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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
I'm back in Death Valley!!! A quick first TR for a 10 day stint in this fantastically sublime and diverse National Park. Starting with this series of dayhikes, I joined my friend and coworker Victoria for a combination of dayhikes and a, practically epic, 50 miler backpack. This is our first few days.
November 12:
But first, I went into the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area above Vegas to the west for a quick summit hike to 10,252 feet on Fletcher Peak via the North Loop Trail.
A well maintained trail start at 8000 feet quickly brought me into the famed bristlecone forests with views of majestic limestone peaks...a few of my favorite things!
First Bristlecone Mt. Charleston Wilderness, NV Cockscomb below
A good way trail departs the North Loop Trail for the summit in another mile.
Griffith Peak Mummy's Toes, Mt. Charleston Wilderness, NV Cockscomb below Charleston Mummy Peak across Harris Mountain
Back to the Raintree junction with the waytrail and down.
The "Raintree" Vegas Lights Love these sentinels! Even snags are special Back at Fletcher Peak Frenchman lights up over Vegas Back among old friends
The trail starts/finishes in some stately Ponderosa pines making me feel right at home. I camped below them 300 yards from the TH. So great to be at altitude again!
November 13:
After restocking and resting, I drove to Death Valley National Park. I arrived in time to drive up to Dante's View of Death Valley at over 5000 feet, and then run up the adjacent Dante Peak 5704'...a whopping .3 miles...with time to watch the Supermoonrise!!!!
Dante's View! Mount Perry for tomorrow; golden hour View south to Smith Mtn Pyramid Peak distant Funeral Mountains Wilderness Death Valley Wilderness, CA
November 14:
After happily rendezvousing with Victoria at Texas Spring campground, I convinced her our first hike should be to run the 4.5 mile ridgeline "out and back" from Dante's View to Mount Perry 5716' in celebration of the 2nd night of the supermoonrise. We timed it for a final mile return back over Dante Peak to the moonlight! (No pics...too dark). Great start to our Death Valley time.
Death Valley National Park Death Valley National Park, CA Death Valley National Park, Dante's View to Mt Perry Victoria finds some scrambling A ridgerun! Death Valley Wilderness, Death Valley National Park, CA. Colors on top, Mount Perry Gotta go back there
November 15:
"Peaks or canyons?", we asked ourselves this day. Canyons it was. We started with the classic Mosaic Canyon, hiking a combination of narrows, dryfalls, and bypasses to reach the "fourth narrows" prior to the canyon taking an open steep run up Tucki Mountain. Bypasses are required but are cairned with very wide tread.
Victoria starts up Mosaic Interesting walls Crazy forms Death Valley National Park, CA A dryfall scramble More scrambling Death Valley National Park, CA Working a bypass Big mountains over bypass Mosaic canyon narrows, CA Death Valley National Park, CA Tightening Death Valley National Park, CA Denied again!
We returned above the canyon on the complete bypass trail on the southside of the canyon.
Death Valley National Park, CA Clouds forming Last look at Mosaicy walls
Then it was on to Natural Bridge Canyon for a view of its famous Natural Bridge, and an attempt to go beyond. We got a short ways before we did a sketchy "ball-bearings on glass" bypass that still refused permission to re-enter the canyon. Oh well...a pretty bridge.
To Natural Bridge Natural Bridge! Bridge view Beyond the bridge Pretty fall Attempting another fall bypass Can't get back in! Death Valley National Park, CA Backlight bridge
Coming up: a great extended loop backpack over four days, followed by more daytrips with Victoria and then solo.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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sticky buns Member
Joined: 29 Aug 2010 Posts: 175 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
Darn, had I known you were going to be there so soon, I would have left a message and stash of goodies.
The colors in DV do surprise me. And the snags, ahh, the snags. So much character!
Looking forward to seeing the rest of your reports and maybe someday being in the same place at the same time.
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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
sticky buns wrote: | Darn, had I known you were going to be there so soon, I would have left a message and stash of goodies.
The colors in DV do surprise me. And the snags, ahh, the snags. So much character!
Looking forward to seeing the rest of your reports and maybe someday being in the same place at the same time. |
Just out from 4 nights at Emigrant Campground! Because of your tip I went up Wildrose Peak for the infamous view of the highest and lowest points from the same vantage in the 48 US States! Maybe next November for a Mojave/Sonoran desert experience?
john
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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ree Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 4399 | TRs | Pics
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ree
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Fri Nov 25, 2016 1:05 pm
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Mosaic Canyon is truly one of my favorites. What a textural crowd pleaser. I've never make it to tuck in Tucki. Looks like you had a bit of route finding at the head of the canyon? Was there a bootpath to the summit?
Dante's View... Stunning shots. Esp. moonrise. Wonderful stuff.
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John Morrow Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2007 Posts: 1526 | TRs | Pics Location: Roslyn |
ree wrote: | Mosaic Canyon is truly one of my favorites. What a textural crowd pleaser. I've never make it to tuck in Tucki. Looks like you had a bit of route finding at the head of the canyon? Was there a bootpath to the summit?
Dante's View... Stunning shots. Esp. moonrise. Wonderful stuff. |
Hi Ree,
Not sure I fully understand your question, exactly. But we didn't make the summit of Tucki, not even close. We made it to what is commonly called the "fourth narrows". To get there requires exiting the canyon and reentering on a scramble downclimb. A full width trail has developed now on the south side of the canyon ( left looking upcanyon). It bypasses all dryfalls. From there it would be a steep scramble on much loose gravel on one of the ridges, either side of the main canyon, to get to the summit. Does that answer it?
John
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver
“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.”
― MLK Jr.
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ree Member
Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 4399 | TRs | Pics
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ree
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Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:27 am
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Yeah, I thought you made it up to the top of Tucki. That would be a very long hike indeed. Last time, we made it to the place you exit top of the canyon on the right and drop back down. We went past that and turned around. I guess I was wondering if you could make it all the way from the canyon mouth to the summit.
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