Twin Tanks and Keyno Benchmark - 1.28.2020
From the north entrance pay station to Joshua Tree National Park... drive 4.6 miles on Park Blvd and turn left onto the Pinto Basin Road... then drive 2.2 miles to the trailhead for Twin Tanks.
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From the trailhead kiosk we started hiking west... going cross-country toward those boulders in the right foreground... I called it a trailhead where we parked, but the trailhead is really for the 'Arch Rock Nature Trail' and a connector for the 'California Riding and Hiking Trail'.
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It didn't take long for us to enter a well-traveled wash.
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Continuing up the wash.
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We will work our way over to that huge pile of boulders in search of a native village.
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Scrambling into the huge boulders... following Star Dancer as she leads us.
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Denali Girl scrambles into the native village.
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After exploring the village we are continuing west on easy terrain.
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Interesting terrain as we continue west... here I am looking south to the high point out there... listed on the map as 'Keyno'... it has my attention!
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Continuing west... gaining easy elevation... following Star Dancer.
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Continuing west... gaining easy elevation... following Star Dancer.
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We are cliffed out... the Crown Prince Lookout is out there in the center of the photo... Queen Mountain is on the right horizon.
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Looking south to the Keyno Benchmark... I'm going to go over and tag it while Star Dancer and Denali Girl continue to explore the boulders right here.
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I had to backtrack a short distance to find a route over to Keyno in the distance.
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Working my way over to Keyno... still trying to get down to the desert floor.
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Working my way over to Keyno.
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This hallway will get me out of the huge boulders and into the open... Keyno is in the distance.
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Now gaining elevation up to the summit of Keyno.
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Nearing the summit of Keyno... actually very easy terrain.
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On the Keyno summit (~4380 feet)... looking SE (left) at the Pinto Mountains and Pinto Basin to south (right) at the Hexie Mountains.
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On the Keyno summit (~4380 feet)... looking SW (left) at the Hexie Mountains in the left foreground... with the Little San Bernardino Mountains in the center of the photo... and Lost Horse Mountain and Ryan Mountain on the right horizon... with Crown Prince Lookout in the far right foreground.
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On the Keyno summit (~4380 feet)... looking west (left) at Crown Prince Lookout... with Queen Mountain to the north on the center horizon.
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A closer look at Crown Prince Lookout (aka Point 4581) in the left foreground... and Point 4558 in the right foreground... with Ryan Mountain on the left horizon.
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Queen Mountain dominates the horizon... with the Jumbo Rocks area in the foreground.
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Leaving Keyno and heading down to meet the ladies.
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Looking back at Keyno as I head for Twin Tanks.
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I have rejoined Star Dancer and Denali Girl as we head for Twin Tanks.
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Incredible terrain.
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In search of the first tank.
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Luv the rock!
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The dam at the first tank.
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Denali Girl standing above the second tank.
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Denali Girl and Star Dancer at the second tank.
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I did a simple scramble up to what I call 'Quartz Knob'... the second tank is below on the left.
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Looking down at the second tank from Quartz Knob... Keyno is out there on the left-center horizon.
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Star Dancer and Denali Girl at the second of the Twin Tanks.
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We have left the tanks and heading back to our car.
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Looking back as we head for the car... Keyno is on the far left horizon.
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Almost back to the car... with the Pinto Mountains on the horizon... the hike was 4.4 miles, gaining 803 feet of elevation.
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Well deserved after a day in the desert!... is that a bear or a deer on the bottle?... or is it just a beer?
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