Death Valley

Good your car made it out! I called few days ago to ask about Marble road conditions after wednesdays storm and I can see why they closed it.

Its been several seasons now that the Cottonwoods keep eluding me. Some day.

The photo with the moody clouds is gorgeous.

(2023-03-18, 09:13 AM)Brice Wrote: [ -> ]

(2023-03-18, 06:45 AM)John Morrow Wrote: [ -> ]What narrow canyon is that?  PM me if sensitive and don't mind sharing?  I can't picture a spot in main Marble Cany that looks like that, though it may be.

It's marble Canyon.  I think it's here 36.59254, -117.36369

Oh yeah, OK.  I forget about those middle narrows

(2023-03-18, 09:19 AM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]The photo with the moody clouds is gorgeous.

If I could choose the weather every time I go hiking, I would never choose rain.  But one thing I try to keep in mind, is that inclement weather can produce the best sights and most memorable experiences.  It will be a long time before I forget about my swim up marble canyon.  It's almost like every cloud has a silver lining. 

Went to the southern Panamints to bag some peaks.



This photo is from most of the way up Anvil Spring Point, south of warm spring canyon road. The far upper right is Sugarloaf peak, where I will be the next day.



Lots of flowers in the wash.



I finally found a blooming desert five-spot!  Of course this one had to be closing up for the night so I couldn't get a nice photo.  This old road is covered with the plant, though only this one was in bloom.  There were a few more that will be blooming in the next week or two.



The parasitic dodder plant is also all over the place.



Crazy red insect. More than an inch long. Look at those antennae.



View from the top of Sugarloaf, looking east.

Blister Beetle!!!

(2023-03-24, 08:22 AM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]Blister Beetle!!!

Ohh Thanks for the ID!  That allowed me to look up more info.  It's specifically Lytta magister, or the master blister beetle.  Here's a neat photo of it trying to protect itself with its yellow blistering blood.

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/defa...emical.jpg

Ive never seen one in person, they look stunning

Went up Tucki mountain.  Found both pointer benchmarks but couldn't find the main one.  I guess it's been stolen.  That should teach the USGS to use less cool names.



Also I found this sign very peculiar.  Why is this crossing important enough to have sign? Why have a sign when the cabin is visible in the background? Why did the maker of the sign list the latitude as East when it should be West?!

Dude gives you 3 mile decimals to then get the latitude wrong....SMH.

Went up an interesting canyon near Keane wonder mine that was full of gorgeous rocks.   Unfortunately it was cloudy most of the time which really muted the colors and shine.  I carried a few small specimens around until the sun came out.



The whole canyon was filled with super shiny rocks and boulders.  I'm calling it Disco canyon which is obviously the best name.  It's a much better name than Glitter canyon that someone might think is good, but which is objectively worse.

Forbidden cheesy popcorn.