John Morrow
Member
- Joined
- May 22, 2015
- Messages
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My final day in Death Valley for 2021.
Began the day at Harmony Borax Works. Cottonball Basin was beautiful in the morning.
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Harmony Borax Hill by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Cottonball Basin, Death Valley Natl. Park by John Morrow, on Flickr
I drove to Mile 1.1 on the Chloride Cliff Road where I parked to walk up Peak 5500 in the northern Funderal Mountains. A dull, loose footing ascent but a nice view up top. My plan was then to loop down to Keane Springs and further down Monarch Canyon.
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Peak 5000 by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Dunes and Death Valley Buttes by John Morrow, on Flickr
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head of Monarch Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Keane Spring by John Morrow, on Flickr
Upper Monarch was fun. Once beyond the spring I was able to downclimb past the first tier of the two step drop into lower Monarch. Hopeful that I could complete the canyon via whatever necessary detour, I soon realized that without difficult Class 5 down climbing this was strictly a technical canyon.
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deepening Monarch Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr
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mine at canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr
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bedrock polished by John Morrow, on Flickr
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slot drop (technical) by John Morrow, on Flickr
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my foot at top of falls by John Morrow, on Flickr
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upper tier drop by John Morrow, on Flickr
And that was that. I made it almost to Winnemuca to crash on a picnic table at Rye patch reservoir for a cold night.
Full photo album:
www.flickr.com
Began the day at Harmony Borax Works. Cottonball Basin was beautiful in the morning.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51785341753_de129bbda1_c.jpg&hash=da57d7f30cba79c4c452a430bbf0de72)
Harmony Borax Hill by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Cottonball Basin, Death Valley Natl. Park by John Morrow, on Flickr
I drove to Mile 1.1 on the Chloride Cliff Road where I parked to walk up Peak 5500 in the northern Funderal Mountains. A dull, loose footing ascent but a nice view up top. My plan was then to loop down to Keane Springs and further down Monarch Canyon.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51785344103_8bd0d0625e_c.jpg&hash=93abdd7c6b2e4d4062e969063621d5cc)
Peak 5000 by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51785095001_26dbf930b3_c.jpg&hash=4231f9afd57457ee11ea3a2aac621121)
Dunes and Death Valley Buttes by John Morrow, on Flickr
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head of Monarch Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr
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Keane Spring by John Morrow, on Flickr
Upper Monarch was fun. Once beyond the spring I was able to downclimb past the first tier of the two step drop into lower Monarch. Hopeful that I could complete the canyon via whatever necessary detour, I soon realized that without difficult Class 5 down climbing this was strictly a technical canyon.
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51785347013_9ca672644f_c.jpg&hash=0f4ab758659e202ccf34720550f02b87)
deepening Monarch Canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51785718279_f7bcabda12_c.jpg&hash=52a4c79f4ec13e38153bee4ba930f72d)
mine at canyon by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51784273372_c254be2361_c.jpg&hash=35bbacc8edbc0c488d0f04dd252d8f29)
bedrock polished by John Morrow, on Flickr
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slot drop (technical) by John Morrow, on Flickr
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my foot at top of falls by John Morrow, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51785960800_5d71b8bd02_c.jpg&hash=866c7be1025597c9e7ef47948e8c6fcf)
upper tier drop by John Morrow, on Flickr
And that was that. I made it almost to Winnemuca to crash on a picnic table at Rye patch reservoir for a cold night.
Full photo album:
![www.flickr.com](/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Flive.staticflickr.com%2F65535%2F51784273372_c254be2361_b.jpg&hash=d0bafeb278f3115f1df469c1c5782240&return_error=1)
Death Valley Natl. Pk. A Funerals Mountain and Upper Monarch Canyon Dec 1, 2021
Began day at Harmony Borax Works, then a walk up Peak 5500' and descent into Upper Monarch Canyon
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