Hello and some trip reports Jan 22

[netllama]

Those are some fantastic photos. Thanks for sharing and welcome!

[Daymoth]

I was looking at this one, its very very similar ( except that used for a mill not for a hoist)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CtwUZZrPXbA

[MojaveGeek]

I was looking at this one, its very very similar ( except that used for a mill not for a hoist)

That is an interesting engine design, thanks.

[Daymoth]

So Chapter 2 is Desolation Canyon and revisiting Sidewinder

We where waiting for the snow storm to move across Utah before we headed over there so we had no plans for the day. Decided to check out Desolation, for some weird reason we had never even considered it before even if its a popular and easy one to access and to do. And oh boy is it incredible.

We where not prepared for the explosion of cotton candy rocks and when we got to the top it was insane. The weather was also perfect after the storms giving us some crazy visibility, insane light and snowy telescope peaking over the clouds. I still cant believe we never did this one before.

Pinks, yellows and greens

cotton candy

Thats the view from the top looking at artist palette

Thats the view from the top looking across artist palette drive into the valley


We then went to Sidewinder, last time we didnt have time to check slots 1 and 3 and its such a fun place. Saw a dead desert tarantula again, I never see them alive
We were surprised with the amount of people in DV though. Guess it was NYE and a weekend after all.



Finally started driving east. Checked out Ashford mill in a pretty awesome light.


The east part of jubilee pass looks pretty epic, weve never seen further than kaleidoscope and now we want to check that area more next time. Suggestions welcome!

[DeathValleyDazed]

Thanks for more eye candy. I concur with your comments about the winter light popping the landscape colors. The time of day hiking makes a huge difference is how images turn out. BTW someone reported years ago about seeing a Kit Fox family up in Desolation Canyon. I remembered this when I hiked the canyon, did not see any wild life of any kind (not even a dead tarantula) and actually wondered how on earth kit fox and coyote can survive in this area.

That loop up Willow Canyon and over a saddle down into Sidewinder is well worth the effort.

Some folks dislike Death Valley for lack of vegetation but it's for this very reason that the geology is laid bare at the lower elevations so one can see bare Mother Earth in all her glory.

Online are some cool videos about Star Wars being filmed around the Desolation Canyon area. Also The Twilight Zone.

Looking forward to your next installment.

[Daymoth]

Some folks dislike Death Valley for lack of vegetation but it's for this very reason that the geology is laid bare at the lower elevations so one can see bare Mother Earth in all her glory.

Thankfully people have different tastes or it would be even more crowded! I get bored under the treeline. Only exception is autumn when the forest is full of magical things.

Did you also notice a surge in visitors this last weeks compared to previous years?

[DAW89446]

Finally started driving east. Checked out Ashford mill in a pretty awesome light.


The east part of jubilee pass looks pretty epic, weve never seen further than kaleidoscope and now we want to check that area more next time. Suggestions welcome!

Come to the mill ruins when there’s a super bloom for a real kaleidoscope effect!

[Daymoth]

Finally started driving east. Checked out Ashford mill in a pretty awesome light.

Come to the mill ruins when there’s a super bloom for a real kaleidoscope effect!

Too warm!

[DAW89446]

It was in the 60s that day. As a treat, much of the southern valley was covered in water and was one huge lake. The Amargosa River had a good, strong flow where it crossed the West Side Road.

[Daymoth]

Chapter 3 Mummy

Right so we arrived back to DV from Utah half a day earlier than expected. Problem is I had no internet, no plan and no guide book ( ive solved that now). I had a waypoint in my map from couple of years ago to check out mummy canyon so we went with that.

First awesome thing is that the pigmy cedar was in bloom and there was a load of painted ladies fluttering about. We allways go in winter so seing blooms and butterflies was an absolute treat.


Inside the canyon is the mummy itself but as we get to the narrows we find also a bunch of old remains of roadrunners and a deer/sheep.






I remember in the back of my head that Kauri found a lions den in a nearby canyon. I start looking for signs of a cat. I did find bobcat scat. I dont know if they take down big horn sheep but maybe it was road kill or the canyon has been inhabited by different animals.

Sadly we make it to the end. Thats what sucks of mummy canyon. Its way too short. I was having so much fun :/