Rattlesnake Canyon - 12.21.2022
We parked at the 'Indian Cove East' parking lot in Joshua Tree National Park... located at the north end of the 'Wonderland of Rocks'... Crazy Horse, G-man and Star Dancer will join Denali Girl and me on this incredible adventure.
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It is not really an official trailhead... and it quickly turns into a scramble.
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Hiking SE up a drainage in the 'Wonderland of Rocks' in search of the official Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Hiking SE up a drainage in the 'Wonderland of Rocks' in search of the official Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Most of the elevation gain (~250 feet) occurs in the first half mile of the hike/scramble.
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Heading for the canyon up there on the left.
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We have reached the official Rattlesnake Canyon... glad we weren't here when the water was rushing many many years ago.
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I call them the 'Rattlesnake Canyon Potholes'... but that is just me.
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Potholes in Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Crazy Horse and G-man have been here several times... and they said that this is the most water they have ever seen here.
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Now working our way SW up Rattlesnake Canyon.
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More potholes.
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Still hiking up Rattlesnake Canyon and enjoying the potholes... here looking north out to Yucca Valley.
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Continuing up Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Still continuing up Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Star Dancer took this photo of Crazy Horse hiking up Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Continuing up Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Continuing up Rattlesnake Canyon.
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Working our way through the boulders and brush in Rattlesnake Canyon.
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We had to make ourselves small in many places.
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Didn't plan on seeing Aspen trees in the canyon... there is an officially named 'Willow Hole' in the park... and I'm calling this 'Aspen Hole'.
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Continuing to hike SW up Rattlesnake Canyon beyond 'Aspen Hole'.
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Continuing to hike up the canyon.
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Star Dancer took this photo of Denali Girl and me getting ready to be eaten by this rock creature.
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Lunch time in Rattlesnake Canyon... it has taken us two hours to reach this spot... and we have gained ~400 feet of elevation in the one mile of distance.
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Crazy Horse and G-man scrambled up above our lunch spot while I continued up the canyon for another 75 yards... here I'm looking up the canyon and it looks like it is going to get much steeper... time to head back down.
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Heading back out of the canyon... more or less tracing our steps.
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Heading back down the canyon.
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Heading down we decided to return via the official waterfall.
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Looking for the official waterfall.
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Nearing the waterfall.
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Nearing the waterfall.
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Star Dancer took this photo of Crazy Horse above where the waterfall gets ready to descend quickly.
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We will descend 20 yards west of where Crazy Horse was standing in the last photo.
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Here comes Denali Girl down.
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Descending.
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Continuing down.
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Continuing down.
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Continuing down.
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Continuing down.
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Lots of water.
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Looking for the parking lot.
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Still have a little scrambling to do.
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Almost down and on flat ground again.
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Back at the car... the hike/scramble was a total of 2.3 miles, gainging a whooping 400 feet of elevation. It took us 4 hours to complete the hike... but 30 minutes of the time was for lunch.
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