5-20-15

Wrightwood, California--a place famous among geologists, at any rate! Wrightwood is in the San Gabriel Mountains near the east end of CA State Route 2, right on the trace of the San Andreas Fault. The proximity of the fault has led to oversteepened slopes of shattered rock, as seen here, which regularly generate huge debris flows, especially during El Niño floods. A great deal of effort has been expended to try to channel the flows. Telephoto view; map location is of the scarp rather than the camera.

Another view. Wrightwood, California. A place famous among geologists, at any rate! Wrightwood is in the San Gabriel Mountains near the east end of CA State Route 2, right on the trace of the San Andreas Fault. The proximity of the fault has led to oversteepened slopes of shattered rock, like this, which regularly generate huge debris flows, especially during El Niño floods. A great deal of effort has been expended to try to channel the flows. Telephoto view; map position is of the scarp rather than the camera.

Carrying the Angeles Forest Highway over Big Tujunga Creek, in Southern California's San Gabriel Mountains. Per the bridgehunter web site bridgehunter.com/ca/los-angeles/53C0605 the bridge was built in 1941. It is still in use. Btw, "Tujunga" is pronounced with the Spanish "j": "tuh-HUNG-guh."

Alectoris chukar. A partridge native to Asia ranging from the Mideast to India and Pakistan. It was introduced as a game bird into the US mountain West in the 1930s and populations are now thoroughly established thruout western North America. This one was part of a covey including many young birds (chukarlings?) in Calico Ghost Town park, California, down in the hot part of the Mojave Desert! Btw, the dictionary will tell you that it's pronounced "choo-KAR", but in the US West it's universally "CHUCK-er". For a time the minor league baseball team in Reno, Nevada, was the "Chukars," and their mascot was "Chubby Chukar." (!)

Wrightwood, California. A channel that's been deepened and enlarged to try to funnel the debris flows away from the expensive summer homes here!

A little piece of the original US 66 in California, along the Mojave River between Victorville and Barstow. It's still in use as San Bernardino County route 66 and passes an eclectic mix of abandoned motels, new exurbs, and even some agriculture.