Death Valley NP. Marble-Cottonwood (side slot) lollipop loop Nov 17-19,2019

John Morrow

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A three day backpack with good water at Dead Horsre Canyon Spring and Upper Cottonwood Spring. Both had a flow for yards.
We chose to modify the standard loop in order to add some challenge and uncertainty but mostly to avoid road hiking of lower Cottonwood Canyon. Thus, we went up Marble Canyon and over to the side canyon described in Michel Digonnet's book. Then we did a loop of the slot, Upper Cottonwood Canyon, and back down to Deadhorse Canyon spring. Day 3 we returned down Marble Canyon. Kimberly's Jeep Rincon got us to the wilderness boundary TH in Marble Canyon. We explored a couple of side canyons in Marble as well.
Great trip!

Day 1:

Up Marble:

DSC02057 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02064 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02083 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02087 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02097 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02172 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02173 by John Morrow, on Flickr



Side Canyons:


DSC02140 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02148 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02146 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02151 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02178 by John Morrow, on Flickr


Day 2:

Down Cottonwood side slot:


DSC02180 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02188 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02189 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02194 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02196 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02198 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02217 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr


The impasse requiring bypass:


DSC02218 by John Morrow, on Flickr


Backing out to bypass and descending:


DSC02223 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02225 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02231 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr


Digonnet's Bypass:


DSC02240 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr


Attempt upcanyon to impasse:


DSC02242 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02244 by John Morrow, on Flickr


(stopped)


DSC02246 by John Morrow, on Flickr


Into and moving up Cottonwood to camp 2:


DSC02248 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02253 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02260 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02265 by John Morrow, on Flickr


Day 3, back over to Marble:


DSC02271 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02273 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02279 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02285 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02289 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02293 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02297 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02299 by John Morrow, on Flickr


Marble 4 narrows exploration:


DSC02302 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02306 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02310 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02314 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02315 by John Morrow, on Flickr


3rd narrows and out:


DSC02316 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02332 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02338 by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02346 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02351 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02354 (2) by John Morrow, on Flickr

DSC02370 by John Morrow, on Flickr


Full set of pics:

 
Last edited:
Fantastic! I was looking at this loop last year for Thanksgiving. Really happy to see the detail around it. Thanks for the share!
 
Awesome. Gives some great beta for next time I go to DVNP. Michel Digonnet is an outstanding guidebook author. I recommend both DVNP books and his Mojave Preserve book too.
 
Very cool - nice to see a trip report from DVNP.
 
i did the full Cottonwood Marble canyon loop a couple years ago. Can't explain why but it was one of my favorite trips.
 
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