Just moved here from TN. and hiked peaks in Santa Rosa Mtns

[discrat]

off Calle Tecate and Avenida Ramirez streets. I think it is the Bear Canyon Trail area in La Quinta. Moved here permanently on Monday. I decided to scope out some hiking areas . And on the spur of the moment in my old hole ridden running shoes I decided to trek up one of the tallest peaks to the left of the parking lot (if you are facing the mountains and canyons.)
Just days earlier my wife and I were hiking flat ground on a path in this area. I pointed to this peak and said I wanted to hike it. She said it was too steep and I shouldnt do it especially without special rope or equipment. She said it just couldnt been done. And forbid me too. Well........... I said to myself it looks deceiving from below ,like sheer walls. But I could see that there were some routes that you could get up just free soloing it.

Took about 40 minutes to get up to the Summitt. I am a pretty quick climber.Just kind of free climbing without much thinking about it or planning. But it was fun and very cool. Spectacular view. Did get a little paranoid , thought people hiking below in canyon could possibly spot me and had weird thoughts that they could possibly call emergency rescue or something. Crazy I guess.
But not sure how typical it is for people to scale these peaks and whether the city or parks get nervous or not if they see it ??
.
Anyway I am just wondering if any of you all have scaled these peaks in this area ? And what kind of shoes and equipment do you suggest for this type of mountian climbing ?? I have huge blisters on my feet from coming down. And a few semi deep cuts on the hands but its all good !! I am not technically schooled in rock or mountain climbing per say. But I have been hiking, climbing, caving, biking my whole life.

I just need a little guidance about climbing in this area. Quite a little different from mountain climbing back home in the Smoky Mountains !!

And maybe go on a couple of treks with others in the area

Thanks in advance for any helpful insights or suggestions from the more experienced climbers here.

[guest]

Hi Discrat,

I think many of us get the ol peak fever, no matter how big the mt. is.

Right now, although the east valley didn't receive as much rain, you are hiking it fairly good conditions regarding soil & traction.
As it dries out, use caution, things get more slippery, rocks move easier etc.
You slip in the wrong spot on steep terrain, and cactus or catclaw or pointed rocks will be waitin!

I like some Merrell shoes, sturdy, good traction, Vasque, North Face, Keen, Asolo, Solomon, etc, all make, light weight, good boots or shoes.

Go to Altrec.com REI.com Campmor, some have helpful customer comment areas on eqpmt.
Big 5 & Sport Authority have a few good shoes, Running Wild in PS & PD know shoes the best, have some trail shoes.

Happy hiking,

ss

[halhiker]

I live in La Quinta and have climbed a lot of the peaks around the cove. The parking area of Tecate and Ramirez is not the Bear Creek trailhead but rather the parking area for the Boo Hoff Trail (although I guess you could access Bear Creek from there if you wanted to).

As for climbing the mountains around the Cove no special equipment is needed except a pair of comfortable and sturdy hiking shoes. The rock is too crumbly and grainy to accept any rock climbing equipment. The main difficulty is the very loose nature of the rock.

The mountain you were on is known as Coral Reef Mountain (at least the main higher part is) because on the eastern side of mountain--near PGA West-- there is a water line from an ancient lake. It is not really coral, of course, but more like travertine.

Personally, I prefer to climb the mountains on the other (west) side of the cove. They offer a great view of Palm Desert and San Jacinto as well as the cove.

Be careful on anything too steep on those mountains as the rock quality is very poor and you'd hate to land on a cactus or worse.

Hal

[discrat]

Thanks guys for your helpful commentary. Maybe we will run into each other on a mountain.

Good Hiking to you !!!

[magikwalt]

Yesterday we went out from the Rameriz trailhead and hiked around the south side of the area towards the two lookouts. Hal's call on crumbly rock is correct. After reaching the Quarry CC lookout we decided to come down the reverse slope's drainage area into the wash. It was like a gravel pit. I should have brought a snowboard.

Views from the lookout were clean bright allowing the Salton Sea to be seen very nicely.