Ladder Hike — 15 January 2023 – Wanderers in Wonder

Into the Mecca Hills Wilderness on the northern end of the Salton Sea to hike Painted Canyon.

The Salton Sea, historically known as Cahuilla Lake, was before 1580 sometimes a lake with water and sometimes a dry lakebed. In 1580 it went dry for 300+ years. In 1905 a canal headgate, which provided water from the Colorado River to the Imperial Valley farming district, broke releasing millions of gallons of water into the dry Lake Cahuilla creating the Salton Sea.

Between 1905 and 1970 excess Imperial Valley irrigation water and runoff water laced with chemicals from the fertilizer used by the farmers was diverted to the Salton Sea to maintain it as a body of water. In the 1950’s and 1960’s the Sea was turned into a tourist destination with hotels, motels, nightclubs, docks, boating, fishing and so on.

In the 1970’s the Sea was starting to shrink and the water quality was starting to deteriorate as the Imperial Valley farmers used more and more of their Colorado River water for their expanding farms. By the 1980’s the area’s turn as a tourist destination was coming to an end. The Sea has continually been shrinking every year since 2000. Today the area is sparsely populated and the air is fouled with chemicals from the fertilizer run-off which is picked up by the wind.

The Trailhead.

There are seven ladders to negotiate along the way. These are relatively cheap looking aluminum Walmart ladders put up and maintained by a local hiking group. They can be a bit shaky. I am surprised the BLM allows this on lands which they manage. I am happy they do allow the Club to maintain the ladders so one can enjoy the hike.