Wonderland of Rocks and Garrett's Arch - 3.17.2024
We parked at the very popular paved parking lot for Barker Dam... but we will head into the Barker Dam area via what I call the side door entrance... located over there in the rocks directly above tomman's head.
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Heading into the side door entrance to the Barker Dam area... we have used this entrance several times and never seen another person in this entrance.
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Hiking north into the Barker Dam area.
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Hiking north into the Barker Dam area.
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After hiking a total of one-half mile we are entering the Barker Dam area... and it looks like there might be some water.
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It has been 5 years since we have seen water in the Barker Dam area.
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Barker Dam is over there in the left-center of the photo.
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Hiking north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area... heading for the low point on the horizon in the right-center of the photo.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north beyond the Barker Dam area.
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Continuing to hike north... with Don Juan Boulder directly in front of us... and the South Astro Dome in the far left foreground.
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Heading over to check out the famous Don Juan Boulder... regardless of the route a person might take to the summit, they would have to deal with overhanging rock to reach the top.
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After hiking a total of 1.2 miles we are hiking underneath the overhanging Don Juan Boulder... and looking to the left at the South Astro Dome... with the North Astro Dome peaking around the right edge of the South Astro Dome.
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Looking back at Denali Girl enjoying the views as we continue hiking north in the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Continuing to hike north in the Wonderland of Rocks... here looking back where we came from the Barker Dam area in the middle of the photo.
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Continuing to hike north in the Wonderland of Rocks... looking for a way to get over to the 'Freak Brothers Dome'.
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Continuing to hike north in the Wonderland of Rocks... looking for a way to get over to the 'Freak Brothers Dome'.
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Continuing to hike north in the Wonderland of Rocks... looking for a way to get over to the 'Freak Brothers Dome'.
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Continuing to hike north in the Wonderland of Rocks... looking for a way to get over to the 'Freak Brothers Dome'.
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After hiking a total of 1.9 miles we have reached the 'Freak Brothers Dome' in the right foreground... and we will be turning to the east very shortly after passing by the dome.
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After hiking a total of 2 miles we have turned to the east and are heading for 'The Red Obelisk' in the middle of the photo... with a shoulder of Queen Mountain on the horizon.
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Looking back at 'The Red Obelisk' as we pass by it.
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Continuing to hike east in the Wonderland of Rocks.
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After hiking a total of 2.5 miles we have reached Garrett's Arch... it would be easier to see if there wasn't vegetation on the other side of the arch.
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Denali Girl and BarbE decided to get a closer look at Garrett's Arch.
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Leaving the Garrett's Arch area and continuing to hike east in the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Now hiking south in the Wonderland of Rocks... and Star Dancer is pointing to a pile of rocks that we might want to visit.
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Star Dancer leads us up to some interesting boulders.
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Looking through a nice passage to a balcony that has very broad views... and we can see both of the astro domes on the horizon.
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tomman and I went a little higher than the passage in the previous photo... and the views were very broad... looking west.
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Looking down at Denali Girl and BarbE from our high point.
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Heading back down to the desert floor from our balcony viewpoints.
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Heading south for the little passage out there in the middle of the photo... Star Dancer refers to the area as 'Little Tibet'.
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We have hiked through the passage in the previous photo... and are looking for a way down.
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Heading down from the 'Little Tibet' passage.
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Now hiking SW... searching for the Wall Street Mill.
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Now hiking SW... searching for the Wall Street Mill.
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After hiking a total of 3.4 miles we have exited the Wonderland of Rocks and reached the Wall Street Mill... operated by William F. Keys from 1930 until 1966.
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On the way back to our cars we found this truck.
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We are a stone's throw from the Barker Dam parking lot... the total loop hike was 4.4 miles, gaining 324 feet of elevation.
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