Rock Hounding hike with six other hikers (four no shows... rainy weather!?). Crinoid Heaven! Explored a new cut access... fun stuff! Gotta go back with a larger pack... very nice rock.
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
Ross and Darrel along to explore the south side cleft. It did allow access out the top, but the top access, while better climbing than in the cleft proper, was too exposed for safe access? I need to go over and set a rope from the top and then check out the final bit of the climb. Fun stuff!
Hot day... dead air. We cut the outing short. I walked to/from the hike... most of the mileage came from that!
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
15 Beginner+ hikers started out... three turned back before the plus portion of the loop... and missed out on El Gordo, our largest cave structure in the area. The group did well...
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
Exploratory up Ocotillo Ledges...very nice cut! Who knew? Exited down the ridge and into Quiet Canyon... nice short hit before all the food bank work...
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
alternate route to El Gordo... Ross wanted to see new areas... so, up Goat Springs South... across the Goat Basin... into Quiet Canyon to catch The Big Cave... then along the Quiet Cliffs to enjoy the side canyon... the Crinoid Falls... the Slot... and then down to the lower ridge along the north side of Quiet Canyon.
Lots of good stuff... exceptional fossil details... still trying to decide on the optimum route to enjoy the highlights.
A few interesting falls... rocks breaking away.
Ross cleaned the blockage in the Slot... we need to go back with some safety (rope/board)... but he was up!
Warmer out! Where's the cold!!!
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
DJ the only hiker to sign on for the hike up to El Gordo... but Ross caught up with us before we made it over to the Canyon. We did the Beginner section then went off trail up to the small cave... cliff edge around to the big Cave...then, we checked out yet another possible looping route for the upper Mesa Basin trail. I think we are getting close to deciding.
After Goat Springs we angled off and up towards Goat Peak... Ross and Dj opted for a break while I tagged the peak... but after dropping back down to them I decided to go backup. I'd spotted a concentration of mollusk fossils; seemed worth checking out.
Once back up towards the top I did score a variety of shells... and finally thought I was getting into a very interesting section of Crinoid crown fossils... until I noticed they were not cross sectioned discs... but textured... looking like cellulose. So... ancient sea plant life... not animal? The strata was full of cross and longitudinal pieces.
As I hit the peak I was back to wanting a great mollusk to top of the day... got a pic of one half shell. I'll have to see what it looks like in editing.
Back down to the trail... and I decided to drop into the upper Dryfall. Acrophobia reacted acutely, but I made it down into the cut above the upper lip edge. Water accents... nice.
All in all... very good eight hours!
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
Met Ross early for hike up to The Cave... opted for some route finding up and to the Slot first. Wow... it turned out to be exceptional, and too challenging for us to climb on our own. I'll come back with Kim to get up into the next level, or I'll carry in a climbing pole.
The Cave turns out to be nice, but not a feature we will need to protect. It is hard enough to get up and in to discourage most folks... and the drama is all out in the entry and first 100 feet. It deadends soon after on the main branch... and climbing up to the side branch 40-60 feet to the back of the upper shelf... all crawling. Lots of crystal structure, but no huge drama.
It is a great intermediate level hike destination.
Looks like Cabrito Canyon may make a nice exit loop... if some issues can be resolved on the route along the Cliff bases.
Need to haul out a ton of trash... someone was living up in under one of the cliff overhangs for awhile.
A good day, and finished just as the floods begin!
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
late start... hiked light. trying to decide how to close out month... begin the four day hiking weeks, or go long daily? Cloudy and stormy out... but cooler.
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
first time my back went out from sleeping in the wrong position... or, might it have been the setup program? Hit 175 the evening before and they felt fine. Odd to turn around mid hike; usually activity makes the back better, at least during the activity. Oh, well...
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
looped from Quiet Canyon, up to Dome Rock, looped entirely around the base, then topped out... returned down Prominent Point, checking out the secondary trail off it's west face. As great as the rock looks, jutting out below the Mesa cliffs, it is nicer to look at than climb up on top... still, nice outing. Legs needed the hit.
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
out playing around, checking out some local canyon drainages... energy off, need that extra motivation that exploring offers!
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Ageless Mind... Timeless Body... No Way! Use It and Lose It. Just the way it is...
average hiking speed 1.49 mph
WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.
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