Yesterday my husband and I decided to go to Anza Borrego Desert State Park and drive down Fish Creek Wash and Sandstone Canyon. We'd gone a few miles into the wash, and we had stopped to watch trickles of sand running down a cliff face when we felt the truck rocking back and forth. We backed up away from the cliff and were narrowly missed by the large cooler size rocks that followed the trickles of sand. EARTHQUAKE!!

I got out of the truck and took this picture of dust rising in the distance, about a minute after the quake hit. Something big obviously had landed on the desert floor!


This is the first real evidence that this had been a big quake that had caused some serious damage. There were still rocks and rivers of sand coming off this cliff face.


We continued down Fish Creek Wash and turned up into Broken Axle Gulch, only to find the way blocked right where the sign is posted at the first squeeze.




We turned around and headed back down Fish Creek and then turned in towards Sandstone Canyon. We didn't see any big rock slides, until at 1.2 miles up Sandstone Canyon we came upon this:


This next shot is taken just past the debris from the picture above and looking further up the canyon


I walked up into the canyon and called to see if anyone was there and needing help. This shot was taken as I was walking back down to the truck.


Notice the tire tracks leading up from the bottom of this next picture

I'd say that Sandstone Canyon is blocked until someone wants to move some big rocks!

 

Good photos. Thanks for posting that. Glad you're ok, too.

 

Love the pics...looks like the 4wd clubs will be busy moving rocks for a while.

It's still shaking like crazy down there

Latest Earthquakes M3.0+ in the USA - Past 7 days

 

Thanks for sharing the photos. Glad none of those stones landed on you!

 

As I started to type this second part of my trip report, we were hit by another smaller earthquake. Hang on! I guess California is falling into the ocean!

As we headed out of Fish Creek Wash we came upon numerous small rock slides like this one


Looking from the other direction


And this one


This was a pretty big one; the blue truck that's behind the bush in the middle of the shot can give you a little bit of perspective




This was by far the biggest rock slide that we saw.










The Fish Creek Wash area is one of my favorite parts of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Its a shame that Sandstone Canyon is blocked only 1.2 miles from the entrance. Though it wouldnt be impossible to clear the rubble from there and also from the entrance to Broken Axle Gulch. Here are some random shots from the wash and canyon, just to show how beautiful it is there

 

Threads merged. Let's keep it all together, please?

 

"Broken Axle Gulch" Sounds like fun

Definitely would not want to be under one of the slides when it decides to come crashing down...

 

Holy smoke Melanie, glad you just escaped that. Is the spot that we were talking about awhile back? At least you had the sense to get out once you saw the trickles and shakes. Pretty country!!

 

Good pics. Glad you all are okay. That looks like a scary place to be during a quake.

 

I know it takes a while to clear the rubble, but those pictures remind me of why I loved the West Coast so much. Beautiful places!

 

Great pics...thanks for sharing. For those of us on the Rhght Coast...we only think of the ocean views...we don't often think of the deserts. I guess every part of the country has some beautiful areas.

 

wow, awesome pics man! i'm from SD and have been down fish creek and elsewhere in the park cause I drove a lifted Cherokee for years when I lived there......just amazing pics, must have been crazy to be there of all places when the quake hit huh?? dang

 

So California and Northern Baja continue to get rocked by aftershocks. I'm surprised at how little attention this earthquake is getting. When I've mentioned it to friends living outside of the area, alot of times I'm asked "what earthquake?". I don't know if its the problems with bringing donations into Mexico, but I haven't seen an outpouring of help as I've seen with other disasters like the recent hurricane that struck central baja. Am I just missing something?

I heard that the quake caused a change in course of the Rio Hardy, just south of Mexicali, and many homes have been flooded. I'll post pictures of this as soon as I can.

These are some pictures that I received from friends living in Baja. Some taken around Mexicali and some on the highway that connects Tecate and Mexicali:

 

Wow, that is tore up!

As far as the lack of coverage, the lack of mass casualties (vs. Haiti) or big buildings tipped over like toys (Chile) is the main reason.

That ain't the richest part of the country down there, so I suppose the main effort will be in installing "Rough Road Ahead" signs...

Thanks for the post and update.

 

eye opening pictures, good point about the relief!
it would be bad to have been up Broken Axle Gulch when that happened