Claremont Hills Wilderness Park: Draw #3

 You know, I don't think I would previously have considered biking and hiking (both at the same time) to be especially complimentary (one OR the other as a rule), but between these CHWP Draw studies and the explorations up San Antonio Canyon, I have been merging to two quite often lately. Anyway...

A year ago I got as far as Draw #2 when we were so rudely interrupted in our daily routines. Anyway, Draw #3 picks up where things left off.

Draw #3 is a short, shallow one with neither much diversity, nor interest. Never-the-less...

Draw #3 is the next draw to the east of Draw #1, the rounded ridge separating the two is where the cistern-like depression is located. Like the others, a dirt road runs along the head of this draw, with another road cutting across the draw mouth at the other end. The slopes, covered in grass, are gentle and easy to climb and descend. Part way down from the head, what appears to be the trace of an old road (a classic double-track with ridged center); it clearly has not been used in a long time, but the outline seems pretty unmistakable as it cuts across east to west, and passing by the outlet ditch from the "cistern." Two patches of cacti grow on the slopes, one healthy patch up by the head; the other one, doing less well, growing about half way down along the draws' length. Some low growing ground cover grows here and there with some profusion, though I have not yet been able to identify it. There are a lot of rodent burrows at the bottom of the draw, with little bits of white quartz, perhaps dug up by the creatures, scattered around the surface. Just before reaching the road at the bottom of the draw grow two Mexican elderberry. That is really about all there is to Draw #3; at its lower end it merges with some larger draws, before continuing on down into the valley.

the Cistern

the ditch from the Cistern drops down into Draw #3

that iron door / hatch remains

old road?

looking up slope along the cistern ditch

cactus up by the head of the draw

view down into the draw

view down into the draw

down in the draw

half-way cactus

burrows

down into the shallow draw

the sambucus

view back up along the draw

the road cutting across the bottom of the draw

view back up from the road

The Draw series of posts here at the blog are a kind of informal and unscientific examination of of the hillsides and canyons of the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park.

Draw #1 and Draw #2