Came across some pictures that I apparently hadn't posted, yet. Hiked back in June, so this is one of about a half-dozen hikes I still need to blog. All cell phone shots, with this post.
Started from the Split Rock Loop parking area, a bit east of Jumbo Rocks. From there, I headed north-ish on the loop for about 1/2 mile, before turning off further north. There is a turn sign on the trail and rocks indicating the way you should go to stay on the Split Rock Loop, and there is no sign indicating where you are going if you turn right. Right takes you up an incline, then back down, then up a ravine on the other side.
The trail became somewhat intermittent as I headed up that ravine, so I wasn't sure if I was on an actual trail or a use trail. Near the top, I just veered off, hoping to get a vista point among the rocks. Didn't really get a good vista, but saw lots of exposed rocks. Some of them looked like they could be seasonal "potholes" that could support fairy shrimp or other short-lived aquatic life.
Still just June, and it was cloudy, so not very hot. Some flowers, but obviously well-past peak.
The clouds in these pictures would build, so my initial plan of astronomy that night was foiled. But at least I got a good hike out of the trip!
The "Geology Fire" started about this time, and I saw some plumes of dark smoke to my south. Occasionally smelled burnt foliage, too. But I figured the vegetation is sporatic enough that I didn't think the fire could spread in my direction, despite the gusty winds.
After a lot of poking around, looking for a vista, I eventually siddled back down to where I last saw the trail, and reacquired the route. When I came across a split, I checked my Alltrails app map, and picked a direction that would take me towards mine indicators. Alltrails didn't show a complete loop, but I was pretty sure I could build one, given the lack of dense vegegation. And, if not, I could just follow the trail out, then walk along roads to get back to my car.
Impressive rock formations all along these trail. I spent a lot of time photographing the rocks, and the rest photographing the catci and flowers.
I eventually looped high above a valley, with wonderful views both up and down the valley. Near this point, I saw several metal grates, which covered deep but narrow mining excavations. I held my cellphone up to the little openings to get a few shots down, into the mine.
At the time (even now!), I wasn't sure which mine I was seeing, but, in looking at maps, I figure this area must be the Desert Queen mine. The "official" access is from the other side, and requires some dirt roads to get to. This way was longer, but also more scenic.
After passing the vertically drilled mine shafts, my trail took me down into the valley, and closer to additional evidence of mining, incluidng some horizontal shafts and some machinery. Canyon walls closed in around me.
My Alltrails showed a trail going at least some ways up along another ravine, so up I went. I almost gave up and decided to backtrack, but made one more push, and succeeded in finding an easy way up the ravine. When I finally emerged out of that ravine, I was in a rather wide, sandy wash.
Then I came upon a low stone dam, maybe two feet tall on the downstream side. The upstream side was filled to the brim with sand. And, shortly after that, a sign! So I knew I was back on some sort of track.
The trail was again well-defined, and I soon passed several more arrows or trail signs. Took one to Lucky Boy vista, which I had been to, before. However, this time, once at the vista, I continued forward, down what looked like a use trail, but which soon fragmented off almost nothing. But the foliage was thin enough that I could continue to pick and easy way forward, toward the Split Rock Loop trail. Again, I could use my Alltrails app map to make progress in the correct direction, but with no real urgency to meet the actual trail, because this non-trail was easy enough to follow.
There were more interesting rock formations here, so I stopped for an extended shoot of those rocks in the second-to-last photo of this post. Shortly thereafter, I met up with the regular Split Rock Loop trail. Took only another ten minutes or so before I passed the earlier fork I had taken, and another ten minutes or so to get to the parking area.
My Alltrails recording shows less than four miles for the hike, but the gps is obviously intermittent, as there are several segments of straight lines, where it did not record between two different points that I obviously didn't teleport between. Probably something like five miles, but it's hard to say.
Quite a lot of altitude gain and loss, too, so I have to admit that, even if the weather had cleared, I was feeling pretty tired and not enthusiastic about telescoping that night.
In terms of hikes that need to be blogged, I made another trip to Joshua Tree a week later. Hiked just a bit south of this area, from between Oak Tree picnic area and Jumbo Rocks campground in the daytime, then returned that night and took some Milky Way shots. I may try to post that one, next.
On Fourth of July weekend, my wife and I took a trip all the way out in southwestern Colorado. Several hikes and overviews from Mesa Verde National Park, and a short (but more than three mile) hike at Navajo National Monument, in Arizona.
Two weeks later was Cedar Breaks National Monument. I blogged the daytime hiking, but I think haven't posted my Milky Way shot from late that night.
Between the two afternoon and evening hikes at Cedar Breaks, we visited Fremont Indian State Park, a bit farther north in Utah.
Also walked around the Huntington Gardens and the L.A> zoo in late June, but probably won't post those two, although I did get some pretty cool shots. So at least four more blog posts, depending on how many I break Mesa Verde up into. Hopefully won't take me too long to catch up!
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