Hidden Way - 1.19.2024
We parked at the Hidden Valley Trailhead in Joshua Tree National Park... this will be a thru-hike... and 15 minutes earlier we left one car at the Hemingway parking lot.
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Star Dancer and Denali Girl begin the narrow gap entrance into Hidden Valley. In the late 1870's the McHaney Gang rustled cattle and horses... then brought them here for re-branding before taking them out of state to sell them.
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In an eighth of a mile we have gone through the narrow gap entrance to the wide-open Hidden Valley. Our first stop will be the 'Holy Enchilada' as Denali Girl and Star Dancer head for it in the foreground.
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Getting ready to scramble up the Holy Enchilada as far as we can.
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Scrambling up the Holy Enchilada.
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I took this photo from just below the summit of Holy Enchilada... looking down to a lot of the Hidden Valley Loop Trail... and looking beyond the Wonderland of Rocks to Queen Mountain on the right-center horizon... and Ryan Mountain on the extreme far right horizon.
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We have returned from our short side trip to the Holy Enchilada in the left foreground... and will continue hiking on the Hidden Valley Loop Trail.
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Continuing to hike clockwise on the Hidden Valley Loop Trail.
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Continuing to hike on the Hidden Valley Trail... now nearing the NW end of the loop... and the 'Great Burrito' is that very smooth rock formation out there on the horizon in the middle of the photo.
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After hiking a total of .9 miles we are leaving the Hidden Valley Loop Trail and entering the far more rugged section of Hidden Valley.
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Entering the rugged section of Hidden Valley.
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As we continue hiking in the rugged section of Hidden Valley I am looking back toward the Hidden Valley Loop Trail section of our hike... with the Holy Enchilada in the right foreground.
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Continuing to hike NW in the rugged section of Hidden Valley... so many rock formations, so little time.
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Continuing to hike NW in the much less traveled section of Hidden Valley.
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Continuing to hike NW in the much less traveled section of Hidden Valley.
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Hiking past very popular climbing routes on the back side of Hemingway.
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Almost out of Hidden Valley as we continue to hike in a NW direction.
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A short distance from leaving Hidden Valley.
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Almost out of Hidden Valley.
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After hiking a total of 1.6 miles we have left Hidden Valley and will work our way around the west side of the Hemingway rock formations.
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Continuing to hike around the west side of the massive Hemingway rock formations.
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Still on the west side of the Hemingway rock formations.
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Heading into the east side of Hemingway.
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Now on the east side of Hemingway... with lots of rock climbing routes on the face.
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Getting ready to complete our thru-hike... where we parked our first car at Hemingway before driving the second car to where we started hiking at the Hidden Valley Trailhead... the total hike was 2.5 miles, gaining 265 feet of elevation.
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