Brownstone Canyon & Lower Dam Pond (with loop return) - 3/10/23

Lower Dam Pond at Brownstone Canyon

Pictographs in Brownstone Canyon

Water Flowing down Red Sandstone

Small Break on the Kraft Saddle

It was a beautiful day. Very little wind. After the morning clouds went away, we had blue skies. We took full advantage of the beauty and did a long slow hike out to Brownstone Canyon and its Lower Dam. With all the rain we have had this winter, the dam pond was full and so were all of the other tinajas we passed along the way.

    Brownstone Canyon was used by ranchers that were encouraged by the 1859 silver rush. This is evidenced by at least two dams that were constructed in the canyon to catch water for livestock. The Upper Dam is located up canyon from the pictograph area and to the right. 

Starting down Rattlesnake Trail to Gateway Canyon

Climbing up to Rattlesnake Trail / Gateway Junction

Upper Gateway Canyon Scrambling

Lots of Water in Upper Gateway

The Lower Dam area is located down canyon from the pictographs and to the right. The water from the Lower Dam runs out from the dam into natural troughs where we imagine the cattle took their long slurps.

     Historic use of southern Nevada began in 1826 with blazing of the Old Spanish Trail by American and Mexican explorers. Fremont revised the route of the Old Spanish Trail through southern Nevada in 1844, for the first time cutting through the lower portion of what would become Red Rock Canyon. Colonizing efforts by the Mormon Church initiated the settling of a mission and ranch site near what is now downtown Las Vegas in 1855. This first settlement was abandoned in 1857. Ranchers began occupying the Las Vegas valley in 1865 and the Wilson Ranch was establish in what is now the Red Rock area in 1880. - https://www.nevadawilderness.org/la_madre_mountains_wilderness_whats_out_there

Brownstone is a protected area within the La Madre Wilderness. Look but don't touch is a good mantra!

Gathering at the Top of Upper Gateway

Group Photo climbing up to Sandstone Plateau

Nearing Small Canyon Right Turn

Getting by a Water-filled Slot

We began our hike at the Kraft Mountain Loop Trailhead located at the end of Sandstone Drive in Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon NCA. A good non-stop ascent up 5-Stop Hill (!) put us on the Kraft Mountain Saddle. Even though the low clouds had not burned off yet, it was clear that the day would be a good one. The temps were up a little and, again, very little wind. After a short rest on Kraft Saddle, we continued down the Rattlesnake Trail to Gateway Canyon. Turning left, we headed up the gravel wash and began attending to the many scrambles in front of us. Up the sliding board and past the Rattlesnake Trail junction, we entered into Upper Gateway Canyon. The many scrambles in this part of Gateway are all picturesque and challenging.

Starting across the Plateau

Ice remains in the Deep Tinaja

Tinaja after Deep Tinaja

Photos Everywhere in Brownstone Canyon

All of us know the scrambles well so sometimes, we try different ways to accomplish them. With my new knee, I looked for some easier ways to ascend. Others looked for harder ways. We were all having fun and no one was in any particular hurry. About halfway up, we began seeing a lot of water in the wash. This increased the difficulty of the climb but only a little. At the top of Gateway, we paused then continued up to the left, a red and white sandstone wash that flows down from a cream colored sandstone plateau above. About halfway up this wash, we turned right into a small canyon. There was a lot of water coming down from the plateau to the left. We decided to try to avoid a particular slot and climbed up past the traditional waterfall feature.

Negotiating the Crack Descent

Almost down the Crack

More Pictographs

Petroglyphs down the Canyon

I didn't lead the group high enough in the small canyon and we ended up doing that slot anyway! It was filled with water but we were careful and got past it just fine. With so much water everywhere, our trip across the plateau was non-traditional and we missed the first of the large tinajas. We passed the Deep Tinaja that has been bone dry for a couple of years and it not only had water but also an island of ice! We made our descent down to the famous crack. Luckily, we didn't have any ice issues here. At the bottom, we quickly perused the pictographs and hiked on down to the Lower Dam and Pond. We found the dammed pond to have more water than I have ever seen it to have. It was so beautiful, we couldn't stop taking photos! We took a nice break.

Approach to Lower Dam

A Day on the Beach

High above Pond

View down Brownstone from Loop Around Crack

On our return, we decided to take a different route. We continued up Brownstone Canyon past the pictographs and found a place to climb up to the left. Up there, we found a trail and began to follow it to the left. The trail was cairned a little and we easily followed it over, up, and down past another lovely tinaja. We came in behind the Deep Tinaja and started hiking our way across the upper portion of the sandstone plateau. At some point on the plateau, we became separated into two groups. Charlie, Rita and I hiked across the familiar traditional route but Mike, Jerry and Cheryl were being challenged by a lot of deep gullies lower down. We lost sight of each other and the upper group headed down the slab at the end of the plateau. We made it all the way to the top of Gateway before the other group called us from the slab above.

Jerry blazes the Trail

Following the Scramble

Tinajas Everywhere!

Starting back across the Plateau at a Higher Level

In the meantime, I managed to twist my ankle. This slowed our descent to a near crawl. Luckily, I was able to hike out and, I must say, the rest of the group was filled with appreciated patience. Slowly, we met each scramble descent head-on. Finally, we reached the Rattlesnake Trail junction where the trail climbed up out of Gateway Canyon and up to Kraft Saddle. One more tedious descent down 5-Stop Hill and back to the cars. A long hike but a fun hike. We plan to do the new loop at Brownstone Canyon again. We enjoyed the new scrambles! Happy hiking!

Stats: 7.2 miles; 2100' gain; 6.75 hours

The Plateau

Returning down the Slab to the Top of Upper Gateway

View toward Lower Gateway Canyon from Rattlesnake Trail

Traditional End Loop

Our End Loop Today

Zabriskie Loop (Death Valley NP) - 3/2/23

Manly Beacon from Golden Canyon

Red Cathedral from Golden Canyon

Telescope Peak (far L) and the Panamint Range from Zabriskie Loop Trailhead

Beautiful start of the Zabriskie Loop Hike

This hike begins at Zabriskie Point off of California SR 190. Seventeen hikers made their way there from Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada in a 2-2.5 hour drive. We were all amazed at the snow covered mountains we passed on our way down SR 190 passing into the Death Valley National Park. It is truly an odd year for weather! We also watched the temperature gauge waiting and waiting for the warmer temps to appear. It wasn't until we were almost to the trailhead that the temps reached the promised 52° mark. We pulled into the Zabriskie Point parking lot just before 9am and waited for everyone to arrive. Did you know that Zabriskie Point is named for a movie that was partially filmed here in 1970? It was panned by most critics but led a second life as a counter culture success! Hmm. But the cinematography was acclaimed along with the direction and musical score. During past hikes here, we have seen commercials and photo shoots being done at this location, as well.

Gower Gulch

Rita heads into the Gower Gulch Narrows

A little bit of Scrambling

Ralph and Bruce emerge from the Narrows

Zabriskie Point is punctuated by Manly Beacon; a vertical triangular rock whose point rises roughly 200' above its base where we were hiking. The pluvial lake that runs through Death Valley also holds the name of Manly. William L. Manly has a very interesting and heroic life story and deserves the honors. 

     William Lewis Manly (April 6, 1820 – February 5, 1903) was an American pioneer of the mid-19th century. He was first a fur hunter, a guide of westward bound caravans, a seeker of gold, and then a farmer and writer in his later years.

     In 1849, at the age of twenty-nine, Manly joined the thousands of American Forty-niners traveling to California to participate in the Gold Rush. He began traveling overland from Wisconsin.

     South of present-day Provo, Utah, Manly joined other Forty-niners traveling to southern California. In December, these pioneers became lost in the Great Basin Desert, and entered Death Valley having followed an inaccurate map for three weeks. Their food supplies were almost exhausted, and the oxen pulling their wagons were dying of starvation. Manly and his associate John Haney Rogers trekked 250 miles on foot across the Mojave Desert to Rancho San Fernando near Los Angeles, California to scout an evacuation route for the families trapped in Death Valley. There, they procured food and horses from Mexican villagers and were able to save their party by leading them to Rancho San Francisco.*

*~Wikipedia

Picturesque Dry Fall Area at the bottom of Gower Gulch

Breezy Crossover

Snack Break at the Golden Canyon Trailhead

Seventeen Hikers starting up Golden Canyon

The views on this day were outstanding. The whole Panamint Range was covered with snow caps. In the middle of this range is the highest point that is called Telescope Peak. It rises up to 11, 331', the highest point in Death Valley. It also rises almost directly above Badwater Basin that has an elevation of -282'. We started the hike on a small hill that enabled us to see this grand view. The mining road we were on, led us down to Gower Gulch where we turned right and headed down toward the basin and what was, several times in ancient history, Manly Lake. The hikers were strong and we made quick time all day. We passed the white arroyos, the white peaks with brown crusted tops, and an adit to one of the mines in this area. 

Rita and Cheryl hike up the Golden Canyon mining Road

Hiking toward the Red Cathedral

Climbing up through the Rough Slot to Red Cathedral

Rita climbs up to Overlook

Next, we entered the narrows of Gower Gulch. There is a little bit of scrambling here that was easily done by the hikers this morning. Then we came to a screeching halt as the wash suddenly disappeared at a very high cliff dry fall. The trail sneakily turns up to the right and leads along the cliff next to the wash continuation that runs out toward dry Manly Lake. Photos were taken here and we entered the windy side of the hike. Until then, we were fairly sheltered from the harsh wind. But out in the "flats," as Mike likes to call them, the wind was strong and chilly. We hiked as fast as we could over to the Golden Canyon Trailhead parking lot where there was a full house of cars. We sat out of the wind and took our break. While we sat, the remaining seven hikers caught up with us after having been 25 minutes late for the start of the hike. Yep. It is longer than 2 hours from Henderson! We all found that out.

Trail down Ridge from Overlook

Seventeen Hikers below Manly Beacon

Hiking up the Trail to Manly Beacon's Base

View back from Trail

So, after the break, we all headed up Golden Canyon toward the Red Cathedral, a red sandstone wall that rises as a backdrop to the white arroyos. At the signed junction, we hiked up to the cathedral cliffs for a beautiful view. There were a few different routes taken on the way back to the junction where the group turned left to hike up to the base of Manly Beacon. The climb here is kind of challenging but the views from this section of the trail are like nothing you've ever seen before! All seventeen hikers made it up the hill taking several photos from the skinny trail then descended the other side into the badlands. They call this next section the Badlands Loop.

Arroyos of the Badlands Loop

Dropping down from the Manly Beacon Base

Badlands Loop view of Manly Beacon

Enjoying views of Beacon from Badlands Loop

If you watch the trail, you will be able to follow those that hiked before you. In other words, don't drift over to the right into the shallow wash. This route will take you back into Gower Gulch. Stay to the left when offered a choice and the trail will take you up and over the arroyos. Soon, you will be climbing up and up. Take in the incredible views of Manly Beacon and Red Cathedral. Then follow the very old mining road around the ridge tops and down to the original Gower Gulch turn. This time, turn left and start your return back to the trailhead. This is another good climb. It was a great day ... but, then, any day with a bunch of good friends is a good day!

Stats: 7.2 miles; 1350' gain; 3.5 hours

Manly Beacon and Red Cathedral

Seventeen Hikers at the Badlands Loop Overlook

Finishing the Loop at Gower Gulch and Mine Road