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J-Rooster's avatar
J-Rooster
Explorer
Feb 04, 2018

Salton Sea

I was curious how many people research the destination there going to? I got on a few Salton Sea websites and was shocked by what I read. I’m RVing at Palm Springs KOA, so I went down today to take a look at California’s largest lake! Anyway, it appears that just about everything I read was true and that place is a real health hazard IMHO. I feel for the poor people living in communities around the Lake and can’t afford to move and there very sick! I got out of my CRV at Mecca Beach, and the Lake smelled like sewer to me. I was shocked at all the people in motor homes camping along the lake? I don’t know if they were unaware of there surroundings or just plain ignorant? I’m glad I, at least checked it out and won’t be going back there anytime soon since I have a low immune system. If your not aware of the Salton Sea problems please read about it on the net! Happy Trails, Rooster
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  • gbopp's avatar
    gbopp
    Explorer
    Feb 05, 2018
    The Salton Sea is still on my list. I have read about it and realize how nasty it is but, I would still like to see it.
    I wouldn't camp along the shore or anywhere near the lake.

    But, by the time I get to the west coast, California may declare it a Superfund or Biohazard site and drain/fill it in.
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Feb 05, 2018
    the Salton sea was 'accidentally' man made
    it prospered for a while until too much agriculture irrigation run off polluted the water, with fertilizer chemicals etc..

    and of course the droughts we have been having means NO new fresh rainfall, no fresh clean water, the lake is slowly drying up,
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Feb 05, 2018
    You have to go back and check out the Slabs and may as well swing through Bombay beach too. Get a hepatitis vaccine first. :)
  • T18skyguy's avatar
    T18skyguy
    Explorer
    Feb 05, 2018
    I use to live in San Diego and would get out there now and then. A major polluter of the Salton sea is the New River which runs north out of Mexico. This river has been called the most polluted in the world, because industrial waste of all kinds are freely dumped into it. I remember one article about it that said if you sit by the New River for a day, most likely you will see one or more dead bodies float by. Drug cartels use it to dump chemicals and people. If you go, make sure you stay upwind and not downwind. The toxic chemicals get exposed and go air born when the lake bed get exposed when the lake receeds a bit.
  • 1320Fastback's avatar
    1320Fastback
    Explorer
    Feb 05, 2018
    Unfortunately this is all true. It is very polluted, surrounded by some of the poorest forgotten people, crime rampant shanty towns and just a disgusting place overall. We visit the desert a few times a year to camp and ride dirtbikes but will never go to the Salton Sea again.

    The New River is a health hazard, it is a foamy disgusting cesspool and one of a few things I wish we could stop flowing north.
  • Bill_Satellite's avatar
    Bill_Satellite
    Explorer II
    Feb 05, 2018
    You just haven't lived until you visit Slab City and this place.



    It's called Salvation Mountain but not sure what's happening to it these days since the creator died in 2014.
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Feb 05, 2018
    If you have ever handled one 2x4 or other board during a remodel or building project and you go inside salvation mountain you may come to the conclusion that someday it's going to collapse. Hopefully no one is in it. It's like a bunch of kids building a fort out in the woods.

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