Gary-Summer: November 19, 2021 Death Valley: Going Back to Fresno with a stop at Darwin Falls

Friday, November 19, 2021

November 19, 2021 Death Valley: Going Back to Fresno with a stop at Darwin Falls

Title: November 19, 2021 Death Valley: Going Back to Fresno with a stop at Darwin Falls
Hike Info : Description : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Trail head: Darwin Falls Parking area

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking : Car
Trail: Darwin Falls
Destination: Darwin Falls
Distance: 1.87 miles ¹
Elevation Rise: 314'
Descent: 314‘
Maximum Elevation: 2,694'

GPS Tracks
¹I lost the GPS track from this hike. I am using Google Earth data and maps for this blog.

Car Mileage: 362 Miles

Description:

Lunar Eclipse

Today we go back home. But before we even got up for the day, I had gotten up around 12:30 last night to watch the lunar eclipse. Earlier in the evening, the sky was covered in clouds. But by the time I opened my eyes at 12:30, there was clear skies. I should say semi-clear. While the clouds were gone, there seemed to be moisture in the upper air causing a glow to be around the eclipsed moon and the moon to appear a bit fuzzy. I watch this for about 45 minutes until I turn in.

Our Campsite

Cracked Water Pipe

I do not know if it was the middle of the night interlude, a hidden anxiety about leaving or something else, but I did not sleep very well afterwards. At 6:30 I got up. Sherri got up a little while afterwards. Eric from last night comes over and we talk a little more until we said we needed to eat. Sherri made french toast and then we packed and left around 10:30.

We know we need to get gas before leaving the Valley. But we think we can do better at Stovepipe Springs than the $6+ a gallon at Furnace Creek. Sherri drives along to Stovepipe Springs. There we are surprised. All the pumps have an out of order sign on them. We have enough gas to get to Panamint Springs where there is another set of pumps. But what happens if they are out of gas? Fortunately we have a good cell connection at Stovepipe and I was able to find the phone number for Panamint. Katie thankfully answers and said they have gas.

Sherri on path

We have about 100 miles worth of gas left and only 30 miles to Stovepipe. We get to Panamint and yes there is gas. While not filling up, we do put a bit more gas in. I find Katie behind the cash register an thank her. Now that our minds are at ease, we go to the trail-head for our hike-Darwin Falls.

The trail head is two miles down a dirt road about a mile from Panamint Springs. Not really far at all. A couple evidently did not like the look of a dirt road so they were doing a U-turn when we started down it.

When we got to the trail-head, several cars and vans were already parked there. Some were leaving, others were just starting out. We do our usual slowly getting ready. There was one person left when we started going. Sherri and I walked in this dry, unshaded, sandy wash for about a third of a mile. There is a pipe which parallel our route, sometimes it is iron, other times PVC. At this point, a PVC pipe has split and it is sending a thin sheet of water 15’ into the air. The little kid in me gets under the desert fountain and enjoys the cool, refreshing moisture. Sherri is more of a stick in the sand and hangs back, shacking her head.

But there is redemption. The woman who was at the trail-head? She sees me enjoying the fountain of water. When I move out of the flow, she enjoys the coolness. As Sherri and I start going further up the trail, she joins us. All three of us will walk together the rest of the way, well almost all the way. By the way, she is from North Carolina and does not even talk funny.

Darwin Creek

Shortly afterwards, a couple of things happen. We get a lunar simulation, going from the hot sun to the cool shade all within a step. What a difference that makes. Shortly afterwards, the desert wash turns from sand and scrub to trees, flowers and grasses, almost like hiking in the Sierra foothill in spring. Finally, there is a small flow of water down the middle of the canyon. Maybe there really is a water fall at the end of the trail!

Darwin Falls and Gary

But even in the garden of Eden in the middle of the desert, there are obstacles to overcome. In the dry canyon washes, if there is a boulder, you go around it. Here where there is water and lushness of growth, the boulders have thickets of trees and brush. Not only that, but I suspect the water has caused a bit more rock slides from around the canyon sides making more obstacles. I either find routes or try to guide over or around rock.

We come to a huge boulder where the choice is to climb up a steep rock slide or go over the boulder. Our friend will goes over the slide. As I am examining this, a group of females come down the boulder. I decide this is the way to go. But Sherri is having none of this and is will to stay here and wait for our expected return.

The lady and I go over a few more obstacles and then up a rock and see the falls. Not as spectacular as the pictures, but we may be at the wrong angle. Still it is pretty remarkable that this place is even in the desert. After observing for about ten minutes, we return back to Sherri. She is not at the bottom of the rock, but a little ways beyond, watching the female group finish up their lunch.

We continue on down the canyon. Shortly afterwards, the group passes, as expected. And then we have our ¾ of a mile trudge back to the cars. We stop only a couple of times when something catches our eyes. But I think Sherri and I know we need to start moving soon as we have a long drive back to Fresno.

Sherri with our new North Carolina friend

At the parking area, we say goodbye to our North Caroline hiking friend. We follow her down the dirt road until she turns to go to Furnace Creek and we to the west. We still have not had lunch, so we stop at Father Crowley Point. But all we do is eat in the car and make use of the facility. And then we are off.

We drive the long highway to Olancha, catching highway 395 there. We do not go over Walker Pass, but head towards Mojave. All of this is uneventful. Then it is over Tehachapi and down to Bakersfield. We get gas in Bakersfield. By this time it is after 6. So we pick up a hot dog at Costco to tide us over. Two hours more of driving gets us back home in Fresno. We are tired enough that we will unpack in the morning. But we get reunited with Steven, take a shower, rest so we can go to bed. After all, it is after our 9pm camping bedtime.