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Please click here for - Part Two
The Views
The canyon caught our attention in many ways. The topo map showed that it dropped west from a saddle in the Last Chance Range down into the upper reaches of Dedeckera Canyon. Satellite images confirmed what looked like interesting narrows. Seeing it in person, in the distance, we knew we wanted to explore it.
With an early start from camp, we climbed the broad wash that led to the narrows, and entered the canyon.
The canyon cut through layers of basalt.
Every good canyon has obstacles to climb.
And wonders around it’s twisting bends.
The narrows opened just below the broad saddle. We climbed to the saddle and looked east down toward the north end of Death Valley.
The view back to the west was amazing, with the Sierra Crest visible above the high Inyo Mountains on the west side of Saline Valley.
We discovered an old tumbled down camp. We wondered, how in the world, was a wood stove carried up here?
The date on the stove pipe damper gave an indication of the age of the camp.
We climbed the high ridge to the south in hopes of a good view further south into Death Valley. Our effort was rewarded.
In the photo above, the distant mountain range is the Grapevine Mountains. In a few days we all would be standing on the top of those peaks.
We continued to a highpoint in the ridge.
Far to our south was Badwater Basin, the bottom of Death Valley at 282 feet below sea level, and the lowest point in the western hemisphere. And visible to the southwest was the summit of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet. This view was incredible to comprehend.
Here’s a telephoto shot of into northern Death Valley at the mouth of Grapevine Canyon. Visible is Ubehebe Crater and Lower Vine Ranch where Death Valley Scotty lived.
And along with these outstanding views was cell service.
Our companions got caught up. Deb answered an email from the Death Valley National Park Superintendent, an avid peakbagger and pen pal, asking if we’d all been to the summit Saline Peak yet. He also mentioned his recent climb of Virgin Peak in the Gold Butte National Monument and highly encouraged bagging that summit. Our “to do” list was growing.
The time came to retrace our steps back down through the fantastic narrows and return to camp.
The evening light was all we could have wished for.
That email was a reminder we still had to reach the summit of Saline Peak. In the morning we returned to Steel Pass, stopping at storied rock sites we found along the way.
We also stopped at the infamous marble bathtub, parking just below the pass.
In reality the bathtub was a mess, filled with foul water from the recent rain. Our group went to work and attempted to open the drain, empty the water, and clean the place up.
Me, a plumber’s son, pointed out that the tub was probably not installed to code and the drain probably never worked. “The Ace Hardware in Lone Pine is only hours and hours away!” it was suggested. “You can return with parts and get this drain working. You have skills!” I thought it a better plan to pull the tub out and take it with us. And leave it in Lone Pine.
The tub looked much better 15 years ago.
We thoroughly washed our hands and arms and finished with Purell. It was then time to work our way down through the rock garden.
It would be nice to say we all made it through without a scratch, but that was not the case.
Back at our campsite along Steel Pass Road from several nights before, we were joined by new friends, John and Lois - DesertDog on the Wander the West Forum.
It was great to meet you two!
The Lady woke us all the next morning at 0500 with a feeling of Déjà vu all over again. We were on our way well before sunrise as the summit of Saline Peak was calling.
Now, of course, that is a false summit lit by the rising sun. The real summit is not in sight.
It is a cross country route climbing up and across steep rugged terrain.
The terrain was convoluted and complex. It was a day of up and down, but always higher and higher. Finally we were in sunlight.
And that is, still, not the summit ahead.
Across the broad plateau we were on a few days ago, the Eureka Dunes came into sight.
So did Mount Whitney to the southwest.
The terrain never let up as we approached the final low saddle that then led up to the summit.
And amongst all this rumble, Evening Primrose (Oenothera avita) was in bloom.
The final steep climb to the top.
Success.
The Lady loves summit registers.
She also loves her new Lowa boots.
The rubberlegs on the summit of Saline Peak, 7047 feet.
And there was cell service. The Superintendent received a live update that the summit was reached. We spent an hour on the top and it was time to head back down.
A Great Basin Collared Lizard posed as we passed by.
It was up and down on the way to the summit and it was up and down on the descent.
In the big picture, a long way down.
We came upon a a patch of Desert Fivespot (Eremalche rotundifolia), the Lady’s favorite Death Valley flower.
Back across the rugged bajada and we were back at camp.
It was only a 10 mile round trip to the summit but it was a 10 hour day; a very good day.
John and Lois spent another night with us in their Toyota Tacoma and Four Wheel Camper. We said goodbye to the group the next morning. The Lady and I needed to head out to Bishop to resupply. Steve and Deb gave us a list of items to pick up for them. The rubberlegs and DesertDog had an adventure ahead for them - drive Lippincott Road up to the Racetrack and Homestake Campground.
We would reunite with the rubberlegs in two days at the “Big Flat Spot” and enter the Nevada Triangle.
That would be after filling up with gas in Bishop.
