Bookend Arches to Majestic Arch

 With my last post, I left you with some photos of Alien Arch and the surrounding area. You might recall that we discovered a couple arches we called "bookend arches" right at the end of the hike (not enough daylight to go check them out). But I had been itching to get back to the area to see if there was any way to get closer to them. Finding new arches is always an exciting discovery!

This photo of "bookend arches" was taken using a telephoto lens, so things are further away than they look. Also, I figured at best a 50/50 chance that we would be able to hike/climb the rocks up to the arches. Fast forward a few weeks, and I've managed to talk my hiking partners Mitch and Roger to join me on the search for these newly discovered arches. So off we go!

 

Hiking up and around the rocks to bookends arch turned out to be harder than I expected (pause here while I huff and puff). Here's Roger and Mitch as we stop for a water break. Arches that are visible on the horizon often disappear when you get below them, but we know there are some arches around here somewhere!

 

No arches yet, but the weirdly eroded rock formations are always entertaining!

I'm always amazed by how much lichen I see out in the desert. My assumption that lichen only thrive in moist environments is clearly flawed!
 

 

Finally, we find what we think is one of the bookend arches. This is viewed from the opposite direction of photo #1 of this post. It's pretty interesting looking, and there are little horn projections at the back of the arch. Maybe "devil arch" would be a better name! There should be a second arch if one were able to climb up and over the rocks on the upper right of this photo (good luck with that!). It also looks nearly impossible to climb up to this arch for a closer view. But that doesn't keep Roger and Mitch from trying!

 

I have no idea how Mitch managed to climb up there. All I know is it's beyond my abilities!

 

Close-up of bookend (or devil) arch.

For most of our hike, Majestic Arch has been keeping us company off to our right. We discuss the possibility of hiking up to it from this approach. I've hiked up 2 or 3 times before, but always from the opposite side. I have my doubts about this approach, but we decide to press ahead. Heck, what's the worst that could happen? Nevermind, let's not go there.

We start picking our way around the car-sized boulders towards the arch.

We eventually make it. Top of the world!

Ahhh, there it is. Majestic Arch! My favorite arch in Joshua Tree National Park, and one that very few people have seen because it's so dang hard to get up here (plus it's in a very remote location where only crazy people go... you've been warned!).

 

From deep within the arch... looking out through the arches two openings always reminds me of looking through the eyes of a dragon. The tupperware container with the register inside (red lid in the photo above), placed here by Mitch a couple years ago, was still here. The last people to sign in were friends of ours who we knew had visited, and that was over a year ago. Clearly no random hikers seem to find this place, and that's fine with us!

 

iPhone pano shot.

 

It's like a rocky wonderland up here by the arch, and even though there is near constant wind and near zero rainfall, there are a few hardy plants that manage to survive.

 

You can call these critter burrows. I call 'em ankle twisters!

 

Hope you enjoyed this adventure. Majestic Arch is a magical place, and I hope to return again in the not-too-distant future.

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

 

I can tell you that it felt like much further than 5.6 miles, and much more elevation gain than 705'. I wonder how accurate these phone apps are??