrived. When combined with Invasive Plant Management Plans, for subsequent years, these controlled burns can be very effective in reestablishing fire healthy native plant populations.

Is your property one that needs some attention, either because it's highly disturbed and prone to invasives or is within a high risk fire zone in the Morongo Basin?

If you want help with that, let us know.

Fire Ban in Effect from June 15 - October 1🚫🔥

Due to hot, dry seasonal weather, high winds, and increased fire fuel, fire restrictions are now in place at Joshua Tree National Park. These restrictions apply to all campgrounds, backcountry sites, and residential areas until October 1, 2024.

Invasive grasses throughout the park significantly increase fire risk by acting as fuel to spread fires more rapidly and over larger areas. This fire ban is essential for visitor safety and to protect the park's fragile ecosystem.

When visiting the park, please recreate responsibly. Let's do our part to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all this fire season!

15/06/2024

Wander into the fire!

15/06/2024

Announcing... July 5 -
Star party..

15/06/2024

Hiking in the desert between May and September is something that can be done, but not without thoughtful planning.

Here's my prioritized list for undertaking hot weather hiking:

Tell someone that you're hiking and where you will be hiking at. Set up a time that you should be expected back by, and arrange for a check-in once your back in service.

If you have a cell phone, and who doesn't, and make sure it's fully charged. Many locations do not have service, but many do. Also, a number of more recent phones have started to carry SOS features. Learn how to use them.

Carry a Satellite Messenger. I use a SPOT LLC device, but there are several out there. Pick one, learn how to use it, and carry it with you.

If you're not a morning person, become one. Starting 30 minutes before sunrise, in many instances, will allow you to log some miles during the coolest part of the day. If you can't start as early as 6am, then you should be waiting until 6pm.

Cover your body. Wide brimmed hat and long sleeves and pants that are loose fitting help keep the solar radiation off of your body, while also generating evaporative cooling. Think about desert nomads in the Sahara, they're not running around in t-shirts and shorts, they're covered in blankets.

4 liters of water. No less. Per person. And make sure that one liter of water contains electrolytes. Pre-mix the electrolytes so they are ready to drink, saving you the time and the possibility of forgetting that you have them at all.

Location, location, location! At the exact same moment within Joshua Tree National Park, you can have 115° F and 90° F. The former might be around 1,000' above sea level (east Pinto Basin), while the latter would be over 5,000 (Upper Covington to Eureka Peak).

Carry a 10 Essentials. Mine usually includes my headlamp, spare batteries for my headlamp, electrolytes, a food bar, spare latex gloves, a slim Swiss army knife, occasionally baling wire, sunblock chapstick, and my satellite messenger.

Pre-load hydration. Get plenty of water in you the night before. Yes, you may have to get up and p*e at night, but it's better than playing catch-up the next day.

Bring fresh, wet fruit. Biting into an apple or orange will be a delight on the trail and also provide simple sugars to keep you moving.

Calories. Salty calories. Sugary calories. And some protein. When your fuel tank is running low, everything else becomes more difficult. And don't skip breakfast. Personally, I find a can of sardines to be some of the highest quality trail food available, but skip the kind in oil as it's messy and stinky. Grab the cans packed with water and drink that water before you eat the fish. I can actually feel my brain wake up after eating sardines. Be warned...they may make you fart ;)

Snakes....rattlesnakes specifically. It just so happens that their most active hours during the hot season are the same times that we would want to be hiking...early morning and late afternoon into the evening. This means hiking in established trails which increases your field of view. It means keeping your eyes and ears active. If you're wearing headphones, playing music, or listening to 90 Miles From Needles, you probably won't hear thier unmistakable warning. Opt for birds over beats. If you hear a rattlesnake, but don't see it, stop. Listen. Isolate the direction of origin, and move away. Stopping is key, becuase erratic, panicked movement can lead to tripping yourself, or pushing over a hiking buddy.

If bit...DO NOT ice the wound. Do not cut the wound or attempt to suck out the venom. Do not take NSAIDS (Ibuprofen/salicylic acid/ or benadryl.

I have seen Tylenol referenced as safe on some sites and not mentioned at all on others. I have seen Naproxen (NSAID) listed as beneficial on one site and detrimental on several others. (Check your sources for information is another good thing to keep in mind.

DO take off rings or anything that might get caught by rapid inflammation. Do try to keep the bite below your heart. If alone, try to move slow and steady towards civilization. Fast movement elevates circulation, which means you're pushing the venom to more parts of your body.

This next one is a bit more abstract and subjective, but I'll try to offer a way to consider it that is more tangible...

Consider your limits...but, how do you do that? Think about extreme athletes. People doing expeditions in ultra hot or cold environments. Ultra marathoners. Olympians. Even humans still living deeply entrenched in the ways of the earth such as the aforementioned desert nomads or aboriginal people in Australia. These people live their lives immersed in the environments that make others fall down and die. Are you one of those people? Probably not. This means taking bites that you are capable of chewing without choking on death by exposure.

If you do get disoriented and feel lost, do not keep wandering. Find the deepest shade available to you and take shelter. Wait for cooler temps before considering how to get back.

Lastly, "Know thyself"...some people feel they're overheating with hats and long garments on in hot weather. Others feel they become queezy when drinking water during exercise. Whether physiological or mental, any stressor that cause a sense of dis-ease in the trail should be honored. This is a direct tie to knowing one's limits.

If you're truly interested in expanding your ability to manage risk, I cannot stress enough the value of Wilderness First Responder course, as taught by NOLS. I've got one cert, and one recertification under my belt, and I'm due for another recertification. That being said, I've had little cause to practice the skills I learned during my WFR Training and am considering taking the full, 11 day course over again.

Humans are capable of just about anything, which is why you find us on the tops of the highest peaks, at the bottom of ocean, on every continent, and in space. You...yes YOU, are capable of a great many things, but respect for systems bigger than you are what allow you to exceed your limits.

Wandering Mojave Hiking Services makes education the largest part of our service. That education is not limited to flora, fauna, and geology, but also deals with how to be prepared to move through a seemingly hostile environment. If you're not sure where to begin when it comes to pushing your boundaries, give us a call. We are operating throughout the hot months this year and would be honored to share our expertise with you.

A young couple’s hike in a picturesque but desolate area of Southern California near Joshua Tree National Park nearly ended in tragedy after authorities say they ran out of water and needed to be r…

15/06/2024

Be on the lookout.

Pest Alert! Eggs of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect so destructive that New Yorkers were instructed to kill any on sight, were found for the first time in California on a 30-foot-tall metal art installation headed to the Bay Area. Stopped at the Truckee Border Protection Station, the sculpture was taken apart and power washed several times.

The incident marks the first time spotted lanternfly eggs have been found in California. The insect presents enough risk to local plants and crops that the California Department of Food and Agriculture developed an action plan last year in the event of the bugs showing up in the state, which would include deploying an emergency response from the department and initiating an eradication authority in all counties where the insects are found. The insects have the potential to affect the entire wine grape industry.

Spotted lanternflies look different at various life stages, with the adults appearing tan-gray in color with black spots. CDFA recommends inspecting plants, trees, vehicles and trailers for egg masses or other signs of the bug, and reporting suspected findings to the CDFA pest hotline.

Read the article here: https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/california-first-time-spotted-lanternfly-eggs-19511059.php

Image description: Close up of several adult spotted lanternflies clustered on the grey bark of a tree. Photo by Getty images.

15/06/2024

***Edit*** The general consensus is that this deposit is from a bird and not a reptile. I was mistaken by considering birds as having liquidy dropping and reptiles having more solid s**t. This error was an assumption, which is often a trap for naturalists, especially self-taught ones, like myself. It dies raise some interesting taxonomic learning though. Aves (birds) and Reptilia (reptiles) are taxonomic classes that share more recent ancestors than, say, humans and butterflies. Check out the article from Berkely.edu I've shared in the comments.

Help me solve a mystery...

This is s**t. S**t is just a fancy word that means p**p, derived from Greek.

I've never observed it before. It's seems reptilian due to the presence of the white uric acid.

If you know what creature deposited this material at the west end of the Pinto Basin, please let me know.

**t **p ***s

14/06/2024

Happening right now.

11/06/2024

Some interesting lighting conditions on this tortoise in its burrow. It had a sunroof which allowed for a shot that is typically on the dark side.

10/06/2024

Yes, it's a flower, and sure, it's pretty, but this is one to be considered a.danger to desert ecosystems.

Stinknet aka Globe Chamomile aka Oncosiphon pilulifer is a noxious w**d native to South Africa.

I had my first observation of the invasive in Moreno Valley in my way home from a baseball game in Anaheim.

It produces an insane amount of seed, up to 100 per head, and there can be 30 heads or so in a single plant. It can out compete natives, dries to a very burnable crisp, and when it burns, it produces a foul and irritating smoke.

If you see it, log it on , and if you're sure that what you are seeing is Stinknet, pull it.

**d

07/06/2024

There are several imperfect photos here that I am quite fond of.

I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I did taking them.

06/06/2024

"wHaT hEaT iT's ClOuDy At My HoUsE 🤪"

As of 1:30 PM today, there's a 40f degree difference between parts of our coast and desert 🤔. Marine layer's doing its job today (not that y'all on the coast don't know already 😶‍🌫️).

04/06/2024

I went for a personal adventure today.

I saw my first ever Ironwood Tree flowers.

I saw three Speckled Rattlesnakes, one that had only a nubbin of a rattle.

I visited a canyon/spring/mill site I'd never visited before.

I made my final observation of the roadrunner nest I've been watching all spring.

I found bones, alluring reptiles, and falcon dismembered birds.

I captured a few "Sulphers" on my Cannon.

I found Indigenous pottery sherds on a concrete slab made by white people.

I captured two Queen Butterflies, side by side, on Catsclaw, my first photo of the species this year, although I've been seeing them for about a month.

There are certainly more images to come....but who knows when I'll get them off of my camera. Soon, I hope.

The tarantula hawks were the most ruby I've ever seen them.

I wrapped my hike at 91°F and saw it at 97°F at Fried Liver Wash (1,776') at 1231pm.

04/06/2024

New episode of 90 Miles From Needles!

Corn, squash, and beans aren’t just crops; they’re living symbols of resilience, culture, and hope.

04/06/2024

You can keep your roses....I like my flowers sharp.

Corynopuntia parishii aka Dead Cactus, Club Cholla, Horse Crippler, and who knows what else.

01/06/2024

Lots to enjoy at the Joshua Tree Astronomy Arts Theater.

01/06/2024

Yesterday, late afternoon.

I had the pleasure of being invited to a 10-acre parcel in the Pipes Canyon area.

It was a very special invitation, as it was a first step in developing a new division of Wandering Mojave.

For a little over an hour, I walked the land with the owner, whose intent was to be more of a steward than an owner.

We discussed both the native and invasive plants, their respective life cycles, their relationships with fire, and a strategy for strengthening the existing habitat via a 3 year plan for invasive plant management.

At the beginning of our walk, the landowner began to ask me questions whose goals were to find out what my real qualifications were. I asked him to table those questions for the time being and said that we could return to them at the end of our walk. We never did exactly, but image 2, shows his interpretation of my qualifications.

Image 1 was taken from the land.
Image 2 ... me nailing it

31/05/2024

This morning I visited a special place to do good work.

Because it is new to me, and in areas I seldom have the privilege to visit, I have seen things I seldom get to see.

Image 1: Veronica anagallis-aquatica
Image 2: Linum lewisii

This evening I am visiting another special place to hopefully to more good work.

31/05/2024

I've been enjoying these visitations from El Rey

30/05/2024

Seeds I gathered this morning, while my 9 month old was strapped to my back.

All of these seeds were gathered within 300' of my home.

Species and genera represented...

Sphaeralcea ambigua
Salvia columbariae
Encelia actoni
Coreopsis
Delphinium parishii
Nicolletia occidentalis
Adenophyllum cooperii

And more....

These seeds will go in an envelope labeled (mixed seed) and simply wait. They'll wait until November. I'll be watching the weather for the first decent storm. A day before, I'll spray some dirt, give it a wrake, and then throw the seeds out. Then I'll wait...until February and March, to see what turns up.

As areas germinate, I'll start working the zone to eliminate any invasives, particularly Schismus varieties, to reclaim the zone for natives.

Does this sort of process interest you? The hot months are a great time to plan on upping your native plant game in the desert. It's also a great time to get a consult from Wandering Mojave on getting the ball rolling and keeping it rolling throughout the seasons.

30/05/2024

Join us on Saturday to enjoy the shade trees and all of the birds! Free-pls register at bigmorongo.org

30/05/2024

Yesterday day I posted a few images of plants growing on my property. Here's another one.

I'll call it the series.

What to participate?

Take a walk around your patch of desert, forest, chaparral, or whatever the nearest bio-zone is, snap some shots, and post.

Be sure to tag and use the hashtag. I want to see your biodiversity, no matter where you live. If you want to be fancy, include your county or town name and your elevation.

29/05/2024

What's growing on your patch of desert?

Have a look.

If you need help to identify, tag and we'll help you figure it out.

Image 1: Desert Wooly Star (Eriastrum erimicum/natural)

Image 2: California Juniper (Juniperus californica/natural)

Image 3: Interior Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum/natural)

Image 4: Pencil/Diamond Cholla (Cylindropuntia ramosissima/natural)

Image 5: Acton's Encelia (Encelia actoni) with wood boring beatle (likely genus Acmaeodra/propagated from seed)

Image 6: Firecracker Penstemon (Penstemon eatonii/purchased from )

Image 7: White Sage (Salvia apiana/propagated from seed purchased at the )

Image 8: Honey Mesquite (Prosopsis glandulosa/purchased from )

Image 9: Sacred Datura (Datura wrightii/natural)

Image 10: Chia going to seed (Salvia columbariae/propagated from seed)

29/05/2024

An informative piece by Hilary Sloane for Z107.7 FM Joshua Tree on the community garden created by Mil-Tree and hosted at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center.

All food plants!

The garden group meets on Sundays, from 9am to 11am. Check the Mil-Tree page for hot season schedule adjustments.

Cheryl Montelle, founder, and visionary of Mil-Tree, received an initial grant in October 2023 to build a potting shed designed by Mia Torres, a local

21/12/2023

The bluest.