The Maze and Point 4508 - 1.3.2019
1.8 miles beyond the West Entrance to the park is a dirt parking area for The Maze Loop... room for 5 cars. This hike is not advertised very much.
|
We are interested in the North View Trail.
|
We are less than a quarter-mile from the car and still looking for the North View Trail.
|
I've hiked in the Maze a couple of times before today and I don't remember this sign... the little black rock at the base of the sign post has writing that says it is in memory of a person... perhaps in memory of the two people who died here in 2017.
|
Denali Girl hiking on the North View Trail.
|
On the north view trail with Point 4155 in the distance... we scrambled up it in 2017, but will bypass it today.
|
After hiking the North View Trail for less than three-quarters of a mile we decided to leave the trail and follow this wash and head for the ridge up on the far right.
|
Easy cross-country travel.
|
Still going cross country... looking back down our route.
|
Getting closer to the ridge with those two prominent piles of rocks on the left.
|
Not quite on the ridge yet.
|
I found an easy Class 2 route to that high point.
|
I've reached the top of those two piles of rocks... looking south along the ridge to Point 4508 and Point 4627 which is to the left of 4508.
|
Broad views from the ridge... Yucca Valley in the distance on the right and the Little San Bernardino Mountains in the left foreground.
|
Continuing along the ridge and heading for Point 4508.
|
Nearing the high point of Point 4508.
|
On top of Point 4508 and looking back at my earlier high point where I first got on the ridge.
|
Looking beyond the Little San Bernardino Mountains to San Jacinto Mountain (10,834') on the far left horizon and a snow covered San Gorgonio Mountain (11,503) on the far right horizon.
|
Looking east along the ridge that I will continue down... Point 4627 is in the right foreground... with the Wonderland of Rocks in the distance in front of Twentynine Palms Mountains.
|
Continuing along the ridge... and no, I will not try to get up top of that huge boulder.
|
Almost off of the ridge now... looking back at my ridge route... my first high point is on the far right... Point 4508 is in the left center of the photo... and the huge boulder is on the far left.
|
Time to continue cross country and get back to the car.
|
Almost back down on the desert floor.
|
Yucca plant... with San Gorgonio Mountain between the two goal posts.
|
We have connected with the northern portion of the Maze Loop Trail and will follow it back to our car... our loop trip was 3.5 miles, gaining 850 feet of elevation.
|
