Hiking Saline Valley (Jan 2022)

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More and more I've found that I enjoy hiking more than driving in Death Valley. Getting out into a canyon, walking across the desert, hiking up a sand dune - these are the times when I really find joy in the beauty of this grand place.

And so, for the fifth time in two months, I'm headed back. The plan this time is to hike for three days, to three very special places - places that not many people visit, and that I'll do my best to keep a little more obscured than normal. if you find them, I encourage you to enjoy them as much as I did - and help to keep them a little less well-known.

Oh, and of course, no trip would be complete without a little "excitement" in the motorized vehicle department... but now I'm getting ahead of myself as usual.

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...It was a cold night - temperatures dipping into the high teens - but I slept warmly under my comforters, my alarm set for just before sunrise.

I awoke to snow on the mountains, and I can't say that my feelings were of the warm and fuzzy variety as a enjoyed the view to the west. I'd have to cross some mountains to reach Eureka Valley... at least via my planned route....

Keep reading the rest here
Snowy Roads, Dusty Roads, and a Small Tug - Hiking #1​

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Keep reading the rest here
Snowy Roads, Dusty Roads, and a Small Tug - Hiking #1​

 

...I had a hard time putting my camera down. The steely blues and warm browns continued to decorate the walls around me, a few easy dry falls presenting themselves along the way. I knew my luck could only hold out for so long - eventually a fall too high to negotiate would mark the end of my adventure. Until then, I soaked it all in....

Keep reading the rest here
In Search of Grand Views - Hiking #2​

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Keep reading the rest here
In Search of Grand Views - Hiking #2​

 

As I mentioned in the first post, I have organized this trip report a bit differently than most. Some of the hiking locations have little or no reporting on the internet and I feel they should remain that way; as such, locations will be redacted and/or not mentioned, and the order of the trip will be randomized.

The first and last posts will cover some of the driving, in order to separate it - and location information - from the hikes. Please, if you know the locations of the hikes, I encourage you to enjoy them as much as I did - and follow my lead to keep them a little less well-known.

Part 3:
In Search of a Marble Tub​

Still a bit chilly this early in the morning...

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the whole story
In Search of a Marble Tub - Hiking #3​

 

...The relentless elevation gain wouldn't stop all day, and while the granola bar was technically enough, it definitely wasn't. But frequent stops to take in the sights around me helped to keep my perspiration and burning quads under control. After all, the views are what I was here for, anyway....

Keep reading the rest here
In Search of Lucky Rich's Riches - Hiking #4​

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Keep reading the rest here
In Search of Lucky Rich's Riches - Hiking #4​

 

...Approaching the dunes, I knew that my quick trip out of the park was going to slow down for a bit. For the entirety of my trip, I'd been contemplating a series of photos to capture the absolute insanity in which I'd met a new friends that I'd helped out of a jam just a few days before. The only complication - as I saw it - was capturing the spirit of the powdery slurry without myself getting stuck in the mess....

Keep reading the rest here
Our Paths Finally Cross - Hiking #5​

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Keep reading the rest here
Our Paths Finally Cross - Hiking #5​