Possible Vandalism Art Smith TH

[MACgyver]

Probably not many in this discussion group frequent the Art Smith Trail on Hwy 74 south of Palm Desert right before the mountains begin and right across the street from the National Monument Visitor Center. I live in Palm Desert, and use the Art Smith Trail, the trail to the Cross from Cahuilla Park, and in moments of morning insanity even the Bump and Grind trail for dawn or pre-dawn trail runs or hikes. I've noticed recently that the official Art Smith Trail parking lot directly across the street from the driveway that leads into the National Monument Visitor's Center is showing some signs of vandalism. At least three of the marked parking spots in the Art Smith lot have piles of broken auto safety glass in them. I have no positive evidence that these are due to car break-ins, but I'm very suspicious of that, since the lot is in a shallow basin, and can't be seen from Hwy 74 not 30 feet away.
My recommendation, if you plan to hike the Art Smith Trail, is to park on the west side of Hwy 74 directly across from the roof line of the Visitor Center. You have to walk the quarter of a mile from the parking lot to this area anyway to get onto the trail, and your car is highly visible in this spot. This parking area is just a few feet north of the official Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument sign, and nearly directly below a huge boulder on the top of the levee which in actuality is a Sprint cell tower disguised as a boulder. Be careful out there!!

[Florian]

I didn't know that boulder was a cellphone tower. I knew it was fake but didn't know why.

-Florian (posting from Paris)

[MACgyver]

Bonjour Florian,
There is a link below to some pictures of the cell tower boulder in case those who read this post have never seen it before. The residents of Bighorn CC adjacent to this area lobbied AT&T to put a cell tower in their area because the AT&T reception is sketchy near the mountains. The City of Palm Desert has so far nixed the idea of another cell tower boulder, thinking that one in the area is enough. Another potential location is down Hwy 74 a couple of miles in the parking lot of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church where the funeral services for both Gerald and Betty Ford were held. They would put a “Palm Tree” cell tower there.
Personally I think the cell tower boulder was very well done. I don’t think even 1 in a 1,000 drivers even notice it while traveling on Hwy 74. Not 1 in 500 know that it is fake, and certainly very few know that it is a cell tower. I didn’t know it until recently when beginning my hike from where my car is in the photo. From there you walk right past the boulder, and see the door on the back. From the actual parking for the Art Smith Trail further up 74 you are not likely to notice the back of the boulder as you progress to the mountains.


http://gallery.mac.com/imacgyver#100627

[Andy]

Wow, I've driven by and looked directly at this thing probably 50 times in the last year and Cell Tower never crossed my mind. Fine job.

[Perry]

That back door is funny!

[Ohbjuan]

I have been informed that thieves have been smashing car windows at trailheads throughout the valley and stealing valuables out of the vehicles. Someone emailed me a few weeks ago and said it has been an issue at the Mecca Hills trailhead since it is so remote.

Do not leave anything of any value in your car (iPods, cell phones, GPS units, clothes, etc.), If you have things you cannot take with you lock them out of sight in the trunk.

Do not leave anything lying on the seats or in sight that even remotely looks like it could be valuable. These thieving idiots will break into cars that have valuables in plain sight before they will break into those that do not. While it might not stop them from breaking into your car it can help, and if you don't leave anything valuable in your car you will only have to replace a window, not everything you left inside the vehicle.