Death Valley Natl Pk Upper Monarch Dec 1, 2021

[John Morrow]

My final day in Death Valley for 2021.

Began the day at Harmony Borax Works.  Cottonball Basin was beautiful in the morning.



Harmony Borax Hill by John Morrow, on Flickr



Cottonball Basin, Death Valley Natl. Park by John Morrow, on Flickr

I drove to Mile 1.1 on the Chloride Cliff Road where I parked to walk up Peak 5500 in the northern Funderal Mountains.  A dull, loose footing ascent but a nice view up top.  My plan was then to loop down to Keane Springs and further down Monarch Canyon.



Peak 5000 by John Morrow, on Flickr



Dunes and Death Valley Buttes by John Morrow, on Flickr



head of Monarch Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr



Keane Spring by John Morrow, on Flickr

Upper Monarch was fun.  Once beyond the spring I was able to downclimb past the first tier of the two step drop into lower Monarch.  Hopeful that I could complete the canyon via whatever necessary detour, I soon realized that without difficult Class 5 down climbing this was strictly a technical canyon.



deepening Monarch Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr



mine at canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr



bedrock polished by John Morrow, on Flickr



slot drop (technical) by John Morrow, on Flickr
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my foot at top of falls by John Morrow, on Flickr



upper tier drop by John Morrow, on Flickr


And that was that.  I made it almost to Winnemuca to crash on a picnic table at Rye patch reservoir for a cold night.

Full photo album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N...0295581307