Death Valley National Park - December 2020 - Part Three

 

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version & highlighted text are links to additional information

 

You can click here for - Part Two

 

In Your Face Geology

 

Tucki Mountain rises up just south of Stovepipe Wells. Starting from the west, we have explored these spectacular canyons that slice into Tucki Mountain - Cairn, Black Point, Stretched Pebble, Mosaic, and Grotto. The next canyon to the east of Grotto and around the corner is Little Bridge Canyon. This is what the Lady wanted to do. She wanted to hike Little Bridge Canyon. The starting point is on highway 190 near Mesquite Dunes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is no trail. The route climbs the steep alluvial fan along the flank of Tucki Mountain to reach the canyon mouth, a bit over 2 miles of hiking. When we looked back we could gauge the amount of elevation we were gaining.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a view from about the half way point to the canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a view to the east across Death Valley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We reached the mouth of Little Bridge Canyon and climbed down into the wash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started up the canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll paraphrase some of the geological information Michel Digonnet provides in his excellent guide book, Hiking Death Valley.

 

The strata in the north end of the Panamint Mountains has been tilted to almost vertical. The main formation visible in the canyon is called Ely Springs Dolomite, a rusty colored rock. Past the first set of narrows is a large gash of striking white rock - a formation called Eureka Quartzite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The quartzite has  been crushed by the shearing forces from the folding and uplift of the Panamints. From this point up the canyon runs parallel to the vertical strata. The erosion took away the weakened quartzite and in its place is a straight gorge lined on the west with vertical walls of the more resistant dolomite. It is geology in your face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The corridor runs for 1.25 miles. It is amazing, especially when we stopped to notice some of the details. Here is an arch cut into the layers of dolomite on the west wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the upper end of this corridor the underlying quartzite is visible in the wash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The canyon bends to the right after the corridor. The Lady was happy. She carried handwritten notes she had made from the guide book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around that corner and further up we came upon the canyon's namesake, the little bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gradient steepened. We stopped for a long snack break and tried to take in more of the details around us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady's preferred direction of travel is up. She was happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About a mile above the little bridge the canyon forks. We turned up the west fork. Yes, it got steep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing was involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We turned around just before the canyon's finish in a high amphitheater. This was a fun canyon to explore.

 

We began our descent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here Julie is working her way down a bypass around a pourover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is the pourover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We reentered the main canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun leaves this canyon in the early afternoon, disappearing below the crest of Tucki Mountain. Remnants of Eureka Quartzite stood out in the east wall of the canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The subdued light brought out the rich colors in the Ely Springs Dolomite on the near vertical west wall in the corridor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took a last look at the Eureka Quartzite as we entered the lower narrows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the winter afternoon light the lower section of the canyon was delightful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We reached the mouth of Little Bridge Canyon, climbed out of the wash, and began the long downhill back to our waiting truck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Bridge Canyon definitely moved into the fun column on "the list."

 

We were back at the truck at 3:30. It had been a great hike. We were heading home in the morning, but we needed a spot for the night, and a place we could reach before dark. Up and over Towne Pass, we turned north on Lake Hill Road in Panamint Valley. We were surprised by the line of rigs camped along the road, four. That's a large number to us. We found our spot unoccupied and at least a half mile apart from the other campers. After camp set up and quick showers, the evening light grabbed all of our attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you notice the clouds? The Lady did. Armed with her compass and the paper, she prepared for the first of two visible over flights of the International Space Station. The early one (around five) was a bust, no hope with the dark clouds. We walked after dinner. The Lady checked the paper. "This one starts in the southwest." She confirmed the direction with her compass, handy in her shirt pocket. The clouds thinned a bit to the south. We spotted it, an intermittent arc of light behind the clouds.

"Four nights in a row!" The Lady raised her arms in triumph.

 

 

We slept well, incredibly well and were up the next morning before the sun. Clouds over Panamint Valley can provide tremendous colors at sunrise. We wanted to be ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soft colors were over to the west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

With our morning coffee brewed, we headed out onto the playa and around Lake Hill, a chunk of Tin Mountain Limestone that slid off of the Cottonwood Mountains. It was an incredible morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We returned home. The coronavirus pandemic is raging. The availability of hospital and ICU beds are reaching critical numbers. A new stay at home mandate has been issued. We discovered Death Valley National Park had closed (allowing day use only) while we were in the backcountry. Had we known we would have done the right thing and left. This will be our last trip of the challenging year of 2020. All in all it was a pretty darn good trip to end the year.

 

So here's to happy holidays to all and best wishes for a great 2021. A new year, that's what we all need.

 

Death Valley National Park - December 2020 - Part Two

 

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger version & highlighted text are links to additional information

 

You can click here for - Part One

 

ISS

 

It started the evening before at Cold Camp. It was dark and a bit before 6 pm. We sat outside eating dinner and taking in the beautiful night sky.

"Is that it?" the Lady cried. "I bet that's it! I forgot to check the time and direction, but I bet that's it!"

The bright light had appeared in the northern sky. Moving fast, it arced across to the northeast before disappearing. It lasted two minutes.

"I'm getting the paper. But that had to be it. We saw it!" The Lady was excited. She ran to the camper. After the appropriate amount of banging and looking for something sounds, a moment of silence, then..............

"Five fifty-six. It's six now. That was it!"

 

A friend, Mr. Sage, had mentioned a link to how to view the International Space Station -

Since we could have outstanding night skies on this trip, I had printed out the information, the paper the Lady mentioned. The Lady loves seeing shooting stars. I discovered the ISS ranks right up there with "shooters."

 

"360 Camp" was our destination for our third night - views in all directions. We arrived mid afternoon. We relaxed after set up chores. This is a spectacular location.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I've got an idea," the Lady said. Her smile was mischievous.

"Let's hear it," I countered.

"The ISS is visible twice tonight, first at 5:05 and then again at 6:46."

"Yes....?"

She continued. "We can walk with our afternoon coffee and be back here at 5. After we see the Station, then you can cook dinner. We can eat. You can do the dishes, and then it will be time to see the ISS the second time. That will work out great!"

"What direction does it first appear and where does it move to?" I asked. The Lady retrieved the paper.

"North, northwest," she answered.

"Where is north, northwest?" I asked.

The Lady looked around at the sky. "Polaris isn't out yet. The sky's not much help 'til the stars come out." I added.

"I'll get my compass!" the Lady answered. "It's in the lid of my pack."

The Lady put her compass to work. "It will show up there, above that peak." The Lady pointed. "And............." She swung around to the east. "We'll lose sight of it over that saddle in the ridge." She was ready and her compass rarely left the pocket of her shirt the remainder of the trip.

 

We showered. Coffee was brewed. We walked, wandered really, in the beautiful afternoon light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady got excited about the International Space Station. I got excited about Joshua Trees.

 

"How far do you want to go?" I asked.

"How 'bout over to that canyon?" the Lady answered.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady stopped and put her see mores to her eyes. "It's a coyote! It is right inside the mouth of the canyon." She stopped and watched the coyote. It was unaware of our presence. I took in the rapidly changing light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We returned to the truck on schedule. 

 

 

 

 

 

Clouds obscured the northern half of the sky. Our first viewing was in jeopardy. We did see it. A ghostly moving light behind the thin clouds.

"Two nights in a row!" The Lady was happy. Clouds completely obscured the sky at the time of the second pass. It was not visible.

 

The cloud cover kept the overnight low temperature moderate. It only dropped to 34° Clouds dominated the sky in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

A break in the clouds splashed light on the distant northern Inyo Mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

Our morning coffee walk took us cross country, uphill of course. We looped over to the road and walked it back to our camp.

 

 

 

 

 

We had two spots to explore as we drove out the Racetrack Road, after intersecting it at Teakettle Junction. Years ago we had spotted what looked like a possible shelter site. Yup, it was put on "the list." Today was the day. We started up the complicated braided wash systems on the broad alluvial fan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was no artwork and only small bits of evidence the shelter was used in the distant past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The rock in a nearby canyon was so colorful we headed up into the slot for a look see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing was involved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The canyon opened up into a broad basin near the crest of the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

We almost took the bait to drop into a canyon that ran out to the north. This would make a long circle back to the truck.

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to return the way we came. The colorful canyon won the coin toss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We completely enjoyed our trek up into this area. Something tells me it gained status and moved up "the list" a bit.

 

On to the second spot, another site on "the list." This one we've searched for before without success. The best access is out of the Mesquite Campground.

 

We hit pavement, such an odd feeling after three days on dirt. We pulled up to the locked gate across the road to Mesquite Campground. It was listed as being open when I checked the Park's website early Friday prior to leaving home. Starting our hike from the main road would add at least five miles to our round trip distance. Time to change plans. We mulled over our options as we drove south on the main highway down Death Valley. The Lady came up with an idea. "Remember I've wanted to do..............................for a long time? We had to leave early the one time we were going to do it. We were putting our boots on at the starting point and had to pack up and return home. We can do it tomorrow!"

 

It was a good idea.

 

We quickly went over the logistics on how to make it work. We camped at a favorite spot up Hole in the Wall Road. Driving through Furnace creek we were surprised the temperature was 81°.  It was looking like we had suddenly entered snowbird country. But, the huge parking lot that is called Sunset Campground was empty. How odd.

 

We celebrated that it was 68° at camp. We had too many clothes on. All the windows and doors were open on the camper. Chips and guacamole outside? You bet.

 

 

 

 

 

"Let's go see if the girls are around!" the Lady announced. We climbed up onto the bajada, and across the beautiful desert pavement.

 

 

 

 

 

Julie got distracted from looking for the desert bighorn ewes we commonly see in the area. She was finding fossils.....

 

 

 

 

 

..............and interesting rock.

 

 

 

 

 

We passed through the gap that is the Hole in the Wall and continued up the wash.

 

 

 

 

 

The girls were not about. We turned around as evening colors washed the sky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The night sky was crystal clear, the stars brilliant overhead. The Lady did her compass work. Our viewing area was set. The International Space Station was spectacular. The best of the trip. "Three nights in a row!" the Lady beamed.

 

 

We were up early the next morning - it was 42° - and back up on the bajada for first light.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady wanted a highpoint to enjoy coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

Camp was right where we left it in the wash below.

 

 

 

 

 

What was the good idea? What did the Lady want to do? Where were we off to on our last full day in Death Valley National Park?

 

The adventure continues in Part Three - Click Here.