Sunset on Thursday night at the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground.

Most of the Thursday night group sitting around the fire. Others arrived the next morning.

The next morning a group of us decided to try hiking up Indian Head Peak. The hike started from the campground which is at about 750 feet. Juliet, Bruce, Ron, Ray, Jay, Alyssa, Tone, Janae, Gary, Colleen and me, Joe.

The first part of the hike was up Borrego Palm Canyon. Indianhead Peak in the background.

Colleen taking a big step over a small waterfall.

Alyssa modeling for so Tone can get a shot of a mortero in action.

These palms were almost buried by the big floods in August.

The waterfall by the gaging station.

Bruce on top of the waterfall.

We came across this group of palms a short ways past the waterfall.

Looking out from the palm grove. We stopped here for a snack break.

Back on the trail after the break.

A short way past the palm grove the trail turned into boulder hopping. Ray and the kids turned back at this point.

Jay and Gary take the high road, the rest of us stayed on the stream.

This is near the 1,800' level, where we left the canyon and started the climb up to the ridge.

Bruce climbing up the slope we used to get on the ridge that leads to the summit. This was the hardest part of the hike for me. It's been awhile since I climbed anything this steep.

Looking down on one of the palm groves as we start up the slope.

Colleen and Tone almost to the ridge. Ron and Juliet turned back after reaching the ridge.

Indian Head Peak on the right and the ridge we will follow around to reach it. At this point the summit is about 1,800 feet above.

Bruce makes his way through the rocks. Most of the route was XC once we lefted the canyon.

Bruce, Gary, Colleen, Jay, Tone and me on the summit at 3,960 feet. The hike had a 3,200 foot gain.

Looking to the south. He is hard to see, but Gary is standing on the peak out front.

The town of Borrego Springs to the southeast.

A view to the northeast.

Bruce signing the register just before we start the descent off the peak.

Starting the hike down. The hike up the ridge was difficult, so we decided that it would be easier to go down a chute on the southwest side. It was actually harder going down the chute. It took us more time going down than climbing up !!!

Tone and Colleen making their way down.

Looking down the chute we descended. It was a 2,700 foot drop in a little over 1 mile with no trail.

By the time we reached the main canyon it was dark.

Some of the folks enjoying the pot-luck dinner back at camp.

Ron and Gabe handled the BBQ.

After dinner we sat around the campfire.

Sunday Sunrise. I usually don't get up early enough to get one of these. I woke up, opened the back window on the camper shell, took this photo and went back to sleep. The end to another great trip. Great to meet the new folks and see old friends again. We need to do these trips more often.

THE END