Gary-Summer: November 24, 2019 - Borax, Mosaic Canyon and Home

Sunday, November 24, 2019

November 24, 2019 - Borax, Mosaic Canyon and Home

Title: November 24, 2019 - Borax, Mosaic Canyon and Home
Hike Info : Description : Menu : Extra Photo's

Trail head:

Mosaic Canyon Trail Head

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking

Trail: Mosaic Canyon Trail

Destination: About a quarter mile up the trail, at the first anticipated obstacles

Actual Destination: About 1.4 miles up the trail, at a large boulder fall.

Distance: 2.81 miles

Start Time: 10:27

End Time: 12:33

Travel Time: 2:05 (1.35 mph)

Moving Time: 1:42 (1,65 mph)

Elevation Rise: 726'

Descent: 562‘

Maximum Elevation: 1,506'

GPS Tracks

Description:

Today is the day we leave Death Valley. Since we went to bed a bit early last night, I woke up early-around 5:30. It felt cool out, so I stay in my sleeping bag until about 6:40 when Sherri opens her eyes.

At this point, we start moving around and get up. Breakfast is granola, which has the benefit of quick prep time and cleanup. But something which slows us down from leaving is we talk with our neighbors. They are backpackers from Texas. We ask about where do you backpack in that state? Mostly at Big Bend. That gets us going for a good half an hour or more.

Borax Wagaon

Packing up takes about an hour-the usual stuff-take down tent, pack sleeping bag. Pads, food, stove, and other things. Somehow the car looks full. And that is for five days and two people. Guess we will need to figure out this camping thing better.

Remaining Borax Works

But we are off. Our first stop is at the Harmony Borax exhibit. This area talks about how borax was mined and some of the importance it had on the park. It is interesting and we take about 30-45 minutes to take things in.

Entrance to Mosaic Canyon

Breccia

And then it is onward. We do stop at Stovepipe Wells to pick up trinkets for the kids. Then onward to Mosaic Canyon. We go up a dirt road about 2+ miles to the trail head. We are hoping to do a quick hike up to the first obstacle and then turn back. The wash is pretty wide for the first 200 yards or so. Then it narrows. When it narrows, is where the formations gets exciting, at least for myself a non-geologist. The walls become polished like marble with layering which makes it looks like lamented wood, or more like pressed together-layered stone. (According to ProTrails , this is called Breccia, an Italian for 'fragment', is pronounced 'brecha') This has us in awe. Wonder if the pictures will come out.

Island in the wash

Boulder stopping point

We then come to the first obstacle. It is not huge and is not abrupt, about 7’ rise. But what makes this interesting is that it is marbled and slick from the many floods through time. The first attempt leaves us sliding backwards, so it looks like we may go back. But I take a running start and am able to get up. Sherri is content with remaining there until I return. But others encourage Sherri to go up. Success! and onward we go. You would think after yesterday’s success, this would be a piece of cake for Sherri.

Wide space before the side canyon

This next section is a bit narrow, but quickly opens up. Underfoot is gravel, while easy to walk, there is a fear of turning an ankle, it is a bit more strenuous on a pair of legs which sorely need to be strengthened. But I guess that is how you do it. I would say the wider part of this wash is not as spectacular as what we went through. Still it is good to be walking it. Such as what looks like a 20’ tall island in the middle of it. Wonder what that will be made into in another 15 years? Which is the main thing about walking these washes. What is here today, will not be there in a short, that is short geological time-frame. This is not the Sierra where the granite takes centuries to be shaped into a form.

Sherri in the middle of Mosaic Canyon

We walk for another 25 minutes or so when we come to the next obstacle, a set of boulders is blocking our route-like our guide book says it would be. A family comes up and scampers through the boulders. So evidently there is an easy enough way up. But we have another 5 hour drive once we get back to the car. So we figure it is a good excuse to turn around. But first, we partake of a Luna Bar before heading out.

Because we are going down a slight slope, all of a sudden I am bounding a head of Sherri. So I guess if I want to show my vitality and supposed superiority, I need to be going downhill. That is probably the thing I am taking away from this trip, that is besides the kalon of this place-both in terms of heart and the beauty.

Is Gary really climbing the side canyon wall?

We had passed a side canyon a little ways down. Since I was ahead of Sherri, I went up it-only about 20 yards. Then I came to the bane of our canyon travels-a stone vertical wall. Oh well, it was fun for the short time. Sherri catches up and we continue our travels down Mosaic Canyon. It is just a reverse of our trip up.

Re-entering the narrow

Of course, when you are going in the opposite direction, you see things differently. Like the wide area with the gravel. The gravel is still there, but instead of noticing the air island, we notice all of the sides of the canyon, including some paths along the tops of the walls. Interesting. I am beginning to see that this is someplace like my beloved Sierra which you can come back and explore so much there.

We pass through the narrows of Mosaic Canyon and into the marbled area. Remember the area which was a bit difficult to come up? It is now time to go down it. I find going down something harder than going up it. But not this time. There is a half of a culvert pipe made of marble which happened to be about the width of my hips. So I sat down and just slid. Wheee! Why can’t this happened more often? Feels better than a water park, just shorter, a lot shorter. Sherri on the other hand is not as confident of this venture. She tries a couple of ways down, before taking my method. Not sure that she had as much fun as I did. Which begs the question, why does she like roller coasters and I do not?

Rainbow Canyon

It is back to the car and a long ride back to Fresno. We stop at Father Crowley Point, where we came in last Thursday. Had lunch-still no jets in Rainbow Canyon. Then off for about five hours. When we hit highway 395, Sherri drives to Tehachapi where we fill up with gas and have a burger at McDonald's-first time in years.

About the only other items of interest on our drive back to Fresno. First, coming into Bakersfield from Tehachapi, we got a record 56.9mpg. Of course, it is almost all downhill that way. Still something which I doubt we will beat ever in the lifetime of our new car. The second, is we stopped in Bakersfield. We felt that we had to have a dinner of sorts, so a hamburger in Tehachapi fit that bill. But now for a Black&White sundae at Dewar’s. It was well worth enduring the hamburger. Now we can head home and enjoy a shower after a good trip.

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Granola	Sandwich, Peanut Butter, Nutella	McDonalds Dewar’s Black&White Sundae	Clif Bar, Scratch, Coffee Candy, Jelly Belly