Death Valley NP: Funeral Pk and Slit Canyon Dec 21-22, 2020

[John Morrow]

Was nearing the end of my annual fall Mojave Desert Trip so I wanted to finish up with a summit or two, a slot canyon, and a sand dune.

Dec 21:  Camped back at the Dublin Hills and drove the Greenwater Road to the pull out area for Funeral Peak.  Typical day as everyone has up the edge of the east slope.  As a variation to make an easy loop I descended the north slope of Funeral to the saddle divide of Sheep Canyon and Greenwater.  Had concerns of tough footing but it was practically like a sand dune; easy plunge stepping on fine soft pebbles/gravels.  Then an easy wash back through the shallow little basalt canyon and back to the TH.  
Only real note is I didn't find the petroglyphs!  And none were to be found in the canyon, which surprised me a bit.



Gentle east ridge by John Morrow, on Flickr



Sheep Canyon to Death Valley by John Morrow, on Flickr



Back towards Greenwater Valley by John Morrow, on Flickr



Nice little basaltic canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr




Dec 22:  Camped at Hole in the Wall for an early start up Slit Canyon.  After enjoying the narrow canyon and scrambly bypasses I had the goal of a summit overlooking Echo and "Rockfall" Canyons, Peak 5330'.  Choosing the correct branches as the upper Slit Canyon wash divides again and agian and I found my way to a great overlook.



Hole in the Wall by John Morrow, on Flickr



The narrows by John Morrow, on Flickr



The Slit by John Morrow, on Flickr



I take left fork by John Morrow, on Flickr



My goal Peak 5330'; over Echo by John Morrow, on Flickr



Furnace Creek far below by John Morrow, on Flickr



returning by John Morrow, on Flickr



difficult looking peak 5110'; by John Morrow, on Flickr



idyllic scene by John Morrow, on Flickr



late day color by John Morrow, on Flickr



back out by John Morrow, on Flickr

Many more pics:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N...9240218756

Dec 23:  Overnight predicted winds concerned me so I moved camp against the wash wall lower in the Hole in the Wall wash road.  And did it blow.  Wind continued through the morning and I thought it'd be a good time for Mesquite Dunes, when I remembered about the Big Dune south of Beatty.  What a chance to erase the thousands of OHV tracks normally scribbled across the slopes.  And it did not disappoint!  A nice way to spend Birthday #55.

[/url]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kZTGLn]DSC06837 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06851 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06870 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06881 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06890 by John Morrow, on Flickr




DSC06900 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06918 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06921 by John Morrow, on Flickr



DSC06917 by John Morrow, on Flickr

I love Dunes!!!

Many more pics:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/23557848@N...9235516113

[MojaveGeek]

5330 looks like an interesting place to head after going through the slit. I haven't taken the time to go much past the major fluted fall with the bypass on the left. No major obstacles above that? Doesn't look like it on the sat images.

Pretty clever to hit the Big Dune right after a heavy wind. Ordinarily I'd avoid that place like the plague with all the off road traffic all over the place.

You are the second person to post here this season about accessing Funeral from Sheep Canyon. Must be a good route, from the reports!