Death Valley

(2023-02-25, 12:46 PM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]Im obsessed with those wasp nests in death valley coves. I find them so beautiful. Ive never seen the occupants though.

Maybe its just me, but I'd prefer not to run into wasps.

Whoah the one with the hands is incredible!

(2023-02-25, 01:27 PM)netllama Wrote: [ -> ]

(2023-02-25, 12:46 PM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]Im obsessed with those wasp nests in death valley coves. I find them so beautiful. Ive never seen the occupants though.

Maybe its just me, but I'd prefer not to run into wasps.

Not all wasps are the devil spawn like yellow jackets. 

I just would like to know who makes those nests. Ive researched before the webs with no luck and keep seing the nests in DV.

Next day I switched to a ridgeline adventure.  Unfortunately the wind was trying to show off its ability to throw humans around, so it was not the best day to be up high.  

Starting the slow climb up 1200ft.




The ground was absolutely littered with lithic scatter at this site.  Mainly concentrated around the larger circle.  Actually, that was my first clue that there was something here.  I started coming across shards & chips on my way up the hillside before I could see the circles at the top.  




Then I almost fell over this.  I had heard that there were some glyphs in the area that may be the oldest in the park.  


These are a bit layered and obviously of different ages/eras.  Some seeming quite new and fresh.


I have almost never seen the "scrapping" technique used except on graffiti and fakes where the 'artist' is impatient.  I've never seen that technique old and with patina like this.  There are also several glyphs on this ridgeline that employ a technique more like you would with a chisel than the usual "pointillist" style of pecking: instead of dot dot dot, it's more dashes or chips.  I don't think I've ever seen that before.  


These two were close by.  But not much else in the immediate area.  


Very heavy handed chipping technique here.







Possible stone tool left lying on top of a rock.  Looks to have been used for something.



These looked very fresh.  Also employing the chisel-like dash pattern.



Very very good example of deadfall trap with the crushing rock still in place in the middle with prop-sticks under.  No animal bones though as I was hoping to find.


There were several of these.  Either double-sided blinds or a structure for another use that I cannot fathom.  This shorter north/south ridge was only about 400ft long but had about 16 blinds on it.  Crazy.  



The surrounding ridges obviously had more hunting blinds and likely more weird circles, traps, and maybe glyphs.  But with rain threatening and the wind trying to punt me off the ridge into the canyons below, I opted to leave them for another day.

(2023-02-25, 01:34 PM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]Not all wasps are the devil spawn like yellow jackets. 

I just would like to know who makes those nests. Ive researched before the webs with no luck and keep seing the nests in DV.

I'm guessing they're a species of mud dauber but I'm not sure which kinds lives here in these extremes.

Dude you are going to end up being the DV official archeology expert. Im allways amazed.

How do those traps work? I cant visualize it i just see a small circle of rocks

(2023-02-25, 02:11 PM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]Dude you are going to end up being the DV official archeology expert. Im allways amazed.

How do those traps work? I cant visualize it i just see a small circle of rocks

How to Make a Deadfall Trap (With 3 Tutorials) (tactical.com)

Complete with videos.

Diagram of DEVA deadfall traps from Alice Hunts book.  

Thanks both!! I would have never guessed if i stumbled upon one!

I thought the second batch of petros seemed familiar, but had to go back in my photo archives 10 years to confirm.  Yes, a number of small ones up there.    Did you check on the other side of the main canyon?  I've been told there are some there but I have not checked.  Anyway that is a very very cool site.

I don't know the ones in the Cottonwoods.  I have a vague sense of the area but have never seen those glyphs.  I'll have to poke around and see if I can figure out more, they look like a worthy hike.