Mojave / Death Valley
March 14-22, 2008 - Trip Report
Greg Smith, Guide with four participants
Many thanks to participant Wynn Johanson for help with this report, and for sharing her wonderful photographs!

Fri., March 14 Arrival in Palm Springs / Joshua Tree National Park
After meeting at the airport mid-day we had a quick lunch before leaving an incredibly windy and dusty Palm Springs. By the time we started climbing the scenic Chiriaco grade, the dust had disappeared and the wind was at less-than-gale-force strength. Ocotillos along the highway showed bright green leaves, evidence of recent rains, as did the washes with their blankets of Desert Dandelion.

We spent our first afternoon exploring Joshua Tree National Park. On a small nature trail we spotted fully-flowered Chuparosas. Chia shrubs in bloom (a sage), Arizona Lupine and Sand Mat were the most common wildflowers in this lower elevation section of the Colorado Desert (a subsection of the Sonoran Desert). Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler and a stunningly gorgeted Costa’s Hummingbird were some of our birding highlights as we moved farther into the park. We stopped at numerous locations for wildflower displays, marveling at the shear abundance of color and density. The sweet flower scent trickling off the breeze enticed us as we drove slowly along the road.

At the Teddy Bear Cholla Garden viewpoint, we saw fields of cholla so thick that very few perennials had a chance to establish a foothold. Twining Milkweed and Manroot did their best to halt the advancement of this pointed army, to little avail. Cacti and their ground-lying segments were everywhere and it became clear why pack rats found the base of these plants ideal for building their nest. What predator would follow them into such a prickly maze! After a brief stop at our hotel to check in and clean up, we headed off to a great Mexican welcome dinner at Enchada’s!

Sat., March 15 Big Morongo Preserve / Joshua Tree
Today was bright, sunny and windy as we drove west to the Big Morongo Preserve, a lush cottonwood wetland in the middle of the desert. The cottonwoods were just starting to bud out as we parked in the visitor lot. The first bird out in the open was a male Ladder-backed Woodpecker resting on a limb. We hiked down into the wetland where flowing water elicited numerous Pacific Treefrog calls. Virginia Rails were rattling off varied vocalizations as we walked the winding, elevated boardwalk. We enjoyed watching a nesting pair of Cooper’s Hawks, and a lone Oak Titmouse, here at the eastern edge of its range, was a treat. We broke out of the canopy of trees and headed into a recently burned canyon where a pair of American Kestrels were conducting a treetop copulating dance. Back at the parking lot, we enjoyed seeing a wide variety of birds (goldfinches, sparrows) at feeders hung beside a trailer, including great views of both Costa’s and Anna’s Hummingbirds.

After a breezy lunch stop across from Hidden Valley Campground we headed to the Desert Queen Mine. Even though the air temperature was 52 degrees at this elevation, a Desert Horned Lizard braved the chill and magically appeared in our path. After taking photos, we headed down into the canyon and walked among the remnant mining equipment. Bright red Barrel Cacti gleamed in the afternoon sun as we explored the wash before heading back for a leisurely drive through the sunlit boulders of Joshua Tree National Park.

Sun., March 16 Amboy Crater / Kelso Depot / Hole-in-the Wall
We started out the day with a drive to Amboy Crater. Before climbing over the hills we were treated to spectacular wildflower displays in the flats northeast of 29 Palms. Dune Primrose, Desert Lily and Wooly Sand Verbena were the primary showstoppers, but there were plenty of others to share the spotlight. Most of the mountains we passed were capped with snow from last night’s storm, but Amboy Crater was not. Here we found carpets of Desert Sunflower and Verbena. Some of us climbed up and over to the inside of the crater where we were treated to winds that were capable of carrying hats a few hundred yards in one gust! Ken spotted a Desert ….. in the parking lot.

Wynn inspired us to prepare another great picnic lunch despite the winds at the Kelso Depot. After lunch, we warmed up by touring the historic restored Kelso Depot and learned a lot about how the railroad and the West expanded together. Afterwards we headed off to Mid Hills and ran into a lot of unexpected snow. It was a gorgeous drive as we all took many pictures of snow in the desert. Our final goal was Hole-in-the-Wall where we hiked around a small mountain and used climbing rings to finish the hike. What an exciting challenge! A young male Phainopepla was the bird of note at this location.

We arrived at our lodgings at Nipton, a fun, very laid-back desert hotel close to the East Mojave Scenic area. A flock of American Goldfinch greeted us in a large puddle outside the hotel. Cassin’s Finches were common in the trees here, and a most cooperative Ruby-crowned Kinglet fanned his red crown for us near the hotel’s pond.

Mon., March 17 Zzyzx / Kelso Dunes / Cima Dome
Our first stop this morning was the Desert Studies Research Center at Zzyzx. After a brief tour of the restored facilities that once housed Dr. Springer’s pirate radio station and health spa, we headed to a grove of Tamarisk to search for Long-eared Owl. Last year we had 23 individuals, this year we got just a fleeting glimpse of one… We enjoyed walking on the salt lake bed and seeing the Kelso Dunes in the background. You could clearly see how the dunes were formed from the sea bed – geology revealed!

Our next stop was the Kelso Dunes where we searched the sand for tracks that would lead us to a Sidewinder or a Desert Tortoise. Although we had no luck finding either (probably due to the residual coolness from yesterday’s snowstorm), we had a great time learning to decipher the various tracks that critters left in the sand, with helpful tips from Barbara. We saw tracks of Kangaroo Rat, Desert Spiny Lizard, Gray Fox, and Desert Cottontail Rabbits.

At Cima Dome we hiked to the base of Teutonia Peak. We were able to view this evenly shaped geologic structure from afar, then enjoyed walking through the center of it. With the densest population of Short-leafed Joshua trees found anywhere in the world, we were able to easily distinguish this species from the Longed-leafed variety found in Joshua Tree National Park. The late afternoon lighting just made the whole hike that much more exquisite!

Tues., March 18 Clark Mountain / Badwater / Artist Drive
After a delicious breakfast of French toast we headed west to Clark Mountain. Similar to the ‘Sky Islands of Southeast Arizona, this isolated mountain range hosts lush forests home to breeding Red-faced Warblers and has a population of Utah Agave. Although we did not see either species, we discussed their presence by a huge cottonwood that had no apparent surface water, but was still incredibly lush.

In the afternoon we drove north out of Baker towards Death Valley National Park. From here we dropped into the valley from the town of Shoshone where the temperature was a pleasant 80 degrees.

Our stop at Badwater, the lowest place in the Western hemisphere, amazed us all. We walked out onto the expansive salt flats, looking up to a marker high above us that indicated the depth of the lake that had filled this entire valley during Pleistocene glaciation. Dynamic evidence of Earth and its changing nature are everywhere visible in Death Valley! We also stopped at Devil’s Golf Course and were glad we weren’t hitting any shots that day!

We then headed north to check into our hotel at Furnace Creek Ranch. After a brief siesta we drove a short ways south to Artist Drive, where the late afternoon light enhanced the already bright colors of this geological palette! The colors were breathtaking!

Wed., March 19 Mosaic Canyon / Mesquite Dunes / Salt Creek / Golden Canyon
We awoke to a cooling cloud cover this morning as we headed off to Mosaic Canyon. The wine glass-shaped entrance to the canyon yielded its secrets as we hiked around the first boulder. The marble walls were slick from eons of erosion by turbulent waters and boulders as they cascaded down the arroyo. The polished rock felt cool to the touch; its endless patterns were endlessly intriguing. Every view of the canyon yielded conglomerates, breccias and other geologic oddities.

After a mile and a half hike, we returned to the parking lot and drove on, heading to the Mesquite Dunes. These dunes are low-lying in comparison to Kelso and other dunes in California and yield a grayer color than most others yield. Numerous tracks allowed us to interpret inhabitants of the dunes and infer what they were doing during their forays. The cloud cover dissipated most shadows which enhanced photography of the dunes. Then we made a brief picture stop at the Devil’s Cornfield – made from cacti instead of cornstalks!

Lunch at Salt Creek set us up for a slow hike through the habitat of the resident endangered Salt Creek Pupfish. Numerous breeding pairs and territorial males put on wild displays that flashed blue as we walked along the boardwalk. Hearty Distichilis and Pickleweed shrubs punctuated the landscape in this otherwise inhospitable area of Death Valley.

After a break back at the hotel to swim or nap, we headed to Golden Canyon for a late afternoon hike. The hills and ravines literally seemed to jump out at us as the sun taunted the gold out of every crevice. Small outcroppings of calcium carbonate blended into the subtle gold of the hills. Slabs of former seabeds were pointed skyward at over 90 degrees from violent thrusts of the earth’s crust. The lasting gold hue on the landscape was a fitting end to another outstanding day in Death Valley!

Thurs., March 20 Wildrose Kilns / Ageureberry Point
After a brief stop at the Twenty Mule Team exhibit we headed up and over the Panamint Mountains and approached the Wildrose area from its southwest side. It was a delight to enter the realm of junipers and pines, though the Panamint Valley appeared drier than Death Valley on this day.

Our drive up Wildrose Canyon let us experience more unique geologic features. The higher end of the canyon had fairly dense stands of juniper and Pinyon Pine. This is all second growth forest as the ten limestone charcoal kilns that operated here in the 1800’s were filled with forty cords of wood every time they were fired up. We enjoyed looking at the incredible workmanship of the kilns, which stand as if ready for use today. A fair number of mountain bird species were present in this area.

We had lunch at a pretty spot on Wildrose Creek that was shaded by cottonwoods. From there we headed to Ageureberry Point where we viewed the valley floor from over 6000 feet elevation. A truly stunning view! Stops at the Eureka Mine and Ageureberry home site filled the remainder of the day as we dropped from over a mile high and 63 degrees to below sea level and a temperature of 88 degrees. The group was fascinated by the old mine and what one man accomplished!

Fri., March 21 Zabriske Point / Dante’s View
Prior to breakfast we birded around Furnace Creek with the highlights being numerous species of waterfowl on the golf course ponds. We did not find Desert Bighorn Sheep as we had the previous year on our drive south to Badwater, but we enjoyed seeing this impressive part of the park in morning light, providing a different view than that of our entry day to the national park. Artist’s Palette was as beautiful in the morning sun as in the twilight!

The view of Death Valley and the Panamint Mountains across the salt flats from Zabriske Point was stunning. The deep, but soft, erosion and rills that defined the soft shoulders of the mud rock, were not washed out by the mid-day light. The shape of Manly Gore contrasted sharply to the azure blue sky. And then there was that little black puppy dog Honey that charmed us all…

We went up to Dante’s View with stops for small patches of mixed colored wildflowers. Desert Mallow, Phacelia, Nama, and Desert Gold among other species lined sections of the road. When we reached the top, the view was very different from yesterday’s Ageureberry Point. We could see the Point across the valley and counted ourselves fortunate to experience grand views from both sides!

We finished the day with an excellent dinner at the Furnace Creek Inn’s five star restaurant. A fitting finale for a wonderful trip!

Sat., March 22 Our Adventure Ends…
Today our congenial flock dispersed. It had been a great trip in which Mary Ellen, Barbara, and Ken did all the hikes with Greg while Wynn did many hikes but also wandered the trails and enjoyed the beauty and solitude of the desert and surrounding mountains.

Photos by: Wynn Johanson, Greg Smith and Peg Abbott

 

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