East Wash, Mark's Arch, and "Big Eyes"

 I know, kind of a crazy title for a post! This is a hike I did back in April in east Joshua Tree. What I'm calling "east wash" is a remote wash I've wanted to follow up into the rocky hills. I've tried twice before, but there are multiple parallel washes in the area and I always seem to end up in the wrong one!

On the drive out, I took a dirt road detour up to this mining area (it's about 1 mile from the Joshua Tree National Park border). I was driving the Jeep so I thought "what the heck, why not!" On the topo maps it is marked only as "open pit mine" (no other name). I don't know anything about it, other than it is no longer active and it looks dangerous. Lot's of steep sandy hillsides to slip off of and fall to your death. Allow me to make a quick side comment, and then I promise to get you to photos from the hike!

 

I know very little about mining, other than a miner or mining company stakes a "claim" which is generally on public land (in this case, BLM land). This gives the miner or mining company sole rights to mine the land. Makes sense so far. What I don't understand is why the miner or mining company is allowed to just walk away from the claim without cleaning up their mess! Seems like the government should require the mining operation to return the land to the way they found it. Perhaps they should put a deposit or a percentage of profits into an escrow fund used for clean up at the end of the claim lease. If they want their deposit back, they need to clean up the land. To clean up this open pit now would likely cost millions of dollars in taxpayer money. Meanwhile, the mining operation is long gone and they pay nothing. On to their next claim. Good deal for them, but terrible for everyone else! OK, end of editorial.

 

I think the wash is straight ahead. To find it requires some solid navigational skills.

 

Ah, this is better. Definitely a desert wash, and the one I was looking for!

 

There are high, dramatic rock formations along the west side of the wash.

 

Alien rock formation.

 

The wash becomes nearly impassable in this area. I stop to admire the wildflowers and that beautiful rocky spire. I'll proceed a little further and will then need to veer west. I'm hoping I can complete a large loop rather than go back the way I came.

 

Coyote den? And check out that boulder teetering up on top!

 

Afternoon golden light.

Heading due west, something just barely catches my eye as I'm passing by. It's white in color, which my brain says doesn't really belong here. Perhaps a large piece of quartz? Can you see it? I decide to check it out.

 

It's a bleached out bighorn sheep skull! It looks like it's been sitting here for many years. A cool find anywhere in the Park, but especially out here, where there's little water and no current sheep population to my knowledge.
 

View from inside, looking out.

 

I continue on, leaving the sheep skull just as I found it. Shortly after that discovery is this huge pointy boulder. Reminds me of a giant arrowhead, or perhaps a prehistoric shark tooth!

 

Did I mention it was a perfect day for a hike? Beautiful clouds and not too hot. Soon this area will be scorching and much too hot for day hikes. As I head north towards my car, I want to find an arch my friend Mark told me about.

 

And there it is: Mark's Arch!

View from under "Mark's Arch".

 

As I stop to admire this beautiful view and golden hour light, something compels me to turn around. And what I see amazes me!

What a incredible rock formation! It appears to have two large eyes, about equal in size, and very photogenic. Keep this rock formation in mind as you will be seeing it again in a future post.

 

View from inside the creature's right eye!

 

Hiking out here, I always have the Coxcombs nearby to keep me company!

 

Thanks for joining me on what turned out to be a really fun hike.

You will be seeing more of "Big Eyes" in the near future!

Linking with Skywatch Friday.