Painted Canyon Hike - 12-14-11

Just got back from the Painted Canyon Hike out at Mecca (the Ladder Hike, as we hikers call it.)  Went with a group from the Indio Senior Center (yes, we belong)...14 of us, 2 vans...youngest was 50, oldest 75.  And, in our van of 8 riders, 6 of us were from Indian Palms Country Club...so we've met more people in the C.C.  Was about 5 miles and a 1300 ft. elevation gain. 

Allan said it was the best hike he had ever been on...and reminded him of the old cowboy movies where you would be expecting the Indians on the ridges waiting to attack those coming through the canyons.  Beautiful scenery like we've never seen before.  So, here are some of the pictures from the hike.

Start of the canyons...was a rough dirt road getting up there...had been washed out by a big rain storm in August.

Had to do some rock scrambling to get to the start of the hike.  Allan was a little apprehensive.

Climbing up to the first slot canyon.  The ladder wasn't quite tall enough and you had to really get a solid footing to make it to the top.  I lost it, but the 50-year old scrambled up and pushed me on up.  Allan plopped up on his belly.

There should have been about 7 ladders in all going in and coming out, but some had been washed out.  We rock scrambled at one going in that was supposed to have a ladder.  Coming out 2 ladders were gone but ropes were provided.  Here is Allan coming out...rapelling down...some just scooted down on our behinds.  Definitely made for an interesting hike.  We all decided to rename the hike "the Ladder & Rope Hike."