Death Valley - Winter Break 2017 - Part Two

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It was now Thursday morning and we headed south on the West Side Road. West Side Road is dirt and well graded. We commonly run into all types of drivers, from the meek and timid (good for them, trying to be safe) to the crazed expedition sort testing just how fast all those expensive add ons will allow them to drive, or so they think. On the latter, we politely pull over and let them by and write down the license number to be careful we never buy that truck. Today we met another driver type, the poking along sightseer. These are usually great folks, we just wish they would occasionally look in their rear view mirror. Our subjects this morning took three miles before a rear view mirror check. We never tail gate or force the issue because their reaction when they finally realize someone else is on the road is a sudden slamming on the brakes and pulling to the side, even if there is no room to pass by. Ah, but we were in no hurry. It was a beautiful morning and our fellow visitors are sometimes just part of the entertainment. We hope our antics and idiosyncrasies provoke a smile now and again.

We turned up Johnson Canyon Road and slowly crawled our way up to the mouth of the canyon. We settled in at our campsite and set off exploring the series of old Indian trails that work their way along the front of the Panamint Range. The expansive views are outstanding.

Our friends, the Teds, were due to join us late afternoon so the Lady regularly walked out to a high point with her see mores to watch the turn off of the West side Road. Soon I received her report, "White vehicle is headed up. It looks like the Teds!"

We showered and then carried our chairs out to the view point. This was our afternoon entertainment, watching the 45 minute ascent up the narrow rough road. We wondered if and when the Teds would notice us on the hill sitting side by side in our chairs with see mores.

We greeted them as they parked beside our truck, hugs all around. After dinner we sat under the bright moon overhead. We filled them in on the unusual lights in the sky we had seen - UFO's - and suggested we all keep an eye out. Perhaps the search would include extraterrestrials. 

We had plans for the next day and turned in.

There is nothing like a desert morning, the dance between night and day as the stars dim and the eastern sky brightens. It is the precious little things that connect us to the sublime natural world.

Ted was also up early, out on the high point, taking this in and absorbing the magic of it all.

Last winter break we spent two days exploring what the Lady called "The Land of the Tinajas".  North of Johnson Canyon is a seemingly out of place outcropping of light colored rock. It is welded tuff, volcanic ash deposits. It sticks out like a sore thumb. On the geologic map I am attempting to understand and decipher it is labeled "Tertiary volcanic rocks."

It sits up against what are labeled as "Cambrian and Precambrian marines", the older rocks of the Panamint Range.

Small basins - tinajas - are formed by water erosion in the gullies in the welded tuff. These small bowls can hold precious water in this arid terrain.

When we planned this trip the Lady suggested returning to the "Land of the Tinajas." This is terrain the Lady loves to move through and she was anxious to return for further adventure. I wanted to search for details of this interesting geology.

We worked the system of old indian trails to find the easiest way across the deeply incised alluvial deposits.

The Lady enjoyed being with her buddies, as did I. We were pleased they were up for this little adventure.

We entered the canyon that provides the best access into the volcanics. Here we found what was the focus of my search, layers of sedimentary rocks under the mass of the volcanic ash, but also on top of more volcanic ash.

All this rock, the layers of sediment with the welded tuff underneath is tilted at the same angle of the older neighboring "marines", limestones and such. This, to me, points to the probability that this was all level and flat and the tilting and uplift of the Panamint Range is the more recent event. Please understand I'm no expert here. I am not a geologist. I'm  just trying to understand the terrain we so enjoy. It is so damn interesting, the puzzle of it all, and I am curious by nature.

These interesting plants thrive in the volcanic soil. Their foliage is an intricate net like structure. Can someone help with an identification? Edit: Thank you Allen for providing the information that this is Pagoda Buckwheat - Eriogonum Rixfordii.

We found the contact zone between the top of the sedimentary layers and the mass of welded tuff above. My team of searchers enjoyed a break.

I explored up a steep gully, all welded tuff.

The Lady's approach was climbing straight up the canyon wall.

 In this area was a series of distinctive layers. I was curious if we could find these layers exposed in other eroded areas of this massive chunk of "Tertiary volcanic rocks".

The lower banded layers were comprised of fine stream gravels. Were the red layers formed from periodic inflows of iron rich waters? Does this also account for the red in the mud or siltstone layers above? Does this layering indicate this was the edge of a shallow basin and began with fine stream gravels and then as it filled, silt and mud dominated?

So this was the search. Could we find outcroppings of these same layers in other areas? It is even more complicated because on the east west axis the layers tilt up on the west side about 25 to 30 degrees. On the north south axis the layers dip down to the south around 5 to 10 degrees. And I figure this tilting and uplift is associated with the formation of the Basin and Range.

So I sat pondering in my mind a plane arranged at these angles running through this mass of welded tuff, then picturing the current topography of this light colored outcropping, and contemplating where these distinctive layers may also be exposed.

I could have sat and pondered and stared at rock for hours. Could I figure this out?

The Lady had enough. She is not made for sitting around. We needed action and adventure. We needed to move. We needed fun!

She invited Ted and Donna to test their skills in a side canyon we had explored a year ago. At that time I noticed how different the rock was up this small canyon that climbed to the west. In hindsight I should have pondered that question more. But my ponderings were put on the back burner. It was time to just touch and enjoy pretty rock.

With excess energy burned off, my search team regrouped in the main canyon.

But, before I knew it the "Junior Geologists", as they called themselves, ran up the canyon wall to investigate more layering. Donna relaxed below and I moseyed up to see their discoveries.

I was most interested in a possible shelter site high up on the wall. I could see no way to reach it.

It was time to head back toward camp and maybe take a short nap in the warm sun.

We climbed back up on the bajada and looked for our trucks far off in the distance.

Where were they? Where were the trucks, our campers, our campsite?

Ted had an idea. He explained, "If there's a bottle of Pliny the Elder within ten miles of me, I will be able to hear it calling! And I have a bottle in the camper!"

I know, how could I weave a tale about Ted without including Pliny the Elder?

Ted was now our leader. We followed Ted and his ear as he honed it on the target. It was a straight line across the desert. But, our hero became exhausted, almost spent. The Lady helped Ted with incentive to make the final few yards to camp.

After a change of clothes, off with the boots, a quick clean up, it was time for our afternoon entertainment.

Donna, I believe was the one that started it. She reported from the viewpoint, "A truck turned onto this road and is starting up!" Spotting scope, see mores, chairs were in place. We were ready for the show.

The observations were along these lines....................

"I think it's a pop up."

"Palomino, I think."

"Ford. It's a Ford pickup. What do you think?"

"Hey, I see gas spring lifters. It's an ATC or FWC."

"Well, silver colored truck, white camper."

"There's a stripe on the side. It's a FWC."

The truck crawled its way closer and closer. It was a glorious evening. I took photos.

The truck with camper stopped beside our rigs. A man and a woman got out and introduced themselves. We invited them to share our camp and offered up the spot we called the "penthouse suite".

Who were these new friends?

Our adventure continues. Please click here for Part Three