2024-01-06, 06:32 PM
I'm back in Death Valley for the winter. 68 peaks remaining to be climbed on the list of 200. Unfortunately many of those are out of reach in the Panamints. They're inaccessible due to road closures, but I'll do what I can in the meantime.
I had an exciting day recently, probably only for me, but I'll share anyway.
Three years ago I found a rock in the Amargosa river bed. I think it's pretty neat.
![[Image: bF2llt1.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/bF2llt1.jpg)
I've been on the lookout for more ever since then. I left this rock in the Corkscrew summit log box and I guess I wasn't the only person who thought it was pretty, because it was no longer there when I checked a year ago. I've found plenty of similar smooth red/black rock in various DV places, but none with this detailed patterning like salamander skin. Until now!
About 5 miles upstream of where I found the original rock I climbed up a shallow sloping hillside and found a bunch more of the stuff. It wasn't exactly common, but there was enough that I found a half dozen pieces without too much searching.
![[Image: LvGMxrm.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/LvGMxrm.jpg)
Now I'm wishing I had not taken the photo against such a busy background.
And there was this neat looking one that isn't quite the same, but interesting in its own way.
![[Image: s7QpWpZ.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/s7QpWpZ.jpg)
I have no idea what the stuff is. It's not obsidian. It's pretty hard, and will scratch steel. Some kind of agate I guess?
I had an exciting day recently, probably only for me, but I'll share anyway.
Three years ago I found a rock in the Amargosa river bed. I think it's pretty neat.
I've been on the lookout for more ever since then. I left this rock in the Corkscrew summit log box and I guess I wasn't the only person who thought it was pretty, because it was no longer there when I checked a year ago. I've found plenty of similar smooth red/black rock in various DV places, but none with this detailed patterning like salamander skin. Until now!
About 5 miles upstream of where I found the original rock I climbed up a shallow sloping hillside and found a bunch more of the stuff. It wasn't exactly common, but there was enough that I found a half dozen pieces without too much searching.
Now I'm wishing I had not taken the photo against such a busy background.
And there was this neat looking one that isn't quite the same, but interesting in its own way.
I have no idea what the stuff is. It's not obsidian. It's pretty hard, and will scratch steel. Some kind of agate I guess?