Point 4493 (Cottonwood Mountains High Point) - 2.27.2018
Just before reaching the south entrance visitor center to Joshua Tree National Park, turn left and drive 4.3 miles into Pinkham Canyon and park where you can find a reasonable place to get off of the road... a high clearance vehicle is a good idea.
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Hiking across the desert floor... here looking back toward the visitor center and the Eagle Mountains.
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The Cottonwood Mountains high point is up there somewhere.
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As I gain elevation I'm looking back across Pinkham Canyon to Monument Mountain in the Hexie Mountains.
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Gaining elevation on fairly easy terrain... but there isn't a trail or path.
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Looking back across Pinkham Canyon at Monument Mountain.
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Hedgehog cacti.
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Looking NE down Pinkham Canyon to the Eagle Mountains on the right and Hexie Mountains on the left... with Pinto Basin far away in the center of the photo.
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Monument Mountain is beyond the Yucca cacti.
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Continuing higher... still no idea where the high point is.
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Looking west across the Little San Bernardino Mountains to the cloud covered San Jacinto Mountains.
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Cholla cacti.
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The Cottonwood Mountains high point is up there on the right.
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Almost on the high point... looking east to the Eagle Mountains.
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Looking NE across Smoke Tree Wash toward Pinto Basin.
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Destination is ahead.
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Looking SW toward the Santa Rosa Mountains on the horizon.
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Looking north across Pinkham Canyon to Mounument Mountain.
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Looking SW toward the Salton Sea.
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The Sierra Club placed this summit register in 1978.
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There was also a scrap of paper placed in 1963.
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The summit register container... sit the jar upright... then place the tin can over it.
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Looking toward the south entrance visitor center and the Eagle Mountains.
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I'm going to make a loop out of the hike... using the ridge below to get back down to the desert floor.
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Heading down and looking back at the high point.
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Heading down and looking back... I went up via the ridge on the left.
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Almost back down on the desert floor.
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I went up using the ridge on the left... and came down via the ridge on the right.
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Back on the desert floor... heading for the car and looking east to the Eagle Mountains.
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Nearing my car... the hike/scramble loop was 4.3 miles, gaining 1455 feet of elevation.
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