Morteros Archaeological Site Anza Borrego Desert State Park – San Diego Backcountry Offroad 4x4 Jeep OHV Overland Adventure!
Let’s visit the Native American Kumeyaay archaeological site in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. This very special place features incredible morteros, or mortars that were used for cooking, set within the cozy winter Kumeyaay campsite. You really get a sense of the tribal life of the indigenous people within the gorgeously sculpted boulders, and the many morteros. This video is dedicated to the Kumeyaay people past, present, and future, both north, and south of the United States, Mexico border.
I recommend this site for anyone visiting the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, it’s about 2 miles down a graded and maintained dirt road called Mine Wash Road. Up until the Morteros site, a toyota rav 4 or subaru outback could pretty easily make it, as long as they are going slowly and being careful. It’s so much fun to feel the wheels of your car or truck drive off of the pavement and hear the satisfying crunch of the desert dirt road underneath.
Once you get to the Morteros site, you can see why the Kumeyaay people, chose this site as a winter encampment. There are incredible panoramic views from every direction, and an array of beautiful boulder formations to break the wind and create cozy, and very homey little areas for their domestic life. There are many morteros around the site, so you won’t have to search far for them, and when you touch them, it’s an incredible feeling to be touching the same stone that an unknowable amount of generations of Kumeyaay people touched and used day to day.
This area in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, approximately 15 miles south from Borrego Springs, was a Kumeyaay winter village. They lived down in the lower desert during the winter months, and migrated to the mountains in the summer, although their tribal area included the coast, and the San Diego river basin. At the bottom of the Mescal Bajada is the San Felipe Creek, which terminates underground into the Salton Sea. I am sure in a different era of history with a wetter climate, the creek would have probably have been flowing with pristine mountain snow melt. The Kumeyaay lived off of the land, and the native plants were a major source of their food. Their diet consisted largely of seeds from ocotillos, yuccas, chia, mesquite, and these were prepared as a mashed warm porridge. Many of the morteros had areas next to them which looked like they were made for making a fire. So probably the morteros themselves were used to keep food warm, along with the clay pots and baskets that Kumeyaay were expert in making. Between fish from the creek, wild game, and the bounty of the desert plant life, they were probably eating an extremely healthy diet.
The biggest issue on this desert slope, and the San Diego Backcountry in general, then as now, is the wind. The wind absolutely rips down the mountains and desert slopes and on any given afternoon in the winter, can be strong enough to knock you down on your face. It certainly sends many an outdoor furniture cushion careening down the hillside, don’t ask me how I know that. So when the Kumeyaay chose their winter encampment, they chose a site with excellent wind protection, fantastic elevated views in all directions, and ample flora and fauna for food. Once you get to the boulder formations where the morteros are located, already the wind starts to diminish, and as you explore around the back side of the mountain, it’s almost completely still. Being surrounded by the boulders and morteros, you really get a sense of the domesticity of Kumeyaay life. Sleeping in warm, comfortable tents, eating hot cooked food, and finding a cozy spot, safe from both the wind and threats both animal and human.
The desert plant life is starting to green up after our cold, wet winter. Three years of intensely destructive drought has scarred the land, but we’re starting to see some regrowth. This area of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park is called the Mescal Bajada. If the word mescal sounds familiar to you, that’s because the Kumeyaay word for agave, is mescal with an s, and mezcal with a z is the delicious smoky tequila distilled from roasted hearts of this type of agave plant. And a bajada is a Spanish word for a huge desert slope area, which creates the perfect conditions for intense wind.
Bullhead cholla cactus is plentiful here on the Mescal Bajada. Even this resilient desert plant was wiped out in some areas completely after the last year or two of intense summer heat and persistent drought. We knew it was really bad when all the cactus started dying. Although the damage will never completely be reversed, the strength and resiliency of the desert landscape is on full display after the wet winter. After these last two or three atmospheric rivers, it seems like we will have a massive wildflower superbloom in the next few weeks. I know I’m excited, and I will be out trying to capture what I can of it.
One thing I love about the cholla cactus is the way it catches the light and glows in the morning and late afternoon. It’s incredible that something so soft and luminous can actually lead to so much pain and discomfort. Staying away from the cactus in general, but particularly from the cholla cactus is critical for a successful jaunt in the desert. Once the cholla burrs get into your skin, they work their way in deeper and are very hard to get out. It takes several days for the skin to work them out again. Likewise after the drought and the mass die off of chollas, there are tons of cholla needles and skeletons blowing around the desert in the wind, so it’s really important to wear protective clothing and proper footwear that can keep them from poking and attaching themselves to you.
Cholla cactus have the amazing ability to project and drop little babies, that can then root into the ground, or get caught in your leg or ankle when the wind kicks up. Another remarkable attribute is that bullhead cholla, as well as teddybear cholla, is that they are heat sensitive, and move towards the heat of you or any other mammal’s body. As much as you want to give all of the spiky and dangerous desert plant life a wide berth, give yourself a little extra room with the cholla cactus, let your camera lens enjoy and appreciate it up close through the screen. The plant life in the desert is so rugged and resilient that even the tiniest crack or crevice, can be a home for a sagebrush or a cactus. It’s always remarkable to see what tough and rugged conditions desert plants can survive, and sometimes even thrive in.
Likewise, the plant growth is causing the dirt roads to have limited visibility. Proceed with caution in your big 4 wheel drive jeep, truck, or suv, because many people park near the paved road and walk to the ruins, along with mountain bikers. It’s important to drive slowly, because the jeep road is only one lane wide, and after our wet winter there is a lot of verdant plant growth causing blind corners in many places. I love the feeling of adventure and discovery driving down a dirt road.
The mythical smoke trees, sagebrush, chuparosa, juniper, and cholla cactus are springing back to life after three intensely destructive years of drought. Since we are at a higher elevation level here, than when we were in Coyote Canyon in the Borrego Valley, the sages, chia, and sand verbena haven’t quite greened up and flowered yet. As we go further in we’re greeted by ocotillos, arms outstretched, soaring towards the blue sky.
The wind was absolutely whipping down the mountain, and it was impossible to film with the sound. I might come back here on a calm day and film another video, I really think this site is worth featuring twice. There’s just such an abundance of spiritual energy in this place, and I just find myself continuing to return.
Let’s continue our journey of discovery together in Southern California and beyond. I’m William Z. Brennan, natural lifestyle expert, founder of Desert Mountain Apothecary, and author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization, but you can call me Will.
If you love exploring the San Diego Backcountry as much as I do, enjoy a scenic drive with me through the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Julian and Santa Ysabel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Z_o0S4Hpg&t=5s
And let’s take a supreme desert offroad adventure in Wild Coyote Canyon during our wet winter. The creeks are flowing, and the wildflowers are blooming in the San Diego desert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQYPvqj2ouU
San Diego Backcountry Videos:
Palm Canyon Oasis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le0eGyQcUMo&t=16s
Desert Snow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoZrv58Dk08
Rusted & Rustic:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxoSZmpcUcM&t=6s
Desert Time Lapses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMJCZeBUh3c&t=4s
About Desert Mountain Apothecary: The original desert apothecary for mind, body & spirit: desert roots & desert mountain botanicals: Desert Mountain Apothecary by William Z. Brennan. Supremely natural natural skincare & botanical fragrance hand made with love from the purest natural source plant-based ingredients.
About William Z. Brennan: William Z. Brennan is a natural lifestyle expert, founder of Desert Mountain Apothecary & author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization. Originally from New York, and with a background in fragrance, skincare, fashion design & bespoke mens tailoring, he is now based in the Southern California Desert.
About Natural Lifestyle Optimization: William Z. Brennan is the author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization, a new way of harnessing habits and routines towards a transformation and renewal of mind, body & spirit. Pre-order your copy of Natural Lifestyle Optimization today!
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All content in this video was created and solely owned by Desert Mountain Apothecary and William Z. Brennan, except for the following music:
Old Salooner Blues – Midnight North
Pioneers - Audionautix
Morning Mandolin - Chris Haugen
All the Fixings - Zachariah Hickman