Around the New Year, I had a couple of days backpacking in the Cottonwoods. I had a few other day hikes planned in the Grapevines, but ended up cutting the trip short.

Stepping off on New Years' Eve day, I had some nice moody weather. I was really close to leaving my tent's rain fly in the car to save the extra pound of weight, but the clouds made me reconsider:



There was, however, a nice dusting of snow on the mountain tops, which the sun would light up each morning...


In the actual mountains, I spotted this really neat looking rock with lots of fossils.





I also spent an evening in one of my favorite canyons there before heading back out to the car...




And finally, a shout out to the white, soft sandy part of the valley floor. It's always extra nice to walk across this part after spending time among the rocks...

Very cool! I don't think I recognize that canyon passage. Is it one that Steve found over there? I haven't kept up with those for a while.

(2021-04-10, 10:07 AM)bbbb Wrote: Around the New Year, I had a couple of days backpacking in the Cottonwoods. 

Thanks for sharing your report and lovely photos about a portion of DEVA I've yet to explore.

Oh, nice fossils there, a bed of crinoids? There are a LOT of fossils on the Cottonwoods! And they wash down into all the washes, you just have to look carefully (sometimes) to find lots of little crinoids and such.

Is that white stuff out in the Niter Beds? I'm guessing you walked in from the Scotty's Castle road?

Nice to see you posting here, thanks for the TR!

(2021-04-11, 12:16 AM)GowerGulch42 Wrote: Very cool! I don't think I recognize that canyon passage. Is it one that Steve found over there? I haven't kept up with those for a while.

Yup, it's Middle Hidden Bridge. This is another pic near the same spot.



There's a really neat variety in the different narrows in the canyon.

This is the more polished rock further up:

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(2021-04-12, 09:17 PM)MojaveGeek Wrote: Oh, nice fossils there, a bed of crinoids?  There are a LOT of fossils on the Cottonwoods!  And they wash down into all the washes, you just have to look carefully (sometimes) to find lots of little crinoids and such.

Is that white stuff out in the Niter Beds?  I'm guessing you walked in from the Scotty's Castle road?

Nice to see you posting here, thanks for the TR!

I wish I knew more about fossils and rocks to ID things like this. If you say they're crinoids, I'll take your word for it. You had a really great looking fossil rock in your "Night before Covid" (https://dv.netllama.us/dv/thread-25851.html) thread that reminded me of it.

Yes, I walked from Scotty's Castle Rd. There are dirt road entry points to the Cottonwoods, of course, but I don't mind the valley floor hike. I could spend an hour or two creeping along a backcountry road in a rental car to get closer I suppose - or be on my feet.

I like your style bbbb

It's not all that much further to walk across than to come over from Cottonwood but flatter with no wash crossing. I've not been in there. Tried last year from Cottonwood but, especially with incoming weather, it was clear we weren't going to make it so we bailed early and headed over to check out the Niter Beds. Some day, maybe !

Very nice report.