[pct-l] Burning Deserts

[kevin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Kevin Corcoran)]

	My understanding is that the CO Desert is like a subset of
the Sonoran Desert, so I guess the answer is yes.
	The CD is hotter than the Mojave (Saline / Death Valleys
excepted).  That's generally owing to the CD's lower elevation as
drainage into the lower CO River (Salton Sea basin excepted).  The
Mojave doesn't drain to the ocean or CO River.  The Mojave is
actually a transitional area between the Great Basin Desert and the
Colorado Desert but with elements of each. It's far less vegetated
than the Mojave, generally without the Joshua trees which like sandy
higher elevation slopes.  Joshua Tree NP actually straddles the
Cottonwood Mts which is the Mojave / Colorado Desert divide. There
actually is a delineation, albeit not always so clearly
recognizeable, but generally drawn along the divides of drainage to
the CO River vs drainage to dry inland basins.
	Your 'Mojave crossing' segment is indeed a 'shortcut' thanks
to the friendly board of the Tejon Ranch Corporation. It crosses the
westernmost corner of the Mojave (the Antelope Valley, where I live)
and bottoms out around 2900 ft.  The PCTA Data Book reveals that the
trail dips below 3500' for about 20 miles there. Though dry, if you
hit it before mid-June, it's generally not hot (95+).  But it is dry,
windy, and very sunny.

Kevin "Mojave is 2 syllables, not 3" Corcoran


>Is the Colorado desert a portion of the Sonoran desert?  What types of
>vegetation are found there?  Any Joshua trees?  I have been in Joshua tree
>NP and always thought that was part of the Mojave.  Maybe there is no clear
>delineation between these two areas.  I guess I'll have to hike southern CA
>to find out.  Thanks for the info.