Death Valley 2022/23

[Beardilocks]

I know of a pictograph cave (of sorts) that I have yet to see in the Hunter Mtn area.  Long hike for me since I won't drive that close to the area in my vehicle.  But could be a part of a wonderful loop backpack with decent potential for surface water.  These alcoves you visited I located by matching Kay Plaza photos with GE landscape.  That got me close and I looked for the tuff and potential for alcove erosion.  Got lucky.  Also took all day and made for a long one.  Somewhere up Surprise Creek is a elaborate polychrome site in an alcove.  I haven't found any details on that one.

Your three sites could form a line of travel along a route.  Or do you think just an area of once concentrated activity?  It is so dry there now outside of very infrequent filled potholes.  Could the main canyon have had a rise of surface water once?

I have heard of a “cave” in Hidden Valley area that has “markings”.  I know it’s approximate location and hope to get there this year.  I’ll have to look into that Polychrome Alcove.  

I would say the Picto site shows signs of prolonged occupation.  The other two are more waypoints along a travel route.  

One of the reasons that I’m curious what else is in the area at large is that, although these three site are relatively near one another (on the scale of Death Valley) but they’re not really in a logical line of travel. Neither are they on a logical route down to Death Valley proper.  Two of them are well enough, but not really the third.  I need more dots to connect!  If you add in the most prominent springs in the area… possibly.  There is currently tons of water at the pictograph site.  It’s possible there was at least seasonal water in some of the canyons depending on how far back we’re going.