As the morning sun rose high into the California sky, we merged onto Interstate 8 and headed west Out of San Diego and into the wilderness. Through El Cajon and Alpine, we would exit onto 79 and climb into the desert mountains through Julian and deep into the Anza-Borrego Desert state park. As we left the valley of San Diego, the landscape transformed from the coastal cliffs and palm tree beaches to the airy desert mountains. Reminiscent of every western ever made, we wound through the rocky sagebrush khaki-colored range.
We pulled off on a scenic patch halfway through the range to look Southwest towards the verdant William Heise County Park. Beautiful and expansive, we enjoyed the view for some time. But, still maintaining a green valley with green pocked patches, it would be the last time the landscape would offer hues of green for some time. We continued through the mountains, twisting and winding through the switchbacks high in the range.
We stopped again for a scenic view east from high up the ridge. As we came around the turn, the dessert valley opened up and came into view. Far on the horizon in a sliver of silvery-blue was the Salten Sea. Beautiful hues of earthly tones with the silvery sea and a deep blue sky made for a truly breathtaking view.
The Salten Sea
An extraordinary body of water. The Salten Sea goes through a multi thousand-year cycle of a freshwater lake, increasing salinity saltwater lake and desert basin. She is currently in a saline phase and the largest lake in California. Only 126 miles from downtown San Diego, her water surface is 236 feet below sea level.
We took in the beautiful view of the desert valley before returning to the road. We plunged deeper into the dessert out of the airy mountain pass and into Borrego Springs. The cool oceanside climate of San Diego was replaced by the dry heat of the southwest desert. The sun seemed more brilliant here, her rays more intense. We stopped just in town for some information before heading to the sandy expanse of the Anza-Borrego desert.
