Joshua's Joshua Tree

Miles: 3683.2
Gallons Burned: 118.8
Caffeinated Drinks: 28

I'm here in Van Horn TX near a KOA campground enjoying my first precipitation free camp in more than two weeks. Winter is a fun season...more on that later

My 6 (single-spaced) page and counting trip dossier originally called for a stop in the Grand Canyon, but due to three back-to-back snow storms, the fissure is buried. So I diverted to Joshua Tree National Park.

My campground as seen from 3 miles away and 4,000 feet up on Ryan Mountain.


Up on Ryan Mt. Joshua Trees were scarce, but these little ones were a charming hazard that looked strangely appetizing when the snow came.

As I was stacking stones to form this Cairn the first flakes of the storm began. At 5,500ft there was snow. But when I returned to Earth the rain was gaining momentum.
The first night was so windy that my cook stove went out 7 times before I gave up on a warm diner and ate cold chili. Enjoying the hilarity was a 20 pound bobcat who begged until I spooked him/her. Then the rain intensified. That was the first of 4 nights spent in the car.
The next day I switched sites to lucky 13 with some stoners who wanted to split the cost of their site.
After the second night in my car, I found my tent destroyed in the high winds of the prior night's storm. So I walked about and met some college kids who were down in California's desert to rock climb. They had been there 3 days and only hit rock once. I suggested that we roll over to town 20 miles away and grab some lunch. The drive was really...wet:

I bought them lunch and we spoke of the Midwest where they hail from.

Hey Jeremiah and Catie! Maybe I'll see you both when I swing through Michigan!
When I got back the snow stared in earnest, and this is what Ryan Mountain looked like that night:


I've always wanted to wield a flare in snow. No particular reason why. Just the idea of carrying a 3,000 degree torch that will burn through nearly anything and never go out regardless of weather appeals to my sensibilities.
On the way out, I had to go retro:

Next time I'll tell the tale of the night I spun out in heavy snow at 5,000 feet almost nose diving into the mighty Colorado River...