4 RIVERSIDE COUNTY RANGES GUIDE NO. 4.3

ROSA POINT 5000+ FEET CLASS 2

MILEAGE: 183 miles of paved road

DRIVE: From Indio, CA. drive 34 miles S on State Route 86 along the W shore of the Salton Sea to Salton

City, CA. Turn right (W) here on County Highway

S22 and drive about

14.8 miles to a spot 0.2 miles W of

highway milepost 32. This will place you at the signed "Thimble" jeep trail on the S side of the road (If

approaching from the W, this signed jeep trail is 12.8 miles E of Borrego Springs, CA. on County Highway

S22). Park along the N side of the road in a large, graded parking area.

CLIMB: From the vehicles, walk a 50° bearing across the

desert flats toward

the rounded hill on the left (W)

side of the entrance to Palo Verde Canyon. Bear right around the base of the hill and enter Palo Verde

Canyon, hiking about 1.5 miles up it to the 1900 foot elevation level. Leaving the wash here, head left (W) up

a 400 foot slope to the ridgeline and turn right (N), following a faint trail along the ridge to point 3520+ (UTM

763890) directly ahead of you. From here drop down 100 feet to a gray colored saddle at UTM 764894 and

choose one of the following routes to reach the top.

ROUTE A: Descend NE down a gully to re-enter Palo Verde Cany

on at the 3200 foot elevation level and

climb the slopes on the other side of the cany

on to a saddle just N of point 3800+ at UTM 774899. From this

saddle follow a faint trail N along the ridge to the top.

ROUTE B: Climb NNE up the ridge to point 3680+ at UTM 763899. Turn right (NE) dropping 300 feet to a

wash and up the other side to a ridge which is followed over point 4237 on its way

to the summit.

ROUND TRIP STATS/EITHER ROUTE: 4800 feet of elevation gain, 12 m

iles, 9-10 hours

Limited primitive trail head camping across the road where the Thimble Trail 4WD road comes out. Be careful

to park north of the restricted access signs, there is a fine for parking on the wrong side! Other camping may be

found at the official campground near the Anza-Borrego park headquarters. Dispersed camping is also allowed

in various places. Check with the park headquarters for more information. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=638

Revised 12/4/17