Uploaded May 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Marshal South was a writer and poet the became best known in the 1930s and 40s for he and his family's experiment in primitive lifestyle in the remote and unforgiving Anza Borrego desert. For nearly 17 years he called ghost mountain home in an attempt to leave the civilized world and live off what only the desert gave him.
Along with his wife Tanya and three children, South built a home on top of Ghost Mountain, far from any modern amenities. Just getting to the home took a mile long hike up the mountain, on a trail filed with cactus, snakes, and no relief from the desert sun.
In this video we travel down the three mile dirt road off Highway S-2 into the Anza Borrego State Park to hike to the top of ghost mountain and explore what is left of the home he called Yaquitepec. Along the way we talk about South's life and what ended his experiment in primitive living.
For more in depth information on the story of Marshal South, check out this great article on DesertUSA: desertusa.com/desert-people/marshal-south.html
Yaquitepec is located at: 33.00185075824831, -116.38600190377677
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a 60 day free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
Marshal South was a writer and poet the became best known in the 1930s and 40s for he and his family's experiment in primitive lifestyle in the remote and unforgiving Anza Borrego desert. For nearly 17 years he called ghost mountain home in an attempt to leave the civilized world and live off what only the desert gave him.
Along with his wife Tanya and three children, South built a home on top of Ghost Mountain, far from any modern amenities. Just getting to the home took a mile long hike up the mountain, on a trail filed with cactus, snakes, and no relief from the desert sun.
In this video we travel down the three mile dirt road off Highway S-2 into the Anza Borrego State Park to hike to the top of ghost mountain and explore what is left of the home he called Yaquitepec. Along the way we talk about South's life and what ended his experiment in primitive living.
For more in depth information on the story of Marshal South, check out this great article on DesertUSA: desertusa.com/desert-people/marshal-south.html
Yaquitepec is located at: 33.00185075824831, -116.38600190377677
○ Gear we use: amazon.com/shop/sidetrackadventures
►Please subscribe for weekly updates showcasing some of our adventures: youtube.com/channel/UCdueDRFYPVgzPAAOM_bxVWA?sub_confirmation=1
►Also please follow Sidetrack Adventures on Instagram: instagram.com/sidetrackadventures
►Music in this video is from Epidemic Sounds; use our link for a 60 day free trial: share.epidemicsound.com/v927fj
