Today’s hike will be short, but challenging, as it involves a lot of climbing moves and a 1 mile slog in and out of the canyon through deep gravel. Steve was thoughtful to bring the beer cooler, as we will be hot and thirsty when we finish this hike. Afterwards, we head to Stovepipe Wells for showers. Feels nice to be clean! Dinner tonight was pasta primavera, salad and garlic bread. We made it all the way to 9:30pm tonight, talking, joking and laughing all through dinner!
Death Valley Sage
Dried water channels in the rock
1 mile hike through deep gravel to narrows
Steve explains the strategy to Lynn for the face climb
Jen is the first one up
We all make it, then on to the overhang
Mojave Astor
Sediment layers pushed almost vertical
Next we learn how to tackle a chimney
This shady area will be our lunch spot
This is one chimney we won’t climb. but we will be above it later. This is where the canyon ends for most-but not us.
time for lunch! I’m having a banana pancake rolled up with peanut butter, left over from breakfast. Everyone else has hummus, made on the spot.
One last peep! I didn’t know it at the time but National Geographic is having a travel photo contest with peeps! I’ve entered this shot.
Lynn stakes out a sunny spot for our “quiet time” (ruined only by my coughing fit)
We have to climb up the canyon side to get out of the narrows
View back down the canyon
Who wantst o continue to the real end of Grotto Canyon?
good example of opposite forces pushing the rock in 2 different directions
Flowers are everywhere!
Desert Holly growing out of rock
Desert Globemallow
The end of the line! We were like big kids in a giant sand box climbing up and down big rocks
We were down there before
Steep gravelly ridge hike back down to the wash, then 1 mile back in the deep gravel to the van, and cold BEER! I wish I felt up to drinking beer this week!
This might have been the hardest part. My calves sure felt it!
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, where we’ll have dinner Friday
Center-Thimble Peak (elev. 6381 ft. Friday’s hike
Grapevine Mountains and sand dunes
