Valhalla Dome - 12.25.2020
We parked at the the parking lot for Barker Dam in Joshua Tree National Park... room for 60 cars at this very popular area in the park.
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A little bit of history on Barker Dam.
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After hiking a quarter mile we are nearing Barker Lake.
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Right now there isn't any water in the lake... the popular loop hike goes around to the dam over to the left... however, we are going to the right and scramble up the huge rock pile on the right.
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Denali Girl is heading up to Valhalla Dome.
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Denali Girl coming up Valhalla Dome... in another month or so there will be water below us.
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Still coming up to the dome.
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Still coming up the dome... every step higher gives a broader view of Lost Horse Valley in the distance.
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High enough now to see the little tree on the summit of Valhalla Dome.
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Nearing the summit of Valhalla Dome.
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A pano shot as I near the Valhalla Dome summit on the far right.
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Nearing the Valhalla Dome summit... was it a combination of heat and water that carved up the rock here?
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Here comes Denali Girl up the carved rock... with Lost Horse Valley in the distance.
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A pano shot looking north from the Valhalla Dome Summit into the Wonderland of Rocks... with the Astro Dome on the far left... and Queen Mountain on the right horizon.
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Denali Girl on the Valhalla Dome summit (~4500')... with the Astro Dome on the far left.
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Looking east from the summit of Valhalla Dome... across part of the Wonderland of Rocks into Queen Valley.
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Merry Christmas from Valhalla Dome... 60 degrees and no wind!
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Looking SW from the Valhalla Dome summit to San Jacinto Mountain (10,834') on the far left horizon... with the snow covered San Gorgonio Mountain (11,503') on the right horizon... and Quail Mountain (at 5814 feet, the high point in the park) on the left-center horizon.
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Leaving the Valhalla Dome summit we will make a loop out of our hike and return to our car via the southern entrance to the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Denali Girl coming down from the Valhalla Dome summit on the east side of the dome.
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Looking for the best way to get down on the east side of the dome.
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Denali Girl has found a route to get down to our next plateau.
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Starting down a rock ladder.
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Working our way down a 15 foot rock ladder.
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Down from the rock ladder... but still need to get down some more.
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Dropping into what felt like a tunnel.
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Hiking out of the tunnel.
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Out of the tunnel and into the great wide open... we will head for the gap up there in the center of the photo.
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Denali Girl nears what I call Rattlesnake Gap... and yes, we encountered a rattlesnake there last year.
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We have gone through Rattlesnake Gap... and got a good look at 'The Camel' in the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Still some work to do in order to get down to the floor of the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Working our way down to the floor of the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Almost down to the floor of the Wonderland of Rocks.
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We have reached the floor of the Wonderland of Rocks... leaving an easy walk to get back to the car.
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A fun rock formation in the Wonderland... reminds me of an eagle from the north side of the rock.
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And the rock reminds me of a shark from the south side of the rock.
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Almost out of the Wonderland now... looks kind of brushy, but not a big deal.
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We are out of the Wonderland of Rocks... and have arrived at the Wonderland Ranch... leaving a quarter mile to reach the Wonderland parking lot... then another quarter mile to get back to the Barker Dam parking lot.
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Nearing the Wonderland parking lot... room for 15 cars.
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Nearing the Barker Dam parking lot... the loop hike was 2.5 miles, gaining 425 feet of elevation... what a way to spend Christmas Day!
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