Death Valley National Park - February 2023

[ski3pin]

Thank you for another wonderful episode.

Panamint dunes are a favorite, and an uphill hike! We haven't made it to the summit of Lake Hill either. There are suspicious rock collections to the east, but not verified as historic.

We spent a good portion of the day wandering up the canyon to the west. I don’t believe I’ve pointed out that this canyon is the Pleistocene water outflow route from the Mono Lake Basin. The flood waters continued down into Queen Valley and flowed south into the Owens Valley. Owens Lake overflowed and its flood waters created Fossil Falls.

I did not know about this. Wouldn't we see more signs of water erosion?

Lighthawk, here is a link to a paper that talks about Mono Lake spilling into Walker Lake and later spilling into the Owens Valley -

Drainage Reversals in Mono Basin during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene

Why don't we see massive erosion scars in this canyon like we see at Fossil Falls? Great question.

 

[Lighthawk]

Thank you for the fascinating link. Lake Russel did indeed drain through the Adobe Hills Spillway. One of the aerials shows a "flood boulder", which would be a good thing to see.

 

[ski3pin]

A search!

 

[Lighthawk]

Google Earth does a good job of showing the Adobe Hills Spillway. We've always been intrigued by that compound located just east of Black Lake, and the bouldery notch in the Benton Crags behind it. I just found out you can book rooms there at Dutch Pete's Ranch. The unique off grid architectural compound was built by Ansel Adam's grand daughter and her husband, a UCSF professor emeritus.

Last November when we were there I rode my new e-bike up to Blind Springs Road (transmission line route) and was pretty close to where I think the flood boulder might be. You could also approach from paved 120. Approximately 37.7994605, -118.5522363

 

[ski3pin]

Sarah Jane's second chapter out "in the middle of nowhere."

We are not disappointed at all that she did not include our entry in the logbook.

 

[Taku]

Yes, that was an interesting conversation with that PT. Having also been through knee replacement, a mile or two was a minimum during later recovery. Maybe a difference in being in a mountain town with lot's of aging athletes!

 

[MaribelSpence]

I always follow precautions before my hikes: Watch the weather forecast and make all necessary preparations Preparing everything I need, including maps, compass, food and water, medicine, shoes and clothing suitable for travel. Keeping track of safe travel and watching out for dangerous road conditions, especially on trains in remote areas.

 

[slash2]

Lighthawk, here is a link to a paper that talks about Mono Lake spilling into Walker Lake and later spilling into the Owens Valley -

Drainage Reversals in Mono Basin during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene

Why don't we see massive erosion scars in this canyon like we see at Fossil Falls? Great question.

Some more interesting info about Fossil Falls and the floods that created them. It explains how granite sediment from the Sierra in the flood water was able to erode the softer basalt of Fossil Falls but does not answer the question of why we don't see similar erosion scars else where.

Was this the only spot where the granite infused flood waters encountered basalt?

/2


Fossil Falls California - Volcanoes, Glaciers and Geology | Out in the Field with Jeremy Patrich
https://youtu.be/_HnMO6FZ1Xs