Another Desert Wander

Here are a few picks from last Thursday’s desert wander in the Coyote Mountains Wilderness (because, where else would I go?). From the usual approach to the Domelands, I followed the deteriorated old dirt road further north and up into the rocky hills of the north-western part of the Coyote Mountains Wilderness. Once more I didn’t have an actual goal in mind but just wanted to explore some spots that looked interesting.

It was pretty sunny when I started so I didn’t expect much for photos, and didn’t care that much about it anyway. I found a nice spot with a view to eat my lunch sandwich. From there, a higher point lured me a little further north with its promise of an unobstructed view of the Carrizo Badlands.

It was early afternoon when I got there and it was fabulous. Steep drops into rocky canyons, the badlands beyond, rocks of all shapes and colors, the emptiness, the sparsity. I thought this splendid high point should be named. Below it runs Andrade Canyon, so perhaps this is Andrade Peak? :)

But the views that I had sought were blocked by another ridge, a little less high, just east of it. That meant down once more, and up once more. As a reward (perhaps), some high clouds began to move in, making the light overall softer, and casting some gentle shadows onto the landscape as well. Now I was glad that I had hauled my tripod up there to use with my telezoom lens — and as usual, I made too many photos. I just can’t get enough of the extractions and abstractions of the mud hills that an elevated viewpoint like this allows.

The last photo below wasn’t made from there (obviously) but on the way back. I had noticed the rather long shadow this “tower” was casting, in some satellite images, so I added a little detour to satisfy my curiosity about it. :)