Death Valley National Park - November 2017 - Part Four

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version

Night Skies

We made the decision after starting the drive down from Keane Wonder. How about going in search of another spot that's been on the "list"? It was on our way home. Would we have time to negotiate the dozen miles of 4x4 road before dark?

We were set up just in time to brew an evening cup of coffee to warm us as we sat in silence.

After dinner and showers, we took in the night. The night skies were glorious on this trip. The kind of night skies that remind you that Cassiopeia is not just a sideways W, but really is an upside down throne. And shows again that Polaris is the final star in the handle of the Little Dipper. Unfortunately it also showed how the growing light pollution from Las Vegas has changed the Death Valley night skies - as noted in the new exhibit in the Visitors Center in Furnace Creek.

I wandered in the morning as another desert dawn arrived.

The Lady was soon by my side. "Let's go now," she said. "It should only be a couple of miles."

We both still wore our heavy pants for nights and early mornings. I still wore my glasses, no contacts yet. We both wore our slip on Romeos. No hiking boots.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yup, now. It will be fun!"

We were off.

It is humbling to walk through a seldom visited place and feel like you are in a time capsule. Discarded items are still in place where they were left, untouched for so many years.

We hiked up a broad wash near the crest.

We were looking for an ancient sign post where the canyon narrowed.

Most of the petroglyphs were geometric shapes with the occasional anthropomorphic figure.

It was interesting that on each side of the canyon were very similar glyphs - an arrow figure pointing down canyon with a man figure.

There were many ancient glyphs now almost faded away. This site was passed through for centuries.

My favorite was a man like figure who, to me, appeared to be floating.

Remember the Lady's comment, "It should only be a couple of miles"? It was over three and that made for a six mile round trip. We returned to camp with our jackets tied around or waists and hungry for our long delayed breakfast. Just another morning in the desert, a little more fun than usual.

It was late Monday morning when we headed out to pavement. An appointment with our eye doc in South Lake Tahoe Tuesday afternoon necessitated our return. We'd spend one more night out and drive home and to the appointment on Tuesday.

The Lady drove most of the way north to Bishop where we topped off with gas and bought a couple deli sandwiches for an early dinner. I took over the pilot duties and we headed north on highway 6.

We planned to camp at one of our sites along 120 but as we passed through Benton Hot Springs around 4:30 pm we both had the same idea - it doesn't hurt to check.

Jimmy was out sweeping the walkways at the inn.

"Hey Jimmy," I called. "Any luck getting a campsite tonight? Will we get lucky?"

"Today is your lucky day," Jimmy answered. "For seven months we have been booked solid. Not a break. Only three sites are taken tonight."

We were following him into the office. "There's the board," Jimmy said. "What open site do you want?"

We quickly settled into our site and began a series of soaks in the restorative hot spring waters.

It was a clear cold night. The stars sparkled overhead. The water was perfect. We could not have asked for a nicer end to this trip.

So I was now officially a year older. We had seen St. Luke's Folly, searched for Uncle Erv, seen a Wonder, and spent nights under dazzling displays of stars. It was all pretty darn wonderful.

Death Valley National Park - November 2017 - Part Three

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version

A Wonder

We had plans to venture into a new area for us on Sunday. That was until I remembered. We were having lunch at Erv's place.

"You know, I just remembered," I said to the Lady.

"Yes?" She looked up from peanut butter and jelly.

"I mentioned it to you earlier this week. The Park's website noted that Keane Wonder Mine reopened for public visits on November 7th."

"That's right! Let's go there tomorrow!" The Lady exclaimed.

We set up for the night at a favorite spot near Hole in the Wall.

As I climbed to a high point for photos, I happened upon a little critter.

A beautiful one button Mojave Desert Sidewinder. This intriguing rattlesnake subspecies hunt from ambush, staying completely still. This little tyke did a commendable job and never moved.

When staying along Hole In The Wall Road, we always take a sunset walk up on the bajada to the north of the gully. Here you can find one of the finest displays of desert pavement.

Hike east toward the Hole In The Wall and you will find a use trail that takes you back down into the wash.

Bighorn sheep are a common sight here.

We slept well. Silence surrounded us. Desert tales coursed through our dreams until dawn.

The Keane Wonder Mine was truly a wonder in the Death Valley area. A wonder because it actually produced a good deal of riches.  We last visited in April 2007, prior to the closure for safety and stability concerns. We were anxious to return.

Most people visit the massive mill site at the base of the mountains and look up at the aerial tramway working its way up to the mine.

A steep miner's trail climbs up to the top of the tram and the bottom adit for the mine.

The top of the tram and the bin for filling the buckets are amazing to decipher the engineering. It reminded us of the top of a ski lift.

The construction to stabilize these structures was very well done; unobtrusive, and obviously working hand in hand with the archeology staff.

Arrested decay.

We climbed higher to the top of the Keane Wonder Mine. Many safety barriers that allow for passage of bats have been installed.

The quartz ledge is wide and slopes into the entire mountain side.

Across the canyon it dips down into the mountain. Several small prospects are evident to test out its gold content. This side was not developed.

We continued up to the main mine entrance.

Since the gold bearing quartz ledge is horizontal through the mountain, the mine is pillar and post.

This mountain has been hollowed out.

Further east are more adits and drifts into the hollow mountain.

We worked our way back down to the tram - straight down from the Lady in the following photo.

One auxiliary cable drum fascinated us.

It was powered by a one piston engine run by either steam or compressed air.

The braking system was most interesting as it used sections of two by four pine for brake shoes.

From our perspective, the National Park Service did a excellent job with Keane Wonder and should be commended. It is great to see the site open to the public again.

It was time for us to return home. This trip was coming to an end. But, we had time to go in search of one more special place on our "list."

Our adventure continues in  Part Four - Please Click Here