Death Valley

We had an 11 night trip, sleeping at SPW, starting 10 March.   A lot of fun was had, and obscure places visited.  It's going to take me a few days to post it all, but I better get started.

Our warmup hike was to the peak just NE of Keane Spring.   John Morrow reported on this a few years ago, and based on his description we went to the peak SE of the spring last year.   We liked that, with its great views of the Amargosa Valley, so went back.  We parked at the place where a road turns down Monarch Canyon for a bit, and walked from there, on an old road to near the spring, which we bypassed on the north, and took the obvious route to the peak.  The last part of this hike is all ridge walking so nice views and nice breeze.   Some pix:

Looking across Death Valley, Panamints in the clouds

Amargosa Valley



Looking toward Beatty.  We liked the red hill and went back to that area from the Daylight Pass road later in the trip.


The next day we cruised over Towne Pass to Panamint Valley, and hiked up Revenue Canyon.  Digonnet mentions an older miner trail, and in fact we'd walked part of it 11 years earlier.   But with satellite images I worked out that there are two trails, which can be combined into a nice loop up onto the high ridge on the south side of the main canyon.  It worked out to be fine on the ground.

South end of Panamint Valley


Panamint high peaks straight across the valley, including the Telescope "fish" illusion


And...  the rest of Panamint Valley


It blew like crazy that night.  Wind (and sand) screaming through the door.   Must have scared the critters because we woke up with a visitor in our room.   First time I've seen one inside.   Photo is when it was captured in a plastic container for transport back to its home environment.

Love those critters especially under a black light when they glow.

A lot of people refer to the Telescope fish illusion" to the "Panamint Shark." Look closely and you'll find "prey" swimming in front of him!

Fish? I dont see the fish! Please help!

Those red hills look so pretty.

I bet your visitor was not too happy about being thrown out to the wind again!

Great photos, and looking forward to seeing more!!

In the late '90s, my dad got stung by a scorpion that got into our room at SPW and took up residence under one of the pillows. Every trip after that we stripped the sheets each night to check for uninvited guests, though in later trips I wondered if I was being too paranoid. Very glad the one that got into your room didn't attack anyone in your group!

(2023-03-30, 08:38 PM)Daymoth Wrote: [ -> ]Fish? I dont see the fish! Please help!

Those red hills look so pretty.

I bet your visitor was not too happy about being thrown out to the wind again!

I was with you in confusion, but I think I've found it now: it's the light-colored shape at the very bottom of the the peak. The fish it reminds me immediately of is the Coelacanth.

Right, once you see the "Shark" (thanks DAW) you can never un-see it!  Hint: it is swimming right (south)  See it now?  As for the scorp, we really didn't care what it thought, but given Kauri's experience, glad we found it!  I wonder, how bad was your Dad's sting?  I've heard it is not too bad, except possibly dangerous in children (Arizona bark scorp is a different story).

OK, to pick up our story then.  Next day we went to a place I discovered 25 years ago near the Tucki Mine, from the Skidoo road.  On earlier trips I had found an old road not on maps (that was before the days of satellite images, so it was a surprise on the ground the first time). The road ends at a gorge, but there is a rough constructed miner trail down to the open flatland below.  From where the road ended, nice views of the very white Sierra.  One of those is definitely Whitney



Then, basically walking in parallel to the road to the Tucki mine (the one that goes by Telephone Canyon) we reach an astounding high point.  The views of the main valley are all in your face, making it a super place to hang out for lunch before the long walk back.



That was a full day.  And a bit of a wild route.   And a lot of fun!

Next day was getting very windy again, so time for a canyon.  Finally went up Moonlight to the side canyon with the bridge.  Sort of boring going up the main canyon, but there was a flowing spring.   Long slog, the lower part of the fan is not the most pleasant walking.  But eventually the side canyon starts to look interesting.



I was using coords I got from Daymoth (Thanks!!!) and hoping they were right, as the side canyon is a bit hard to see from the main canyon, starting from a funny angle.   It was FULL of gravel - it looked to us like several feet of fresh gravel had been washed down from the summer rains, but I'd not been there before so this is just a guess.

Anyway, approaching the waypoint for the bridge, canyon narrowing up, I'm hoping we are in the right place when, wham there it is.  Now I am not as big a fan of the bridges in alluvium as are some here, but this one is BIG!  Good day in the end, as we were thrilled to find this one.

Now I see the fish!!!
Definetly not a shark pfff. Looks like a wolffish to me.

Mmmmmmmm

Ok I take that back, it does very much look like a shark from a lower elevation.