The Temple and Point 4243 - 2.15.2024
We have parked our car on the side of the road at an exhibit after entering Joshua Tree National Park via the north entrance pay station and driving 3 miles... heading for the valley out there in the middle of the photo.
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Entering the valley after hiking approximately three-quarters of a mile.
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After hiking a total of one mile we are getting ready to leave the valley and head cross-country uphill.
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Gaining elevation after leaving the valley.
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Still gaining elevation after leaving the valley.
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Entering an incredible area of rocks... and this area cannot be seen while driving on the road... I consider it a hidden treasure.
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Continuing to hike south and gaining elevation in this hidden treasure.
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Continuing to hike south and gaining elevation in this hidden treasure.
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Continuing to hike south and gaining elevation in this hidden treasure.
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Continuing to hike south and gaining elevation in this hidden treasure.
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Continuing to hike south and gaining elevation in this hidden treasure.
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Continuing to hike south and gaining elevation in this hidden treasure.
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After hiking a total of 1.4 miles we have reached a ridge at 3920 feet... here looking east at Twentynine Palms Mountain on the left horizon... and the Pinto Mountains on the center-horizon.
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I have left the ridge and started hiking SW... continuing to gain elevation and work my way around the rocks on the left as I head for Point 4243 and The Temple up there on the horizon in the middle of the photo.
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Continuing to hike SW and gaining elevation from where we gained the ridge... here I'm looking back at Denali Girl standing on the ridge... and I have suggested that she come up and join me.
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While waiting for Denali Girl to come up and join me I'm looking down at the route we used to get up here from the valley below... looking out to Yucca Valley on the horizon... home of the town of Twentynine Palms and the Marine Corps Ground Combat Center.
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Denali Girl is working her way up to join me.
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Denali Girl is almost here.
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Denali Girl has joined me and we are continuing to gain elevation on our way up to Point 4243 and The Temple.
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Denali Girl took this photo of me as we continue to gain elevation... and it looks like we aren't the only people who have been here.
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Denali Girl is getting ready to summit a little bump at approximately 4180 feet... with Point 4243 and The Temple over there on the far left.
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We have left the little bump in the previous photo and now hiking west for Point 4243 and The Temple.
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Working our way over to Point 4243 and The Temple.
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Hiking through The Temple area and looking for Point 4243.
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Denali Girl took this photo of me standing on Point 4243 after having hiked a total of 1.7 miles.
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From Point 4243 I took this photo looking back through The Temple area... we got here via the valley down below in the far left of the photo.
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Exploring The Temple area.
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Denali Girl found a nice spot in The Temple area.
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Time to head down from Point 4243 and The Temple area.
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Continuing to hike down from The Temple area and Point 4243.
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Heading down from Point 4243 and The Temple area... here looking back up where we came from.
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Looking back up at Point 4243 and The Temple.
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After hiking a total of 1.9 miles we have found a gully... where we will start hiking to the north... looking for that valley that we used at the beginning of our hike.
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Continuing to hike north in the gully that will get us back to the valley we used at the beginning of our hike... looks like a lot of huge boulders in the gully.
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Working our way through those huge boulders in the gully.
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That is a 15-20 foot drop in the gully... so let's keep looking for a way through the boulders.
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Continuing to look for a path through the huge boulders.
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Denali Girl follows me through the boulders... and we are still married.
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Another 15-20 foot drop in the gully... so keep looking for a way out.
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We did get out of those boulders behind Denali Girl.
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We did get out of that first group of huge boulders... but we aren't done with big boulders yet.
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Getting ready to deal with a few more big boulders as we try to get down to that valley in the distance.
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Continuing to work our way down to the valley we used earlier in the day... here looking back up at Point 4243.
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Denali Girl likes this rock formation... with Point 4243 in the distance on the left.
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Finally... we are done with a gully filled with huge boulders... just be cautious in getting down to the valley in the distance.
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Almost down to that valley we have been looking for.
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After hiking a total of 2.4 miles we have reached that valley we have been trying to reach... here looking back up that gully that really tested us... with Point 4243 up there on the left horizon.
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After hiking a total of 2.7 miles we are back in the valley and have completed the loop portion of our hike.
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Back into the great wide open as we continue to hike back to the car.
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We can see our car... time to exhale... the total hike was 3.7 miles, gaining 894 feet of elevation.
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