I've posted in the past about hiking to Ivanpah Tank here. This is a man-made dam built back in the days of cattle ranching, long before Joshua Tree National Park existed. It's only about a half mile hike from the Live Oak parking area and the desert scenery and rock formations in the area are interesting.
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| Can you spot the dam or "tank"? |
Back in the day, I'll bet this dam held a LOT of water. But what you see above is what 99% of hikers see when they visit the area. Over the years, the sand and silt has almost totally filled in the area behind the dam, and it's dry as a bone. These photos were taken in November of 2017. But I've always wondered what this area would look like after a few good rains.
With a little effort and some rock scrambling, you can make your way to the back side of Ivanpah Tank. Here's my intrepid hiking partner, Lilly, checking out the construction of the dam.
And a little later, time for a short break. Gotta love Lilly's purple back pack!
Fast forward to February of 2019. It's been a wet winter with more rain on the way. Lets hike back to Ivanpah Tank to see what it looks like.
WOW!! Amazing what some rain will do. This is what the 1% see. The water won't last long, and most years don't get enough rain to result in standing water.
Not taken from identical spots but... you get the idea!
I guess all kids are required to throw rocks into ponds. Compare this photo of all the water below the dam to photo #3 (above) when it was dry.
A young boy climbing up on the rocks. Very dangerous, although he was wearing a helmet. Not sure how much that would help him if he were to fall.
Lilly and I decided to follow the wash for a while. There was enough water that it made hiking while keeping our boots dry a little bit of a challenge. Lilly wasn't quite able to meet the challenge!
Kind of cute that Lilly likes to bring along a small notebook so she can sketch some of the interesting things she sees. A true naturalist!
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Driving home from our hike... Sullivan Road, 29 Palms, CA
Linking with Skywatch Friday.
Thanks for stopping by!! |
Interesting scenes. The rains do make a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteFascinating dam - makes me wonder about flash flooding during rainstorms. Would that happen in that areaa?
ReplyDeleteAll the pictures are beautiful..especially the ones with lots of water!!Your photography is amazing,
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to belive that the razed cattle there in the desert, there is little to eat let along have water to drink. Some great photos and Lilly make a great little partner
ReplyDeleteThanks, it is hard to believe that they raised cattle in this desert area. By accounts I've read, rainfall was more frequent back then. Even so, must have been hardy cattle!
DeleteIt is a very rugged, harsh and forbidding area, yet replete with beauty too. The image of Lilly with her notebook moves me to tears almost. I hope she will grow up to be great naturalist and I am sure she will never forget what a great mentor you have been.
ReplyDeleteThanks, David. I really appreciate your comment. Yes, a great naturalist would be wonderful. At the very least, to appreciate nature and all her beauty!
DeleteWow, a rainy winter sure does make a huge difference. I hope we get more wet winters to come.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
Lindas esculturas de pedras.
ReplyDeleteBoa continuação de semana.
janicce.
Oh yes! Rains can be magical. Low the murkier water against blue sky
ReplyDeleteAmazing place. Loved the post. Thanks for all awesome photos.
ReplyDeleteWow - lovely shots!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots,
ReplyDeleteimpressive photos and landscape !
Greetings from Germany
My Sky...
Truly stunning photos, and Lilly is a girl after my own heart.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see it with water- Lilly is quite bundled up. I wouldn't expect it to have been all that chilly. You guys have a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill. This is one of my hikes I had forgotten about and almost didn't see the light of day. This hike took place last winter and it was cold!
DeleteEine beeindruckende Felsformation.Ja, Wasser ist der Ursprung jegliches Lebens.
ReplyDeleteIn the first photo I spotted right under the butt crack of a construction worker worked out in stone before I saw the dam. Great and informative as always.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, now that you have called my attention to it, I will never look at that rock in the same way!
DeleteHello, beautiful landscapes and sky. Lilly is adorable, a future artist. Enjoy your day, happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteOne of your best series ever! Such beauty! Neat to see the before and after. And that colorful ray of sunshine trooping along with her grandfather completes the story.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteI see I am going to have to borrow my cousin's grandchildren to add that extra spark of beauty to my photos!
Have a great weekend!
I wish I could share some of the rain we're gettin'.
ReplyDeleteMy lawn is rotting, it's staying so soggy.
So much for our dry spring.
Cheers, from Tampa
nice lake after the rain
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the trip and information. Great story line. I know the desert loved that water!
ReplyDeleteGood stuff,
Sherry & jack in North Carolina now.
The rock formations really are spectacular there, very unique!
ReplyDeleteEverywhere in the USA so much water, so many floods this year. Lily is too cute in that hat. Am excited she sketches plein air - tell her an artist told you she needs to continue, till she has become really good when she is big. Then she can sell her sketches/paintings for much $$!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great hiking companion you have in Lilly. A real trouper.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the dam but even more amazing to me is the fact that there was cattle ranching in that area.
MB
Yes, pretty amazing. As I understand it, they were small cattle holdings and things were wetter back then!
DeleteWhat a big difference some rain will do, mother nature does a great job. Lilly is such a great companion and will always have wonderful memories of your adventures together.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos as always and have a wonderful weekend!
Isnt it amazing what a difference a little rain makes. So good to see Lilly recording in her notebook, such a wonderful talent to develop. So nice to see the pop of her pink jacket against the rocks. Also it is wonderful to have a hiking companion.
ReplyDeleteGood shots. The comparison of then/now was nice to see.
ReplyDeleteAmazing views of a pond in the desert. Your little model is lovely.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend!
Spectacular rock formation and desert scenery. You have proved to me that deserts can be a beautiful place. And your little companion looks so at home and comfortable hiking with you.
ReplyDeleteWow! What aa amazing spot!
ReplyDeleteOh gorgeous photos as always and Lilly is a delight ~ would love to see her sketches ~ Bravo to her!
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to You,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
You have Lilly to share these adventures with you. What special memories you two are making which will never be forgotten. I love the before the rain and after the rain images. I always look forward to seeing what you are going to post next. Enjoy life!
ReplyDeleteI always love to see the pictures from your hikes in the desert. When we lived in California Joshua Tree was a favourite place to go with our telescope. I don't know if it still is but then there was very little light pollution. I'm glad California got extra rain this last year. The long drought has really been hard for everyone there. Thanks for stopping by to comment on my float cabin post this week. - Margy
ReplyDeleteThanks. JTNP is a designated "dark sky" location, so still pretty good night photography!
DeleteWhat an incredible difference... and how utterly beautiful in both usual and rare. I am glad you are part of the 1% ))...and grateful you shared it with the rest of us (even the ones like me, who sadly aren’t even among the other 99 when it comes to JT!
ReplyDeleteWow. Amazing to see the place with water. Which is probably gone by now.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't as impressed by the water as I was by you and your granddaughter. She's going to have many memories of these trips with you. Who knows what directions she'll take as a young woman. And oh yes, I loved the water pictures.
ReplyDeleteYou take us along your adventurous trips by sharing excellent images. Lily seems to be a very dependable companion!
ReplyDeleteThose rocks are amazing. Some of them look like giant dinosaur teeth, frozen in time.
ReplyDeleteDelightful images of the tank and Lilly. Yes, I would be concerned to see that boy climbing up so high. Outside of El Paso, Texas we had Hueco Tanks, which I believe are natural but also provide an inconsistent source of water for wildlife.
ReplyDeleteA rugged, beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like that B/W photo.
ReplyDeleteThe before and after shots are fascinating, and what makes it all even more delightful is your "intrepid explorer". As long as they follow safe tactics and don't harm the environment, I believe kids help to bring out some new perspectives when hiking. I would love to know what she saw that she wanted to capture in her notebook!
ReplyDeleteThis is great. Your Lilly is going to remember this outings the rest of her life. Kudos to you for showing her the world.
ReplyDeleteWow...how odd...but beautiful!
ReplyDelete