Website Design by Roger Gervin - Hike and scramble to the summit of the Astro Dome in the Wonderland of Rocks in Joshua Tree Na

Astro Dome - 3.8.2020

We parked at the Echo 'T' parking area in Joshua Tree National Park... Echo Rock is in the foreground... we will start by hiking between Echo Rock and the rock formation on the left edge of the photo.	We have hiked beyond Echo Rock and are heading toward what I call Little Echo Rock in the foreground.	We have reached Little Echo Rock and can see the Astro Dome on the horizon... the massive rock formation on the right horizon is the south Astro Dome... with the north Astro Dome to the left of the south dome.	After hiking .9 miles we are behind Little Echo Rock and can see the low angled slabs in the center of the photo that will get us up into the Wonderland of Rocks.	Heading up the low angled slabs that will get us up into the wonderland.
rocman is at the top of the low angled slabs... watching Cairn Girl and tomman come up.	Beyond the low angled slabs and in the wonderland... heading for the Astro Dome which is located to the right of the tower on the horizon in the right center of the photo.	Once we got into the wonderland there were several rock formations that we had to cross over to reach the Astro Dome.	We can see the Astro Dome up at the top of the photo... working our way over there by using a combination of 'wash hiking' and crossing over rock formations.	Getting closer to the Astro Dome... looking for a very narrow wash that will put us at the base of the dome.
Getting closer to the Astro Dome... looking for a very narrow wash that will put us at the base of the dome.	After hiking 1.6 miles we have found the entrance to the narrow wash that runs along the west side of the dome... now we will hike this wash for less than a football field to find the spot to start our scramble up it.	rocman starts leading us up the narrow wash... brushy in places with some rock work necessary.	Still in the wash... BarbE approaches what appeared to be a blockage.	There was a tunnel at what appeared to be a blockage.
We hiked the narrow wash a little further than necessary... here I'm looking back at Cairn Girl as she starts up the gully at the beginning of the scramble portion of the trip.	Cairn Girl and rocman round a boulder near the beginning of the scramble... a little bit of exposure rounding the boulder.	Continuing up the scramble portion of the trip... is it a gully... or is it just a bunch of large boulders?	Taking a break on the way up... that dead tree at the top of the photo is a good landmark for the route.	rocman has reached the dead tree... here is where the gully kind of ends and a 50 foot groove begins.
rocman watches BarbE and tomman work the 50 foot groove.	We have reached the top of the 50 foot groove and have started up this large and easy ramp that will get us almost to the summit.	Looking back as Cairn Girl comes up the large ramp.	The ramp narrows as we continue up to the Astro Dome summit... we are on the south dome... with the slightly lower north dome on the left.	Continuing up the ramp leading to the summit.
Continuing up the ramp leading to the summit... Cairn Girl is working the most narrow section of the ramp... falling here is forbidden!	Finishing up the up-scramble on easy terrain.	After hiking a total of 2 miles we have reached the summit (4624')... this photo and the next three photos are pano shots from the summit... there is some overlap in the 4 photos... here looking north across the wonderland... with the west shoulder of Queen Mountain creeping into the photo on the right horizon.	Looking west across the wonderland to Queen Mountain on the horizon... the gang is relaxing on the summit on the far right.	Looking south to Ryan Mountain and Lost Horse Mountain... Valhalla Dome looks like it is just behind the gang... however, there is a huge drop off between us and Valhalla.
Looking east to Quail Mountain in the center foreground.	Looking down on Wonderland Wash on the east side of the Astro Dome.	Looking at Valhalla Dome in the foreground from the summit of the south Astro Dome.	The gang of youngsters... left to right... rocman, BarbE, tomman, Cairn Girl and me.	We saw a couple climbers climbing up the east side of the Astro Dome... the north Astro Dome dominates the photo.
Heading back down the ramp.	Heading back down the large ramp... more or less tracing our steps back to the car.	Scrambling back down to the narrow wash.	Scrambling back down to the narrow wash.	Scrambling back down to the narrow wash.
Scrambling back down to the narrow wash.	Back in the narrow wash... looking up at our scramble route... that dead tree up at the top of the photo is a very good landmark for the route.	We have arrived back at the rock tunnel that had looked as if it was going to block us.	Out of the narrow wash and heading for the car.	Looking back at the Astro Dome on the left as we head for the car.
Just another wash that will take us back to the car.	Heading for the barn... dealing with one of the rock formations along the way.	Working the low angled slabs that will take us down to the back side of Little Echo Rock.	Back on the desert floor and heading for the gap between Echo Rock on the left and the rock formation on the right.	Back at the parking lot... the trip was 4 miles, gaining 706 feet of elevation.