Thursday, March 26, 2020

Monolith Alcove

Let's see if I can manage to get our thoughts off of the Coronavirus for a few minutes and transport you out to the Joshua Tree desert. I don't know about you, but I need a break from the gloom and doom.

A year ago to the day, I was tromping around east Joshua Tree looking for something called "Monolith Alcove". I had a rough idea where it was, and because the alcove is unique looking, I figured it would be easy to find.
A year ago we had something of a "super-bloom" happening. Even out in east JT, where rain is less than most other areas in the park, things were very colorful. As I started my hike, I stepped carefully to avoid stomping on flowers. Not an easy task!

What an interesting rock formation. What really caught my eye is the rocks on the ground. They don't look "random"; they look arranged. I wonder if those rocks were moved away from the rock formation to clear a space? Could this spot have been used as a shelter, or for some other purpose? It looks that way to me.



If you follow my blog, you already know that East Joshua Tree if full of interesting rock formations, arches and alcoves.

Ah, here's my first glimpse of Monolith Alcove. It's hard to get a sense of scale, but trust me, it's very large. I had nicknamed it "bigmouth alcove" before I learned it had already been named.

A closer view. You have to climb the rocks over on the right side to get up into the alcove. I've scoured blogs, photo sites, and asked local experts about rock art in this area, and I always get the same answer... Monolith Alcove. It was thought that this is the only significant rock art site in the entire area. That's why I was so excited to find what I've called the Water Dagger Petroglyph area... which includes the petroglyph, pictographs, bedrock mortars, potsherds, grinding slick and mono, and of course the water source. So it turns out there's a lot more going on out here than we thought a year ago when I made this hike! Let's take a look inside Monolith Alcove.

Definitely something here. Dstretch gives us a better look...
Wow, lots of interesting pictographs here. The middle one reminds me of a 4-lane highway! I can't recall seeing one like it before. The diamond pattern is one I've seen at multiple sites in Joshua Tree. Let's get in a little closer.


Pretty sure I can just barely make out a couple of faint handprints (below the upside down U shapes). There are other faded pictographs as well.

As I sat looking out from this alcove, I thought about what a privilege it is to see this site, and the rock art inside, made all those years ago. Even more special because so few have seen it!

As we start our hike out, we'll go by a few of the arches in the area.




Linking with Skywatch Friday.
Stay safe, and wishing everyone good health.
Looks like the next couple weeks could be extremely challenging.
Thanks for stopping by!!

52 comments:

  1. What gorgeous photos! Nice to escape into these images with everything going on.

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  2. That was supposedly the only place with rock art? Well, you've proven that very wrong. Great shots.

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  3. Thanks for taking us out to your favourite place to explore. The rock art reminds me that life perseveres, it just takes twists and turns along the way. - Margy

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  4. I love seeing photos of the park, it must be a glorious feeling to be away form the rat race there.

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  5. love the spring flowers - must admit you made me giggle with your gloom and doom comment - made me see the leprechaun from Finnian's Rainbow shouting Gloom & Doom

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  6. Oh photo after photo, you're taking me to dreamland. This blog of yours really do give me that weekly dose of the desert views I have never seen in my life and would love to be in someday. Thank you so much and those flowers!!! Stay safe my friend!

    Stevenson
    Cavite Daily Photo
    Stevenson Que Blog

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  7. ...it's fabulous to see the desert flowers coming into bloom. Take care.

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  8. Your photos always bring a smile!

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  9. I've heard about deserts bursting into bloom - it is beautiful. Imagine if rocks could talk, what fascinating tales they could tell us of others who had passed that way. Be happy :) xx

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  10. Thank you I always enjoy coming here so much but especially now.

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  11. Beautiful...thank you. I take it you are pretty much sheltered now? Same here in western NY, although, we did manage to escape "house arrest" for a walk today. I/we threw caution to the wind and stepped out. smiles

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  12. That desert 'superbloom' is amazing!

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  13. Love your photos with the little flowers - almost forgot it was spring (last week we had snow, and today again snow). Do you have any idea what the diamond pattern stands for? Great you could get outside the L.A. area, for your peace of mind!
    The only time I was depressed during this whole time was after a shopping trip in Sacramento - eerie and strange to see all the empty parking places and empty roads. On the country side it looks like it always does. Also stores that are not supposed to be open are open. The grocery store is busy. So, I'll hope don't have to make another city trip before this is all over! Enjoy your weekend!

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    1. One interpretation: Diamond patterns in red were painted by girls as part of their puberty initialization rites. This interpretation seems to come up a lot, and diamond patterns are fairly common in this area.

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  14. Wow, you are the ultimate archeological detective. Great find, I love this. You really have a gift for finding things.

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  15. Wonderful place. Great pics.
    Stay safe. Happy weekend.

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  16. The flowers are lovely especially contrasted with the starkness of the rocks! Great photos as always.

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  17. Another super post. I'd say his mouth is more apparent than his monolithic qualities. I'd have named him as you did. THe petroglyphs are a wonderful find. Don't let boredom or cabin fever cause you to take any unnecessary risks!

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  18. Awesome pictographs and desert flowers. Enjoy your free time and stay safe.

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  19. As always thumbs up for you fantastic desert reports on photo. Always a joy to see and we need that in these difficult times.

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  20. Hello, the flowers are so pretty. I do enjoy seeing the various rock formations. The alcoves and arches are cool. What a great place for a hike! Stay safe, healthy and happy. Enjoy your weekend!

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  21. Wonderful and just as wondrous as a year ago.

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  22. How old are those pictographs? Any idea? Great finds as allways! Stay Safe!

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    1. Thanks. Sorry, I really don't know the age of these pictographs. I wish I did!!

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  23. I can feel it. YOu have never had a boring hike. We traveled full time in our RV, I cannot remember a boring drive or walk. Our only walking in the desert area was spending a winter in the Yuma and north area of the BLM. I always enjoy these hikes you take us on and HOPE to do one hike in the Joshua Tree area before we depart this life. THANKS
    Sherry & jack

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  24. Thanks for taking us along in these strange times. I love seeing the park through your eyes. No problem social distancing there. :)
    Take care and stay safe!

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  25. What a fantastic series of photos. I love all those wildflowers and you've framed them among the rocks so beautifully.

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  26. Once again, terrific stuff. When we finally do get to go back home, I'm going to ransack your blog for good places to visit. Do please delete the responses from the haters, though. You certainly don't deserve the garbage.

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  27. Hi! Exciting trip! I love the photos with all the flowers! Very exciting that you found the cave with the paintings! Happy weekend!

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  28. Such incredible art formations by nature and it sure would be interesting to take a time machine into the past and see the people who did the drawings and possibly moved those rocks. Thanks for sharing your world! It is a challenging time and what every individual does matters in making things better or worse.

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  29. Fantastic desert photos ~ love the pictographs ~ thanks for the 'escape.'

    Be Well,
    A ShutterBug Explores

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  30. A trifecta here - blooms, formations and petroglyphs. Yes, this was enough to get my mind off coronavirus - for a few minutes, anyway. Thank you for bringing us with you on still another fantastic hike.

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  31. So interesting! And love the flowers.

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  32. Amazing rock formations and pictographs!

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  33. You always find the best rocks to photograph and I'm liking seeing all the flowers growing in the dry conditions.

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  34. Fascinating and rugged - I love it!

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  35. Thanks for distracting us from the gloom and doom for a while.
    My fav shots are the flowery ones...
    Stay safe!

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  36. A magical place, and superb photos as usual.

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  37. Beautiful rock formation and landscape in the desert. You will be safe in this open desert.

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  38. Yes, I needed that break, too! What a gorgeous place to forget the world and its troubles. Our state parks, where we walk the trails and beaches, closed as of today and we are now confined to walking the neighborhood.

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  39. So lovely to see all the spring blooms flowering in the Joshua Tree desert SPP. You do find the most interesting rock formations not to mention pictographs. Always enjoy seeing how different your walks are to mine :)

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  40. I'm sure you must have answered this before, but what is the name of the ratio stretch software you use to bring out the color of the pictographs, or do you just use Photoshop?

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    1. Hi Larry. It's called Dstretch. I think if you google it, you will easily find it. It's a free download.

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  41. thank you for taking me away from here to the desert. I love the desert, or semi-desert anyway....stay safe and happy snapping And thank you for stopping by my blog this week

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  42. So Much Beauty In The Desert And You Nailed It - Righteous Feet - Thanx For Sharing These Gems With Us - Much Appreciated - Be Well And Ride Like The Wind

    Cheers

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  43. That formation does look like a shelter of some sort but I can't really tell the scale and it's looking a little worn at one of the bottom corners, I wonder how long ago and what used it for shelter. Two pics below it looks lie the rocks are giving the "okay" sign and Monolith Alcove looks like an index finger. How exciting to find out about the Water Dagger area. Love the pic of your feet looking out, what kind of shoes do you use?

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Jeanna. Those are just inexpensive hiking shoes from Walmart. They might be house brand, can't recall. But I got very lucky... perfect fit and very comfortable. Still holding up well after 25 or 30 hikes!

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  44. I love the desert and yours is so spectacular. You find the most interesting rock formations I have ever seen. After many visits here, I'm picturing a coffee table photo book, some of your best pictures in there, to sit on my table. Well, my bookcase, since my dog Samson likes to eat good books. Stay well

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    1. Thanks so much Inger. A coffee table photo book is something I'm working on (albeit slowly). Once completed, I promise to send you one!

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  45. I appreciate the distraction from the "doom and gloom". Yes, I do. These pictures are all the more spectacular with the blooming desert flowers. Stay well!

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  46. Such interesting rock formations - made even more beautiful by the wildflowers.

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