Death Valley Natl. Pk. Upper Monarch Canyon plus. Dec 1, 2021

John Morrow

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May 22, 2015
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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.


Harmony Borax Hill
by John Morrow, on Flickr


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.


Peak 5000
by John Morrow, on Flickr


Dunes and Death Valley Buttes
by John Morrow, on Flickr


head of Monarch Canyon
by John Morrow, on Flickr


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.


deepening Monarch Canyon
by John Morrow, on Flickr


mine at canyon
by John Morrow, on Flickr


bedrock polished
by John Morrow, on Flickr


slot drop (technical)
by John Morrow, on Flickr



my foot at top of falls
by John Morrow, on Flickr


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:
 
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IMHO, one of the best things about Death Valley is the old mines.
 
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