Canyon People - Part 2

April 4, 2018
Amargosa Valley, Nevada

We were told. We were even "shown". Still, Titus Canyon in Death Valley National Park is a beautiful and exciting surprise. Once we get over the several miles of rough, washboard, teeth rattling dirt and rock from the highway to the hills, the drive is full of many Wows!.

Everything we've seen in Death Valley has been wonderful, but this is definitely the highlight of our visit. Thanks John and Pam (Oh the Places They Go) for making sure we didn't miss this!!

This shy female quail Chukar (thanks Sue!) greets us as we near the hills. Love her markings.

I always look back at photos of the start of trails and think "We had no idea how amazing this was going to be!"

Colorful mounds,

and dark ridges line our entry.

Tessa likes taking me to the top.

Others show up along the way, but for most of the day we're on our own. Ahhhhh....

This is a one-way loop drive so I remember to look back.

The only other wildlife sighting of the day.

We finally go topless like real canyon people. Bill is happier about this than he looks :-)

Although it is in John's blog post, this section of narrow, shelf road looks "less fun" from the bottom.

Not that bad, and so worth the views!

Our anticipation is for the "slot canyon for cars" that we've heard so much about, so when we come over the top of the pass we are blown away by the beauty below. The colors and textures are stunning. It's a road you have to pay attention to, with large rocks and deeps ruts, but it is a beautiful area. 

Down the road we come to Leadville, a small mining ghost town where the post office was only open for six months before closing permanently. 

Another Jeep has the "prime spot", and gives good perspective for the long views.

At the summit.

What a palette!

In the dictionary under switchback......this.

Surrounded by drama.

1926 gold mine

I like our place better.

Just past our stop at Leadville, we come to the first canyon. With the top off we have views in every direction. We're also reminded to bring hats when we do this next time!

Between canyons, the road enters a wide area where a small panel of petroglyphs sits at the edge. Many seem to be layered, and it is difficult to tell how many are ancient story telling.

What awaits around the corner?

We should have done this a long time ago.

That sun's warm!

We imagine dozens of critters watching us pass below.

It's a privilege to visit this remote place.

The canyon widens.

I'm happy to see that throughout this area, people have stayed on trail, ensuring our continued access.

A park sign marks the location of the petroglyphs, but provides no information on their origin.

The last section of Titus Canyon is a twisting, narrow, tall canyon that is the star of the show. There is a feeling of amusement park fun combined with an ancient sacred path. We take our time and enjoy every minute.

Getting snug.

Fluffy reflections.

Another photographer makes a quick stop and shows how deep the road is in the canyon.

Finding some shade along a short side canyon.

Natural formations mimic rock art.

Up close!

Up high!

Weaving our way through.....

.....and all too soon we're out the other side.

There are no signs for high-clearance or four-wheel-drive for this route, but I wouldn't take anything else. One of the guys we talked to at Leadville said he wished he'd known or had better tires. Another pickup was changing their flat tire in the wash. Again, we're very happy we have our Jeep.

Thursday we move on to Pahrump - where we find some more canyons to explore!

We're Definitely Canyon People - Part 1

April 3-5, 2018
Amargosa Valley, Nevada

Tuesday we head back into Death Valley National Park. 

15 miles east of the visitors' center at Furnace Creek is the turn-off for Twenty Mule Team Canyon. A short 2.7 mile drive travels one way through a unique landscape. Smooth hills and jagged ridges in a variety of muted colors create a beautiful badlands.

Sandstone cathedrals watch over us.

Let the zoomies begin!

Tessa has a great time running up and over the white hills.

Come on Mom, let's see what's up here!

Good job fluffy trail blazer!

The surprise of blues and purple.

The badlands stretch to tall mountains beyond.

The drive to the visitors' center takes us past the popular Zabriskie Point where crowds are already filling the walkway. We pass by with plans to return. We also pass by Badwater Basin with the same plans. As it turns out we never make it back to either area. Guess we'll have to come back :-)

We pick up a map and information at Furnace Creek. The wind is picking up but before noon it is already warm. We continue on through Stovepipe Wells where we have no need of the services provided. A rough, washboard road takes us to Mosaic Canyon. More crowds have nearly filled the parking lot so after a quick leg stretch we continue on.

The oasis of Furnace Creek.

Early on the valley floor.

Mesquite Flat Dunes

Mosaic Canyon

Continuing west, and rapidly gaining elevation, we turn on to Emigrant Canyon Road to Wildrose Canyon. An 18 mile round trip takes us to the town site of Skidoo. Important to remember that a site is not a town when framing one's expectations :-) At 5800' the temps have dropped significantly. I get back in the Jeep to get out of the chilly wind!

Along the shelf road we encounter a single hiker talking on her cell phone. When we stop on the way back to see if she needs water or anything else she tells us she walked up here from her tent down the hill (we saw it earlier) to get cell service to call her son. The views are expansive, I can only imagine how she explains to him where she is.

The color of canyon walls.

Four of a kind.

Balancing along soft sand.

The road to Skidoo

Spots of interest along the way.

Site, no town remains. The name Skidoo comes from the slang 23 Skidoo meaning to get out quickly, although the town was productive from 1907 to 1916. Approximately $1.5 million in gold was pulled from the mine. I'm always amazed by the distances and conditions of the routes they had to travel from these small boom towns.

Much cooler up here!

Views coming down the hill.

Wildrose Canyon includes a small, primitive campground with pit toilets and trash/recycling bins. The foliage is thick and green here. We take another rough road (even worse than roads in Louisiana!) to pick up the twisting highway through the pass. At the bottom we pick up Panamint Highway back to Highway 190. Back up and over into the valley. 10 miles up and 13 miles down at 6-7%, not something I'd enjoy in the motorhome!

Wildrose Canyon Campground

Paved - sort of.

Gorgeous views with a touch of snow on top.

Pastels on the west side of the park - Panamint Valley.

Stuck in the middle with you......

Towne Pass

The heat is waiting for us back in the valley.

One last stop at Devil's Cornfield (dude get's his name on a lot of places).

Arrowweed roots bind with the soil to support each plant and were thought to resemble bundled dry corn. Natives used the rigid stems of the plant to make arrow shafts. 

Tomorrow we'll come back for one last canyon through these beauties. We saved the best for last!