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+--- Thread: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking (/showthread.php?tid=26200)
March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - donutnational - 2023-03-08
Hello and thanks to all who post here. I was planning on spending two nights in greywall canyon and then 2 in grapevine canyon but got shut down by the road closure. Instead I drove to Ashford canyon. I carried water and 10 beers into Scotty's canyon, but the water was not needed. The next day I stumbled my way to Timpapah Spring and a little beyond, saw some cool stuff and a lot of narrows from above The first bypass listed as 0.25 miles in Digonnet's book was way longer than your average 1/4 mile and looked very improbable. Water from Scotty's Spring tasted good after filtering. It is a nice place to camp but for me the hiking above Scotty's Spring was too rugged to be fun, but I'm glad I went once.
The next morning I returned to my car and drove to Shoshone for expensive gas and beers. I returned to Ashford Canyon, repacked and started up Ashford Canyon. By the time I got to the camp the wind was howling. Being more afraid of Hanta than wind I headed back down canyon to seek shelter not in a cave or cabin. It was so windy by this time that it was hard to walk and I actually got knocked down once. I decided to bail but then found a nice cove well protected from the worst of the wind just above the 1st narrows and decided to stay. I got in my bag (no tent) around 6 and listened to the wind roaring up the canyon while I was warm and snug. Early the next morning the wind was done. I hiked up the canyon hoping to summit Desert Hound Peak, I followed the 1st side canyon to it's head and traversed right and up to the ridge (as suggested by Mike D.) It was almost as "fun" as the bypass in scotty's canyon. I got to the ridge, made up a bunch excuses bailed and found a easier way more directly back to the mine area. Looked around there and then spent the rest of afternoon laying around, drinking beers, reading my book and feeling like a lucky old man. Returned to the car the next morning, went to sidewinder slots, wandered and then drove home.
RE: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - MojaveGeek - 2023-03-08
Yes, that "side canyon" is tougher than you might guess, isn't it? Sure slowed us down a few years ago; no way we had time to make the peak. I'd like to try again from Virgin Springs canyon - went a good ways up the "lower trail" many years ago, but again didn't have enough time.
Good thing you were able to roll with the punches and come up with a Plan B. Thanks for the TR!
RE: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - Daymoth - 2023-03-08
It feels good that we are not thee only ones that make a bunch of excuses and bail out as soon as trails get slightly sketchy.
Sounds like you had loads of fun, ive been meaning to check Ashford.
RE: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - jkpaulsen - 2023-03-09
(2023-03-08, 08:26 AM)donutnational Wrote: I carried water and 10 beers into Scotty's canyon, but the water was not needed.
You failed to tell us what happened to the beers! Hopefully your pack was 7.8 pounds lighter the next day. Perhaps that was why you were stumbling in to Timpapah Spring?
RE: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - donutnational - 2023-03-11
4 beers a day with a two beer cushion when I returned to my car, I carried a beer to the spring but didn't drink it until I got back past the 1/4 mile bypass on the way back.
RE: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - DeathValleyDazed - 2023-03-11
(2023-03-11, 08:27 AM)donutnational Wrote: 4 beers a day with a two beer cushion when I returned to my car, I carried a beer to the spring but didn't drink it until I got back past the 1/4 mile bypass on the way back.
Sounds like the legendary "Twenty Mule Team Beerpacks Wagon" keeping thirsty miners happy in Death Valley.
RE: March 3-7 Ashford Canyon hiking - DAW89446 - 2023-03-11
Drinking four beers a day made me fat, lazy and incapable of hiking anymore … and that was four decades ago …
