Mesa de Anguila...on the Rocks

[randell]

I bow to your trek. Freakin' great photos, story and gps tracks. You ARE the MAN.

Yup, typical Randell trip report & photos.... Awesome as usual!! 

Thanks!  You guys rock for reading!  Half the fun is sharing.

Super cool trip report, Dude. My wife can not believe this is actually the Rio Bravo (over here) running thru the middle of the Santa Elena Canyon.

 Hey, is it true about the Aodads?...they stink a mile away?,SABill said so..

We saw them four times but did not smell them.  Javelina's smell like skunk but we were not close enough to smell the ones we saw. 

Friggin' bloody awesome, dude! Great story and excellent photography! You dun good.

Don't fear the dust bunnies on your sensor I've done plenty of lens swapping in the Bend, and a few strong blasts of air from my Rocket blower is all it's ever needed.

So, it was 12.9 miles to THE EDGE, and then another 1.5 to the point above the mouth of the canyon? I thought you had measured out about 13 to the "point"? Or did all the ups-n-downs and wash-threaded add to the real-life mileage?

Freakin' sweet.... what a spectacular view! I'm glad y'all made it.

Right, 12.9 to the rim.  I measured 13 in on Garmin Mapsource 24k software but that appears to have underestimated the rolling terrain.  Of course we were not walking straight up and down but at angles to make it easier.

I have one of those air blowers that has worked in the past but after my trip last November I am starting to think my sensor may need a wet cleaning.  I think I mainly didn't want to carry the extra weight.  Once you get to a certain point every extra pound really becomes noticeable.  The 10-20mm weighs 21 oz with lens hood and CPL.  There wasn't really anything I took that I would have left behind except the book I didn't read.  I had just enough food.  I got back to the trailhead with 1 snack bar and about 6 oz of water.  We took nearly 2 gallons of water because we knew we would not get water for at least a day and did not know for sure if we would find water on the second day (in which case we would have had to turn back).  Fortunately we found enough water that we were confident enough to take off further into the backcountry assuming we would find more, which we did.  I even had exactly enough fuel in my stove to cook food.  It ran out just as Matt was heating his coffee on the last morning (but he had some extra in his pack).

"Tinaja de la Verga" !!! You gotta be kidding me!!!

That's the only name I heard of for it.  I can't just change the name!  Well, I could but what fun would that be.

[randell]

What is this!  No comments about my HAT! 

My four year old just walked up and saw one of those pics and said "you had a sock on your head?".

[SA Bill]

I like the hat Randell!! Very chic in the outback.

The aodads I encountered sure stunk! I must have been downwind and they weren't moving so maybe that's why I could smell them.
  Bill

[01ACRViper]

great photos, great report, awesome trip 

i lost track of how many times i said wow 

[Robert]

Randall, we ran across the sinkhole on our first Mesa trip about in '01 but I couldn't remember exactly where it was on our last trip. In looking at your tracks it looks like we were close but stayed on the "trail" and missed it.

Incidentally we lost the "trail" at almost the same spot where you noted "Found trail" on day 2. It looks like you took a right fork off the trail on day 1 and we took the left fork. I see where you did started down the left fork and then doubled back and went right. Those game trails really start to get faint in that area.

I took a picture of your second night's campsite as I wanted to note that it would make for a great campsite. Did the same for the "possible campsite". How would you rate the first night's campsite? We're you able to get stakes into the ground? Couldn't tell from the photos.

[randell]

Randall, we ran across the sinkhole on our first Mesa trip about in '01 but I couldn't remember exactly where it was on our last trip. In looking at your tracks it looks like we were close but stayed on the "trail" and missed it.

Incidentally we lost the "trail" at almost the same spot where you noted "Found trail" on day 2. It looks like you took a right fork off the trail on day 1 and we took the left fork. I see where you did started down the left fork and then doubled back and went right. Those game trails really start to get faint in that area.

I took a picture of your second night's campsite as I wanted to note that it would make for a great campsite. Did the same for the "possible campsite". How would you rate the first night's campsite? We're you able to get stakes into the ground? Couldn't tell from the photos.

The sinkhole is right next to the small hills and clear area of mud flats (well, muddy just after a rain).  We took the left fork for a minute then I was afraid we would end up at Tinaja Grande when we wanted to get to the rim so we backtracked and took the right fork.  It was smooth going until the trail died out.

The first night's campsite was really nice.  Plenty of room for both tents and Matt had no trouble putting stakes in (my tent did not require them).  The ground was flat as well.  I marked the "possible campsite" in case I did another hike and came in later in the day.

[qkh178]

I was camped at the Rattlesnake Mountain campsite along Old Maverick road Friday night (Feb 5).  Now I know where the bubbles that invaded my camp site came from!!!

[RichardM]

I was camped at the Rattlesnake Mountain campsite along Old Maverick road Friday night (Feb 5).  Now I know where the bubbles that invaded my camp site came from!!!

Say, you didn't take a camera along with you by chance?

[catz]

This was a really great report and some really great pictures. 

[DJ]

Thanks for reporting...I enjoyed the read and the pics.

DJ

[leigh]

WOW! Thanks for sharing, I started reading this morning before work, ran out of time, and practically ran to the computer when I got home to read the rest. I noticed on your avatar you were a post winner, and I can certainly see why! I just finished the GUMO or Bust post! Awesome as well. I love living vicariously thru other's trips, and your's are great adventures!! Love the bubbles!Great pics too!
leigh

[randell]

WOW! Thanks for sharing, I started reading this morning before work, ran out of time, and practically ran to the computer when I got home to read the rest. I noticed on your avatar you were a post winner, and I can certainly see why! I just finished the GUMO or Bust post! Awesome as well. I love living vicariously thru other's trips, and your's are great adventures!! Love the bubbles!Great pics too!
leigh

Thanks!  I got the bubble idea from ShaneA and Eric's trip to the South Rim.  They are loads of fun.

[jeffblaylock]

WOW! Thanks for sharing, I started reading this morning before work, ran out of time, and practically ran to the computer when I got home to read the rest. I noticed on your avatar you were a post winner, and I can certainly see why! I just finished the GUMO or Bust post! Awesome as well. I love living vicariously thru other's trips, and your's are great adventures!! Love the bubbles!Great pics too!
leigh

Thanks! I got the bubble idea from ShaneA and Eric's trip to the South Rim. They are loads of fun.

Just in case Pink Floyd ever needs a new album cover ....

[fartymarty]

Well Randell you've done it again, another excellent trip report/adventure with great pictures. Outstanding!  

I couldn't tell from the pictures, was that infamously named tinaja shaped like it's name?

What is this!  No comments about my HAT! 

Great hat, shouldn't you replace the Santa hat in your avatar with the Cat in the hat one now?

I've been reviewing your many previous excellent trip reports from BiBe and I'm wondering....what's next in BiBe for you?
 

[qkh178]

I was camped at the Rattlesnake Mountain campsite along Old Maverick road Friday night (Feb 5).  Now I know where the bubbles that invaded my camp site came from!!!

Say, you didn't take a camera along with you by chance?

Yes, but the batteries died about the time the bubbles showed up....