It was a bit blustery for our hike up Warren Peak which made the summit pictures a little socked in, but we made it! Notice I’m in pants and long sleeves….don’t feel bad for me. It’s almost 60 out.
This hike starts with a sandy wash section and you are surrounded by Joshua trees, Mojave yuccas, goldenbush, and desert shrubs. As you slowly gain elevation and the trail steepens towards the summit, you’ll see pinyon pines and juniper tress as well. There is so much to admire about this hike, including the cool swirly rocks you can see in the pictures below.
The trail is pretty tame and gradual until the last bit when you turn and gain most of your elevation up to the 5100′ summit. It was super windy this day and we didn’t hang out up there very long. It’s a great view and probably better on a clear day.
Joshua Trees
Primarily found in the Mojave Desert, which spans parts of California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, the Joshua tree is a unique, slow-growing succulent known for its spiky leaves and twisting, branching structure. These plants, which are members of the agave family, usually max out at 40 feet tall and are estimated to live around 150 years on average.
To reproduce, Joshua trees typically unfurl clusters of white flowers from their branches and await the arrival of yucca moths, which are about the size of a grain of rice and the only species that can pollinate their blossoms. After the moths flit from flower to flower, the trees produce fleshy, light-green fruits filled with seeds, which rodents and other desert-dwelling critters help disperse across the landscape (mostly pooping). Normally, this process kicks off in late February. But this season many Joshua trees started blooming in late October and November and we’re seeing some blooms still in late January
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