Little Bridge, Crack, Brimstone, but not Corkscrew

[Bluegreen kayak]

Tuesday morning the Panamints greeted me with their best imitation of Alpenglow in Switzerland:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/5273...d2a3_b.jpg


Since yesterday had been arduous, I picked something easier (read:flatter) this morning, a mini-canyon I learned about from Steve Hall's old site, a place he called the Crack. It's mostly low red sandstone walls and conglomerate, some narrows, and an amazing variety of rocks. It has enough forks that you could take a scout troop in there and each scout could have their own piece of the canyon to camp in. My only problem starting out was the discovery that I didn't have my notes on the location with me, whoops. I remembered just two clues. North of Furnace Creek on 190, park near the last low dark hill on the right and hike past it. Secondly, aim for the lowest point on the next line of low hills. The parking spot turned out to be about 9-10 miles from the visitor center, and off I went with fingers crossed.

This was the hill I trudged past to begin with.


If you can spot it, here is the next line of low hills where I'm aiming toward the lowest point. Interestingly, that's the same clue we use in Boundary Waters when we're looking for a portage on the other side of the lake, the lowest spot in the treeline. Here it is above the larger bush in the center of the picture.



Found this runaway on my approach. It's the third time I've found balloons in this area; maybe something in the wind pattern brings them here?



And happy day, there it was, the entrance I was hoping to see (on the right). The white rock on the hillside might help as a landmark also.




This is how it begins, nothing dramatic.



The Crack has charming short slots, minor dryfalls, and lots of interesting features in its walls.







One of the Crack's many forks.


This rock appeared to proclaim its initials are Mh...or YW, depending on your viewpoint.


Exiting the Crack, I noticed this hole in the wall. When I used my flashlight, I could see about 8 feet down, and then it turned a corner. The opening was only about 18 inches, and it got more narrow further in.


One last look at the sandstone ribs in the Crack. This was my fourth visit to it, and I have never seen anyone else there.


Amusing point as I walked back at sunset again; when I started out, I marked a foothill on Tucki as my landmark to where the van was parked. On the way back, with the sun directly behind the mountain, I could not make out anything over there, it was all darkness due to the setting sun behind it. I didn't really need it - the road was in front of me, but another time might be different.