Slot Canyons

Today we went on a hike with Greg (of Debbie and Greg, our sometimes travel buddies from British Columbia) and Rosey, their dog. The three of us humans and one canine drove 9 miles south of Playa Juncalito on Mex 1, then turned off onto a dirt road for 4 miles until Greg told us to park the truck and begin the hike (he’d done this one previously).

We climbed a ridge above a narrow canyon which got narrower and narrower until it became what is known in these parts as a “slot canyon” – very narrow, deep, and with a periodic smattering of pools, at least this time of year before they evaporate. Occasionally the frogs in the deeper pools below were cacophonous.

Rosey shortly alerted us to the presence of 3 horned sheep (ewes) on the ridge above us. We understand there are a number of hunting camps in Baja where rich folks pay many thousands (like 35) of dollars to fly down and hunt for these animals. At Agua Verde, where we kayaked yesterday, there was a Sheep Hunting Camp on the beach.

Then we saw a falcon rise from the rocks with a small rabbit in its’ talons and perch on a ledge to eat lunch. Halfway through lunch, it took flight and left the remainder of the rabbit, perhaps to return for dinner later?

We dropped off the ridge into the slot canyon after reaching a point beyond the deep pool where we’d have had to swim in order to continue if we’d stayed below, then continued up the animal track at the bottom of the canyon. In the shade of the canyon walls, we found palm trees, sweet smelling flowering plants, and more beautiful pools of water.

We had lunch on a rock, and returned on our path back to the truck.  It was a hot day (84), but sufficiently cool in the shadows of the canyon, and with an occasional breeze.

 

An afternoon nap, followed by cocktail hour with Greg and Debbie, then fish tacos for dinner (courtesy of the Cabrillo fish we bought at Agua Verde yesterday) wrapped up another day in the Baja.