Home / Tag Owlshead Mountains [438]
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The tent set up, it's time to make an instant meal and enjoy the quiet evening -
Back on the Harry Wade Exit Route, I encounter this sign -
Driving straight toward the Owlshead Mountains, Harry Wade Road looks to have been graded recently -
After driving more than a dozen miles on Harry Wade Road, it's time to leave and turn left -
Deep sand ahead? Uh oh... -
The FJ amuses itself by driving the washboard of Owl Hole Spring Road at 25 miles per hour -
On the left side of the road, a sign notifies me that I'm passing a "U.S. military installation" -
After a few miles on this road, I arrive at Owl Hole Spring -
Maybe all this fencing is intended to keep the wild burros out here from contaminating the spring water -
Another look at Owl Hole Spring: the water doesn't look so clean -
Some walls at Owl Hole Spring: water control? -
I walk up the hill a bit, hear some noise, and see a wild burro over on a nearby hill -
The wild burro is definitely watching me as I walk around, but keeping a distance -
It's an interesting "stare-down" that I'm having with that burro up there -
OK, you keep watching me, it's time for me to move on -
A short walk back down to the FJ and then onward we'll continue -
After Owl Hole Spring, I drive Owlshead Mountains Road, further out into the wild -
I pull up close to the forbidden gate to see what the signs say -
My road forks off to the right, but there's an intriguing gate off to my left -
The road was briefly outside Death Valley National Park, it enters it again here -
What a beautiful day it is out here in the Owlshead Mountains -
So many ridgelines ahead -
Not much traffic out here! -
The lighting really is perfect right now -
The road dips down to the south end of the Owl Lake basin -
It's time to start looking for a campsite for the night -
I think I'll stop here and enjoy the sunset while setting up camp for the night -
A tarantula saunters by when I start to set up my tent -
I'm enjoying a good cup of coffee on a beautiful sunny morning in the Owlshead Mountains -
Near my tent is a huge crack in the old pavement that exists in a few places on Owlshead Mountains Road -
I pack up the FJ and drive a few more miles up Owlshead Mountains Road -
I park next to a sign that indicates the trail over to Crystal Hills, today's hike -
Feeling quite relaxed, I finish up my pipe of Orlik Golden Slices tobacco and start my hike toward the Crystal Hills -
After some walking down the Wilderness trail, I arrive at old gates to the military base -
A well-weathered sign issues the command to stay out of the military base -
I follow the old road along the fence toward the Crystal Hills -
A more modern "Keep Out" sign stands guard nearby -
Hmmmm.... ordnance remains -
It's a serene place to rest for a not-so-serene object -
Shrubbery on the fan leading up to the Owlshead Mountains is rather minimal -
The remains of an old mylar balloon greet me on the way over to the Owlshead Mountains -
One more "final" look back at the Crystal Hills -
Yeah, it's another "The FJ is waiting for me" moment -
Time to look for a campsite, and a drive toward the old microwave tower -
Winds are fairly strong up here, so this sheltered spot along the road should make a good camp -
I'll go for a walk up to the microwave tower and take in the setting sun from up there -
Owl Peak looks great from here, perhaps I'll try hiking it tomorow -
Here's the microwave tower -
I'm treated to excellent views from the Owlshead Mountains microwave tower -
Lighting becomes increasingly horizontal -
We cast shadows at sunset -
I ponder the awesomeness of miles of miles and miles of undeveloped expanse, feeling small -
Layers of ridgelines under the setting sun -
Yes, Owl Peak over there, that will be tomorrow's adventure -
But for now, I'll walk back down to that really tiny FJ down there and set up my tent -
Looking forward to tomorrow's adventure, I arrive back to the FJ and set up my tent -
My campsite is reasonably sheltered from the wind, which served me well last night -
No traffic out here in the Owlshead Mountains! -
My hike begins by walking a short distance up the road toward the microwave tower -
I'm heading toward Owl Peak, that big lump in the middle -
I take a final look down at the FJ before continuing my walk over the hill -
The Owlshead Mountains is a maze of low, but often steep-sided hills -
Owl Peak is straight ahead, but you can't get there by walking straight -
Always follow the burro trail: I'm following this one -
I can still see the microwave tower as I cross the head of this canyon -
I guess I'll walk up this drainage to the saddle above -
I can still see the microwave tower over there -
The easiest way to approach Owl Peak should be from the left side -
I cross the head of another canyon -
To avoid the steep canyon-head at my right, I'll hike over this hill ahead -
That light patch down there is the Crystal Hills, where I hiked yesterday: nice view! -
I'll try hiking straight ahead and then turning right toward Owl Peak -
I think one could spend more than a day just walking all the unwalked ridgelines around here -
My view down to the Crystal Hills just got better -
I see a little dry lake down there in Wingate Wash -
My route to Owl Peak is straight up this hill -
Up on Owl Peak, it's fun to look at hills and rocks -
And there's Lost Lake down there, I haven't been down there yet... -
From Owl Peak, I can see across the valley to the Black Mountains -
Even the sky is beautiful today up here on Owl Peak -
Owl Peak provides a nice view across the Lost Lake basin over to the middle Owlshead Mountains -
So many photos to take... -
Another photo to take -
Another look at Lost Lake -
This photo needs to be taken too! -
I start walking down from Owl Peak and take a look back -
On the way down the hill, I'm staring at yesterday's hike into the Crystal Hills again -
I want to check out this canyon ahead that looks like it might lead down to Wingate Wash -
Hey, there's a tarantula to distract me for a minute or three! -
I see a couple of steep drop-offs in the canyon ahead, so I won't be hiking down to Wingate Wash right now -
I climb up the next hill, looking down at Wingate Wash and the little dry lake -
Where to go? Not sure: I'll follow this ridgeline and find out -
Let's check out this canyon here... -
A few patches of red buckwheats grow in the head of the canyon -
I look back to see a low peak towering over me -
And here's another of those mylar balloons that blow into remote areas from faraway places -
I follow a faint burro trail; no human footprints here -
Steep gullies are carved into the adjacent hills -
Let's see what's around the next corner... -
The canyon opens up a little as it descends gently
