March 17, 2021 Alabama Hills

Boulder Creek RV Resort Lone Pine, California Day 2

Yesterday, I never set foot outside the RV after we arrived.  I was busy doing four loads of laundry and then at the same time, I spent seven hours catching up the blog.  I wanted to be able to play today! 

Lone Pine was a mining town.  Silver, lead, gold, dolomite, zinc, salt, and borax were all harvested in the nearby mountains. 

This is the view from our RV.

I took a walk this morning to Owens Lake.  This lake used to be 30 to 50 feet deep.  In the early 1900’s, the Sierra Nevada water supply was diverted to Los Angeles via an aqueduct.  The lake is now mostly dry and dusty.  This is an important stop on a waterfowl migration route.  Biologists are working to minimize dust and conserve water to preserve the habitat for the birds. 

The scenery here, everywhere you look, is stupendous!

Tim and I went into town this morning to get groceries and supplies.  There is a mural of John Muir, the naturalist, on the side of the store.

We packed a lunch and decided to take the Whitney Portal Road as far into the mountain as we were able.  The road was closed and we couldn’t take it to the end…maybe because of snow and ice.

We took several Jeep trails.  We got out to hike in the snow.  The air was so fresh and clean and was heavily scented with pine. 

We aren’t sure if these trees are sequoia.  They were definitely coniferous trees and they were about eighty feet all.  Sequoia National Park is right over on the western side of the Sierra Nevada Range. 

Hogback Creek, likely filled with snowmelt.

We drove down into the Alabama Hills.  These hills and the Sierra Nevade Mountains were formed by uplifting 100 million years ago. We were astonished to learn that all the rock formations are granite. The Sierra Nevadas were carved by glaciers. The Alabama Hills were shaped by chemicl and wind erosion. This area is most well-known as a place where over 400 movies have been filmed.  Movies like Man of Steel, Iron Man, Tremors, Star Wars Next Generation, Gunga Din, Gladiator, and many others.  Once we were there, it became instantly apparent…this area is interesting and gorgeous.   

We hiked the Arch Loop Trail to Mobius Arch.

We have been very fortunate to see lots of really beautiful places in the past many weeks…but this place made my heart feel full.  I was filled with a sense of awe and wonder all day.  We are so lucky to be doing this.

March 16, 2021 The Road To Lone Pine

Boulder Creek RV Resort Lone Pine, California

I walked this morning in the really chilly wind.  I did it in honor of my mother who has been faithfully walking in Westminster even when temperatures are in the thirties and it is blustery outside.  If she can do it…I need to!  I found the post office at the Ranch Resort.

Death Valley is the hottest place on Earth.  In 1913 it was 134 degrees here.  Last summer it was 128 degrees.  It is also the driest national park and the lowest.  Death Valley sits at -282 feet.  This is also the largest national park outside of Alaska.  We have been here before so we didn’t revisit Zabriski Point or the Natural Bridge or Badwater.  There were too many places we hadn’t seen yet!  There is so much to see that we already have a list of things we want to do next time.  There are too many rich opportunities here…we don’t want to miss any.

In the meantime, we moved on to Lone Pine, near Alabama Hills.  Our journey took us past Mesquite Dunes.  There was drifted sand on the road shoulder after yesterday’s sandstorm.

From our campground on the valley floor at 200 feet below sea level we traveled up to Towne Pass at 4,956 feet.

The Panamint Range was snow covered.

From there we had a 9-mile downhill.  The first several miles were a 9% grade which is pretty steep. We passed mountains of volcanic rock, glistening black in the sunshine.

From a dizzying height we had an unbelievable vista of the Panamint Valley far below.

We drove on a serpentine road twisting and turning as we descended the mountain.  Tim has nerves of steel!  Enjoy the video!

We stopped for a break at the Father Crowley Vista Point at Rainbow Canyon.  Here there were colorful layers of volcanic rock.  We took a nice hike out to the point. 

This canyon serves as a site for Navy flight training maneuvers.  The canyon is nicknamed Star Wars Canyon.  There were people sitting in chairs along the canyon’s edge, some for hours, waiting for the jets to fly through.  It would have been an amazing site to see…but no jets today while we were there.  This is a picture of what it would look like.

Ahead, we go our first unimpeded view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, majestic and imposing.  Mount Whitney which sits in Lone Pine, it the highest peak in the lower 48 states. 

We also passed a Joshua tree “forest.”

And salt flats.

I loved the beauty and diversity of this drive.  In 100 miles, we traversed, mountains, valleys, sand dunes, and a forest.  It was truly amazing!

March 15, 2021 Titus Canyon

Sunset Campground Death Valley National Park Death Valley, California Day 4

We woke up at 1:30 in the morning.   It was bright and brisk.  Our little wedge of sky was glittering with stars.

This morning it was very chilly.  We were very grateful for our fire and coffee. 

After we had all our gear put away, we headed down through the Amargosa Valley, finally finding pavement.

We decided to take the Titus Canyon drive.  High clearance vehicles are recommended for this road but today, it was in fairly good condition.  First, we traveled through the Grapevine Mountains.  Breathtaking scenery at every turn and twist.

A mining ghost town.

Petroglyphs at Klare Springs.

These springs are the only source of water in Titus Canyon, a 30-mile stretch.  Sheep can be seen drinking here in the mornings and evenings. 

The last portion of the trail wove through narrow canyons.  I had a really hard time eliminating pictures.  This drive was amazing.  We have spent time in Death Valley before and we missed this trek…but if you come here…you must take this ride!  It is definitely among my top ten favorite drives!

The mouth of the canyon and the end of the tour for today. I was almost sad for it to be over…it was so pretty.

All afternoon, the wind had been picking up speed.  As we drove back to the campground, sand was blowing across the road.  Over the dunes, great plumes of sand and dust hung suspended in the wind.

Back at the RV, we noticed our slide-out cover had become mangled with the wind.  When you travel as much as we do, you know that this is just one of those things that sometimes goes wrong.  But it is fixable!  We will find a place to get it repaired and move on.  We saw that wind speeds were about 27 miles an hour and then there were great gusts.  We were glad to be protected in the RV…safe and warm.  The wind shifted directions several times and right now itis blowing from the dunes.   We are in the middle of a sandstorm!   

March 14, 2021 Echo Canyon Jeep Excursion

Sunset Campground Death Valley National Park Death Valley, California Day 3

This morning I was dragging…I walked a slow and easy, short walk. 

When I got back to the RV, we packed for our overnight Jeep excursion.  We stopped for gas at the park gas station.

We took the Echo Canyon Trail, a rough 4WD trail, for experienced drivers with high ground clearance and a short wheel base…hmmm.  There are some technical portions…but Tim had done his research and he was certain that we could do this trail.

We entered the canyon.

The Eye of the Needle.

Pretty…pretty

The Inyo Mining Site with lots of old abandoned buildings and mining equipment.

Now, to the interesting part of the trail.  First, up the hill.

Then lots of beauty.  The character of the rock formations continues to amaze me.  I really do wish I knew more about geology.

At the first real rock obstacle, Tim got out to assess the situation.  Yes, he thought it was doable.   He said: “Don’t worry, it will be fine.”  I stood below, taking video footage.  That Jeep is a beast and it climbed right up the rocks.  We made it through the trickiest segments and I said: “Sometimes, I think you’re crazy!”  His reply: “I’m not crazy, I’m happy!”  That’s Austin’s line!  Enjoy our videos.

Tim is a very good driver and he does carefully look before attempting any obstacle and I always feel safe with him.

We went up and over the mountains.  The views were spectacular.

We found a sweet camping spot in a small box canyon. 

We watched the last vestiges of sunlight on the top of the mountains.

We drank wine, listened to music, had a fire, and made omelets for our dinner…we were happy campers!

Tim saw pretty colors in the sky behind me and he made me go and look.  I am so glad he did.  As I was taking pictures, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye.  There were bighorn rams standing on the ridge, looking right at us.  We counted a total of nine.     Maybe they were coming to claim their sleeping spot.  We had noticed, earlier in the evening, scat and flattened grasses where the sheep might have lain.  The sheep were making their way down the steep and rocky slope.  We could hear the clattering of stones falling into the canyon below.  We watched until it was too dark to see.

March 13, 2021 Golden Canyon

Sunset Campground Death Valley National Park Death Valley, California Day 2

I took my morning walk on the multiuse paved path along the park road. 

We are staying in a no hookups, no frills campsite…basically a big parking lot.  That really doesn’t matter much as we do not plan to stay in the RV very much!

We packed for the day and headed out to Golden Canyon Trailhead.  We wanted to hike in the Golden Badlands.

We took the spur to Red Cathedral.  It had a really fun rock scramble on the way up.  We didn’t go all the way to the top, but the views we had were breathtaking.

I love my hiking poles.  They give me added confidence and stability when I am hiking, particularly on steep inclines or declines and especially on uneven surfaces.  They supposedly improve your hiking posture and also take weight off of your knees.  I feel like I can look around a lot more instead of paying attention to every single footfall…though I still have to do that too!  They can be used to fend off unwanted attention and they would also come in handy if an injury occurred.  You get a great upper body workout as well and that burns more calories! Thanks, Kyle, for the best gift!!

After descending from Red Cathedral, we began a serious climb to the ridgeline of the Badlands.  I was slow and it was hard!  As soon as you crest the top, the endorphins kick in and I experienced a sense of euphoria and exhilaration.  The pictures were not working…enjoy the video.

We climbed back down and entered Gowan Gulch.  This took us to the end of the trail.  These hikes have been challenging, but nothing that I cannot do.  I just have to be patient with myself…and Tim has to be patient with me too!  I am enjoying this…stepping out of my comfort zone!

We took a short 4WD trail to Hole in the Wall.

Our lunch view.

We drove the Twenty Mule Team Canyon. 

This evening, I prepared salads at the RV and we packed them and took the Jeep to Artists Drive.  We had our dinner while watching the sunset.

We are running the generator to charge the batteries while I write the blog. 

I have had enough adventure for today (22,658 steps or 9,6 miles).   I am going to take a hot shower, some Aleve, and go to bed!

March 12, 2021 Snow In The Desert

Sunset Campground Death Valley National Park Death Valley, California

I was tired this morning and cold and I easily could have skipped the walk altogether…but I needed to go and I did.  I hiked a short distance toward the Kelso Dunes and when the sand got really soft and deep, I went back to walk on the paved road.  I walked about one mile from the RV and it started to spit.  I turned around and was surprised to see dense clouds and the rain started to come harder and then it began to snow!  Okay people at home…you can laugh at us now.  We have desperately been trying to avoid the cold and definitely to avoid the snow…

It was snowing still as we pulled out to the main road…big fat flakes!

We stopped for our breakfast at the Historic Kelso Train Depot.  We didn’t get out of the RV…it was chilly.

Further up the road, the clouds became brooding and intimidating.

Above 3,000 feet we began to see Joshua trees and SNOW.  It was actually really pretty.

We drove into the small town of Baker.  We stopped at the Baker Market for eggs, bread, and milk.  Here we fueled the RV with diesel for $4.59 a gallon.  The Shell station had a charging center for Teslas.  There were four cars plugged in…we are in California!

Baker’s claim to fame is that they have the world’s largest thermometer.

The road from Baker to Death Valley is a scenic route.

We have been to Death Valley before.  We have heard from other people that they do not like it here. There is nothing here but sand and rocks they have said. But, we really like it.  There are lots of opportunities for hiking and 4WD adventures.  We also want to do another tent camping overnight.

Tim spent the afternoon poring over the maps and making plans!

March 11, 2021 WOW Ride!

Kelso Dunes Mojave National Preserve Kelso, California

When we got up this morning it was chilly…inside the RV and out.  The temperature had plummeted into the upper thirties overnight.  Without hookups, we ran the furnace on propane and set it at 64 degrees.  We didn’t want to disturb our neighbors more than absolutely necessary by running the generator for an extended time.   Tim had the idea to drive for a while and then to stop for my walk and his morning exercise as the day got warmer.  This turned out to be a terrific idea.  We drove through Joshua Tree Park in the early morning light with few other cars on the road. 

Good morning!

We sat up in our perches, watching the world come to us through our picture window.  The play of clouds and sunshine was stunning today.  We crossed from the Colorado Desert into the Mojave Desert. 

We parked at the Twin Tanks Trailhead.  I walked for two miles on the Geology Tour Road, a gradual ascent into Queens Valley.  Then I turned back to the RV.  I really didn’t want to stop.  It was peaceful and quiet.  I saw ground squirrels, jackrabbits, and other small rodents.  These animals are at the very bottom of the desert food chain.   I read the other day that packrats can have up to 11 litters of baby packrats each year.  This is necessary to keep the larger predators like coyote and bobcats well-fed.  The mountain lions don’t come down to the desert floor very often.  They prefer larger meals like bighorns and deer that live at higher elevations.  Along the trail there was a lot of evidence of very active animal presence.  Lots of scat, burrows, rabbit warrens, and holes gouged out of the earth during hunting sprees. 

We drove out of the park and toward Amboy.  The clouds casting shadows on the mountains and the colors and the light…all so beautiful.

This is our first glimpse of the Amboy Crater with salt flats in the foreground. 

This is an extinct volcano that last erupted 10,000 years ago.  We parked the RV and took the hike to the rim of the crater.  It was cloudy and a little chilly…perfect for this hike.  It is apparently very hot here as temperatures soar.  The black lava rock holds heat and hiking here can be dangerous…but not today…we even had sprinkles of rain. 

It was one mile to the base of the crater.  We then had to follow a series of switchbacks to get to the top.  I wanted to see the inside of the cone.  I wasn’t sure what I expected…the volcano has been dormant for 10,000 years.  The inside had fallen in on itself and there was a layer of sand on top.  I am still glad we hiked it.  We stood inside a volcano today! 

We drove through the town of Amboy.  This small town…really just a motel and a gas station, sits on the very popular Route 66.

We headed north toward Kelso.  The sky continued to put on a show.  We even had splats of snow on the windshield. 

We entered Mojave National Preserve and found our campsite on Kelso Dunes Road.

We are camped right next to this sign…

Evening sky.

We might not have very reliable service for the next few days or week. We will be traveling in the Mojave Desert and Death Valley. We will post when we can!

March 10, 2021 Mastodon Peak Trail

Cottonwood Springs Campground Joshua Tree National Park Indio, California

I was surprised that I felt strong and ready to walk after yesterday’s big hike.  The Indian Waters Campground really was lovely.  The landscaping and the amenities are very nice.  Too bad that we really didn’t get to enjoy the pool, the pickle ball courts, Taco Tuesdays, and the community fire rings.  Maybe another time. This morning, the air smelled like freshly mown grass and orange blossoms…two of my very favorite fragrances!

We traveled for a short distance on 10 to Joshua Tree National Park.  From Indio at -20 sea level to the park at 3,079 feet we noticed a big difference, particularly in the temperature!  But Joshua trees only grow above 3,000 feet.  They actually are not trees at all but a kind of yucca plant.  They can grow 40 feet tall at the rate of 1 inch per year.  The tallest trees are hundreds of years old.  We were able to get a campsite in the National Park but only for tonight. 

We parked the RV and found a three-mile moderate hike, the Mastodon Mine Trail.

The rock formations here, huge globular boulders piled on one another, look like they have been haphazardly dumped from trucks. 

Our hike took us up to Mastodon Peak.  As we climbed in elevation, I noticed a slight shortness of breath due to the altitude.  Near the top, there was an optional rock scramble to navigate.  I stayed below to take Tim’s picture.

Tim’s view from the top and if you look carefully, you can see me far below!

We passed an old abandoned gold mine. 

We climbed down to the wash and out to the Jeep.

We took a very short ride on the Pinkham Canyon Road.

We are guessing that the larger lighter mountains in the distance are the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 180 miles away and with the tallest peak standing at about 14,000 feet. 

Another great hike, another great day!

March 9, 2021 Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Hike

Indian Waters RV Resort Indio, California Day 2

We didn’t have time this morning for our usual morning routine.  We had an adventure planned and we wanted to get an early start.  When we were in Atlanta during December, Tim was speaking with our friend Peter about our plans for the winter.  Peter told Tim about an awesome hike in the Mecca Hills in Indio, California.  And so, today, we found ourselves here and ready to try this challenging hike.  It is rated difficult.  I went online yesterday to read about it…and the warnings!!!  I didn’t want to be scared though…I wanted to be prepared.  So, I watched some YouTube videos and I did not see anything that I didn’t think I could do.    

I slept fine but got up early.  I was starting to feel a little nervous and excited. 

We had to drive 5 miles on the sand and gravel road to get to the trailhead.

The opening was big and wide and it was a really pleasant day.

We knew to look for the large stone arrow in the wash.  This was the beginning of the trail into Ladder Canyon.

There was a large rock fall, giant boulders to climb around.  This was just the beginning!

Yes, this is the trail…

In the middle of the rock slide was a gap…I wasn’t sure that I could cross it.  Tim had done it easily and he wanted me to do it the same way.  I pushed down my trepidation and figured out my way to get across.  I got down on my butt and propped myself against the wall and I made it!  First major obstacle conquered!

The really cool thing about this trail is that you have to climb ladders to get up and down into the canyon.  The ladders were fairly sturdy and Tim was right there to talk me through.  He was a great coach, showing me where to put my feet and how to use toeholds in the rock.  

We entered the slot canyon.  Here the walking was easy and fun! 

We climbed ladders again to get out of the canyon and up to the ridge part of the trail.  Here, I really did need help.  There was a very large jump to the next level and I could not get up.  Tim grabbed my hand and pulled me!  We were on our way to the top.

We could see the Salton Sea…we could see snowcapped mountains…we could see the canyons on either side down below.  The view was magnificent.  I kept trying to take pictures…perfectly inadequate. 

Enjoy my video.

The ridge walk was also amazing. 

We had a long steep downhill into Painted Canyon.  I used my hiking poles and did just fine.  We walked in the wash through Painted Canyon.  Walking in the deep, loose sand and gravel was hard…but the canyon was incredible.  This area is very close to the San Andreas Faultline.  I am not entirely certain what forces of nature conspired to create this masterpiece eons ago…it looks like it might have been very violent.  Rocks and cliffs and ledges heaved up from the Earth.  The torrents of water that carved the canyons are difficult to imagine in this dry and dusty place. 

I am not the only one who imagines things…Tim was reminded here of a whale coming up out of the water like we saw in Baja.

And here he was reminded of a dinosaur egg.

The colors of the stone, rose and cream and green and peach and every color in between.  The patterns and compositions of the stone…the sunlight bouncing around in the canyon…what a wonderful hike! 

Two last ladders to the very bottom and then another mile or so to the Jeep.  We walked almost 15,000 steps or 5.6 miles in about 3 ½ hours with a few breaks.

I want to thank Tim…for challenging me and daring me, for always expecting me to push myself to do my best, for encouraging me, and for supporting me…and most of all for hauling me out of that chute!

We had lunch at a campsite on the way back to Indio.

We are happy that we started so early.  The wind really picked up.  We didn’t want to be up on that ridge in a stiff wind.  In the valley on our way out, the dust was blowing so much that we couldn’t see the mountains.

We are very glad that we listened to Peter and came here to do this hike.