*Wildflower Edition* Guided 4-Wheel / All-Wheel Driving Tour
Date: Sunday, April 7, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (end time is approximate)
Meeting Location: Anza-Borrego Foundation administrative office: 587 Palm Canyon Dr. #122, Borrego Springs, CA, 92004
Note: This location is different from the State Park store, but in the same shopping center (The Mall). The office is next to Kendall’s Café, here’s a link to a map. We’ll carpool and/or caravan to our driving adventure.
Cost:
Calculated per vehicle with discounted add on for additional participants in the vehicle.
PRIMARY VEHICLE + DRIVER:
Non-members: $65/vehicle
Member: $55/vehicle
Students: $25/vehicle
ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS IN VEHICLE:
$20 Additional general participant
$10 Student participant
FREE Children under 5
*Note that prices are PER VEHICLE, with a discount for additional individuals in the same car.
It’s Wildflower Season, the best time of year to be in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park! Join Anza-Borrego Foundation for a guided 4 Wheel Drive (or All Wheel Drive) through the desert! Our leader, veteran desert rat, off-roader, and collector of knowledge, Christopher Latham, will guide us on a mapped route during this driving excursion, interspersed with short hikes at various sites of interest. Chris will take us on a fun driving route, where you’ll no doubt see wildflowers that many others do not get to see.
Meant for those of us who are newer to “offroading,” we’ll learn proper techniques for driving on loose dirt roads, tips on responsible off-roading, and the differences between ABDSP and Ocotillo Wells. We are thrilled to offer this guided driving program with the State Park. Seamlessly pairing adventure in the great outdoors in a safe and respectful way while also learning about the beautiful environment that’s right in our backyard.
Registration is limited to 15 vehicles, so carpooling is strongly encouraged.
4WD or AWD vehicles are required. Additional route details will be shared prior to the event.
Please bring your own lunch, snacks, and plenty of water.
About the Trip Leader:
Christopher Latham first started visiting Borrego when his parents bought what would now be called an SUV, a new 1966 International Travelall, when he was 10 years old. He has some faint memories before that but that was really started the lifetime of adventuring in Borrego. Two years later, his parents bought a 1968 CJ5 Jeep. He learned to drive in those two vehicles and quickly became one of the main drivers on trips to the desert. Before he got his own 4×4, he borrowed the Jeep many times for his own trips to Borrego. Over the almost 60 years since then, Chris has traveled most if not all the available dirt roads in the park and just outside. He has camped from the North to South end of the park. He considers it his backyard.
Chris was born in San Diego and has lived here all his life. He received a BS in applied mechanics from UCSD and went on to receive a PhD in Structural Engineering from UCSD. He recently retired from a 35 year career at UCSD as technical and overall manager of two of the Structural Engineering Research Laboratories there.
Cancellation Policy
Notification must be received at least 7 days before the first day of the event if you need to cancel and wish to receive a refund. For cancellations made after the 7-day deadline, we cannot issue refunds for any reason. We understand that unforeseen or emergency circumstances may arise, but our nonprofit organization operates on a limited budget and, while inconvenient, this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last-minute cancellations. If ABF cancels a program, we will issue a full refund or credit.
