Death Valley 2022/23

[Beardilocks]

So I had gathered together a bunch of data from disperate sources over the years that started to paint a picture of Native American activity in a couple areas of the park that seem quite separate from each other for the way that we travel, but not so much for the way you might on foot.  I’ve been sort of trying to tie together different areas (trails/springs/hunting grounds/places of shelter/art) into a bigger picture.  

I started out with some hunting grounds on a ridge/bench.









One or two blinds held a bit of lithic scatter.  I was hoping to find some but not really expecting it.  I didn’t think you’d lie in wait in your hunting blind looking for sheep while casually banging rocks together. 


All in all there’s probably several dozen hunting blinds in the area.  The canyons below have potholes that hold water.   Sheep trails were everywhere.  Some of the trails were cleaner and wider and I expect those human trails.  


A scant few miles away in a valley I found a small complex of alcove/caves.  Maybe a dozen scattered small alcoves and one or two larger ones.  All showed signs of longer term (likely seasonal) occupation.  



Note the small walled in cubby.  


Note the rocks all swept away from the mouth. 


Small game arrowhead I found inside the largest cave with what I think is a volcanic glass chip. Or regular glass.  Lol.  I left them and am informing the park archeologist of their location.  Some other lithic scatter was found here and there in various alcoves. 


I also found this insanely polished rock in the topmost cave (that took a pretty serious climb to get to).  I’ve never seen a rock that polished in DV. Much less that high up.  There were oddly 4-5 rounded polished stones in the one alcove only.  Very curious. 


On the side of the hill the alcoves were in I found this oddity.  A decent collection of wood hidden behind s rock wall.  The wood was sawn, so I doubt it was a Native American cache.  But there were zero signs of a fire anywhere from the last 30yrs at least.  No fire rings or charcoal.  Very odd.  


Several miles again in another direction I found a decent sized pictograph panel. 


I’ve never seen a pictograph of a person wearing what seem to be clothes.  But I love the splatter of spat/blown pigment.  Sort of ties you to the moment of creation, the humanity of it.  









Very very exciting to me find/connect different aspects of historic life to a line of travel and then walk it.  There’s definitely more exploring in that area that I need to do.