From chasing wildflowers in spring to hiking remote canyons and monitoring bighorn sheep, Patrick Yrarrázaval-Correa has spent over 40 years exploring every corner of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. What began as a spark around a campfire during a college ecology class became a lifelong connection to one of California’s most rugged and awe-inspiring landscapes.

In this month’s Member Spotlight, Patrick shares his favorite places in the Park, what it’s like to lock eyes with a ringtail in the wild, and why he believes volunteering is a powerful way to give back to the desert that’s given him so much.

What is your favorite location in the Park? 

I have so many favorites, but if I have to pick one, it would be Cougar Canyon when the creek is flowing. To get up the creek is tough, but there are some really nice grottos. I really love Goat Canyon, and Rockhouse Valley as well.

What is your favorite season in the Park and why?

I have experienced all seasons and weather, from the sheep count in July to snow flakes in Upper Coyote Canyon in January, but my favorite season in the park is spring. I have witnessed incredible blooms of ocotillos, barrels, chollas, and of course wild flowers. I have been caught in a late March thunderstorm with 80 degree weather that was nothing less than spectacular. Especially after a wet winter, the spring makes the park look so alive, and I love it.

Tell us about your first experience in the Park.

I had the incredible experience of taking a desert ecology class at UC Irvine with the late, great Dr. Allan Schoenherr in the winter of 1982. We camped near Palm Desert, but he told me about ABDSP as we sat around a campfire. I visited the park for the first time a week later, in late February. We camped at Arroyo Salado, and I was reminded of my time in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. We explored a bit, hiked to the first grove in Borrego Palm Canyon, visited the Visitor Center, and I have been hooked ever since.

If you could be any desert animal, what would it be and why?

I saw a ringtail while hiking near Dave McCain Spring, and I was very impressed with this critter. I have caught a few on game cameras, but this one was standing 20 feet away, staring me down. What a cool animal. They are very elusive, they know where the water is, and they probably terrorize the kangaroo rats. Of course bighorns and cougars are cool, but I would want to be that low profile ringtail.

How long have you been visiting the Park? 

Since 1982. All four of my children have grown up camping, hiking and 4-wheeling in ABDSP. 

Why did you become a member? 

After I met former California Fish and Wildlife biologist Janene Colby around ten years ago, I decided that my lifetime membership in the Society for the Conservation of Bighorn Sheep (SCBS) was not enough, so I set up a small monthly donation to the Foundation. Later I had a lot of contact with former ABDSP environmental scientist Mike Puzzo, and when I learned that his wife Briana works for the Foundation, I knew I made a good decision. 

Anything else you’d like to share?

For the past several years, I have been monitoring three bighorn sheep watering systems as a volunteer. During this time, there have been some incredible volunteer opportunities, replacing water systems that had exceeded their lifespan. These efforts, which combine the resources of State Parks, CA Fish and Wildlife, SCBS, the US Marine Corps, and other organizations, make a huge difference in preserving wildlife, particularly bighorn sheep. I encourage readers to get involved to support these efforts. After all, we have altered their environment by building houses and highways, by sucking the water out of the desert, and by introducing non-native species. I think we owe them a helping hand. 

Want to be a featured member? Email Jaime at jaime@theabf.org! 

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