Pallomar Observatory

Thursday, February 11, 2016
It is going to be another hot day, so instead of staying in the desert, we decided to drive to the mountains.
After breakfast, we drove into town and gassed up at Gringo’s gas station and then straight west out of town,

making a left and up into the mountains on S22 (Montezuma Valley Road). 
This road zig-zags all the way over the Vallecito Mountains west of Borrego Springs.  You could see all of the valley below from the road.

While driving through the small village of Ranchita we saw Big Foot.

Once over the mountains, we entered the Cleveland National Forest.  Drove past Lake Henshaw

and on to the top of Palomar Mountain where the Palomar Observatory is located.  On the drive up the mountain, we could see the mountains and hills below all the way to the ocean.  Be the closest we get to the ocean on this trip.
The yellow at the top is the sun bouncing off the Pacific Ocean
The observatory closes at 3 P.M. and we got there a little after 2, so we had to hurry before the gates closed for the evening.


You could see snow on the tops of the San Bernadino Mountains to the north.   We are at 5600 and those mountains are around 11,500 feet.

Here is Dolly and Fergie standing under this very large pine tree at the observatory.

On the way back home, we drove hwy 78 through the quaint town of Julian, located at the top of the Vallecito Mountains.  Turned on to S3 (Yaqui Pass Road) and followed it back to Borrego Springs.  This is the pass that Dolly and I saw Big Horn sheep crossing the road at dusk.
Made it home by 5 P.M. and called it a night.
See you later.