I thought about calling this post "Mitch's Patio". My friend Mitch had shared a picture of a spot high up on the west side of Queen Mountain in Joshua Tree National Park. It was a flat area, surrounded by low rocks, with the most incredible view. I told him it looked like a patio, and that I would really like to see it. Bring your lounge chair and a cold beverage, put your feet up, and enjoy the view! So join me on this hike of about 6 miles with lots of elevation change and no trail to follow. It was certainly one of the more challenging hikes I've done in a while!
At the start of our hike we passed by this old car. What a beauty!
This photo will help set the stage. The hike started with a gradual uphill climb along the transition zone between the Wonderland of Rocks (R) and Queen Mountain (L). Don't let this gentle climb fool you. It wasn't to last!For nearly the entire hike, we will have the Wonderland of Rocks, with its beautiful and unusual rock formations, keeping us company. The photo above is another good one showing the abrupt transition between desert soil and monzogranite rocks.
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| Mitch appears to have his head in the clouds! |
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| A splash of lichen. |
The view of the Wonderland is really impressive, but this is nothing compared to what's to come!
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| Nolina |
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| Which boulder looks out of place? |
We start to head away from the Wonderland and up this hill (perhaps mountain is more accurate) on the left. As I look up to the top, I wonder if Mitch is serious. It's very steep with loose rock that makes footing difficult.
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| Um... turns out he is serious! |
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| But the reward is just around the next corner. |
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| Also around the next corner are very high winds. Hang on, Mitch!! |
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| Seems almost a miracle that this little pinion pine can survive in the rocks and high winds. |
Much of the Wonderland is inaccessible to all but the hardiest and most accomplished hikers and climbers. I know I will never see most of these areas, but what a treat and a privilege to enjoy this view!
As the sun sets, I am totally enjoying the golden hour light, Here's a pancake prickly pear cactus. I would be happy to take pictures in the golden afternoon light, but we have to hustle. We don't want to be hiking down the mountain in darkness.
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| Teddy bear cholla in golden light... not as cuddly as it looks! |
So ends another really fun desert adventure. Thanks for joining me!!
Stay safe and stay healthy!!
Beautiful scenery and skies.
ReplyDeleteNumber 19 has fantastic light. Very well spotted!
ReplyDeletegorgeous photography as always - do you ever camp in the park? or is that not allowed or safe? It just seemed to me that the "patio" might be a great place to watch the sun come up.
ReplyDeleteI don't typically do overnight camping. Too hard on my creaky old joints, but your idea is an excellent one! The other thing that complicates overnight camping is the "Day Use Only" designation. Areas of the park with Bighorn Sheep population have this designation (which includes the "patio"), so overnight camping is not allowed.
Delete...a rusted vehicle probably is considered litter in this pristine landscape, but it looks great to me. Nolina is my favorite, thanks for taking me along!
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter & Mitch,
ReplyDeleteWow, what a stunning view indeed as a reward for some difficult hiking!
Breathtaking and you were so right about that golden hour light; spectacular photos indeed but you couldn't linger due to your tricky descent before sunset.
Hugs and thanks for sharing with us who never will be 'up there'...
Mariette
That looked an arduous hike to get there but the vista was worth it. Hope the going back was a little easier
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great hike again Thanks for leading us around, Peter.
ReplyDeleteYou've shown me once again that the desert isn't as boring as it looks at all. :-)
Quite the view. Those hikes are hard, but worth it in the end.
ReplyDeleteAnother amazing hike. No trails, just a gps track and off you go. My hat is off to you and Mitch.
ReplyDeleteAn incredible, unforgiving landscape.
ReplyDeleteI'm very envious. What a beautiful hike and your pictures are amazing as always. I especially like the plant (Nolina?) growing out of the rock.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, the cactus photos taken in the golden hour are stunning. I have been sitting here trying to think of other adjectives, and my mouth is just open ...
ReplyDeleteLove the back light of the sun coming from behind the plants! Yes, those rocks look seriously challenging. Even your friend's climbing, almost looks like one needs mountain gear! Great you could do this with a friend! Jesh
ReplyDeleteAmazing pics
ReplyDeleteCactus pictures are amazing. I confused the thing beside lichen with snake :-). Yes, when you reach the summit all pains and strains magically vanish!
ReplyDeleteI would be busy looking for different type of Cacti, I have a thing about those, the weirder the better.
ReplyDeleteSuperb composition and clarity! Your pictures are as good as any I've ever seen of this type of terrain. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWow, another serie of great photo's with for me as number one the pancake cactus in backlight.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of work to enjoy a view from the patio! How on earth does that pine find sustenance from that rocky terrain? Another fine series of photographs of an adventurous hike.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have a camera's eye. It seems that very few folk do. I love seeing 'things and objects' that are really not there but shadows and shapes at the right angle are neat. The cactus and the black bloulder stand out.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the tough walk.
Sherry & jack in a cool NC
PS:
ReplyDeleteI meant to say I LOVE the old vehicle just about as much as that very fragile looking arch, in one shot! ;-)
Wow! ~ What a hike, what a view and fantastic photos ~ Awesome!
ReplyDeleteMoment by moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
The Wonderland is really something, and what a workout. But oh so worth it for that sunset alone, right?!!
ReplyDeleteWow - that was a challenging hike but well worth the view!
ReplyDeleteA "little" work and that car would run just like new.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the first picture, I was hoping you wouldn't say "I wonder if this is the car of a previous hiker. I wonder how that person made out?" Wonderful city and my spouse, who was a geology major more than 40 years ago, learned a new word: monzogranite. He did know once I read an explanation online. Then he asked me "when do you want to go there?" Considering we live in New York State, it won't be tomorrow. But maybe one day (if there are any "baby" trails.)
ReplyDeleteThe photos are absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnother fun adventure you say----well you said it right. So much to take in but trying. Love the golden hour photos.
ReplyDeleteMB
Debe de ser bien duro, subir hasta la cima de esos macizos montañosos.
ReplyDeleteLas imágenes que has tomado, bien que merece hacer el sacrificio de subir hasta allÃ. Las fotografÃas que has captado han merecido la pena y ahora solo se recuerda el resultado y se olvida las penalidades que se haya podido tener en la subida.
Que tengas un excelente fin de semana.
Fabulous photos. I don't know why but I always like seeing photos of old vehicles in the desert sand. I'm always happy when I read that you had a hiking companion.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous! I love going on hikes with you, knowing that I could never do that in person. Amazing how the Wonderland stops at the edge of the desert like that, and your backlit cacti photos are fantastic :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful desert photos from your adventure. It is only through your posts that I get to enjoy these gorgeous view of the desert. Beautiful rock formations, sky and sunsets. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteGreetings and Salutations from Illinois! Mitch certainly did have his head in the clouds. LOL! I adored the backlighting with the cacti. Just amazing! Yes it is strange for one pinon tree to grow among all those boulders. I did spy the boulder out of place. Or is it where it belongs? I look forward to your weekly adventures. Be safe.
ReplyDeleteWow...what a climb. Good for you (and Mitch!).
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos. You really have good legs to all these climbing.
ReplyDeleteYou really gave the idea of how engaging this hike was. I can imagine the satisfaction after the descent. Lovely pics of the cactuses in the twilight!
ReplyDeletethose back lit cacti are awesome.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures, especially the old car and the beautiful cacti :-))
ReplyDeleteAs much as I always enjoy the rock pics and dessert shots, Rick, that old car and those cacti really drew my attention in this post. The car looked like some sort of pickup and I wondered if you knew any more about it.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a hiking buddy! This looked like a rigorous climb. I loved seeing lichen and unusual cacti, and what was the black rock? The sunlit cacti are beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat a car!!!! Beautiful pic! You could sell this, if I had space I´d hang it on the wall!
ReplyDeleteAnd the cactus and all, wow, you live in a very great place and take amazingly beautiful pics!
What a spectacular view SPP! Absolutely worth the climb. The terrain here is unlike anything I've ever seen before, almost like a different planet! I don't think you'll ever run out of new experiences here, and we get to experience them also 💛
ReplyDeleteYour photos are always so spectacular! And what a hike to have!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a challenging walk, but such gorgeous views! Thanks for taking us along :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a hike! Fantastic photos. The wide photo of rocks from atop the mountain really gives a great perspective of that area. I especially love the pics of the sunlit prickly pear and the cholla. Reminds me so much of Arizona. Hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteIt seems I have been distracted... Have missed a few of your posts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a hike this was! I wouldn't have lasted five minutes. Totally worth it.
All yr pics are gorgeous but the cactus and the sun.... oh my... fabulous!
It seems a miracle to me that either piñon trees *or* hikers can survive there )). Beautiful and scary hike; thanks for sharing it. Can’t even pretend to pull the age-card here ...even the thought of this one would have scared me when I was as young as you are (heck, when I was as young as my grandkids).
ReplyDeleteMore great photos. I love that sunlit cactus photo! And you guys are brave, to hike up that steep area with all of those loose rocks. The blue sky is stunning looking.
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