Somehow didn’t get around to writing in my journal yesterday even though I had plenty of time.
With another day of high heat forecast I was up at 4:30 yesterday and hiked several miles before sunrise. It was a very pleasant time to be out and walking.
The wash continued good as a route and there was more life as the elevation increased: chollas, barrel cactuses, sage, desert sunflowers. For some reason, I didn’t take pictures of any of them.
Got into Mesquite Springs CG around 2 pm, with 2 liters of water to spare, found a campsite with a large creosote that provided shade, and lolled until late afternoon. The campground here has reliable water from its spring, and was a main reason I plotted out a route that sticks to the valley floor, rather than veering west into the Cottonwoods following the Desert Trail route. The water here is not the sweetest, but it is plenty wet, and is much better than most desert springs.
Made the acquaintance of Michael and Thuy, who invited me over for a dinner of lamb chops, fried rice and chilled white wine. A big win, I hope they enjoyed our conversation as much as I enjoyed theirs, along with the fresh food and a cold drink.
Sphinx moths were out in abundance, and added a bit of life to the atmosphere.
I indulged in the luxury of prepping breakfast (hash browns) on a picnic table, loaded up with water (8 L), and continued north up Death Valley Wash at sunrise.
First stop was Ubehebe Crater. It is not a volcanic crater, but a spot where gasses were trapped underground, building pressure until they finally blew. This happened about 2000 years ago, not so long as geological catastrophes go.
There is a trail down to the bottom of the crater, which is maybe 200 feet deep, and another around the rim. I’d hiked six miles to get here, and it was already hot, so I took a pass on any extra hiking.
Sunset would be the time to get the best light on the crater (or I could have walked around to its southeast side), but it was still pretty darn impressive.
My route continued north up the wash, steadily gaining altitude, snow apparent on the ridge of the Last Chance mountains to the west.
The topography was rougher in places, generating some canyon cliffs that provided very nice noontime shade. To my delight, I saw a burrowing owl and watched it for a few minutes before it noticed me trying to stealthily pull out my camera.
To my surprise, I saw a shorebird with long red legs, white breast, black back and pointed wings. I certainly didn’t see any water around for it to wade in, I hope it wasn’t lost or injured.
Mud patterns threaded through Death Valley Wash
Although not as hot today, winds were strong from the south, with gusts up to 40 mph. I hiked longer than I wanted to, trying to find a sheltered spot but had to settle for the wash bottom which is just a few feet below the desert level. I’ve cranked my new tarp down taut, it provides a good shelter and should hold up through the night.
Windy camp in DV Wash
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