Last post I had miraculously made it all the way up the "seven challenge wash" without a major injury. I was a little stiff and sore, but otherwise in good spirits. The second half of this hike would require finding a way to climb up and out of the wash to the Boy Scout Trail.
Did I mention I got super lucky with gorgeous skies during the hike? I ended up taking a ridiculous number of photos... one of the reasons I need to split the hike into two or maybe even three posts.
The photo above was just a little ways down the wash from the giant dryfall. This is looking back in the direction I had hiked, and I need to find a way to turn left to climb up the rocks and (hopefully) find the trail.
What an interesting little shelter! I haven't found the trail yet, but I think I'm getting close.
Success!!!!! As I pull myself up to the trail, the first thing I see is this weird-looking beheaded Mojave Yucca. Does anyone remember Cousin Itt from the Addams Family??
The scenery along this stretch of the trail is ruggedly beautiful!
One final goal to make this a near perfect hike is to see if I can hike to the top of the huge dryfall. I've obviously seen it from the bottom, and it would be interesting to see it from the top. I still have a little gas in the tank, so let's go see what we can find.
Well, surprise surprise! This is a very large dryfall, but it's not the one I was expecting (and not the one we were looking at from below on my last post). Below is the photo of that large dryfall. So that means we have two very large dryfalls, one spilling into the other. It would be incredible to see these falls after a heavy rain, if there was a way to do it safely.  |
| We will follow this wash back up to the trail. |
Back on the trail now, it's steep going at this spot (the trail is on the left). As I make my way up, I also have my eye on that little pinnacle with the alcove in it (upper center-right), but not sure there is any easy way to get to it. And I have to conserve energy for the long hike home.
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| California Juniper with bluish berries in the foreground. |
Amazing views!
I noticed a small bird flitting in and out of this cholla cactus, so went over to investigate. I found a nest with these delicate little blue eggs. Cactus wrens commonly nest in chollas, but this bird is much smaller. It's amazing to me that birds nest in the middle of all these needle-sharp thorns!
Beautiful landscapes.
ReplyDelete...fabulous images, but wash seems like a strange term on this particular day! Thanks for sharing and enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteAs always, admire your eye for great shots., BUT Sherry & I are still giggling over Cousin It! LOL You had some tough looking shots today.
ReplyDeleteBe safe glad no turned ankles and damaged bones etc.
As always your desert shots are amazing. Blue and orange are opposite each other on the color wheel so the blue sky with the orange rocks make for very pleasing images.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous scenery, the rock formations are realy fantastic.
ReplyDeletethanks for another walk through the desert
ReplyDeleteLife finds a way, even in unforgiving landscapes.
ReplyDeleteDelighted as always. Thanks so much! Please stay safe!
ReplyDeleteThe other half of your intrepid adventure. I love reading all your posts and looking at all your photos!!
ReplyDeleteBlue eggs, that´s a first. Very cool find. One would not expect any life among those rocks. Btw, I bought myself a guitar. Click tag guitar on my blog if you wanna take a look.
ReplyDeleteI checked it out... looks like a beauty!
DeleteLove your sky photos!
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
ReplyDeleteSure you made it back all right, otherwise we could not be reading this... Quite a challenge and also concentration for dividing your energy wisely.
Love the clouds, the scenery and the washes.
The bonus was the finding of that bird's nest with the blue eggs!
Hugs,
Mariette
I'm relieved that you didn't have to backtrack the way you came. That might have been too much. Looks like it was a beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteLooks great, but not cozy... it Must been a hard walk.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Germany
Last three are stunning!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from India
Stunning views! Nicely captured, all of them.
ReplyDeletePerfect pictures, as always--- and it does indeed look like Cousin It. The pandemic left a lot of us resembling Cousin It!
ReplyDeleteThose desert plants are really a chapter in its own right and the cactus stings are as sharp as your photos. That a little birdie then makes a nest in them is totally miraculous.
ReplyDeleteAmazing colours there!
ReplyDeletebeautiful trail
ReplyDeleteI'm continually impressed by your ability to find a trail from somewhere else, while I'm happy if I can stay with a marked trail lol
ReplyDeleteThe dry washes are fascinating.
I'm glad you enjoy doing this because that scenery is so different from anything I have seen in a long, long time. So different and special and no two hikes are alike. And the bird's nest find at the end! I'm glad you didn't run out of gas for part 3 (I'm assuming there's a part 3).
ReplyDeleteAn amazingly beautiful landscape.
ReplyDeleteSpectacular scenery enhanced by those wonderful skies. A clever place to construct a nest, it must be quite a challenge for the young fledglings to find their way out without impaling themselves; I guess they learn fast!
ReplyDeleteOo! I really like that spiky last photo. :-)
ReplyDeleteLOL! That does look like cousin IT!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen those birds nesting in those cacti, do you ever take weird plants home that you see?
ReplyDeleteHi Amy. Most of my hiking is done in Joshua Tree National Park, so "take only pictures, leave only footprints" is the motto I follow. But there are desert nurseries in the area that we by from.
DeleteFabulous photos - some of them look like paintings, they are so PERFECT! Love that you found a nest with eggs among the thorns!
ReplyDeleteLove those cactus against the sky and that last shot especially.
ReplyDeleteBit late in replying as I have been away. you trip was absolutely superb wit stunning pictures to go wit it. Soon as I saw the photo showing the Mojave Yucca my reaction was Cousin it and My son who looks like that when he comes out of the shower his hair is so long. I always wonder at end of the blog how you will top it the next week and you never disappoint
ReplyDeleteLas tomas son impresionantes y los cielos también han acompañados en la belleza de las imágenes.
ReplyDeleteEs un placer pasar por tu blog.
Great shots of the rocky trails and sky. That is a good and safe spot for the nest. For sure the eggs will not be stolen.
ReplyDeleteOh, such a wonderful post with expressions from an area that hat I will surely never see. Great atmosphere and colors and I always love adventure stories with happy end.
ReplyDeletewarmest regards,
isabella
Greetings and Salutations! You were blessed with beautiful skies for your adventure. Each photograph has perfect composition. Those blue eggs are safely hidden in chollas. I laughed out loud when I saw the beheaded Mojave Yucca. Another successful adventure.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see your photos I am amazed at the rocks - all different shapes and sizes!
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see the bird nest!
Have a blessed day!
Look at those blue skies!! How neat to find a bird's nest in an unexpected spot. I thought of you last week when a friend was vacationing in Arizona and sharing similar rocky terrain pics. Not as stunning as yours, but similar themes.
ReplyDeleteI think the skies over the Joshua National park are always fabulous SPP, must be something to do with the vibes coming up from the stunning rock formations below them. Wonderful series of images for us to enjoy here, the birds nest with blue eggs is so sweet.. I'm guessing those thorns are excellent protection against certain predators ✨
ReplyDeleteSpectacular photos - those skies really enhance the beauty of the rugged terrain. Who knew that a beheaded Yucca resembled Cousin It so much? LOL. That nest at the end with the lovely blue eggs was quite a great find.
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos. every one of them! those eggs are well protected from predators! did you say how long and far was your hike? i have only been on a hike in joshua tree once and it was years ago. kinda hot now, but i have been wanting to get out there again. but i am not an experienced hiker yet so i want to go somewhere relatively easy and safe. any recommendations?
ReplyDeleteSee. If we had digital cameras in 1999 when we travelled Outback Australia I´d still sit here with showing you pics, LOL!
ReplyDeleteThose rock-formations are really... nature is an artist. And the colors.... And blue eggs! So tiny. Wow.
Seeing all the rock landscape in this desert is always so fascinating! I would find the trails confusing to navigate as there does not seems to be a delineation as I see here in Colorado where trails cut through grass. The views in your photos are gorgeous! PS: Yes, I do remember "Cousin It" and that yucca had an uncanny resemblance to him :)
ReplyDelete