Kilted Desert Trip to Anza Borrego

**Tartan Hiker** · 21st April 08, 07:26 PM

Beautiful hiking destination! I'm jealous.

**Jock Scot** · 21st April 08, 11:31 PM

Wow, what a place!Thank you for the super pictures.

**BEEDEE** · 22nd April 08, 06:53 AM

Wow - that scenery is spectacular. Thanks for sharing.

Brian

**Arlen** · 22nd April 08, 08:26 AM

Looks just beautiful out there, Alan. What a trip to go on!
And getting to see desert bighorn! Lucky you.

**Panache** · 22nd April 08, 08:49 AM

Wonderful pictures Alan. It looks like you and Joan had a memorable trip.

Cheers

Jamie

**Riverkilt** · 22nd April 08, 05:06 PM

Hey Alan,

Finally got a chance to look at the pics from work with high speed....amazing bighorn pics. I've seen a ram, ewe, and yearling out back of Big Water, Utah coming up from the lake. We statled each other and they were gone by the time I found my camera.

And I did get a pic of one down in Glen Canyon while on a raft trip. They are endangered...and they endanger themselves. Seems they're not quite as sure footed as folks think. Found three dead ones under cliffs up on Ragged Top down by Tucson in what's now the Ironwood National Monument.

Great to know there are some over in Cali too.

Ron

**Alan H** · 23rd April 08, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Hey Alan,

Finally got a chance to look at the pics from work with high speed....amazing bighorn pics. I've seen a ram, ewe, and yearling out back of Big Water, Utah coming up from the lake. We statled each other and they were gone by the time I found my camera.

And I did get a pic of one down in Glen Canyon while on a raft trip. They are endangered...and they endanger themselves. Seems they're not quite as sure footed as folks think. Found three dead ones under cliffs up on Ragged Top down by Tucson in what's now the Ironwood National Monument.

Great to know there are some over in Cali too.

Ron

Desert Bighorn are pretty widespread, actually. The thing is that the different populations are genetically distinct and they don't interbreed. There's a big population in Utah, and a mess of 'em in Nevada, too. However, at least the California population is significantly genetically different from the others, though I *think* the wildlife biologists haven't split them off into their own subspecies, yet. I mean, how would a desert bighorn that lives in the mountains of California get to the Arizona mountains or the Grand Canyon? Not gonna happen.

However, the California population is definitely way down in numbers, well under 500 now. 2007 was a good breeding year, though. I think there were more than 40 lambs.