The neighbour in the RV we met the other day, George, asked if Ed and I would like to go on a hike with him; Lin offered to watch Zaph and their dog Chip. Go on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway or go for a hike --- that was easy ---- we went on the hike. Next time we're in Palm Springs we'll go on the Tramway.

Not far from the town of Mecca are some BLM hiking trails --- you hike up the Ladder Canyon trail and back on the Painted Canyon. Both Canyon's are aptly named --- there are several ladders you must climb as you ascended through ladder canyon and the coloured rocks give the illusion of painted walls as you walk through the painted canyon.

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The "hikers" --- Linda: thanks for the mitts and the photo

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Which way do we go???? Some industrious hiker made an arrow with stones .... who'd of guessed the trail went up through the boulders.

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20101124-20101123__D0H1900.JPG There were ladders, scrambling up rocks and some very skinny the passages. Me scrambling, George in the passage way, Me on the last ladder --- finally out of the canyon.

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The views were great from the plateau. We could see the Salton Sea but not in this photo.

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One of the colourful rocks --- I just couldn't lift this rock or I might have been doing a Lucy and The Long Trailer trick.

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Wildlife --- this guy was pretty tiny.

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More colourful rock.

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In the bottom of the Painted Canyon looking at the change of rock in the canyon wall.

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The "black and white" rock. Unfortunately the picture doesn't do it justice.

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Painted Canyon had a couple of ladders too. They were a little more precarious than the ones in Ladder Canyon --- one looked like it had been crushed by a rock, the 2nd one was on quite the angle so it had to be tied off, and the 3rd one was one of those multi-use ladders with several joints and a little too flexible for my liking. George was explaining that it was safe as several of the rungs were buried in the sand.

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George and I walking through Painted Canyon

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After the hike Ed and I drove to Palm Springs.Yes, that's snow of the mountain.

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We drove to the Aerial Tramway to have a look. In the winter, kids take toboggans up to the top and play in the snow. Probably just as well we didn't go up as I don't think I would have enjoyed the snow.

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The campground. Where's "doghouse"?