Between visits to Mexico, Jennifer and I spent February 2018 in the California's Coachella Valley, just north of the Salton Sea. We did a bunch of hikes into the hills and mountains surrounding the valley - along washes, up into mountains, along ridges, through slot canyons, and into palm oases. In two seasons, we have hardly begun to explore the vast number of wilderness trails in this area. Its hard to believe from my photos that a half-million people live in the valley. Love this area!

A number of hikes in the Mecca Hills off Box Canyon Rd: The "Ladders" hike up Painted Canyon, then down through a slot canyon - several sets of ladders along the way. Then Pyramid Canyon. And then "Never-ending Canyon". BTW, the Mecca Hills were formed by uplifting, faulting, and folding caused by the San Andreas Fault, which runs along the western edge of the hills.

Also a hike on the Pushawalla Palm Trail in the Coachella Valley Preserve. The hike runs along a high ridge paralleling the San Andreas Fault and ends in an enchanting palm oasis.

As well, we hiked the Bear Creek Trail in the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Later in the year, our plan to explore the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix was sidetracked by the need to attend to some issues with our truck and trailer. As they say, life is what happens when you are making other plans. Anyway, we did get out for one hike: the Peralta Canyon Trail to "Fremont's Saddle", with a beautiful view of Weaver's Needle. An intention to return to the Superstitions (and explored the Painted Desert) on our way back north in March was thwarted by dangerous weather.