29-Dec-2007 -- In our quest to finish 34N in California, we left Poway about 7 AM, hoping for three confluences. First stop: Joshua Tree. We parked at the Belle Campground, and headed east. About 45 minutes of tough hiking got us to the confluence.
After taking the pictures, we noticed a trail that runs along the bottom of the canyon just south of the confluence, and then climbs into a saddle, and up a draw to the cell towers. We went down that way, and would suggest that future hikers take that trail and leave it only when they are very close to the confluence (about 75 yards).
It was a cold day (48 degrees when we left the car), but we stayed warm hiking, and there was no wind.
After we got back to the car, we were off to 34N 117W.