Death Valley Natl. Pk. Cottonwoods, BadH2O, Sidewinder Nov. 18-19, 2021

[John Morrow]

Nov 18th was a bit of a wild card.  I really want to explore the area between Cottonwood Canyon and Emigrant bajada more.  There is access info on the canyoneer websites:  They consider it a subrange of the Cottonwood Mountains calling them the "Princess Bride Range".  Kauri and Steve Hall have numbered some of the steep canyons.  I used the upcanyon approach for a canyon called Pit of Despair.  Poor name for a gorgeous place.
Screenshot 2021-12-11 122618 by John Morrow, on Flickr

I was able to up and down climb Rappels 2 and 3 though the short wall bypass of Rap 3 was Class 5.  The entire route of green approach uphill is Class 1 and 2.  When the middle of the canyon is reached and the uproute crosses it, simply explore up canyon as far as comfortable.



shady rest by John Morrow, on Flickr


known as Pit of Despair Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr



climbing up canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr



narrow and rubbly by John Morrow, on Flickr



nice break spot by John Morrow, on Flickr


above the canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr



beautiful water polish by John Morrow, on Flickr



P1010140 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010143 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010152 by John Morrow, on Flickr

On the 19th, after a fine dispersed camp up Hole in the Wall, we opted to see the sites by first walking far out Badwater and finishing up the day at Sidewinder.


P1010156 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010172 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010178 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010181 by John Morrow, on Flickr



P1010186 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010192 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010208 by John Morrow, on Flickr


P1010220 by John Morrow, on Flickr

Later in the month I returned for a couple final dayhikes.  On this last night we camped at Ibex mtn TH for great views of moon and sun rises and settings.

---

[netllama]

Wow, that's an incredible report!

[TacoLand]

Hey John, great reports you've been posting. Thanks for sharing your day hikes & photos. My life got turned upside down this week so one of the highlights of every day has been chugging a cup of coffee and zooming through these in the morning with what little time I have. You always have fantastic adventures and photos. Great stuff!

[Bluegreen kayak]

Thank you so much for the report and the pictures. I'm glad your friend liked DV so much, that you both saw so many great places, and that you've shared such wonderful images with us. I'd rather look at your photos than the snow outside my windows right now, for sure.

[bbbb]

Great report, John! I'm fascinated by the Cottonwoods so it's really great seeing a closer look at the locations you've been to. Did you use any rappelling equipment or was this all regular hiking?

[John Morrow]

Great report, John! I'm fascinated by the Cottonwoods so it's really great seeing a closer look at the locations you've been to. Did you use any rappelling equipment or was this all regular hiking?

Nothing need be technical on this bbbb. I did not have gear as I am not really a tech canyoneer.  Some of the dryfall scrambling/climbing is Cl 4 or 5 (@ rappels 2 and 3), but none is necessary to do the green approach line.  Nice sections of the middle canyon can be explored up to rappel 3 with easy scrambling.   I think it makes a decent alt. to the road through Cottonwood narrows in a beginning of a longer backpack.  It could be looped with the canyon I did years ago in a Cottonwood/Marble Lemoigne Loop (http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8022827).  Kauri's Canyon No 8.  Though a long bit of bajada walking