Valhalla Dome - 12.25.2024
We parked at the popular paved parking lot for Barker Dam in Joshua Tree National Park.
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The first tenth of a mile of the trail is basically out in the open.
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After that first tenth of a mile the trail does narrow... however, the trail is well maintained.
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After the first half-mile of hiking the area opens up big time... and Valhalla Dome is up there on the extreme far right horizon.
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Denali Girl has hiked around what used to be an area of water... and is heading for Valhalla Dome.
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Getting ready to start gaining elevation up to Valhalla Dome.
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Heading up steep terrain... but it is almost like our boots stick to the rock slabs.
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Continuing to gain elevation up to the summit of Valhalla Dome.
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Taking a short break... and looking back down at Barker Dam... and an area that used to hold a big supply of water.
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Continuing to gain elevation on our way up to Valhalla Dome.
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Continuing to gain elevation on our way up to Valhalla Dome.
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Continuing to gain elevation on our way up to Valhalla Dome.
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Continuing to gain elevation on our way up to Valhalla Dome.
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Now we have a nice view of the Valhalla Dome summit... up there where the Pinyon Pine is located.
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Heading for the Valhalla Dome summit... with some very interesting erosion between us and the summit.
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Almost to the Valhalla Dome summit.
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After hiking a total of eight-tenths of a mile we have reached the 4,500 foot summit of Valhalla Dome... here looking NNW to the prominent South Astro Dome in the left center of the photo... everything in this photo is a small part of the Wonderland of Rocks.
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from ragman and Denali Girl... and oh yes, the same from the South Astro Dome in the distance.
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From the Valhalla Dome summit... looking SE (left) out into Queen Valley... and looking SW (right) to Lost Horse Valley.
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From the Valhalla Dome summit we made a short walk over to a cave... and Denali Girl took this photo of me from inside the cave... and yes, even though it was sunny, there were some 25 MPH wind gusts.
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Heading back down more or less the way we went up... with the Valhalla Dome summit up there on the horizon in the right-center of the photo.
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Heading back down to the Barker Dam area.
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Heading back down to the Barker Dam area.
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Heading back down to the Barker Dam area.
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We have returned to the Barker Dam area... severeal years ago this area was filled with water.
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On the way back to the car we decided to leave the Barker Dam area by taking a much less traveled route... I would call it the side door route.
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Denali Girl took this photo of me exiting the Barker Dam area via the side door route.
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I'm looking back at Denali Girl before she comes up to join me as we exit the Barker Dam area.
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Denali Girl is coming over to join me as we exit the Barker Dam area via the side door route.
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Almost back to the parking lot out there on the extreme far right... the hike was a total of 1.8 miles, gaining 313 feet of elevation.
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