Echo Rock Loop, Schwarzenegger Wall and Red Diamonds - 1.10.2020
We parked at the Echo 'T' parking area in Joshua Tree National Park... Echo Rock is in the foreground.
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Leaving the parking area... it is 43 degrees at 9am.
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Our first stop will be to scramble up to the top of Little Echo Rock which is located a short distance beyond Echo Rock... we will find a ramp-like feature on the left end of the rock that will get us on top.
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Denali Girl is heading up the ramp on Little Echo Rock.
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Continuing up to the top of Little Echo Rock.
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I'm near the top of Little Echo Rock looking back at Denali Girl as she comes up toward me.
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At the summit area of Little Echo Rock... the Astro Domes are on the extreme far left in the photo.
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Looking into the Wonderland of Rocks from the top of Little Echo Rock.
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Looking NW from the top of Little Echo Rock toward the Little San Bernardino Mountains on the horizon... and a snow covered San Gorgonio Mountain on the right horizon.
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Leaving the summit area of Little Echo Rock... looking down on the desert floor... at the end of our hike we will be coming down the smooth slabs of rock in the center of the photo.
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Denali Girl coming down Little Echo Rock.
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Off of Little Echo Rock... heading over toward Barker Dam in search of the Schwarzenegger Wall... what used to be a popular climbing area.
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The Schwarzenegger Wall has been closed for at least a few years now... trying to preserve the petroglyphs in the area.
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Denali Girl and Star Dancer at a cave near the Schwarzenegger Wall.
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Looking across the valley from the cave entrance near the Schwarzenegger Wall... after leaving the cave we will go up the slabs on the far right side of the photo and angle back to the center of the photo... taking us into the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Out of the cave and heading up the slabs that will take us into the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Star Dancer and Denali Girl leaving the desert floor and heading up the slabs.
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Working our way up into the Wonderland of Rocks... here looking across the valley at the Schwarzenegger Wall.
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Still heading up into the Wonderland of Rocks... with the Schwarzenegger Wall in the shade on the far left.
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Working our way through the boulders across the valley from the Schwarzenegger Wall... so far, so good.
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I'm continuing on into the Wonderland of Rocks... here looking back at Denali Girl (center of photo) who has stopped following me... her and Star Dancer will trace their steps back down to the desert floor and then hike over to Barker Dam and then enter the wonderland and meet up with me.
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I've reached a little plateau in the wonderland... easier terrain for awhile.
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Looking back.
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I still need to get up and over the low point on the right.
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I will find a way to get beyond these rocks.
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Another little plateau in the wonderland... finally I can recognize Valhalla Dome through the gap in the center of the photo... it is over by Barker Dam... so I will head in that direction to meet up with the ladies.
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I met up with the ladies shortly after taking the last photo... and we are now kind of tracing my steps out of the wonderland.
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Looking back as we exit the wonderland.
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Star Dancer leads us out of the wonderland.
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Star Dancer is leading us down from the wonderland... the north side of Little Echo Rock is in the shade on the right.
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Star Dancer will take us over to check out the Red Diamonds on the north side of Little Echo Rock.
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Denali Girl is on the north side of Little Echo Rock... looking for the Red Diamonds.
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The Red Diamonds.
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After visiting the Red Diamonds we are hiking back past Little Echo Rock on our way back to the car.
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Almost back to our car at the Echo 'T' parking area... our hike was 4.2 miles, gaining 723 feet of elevation.
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