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March 2010 Desert E-News March 2010 Welcome to the Desert e-newsletter of the California Wilderness Coalition! Although our desert region has been keeping cool with some much anticipated precipitation, our campaign to protect important desert wilderness and rivers is heating up. In the last few months, support for the California Desert Protection Act of 2010 has been growing. Our desert team of staff and volunteers has led outings, met with countless city and county officials, chambers of commerce, business and community leaders, conducted radio and newspaper interviews, and coordinated meetings and events to build support for this important legislation. We will continue to organize support for this important bill in the months ahead. In this issue, you will find:
MLK Service Day at Deep Creek – A Big Success!
Volunteers and CWC Desert Field Organizer, Marisa Calderon, at Deep Creek for the MLK Service Day. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., CWC staff and volunteers partnered with the Desert United Way to clean up a section of Deep Creek near Hesperia, California. The day of service began early in the morning as 22 people donned hiking clothes, gloves, and trash bags and set out to clean up the popular river. Volunteers hiked 2 miles along the famous Pacific Crest Trail into the Deep Creek canyon to collect and remove litter from an otherwise pristine section of the river. More than 20 large trash bags were filled with litter and carried out. Deep Creek is an important tributary of the Mojave River. The river serves as a water source for high desert communities as well as habitat for creatures like the southwestern arroyo toad, bighorn sheep, black bear, bobcats, mountain lions, and many bird species. Deep Creek is a candidate for a wild and scenic river designation in the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. A big thanks to all the volunteers who helped make Deep Creek a cleaner place! Volunteers haul out litter from Deep Creek. Growing Support for the California Desert Protection Act of 2010 Wildlfower bloom in the Kingston Range proposed wilderness additions. This area would become wilderness upon passage of the CA Desert Protection Act of 2010. On December 23 rd, 2009, Senator Feinstein introduced the California Desert Protection Act of 2010. CWC staff and volunteers have been working for many years to help craft the wilderness proposals in the bill and to mobilize public support. Over the last few months, support for the bill has been growing. Read on to see who is supporting this important legislation. California Desert Protection Act of 2010 Supporters: Businesses & Organizations
Chambers of Commerce
Cities and Elected Officials
Community Leaders
Spring Hikes & Outings
As many of us desert rats know, winter rains can often mean a glorious wildflower season is in store! The CWC and many of our partner groups have a full Spring calendar of outings. Join us on a hike, stewardship project, or camping trip this Spring. These trips fill up fast, so you MUST reserve your spot in advance. Reserve a spot by contacting the trip leader below. March 13 th Deep Creek Day Hike from the Juniper Flats Area. We begin near Round Mountain and gently descend approximately 1,350 feet to the Creek, a little upstream from the Deep Creek Hot Springs. Hike is 6 miles round trip with lovely views and a gorgeous location for a picnic beside the gurgling creek. We will get a chance to admire Deep Creek which is proposed as a Wild and Scenic River in Senator Feinstein's California Desert Protection Act of 2010. We will also check for cattle impacts to the creek by cows straying off the Round Mountain Cattle Allotment. Meet at the Victor Valley Museum on Apple Valley Road at 9 a.m. TRIP LEADER JENNY WILDER JensOasis@aol.com 760-220-0730 26-28 th Golden Valley & Grass Valley Wilderness One Day Service & Wildflower Camping Trip. To increase our chance of seeing spring wildflowers, BLM will scout the Golden Valley and Grass Valley Wilderness for the best bloom and we'll go to the best location. Saturday we will help BLM with ORV deterrents. Sunday and Monday we will enjoy the desert bloom in this undiscovered area. Joint trip with the California Native Plant Society. Co-leader Carolyn Dorsch; BLM leader Marty Dickes. Limit 12. April Date TBA Deep Creek Graffiti Removal and Hike. TRIP LEADER MARISA CALDERON mlcalderon@msn.com 11th Beauty Mountain Day Hike. Come experience an area in Congressman Issa’s wilderness bill! This hike is "under construction" and may include some off-trail portions, so come ready for adventures and discover the hidden corners of this remote-yet-so-close wilderness of chaparral. Wildflowers a good possibility 5 to 8 miles, some difficult terrain and brush. Meet 9:00 am at the Cahuilla Casino parking lot in Anza. Rideshare from Temecula: Paloma Del Sol park 8:15 (Behind Home Depot on Hwy 79). RSVP in order to get last minute information and do check your email Saturday before the hike! Last minute decision makers welcome too. TRIP LEADER SHAULI rosenrager@gmail.com 951 767 2203 22-25 th Great Falls Basin Earth Day Service Trip. We will begin making minor repairs at the falls near the end of the use season. We will also resume work on the large exclosure fence around an illegal hill climbing area on the north side of the wash approximately ½ mile short of the falls. One day will be devoted to a spectacular loop hike through the upper basin above the falls, through the Great Falls Basin proposed wilderness in Senator Feinstein’s California Desert Protection Act of 2010. This trip is being coordinated by the BLM. CONTACT LAUREL WILLIAMS lwilliams@calwild.org 909-260-8833 24-25 th Exploring the Mojave National Preserve. We will meet Saturday morning 9:00 AM at the Teutonia Peak trailhead on Cima Road and hike to Teutonia Peak and out on Cima Dome. Primitive carcamp at Sunrise Rock. Sunday morning, visit the museum/visitor center at Kelso Depot and then on to hike Kelso Dunes. These dunes have various nicknames including the singing dunes and the moaning dunes due to the sounds that they often make, but whatever you call then, they are impressive. For those who want to spend another night, we can camp at the Granite Mountains. TRIP LEADER CAROL WILEY desertlily1@verizon.net (760) 245-8734. 25 th Whitewater Preserve and proposed Sand to Snow National Monument hike. Come hike through some of the area proposed for the Sand to Snow National Monument, along part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Round trip about 9 miles, 1500 ft gain. Wear hiking boots to navigate the rocky wash; bring water, snacks and lunch. Most of the hike is in the sun so bring sunscreen and wear a hat! Contact leader for meeting place. TRIP LEADER MARY ANN RUIZ 909-815-9379 ruiymaryann@gmail.com May Save the date for these trips. More info coming soon… 1-2 nd El Paso Mountains Restoration and wilderness monitoring. TRIP LEADER MARISA CALDERON mlcalderon@msn.com 21-24 th Amargosa River, Death Valley, and Surprise Canyon. TRIP LEADER LAUREL WILLIAMS lwilliams@calwild.org 909-260-8833.
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