TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
The first photo shows you what it looked like as we began the hike from Scotty's Castle Road. The mouth of Bighorn Gorge can be seen in the center of the picture. First, we would have to hike downhill into Death Valley wash, before climbing back up towards the entrance:
It was a fairly easy hike down into Death Valley wash, with just some ups and downs. Here we are just entering the wash at the bottom. In the first photo above, it looks like the easiest route from here is right through the main wash of Bighorn Gorge, but it's actually better to hike on the hillside to the left:
We found lots of pretty rocks like this one along the way into the gorge:
Looking back out towards the Grapevine Mountains as we headed up a small bank next to the Bighorn Gorge alluvial fan:
Here we are walking on the hillside to the left of the Bighorn Gorge wash. Look closely at the terrain we are walking on as we go up towards the gorge mouth. Walking on this surface was way easier than walking on loose rocks in the Bighorn Gorge wash:
Looking back at Daria and a fellow hiker as they made their way up the hillside. I set a strong hiking pace for everybody to follow, and they did a great job keeping up:
Here we are getting very close to the mouth of Bighorn Gorge. It's just around the corner in this picture:
Eventually, the small bank ran out and we had to drop into the wash:
At the wide entrance looking into Bighorn Gorge:
2 hours after we started, we finally entered Bighorn Gorge for the first time in our lives:
Looking back out the canyon mouth through the morning shadows:
Our first look up the gorge at the terrain we would be facing. This next portion is what I call The Long Mile:
High mountain slopes off to the side with a rockslide area:
Pretty colored red rocks up on the hillside:
Some jagged cliffs that were off to our left while hiking up canyon:
Notice how the lower canyon is a wide open place with grand vistas:
A change in scenery from sloping dirt hillsides to rock canyon walls:
Continuing to make our way up the canyon with very few obstacles in the wash:
Working our way around a long dirt embankment that sloped down into the wash:
The canyon turns into more of a winding hike instead of long straight sections:
The sun peeking up above the cliffs in the mid-morning:
We had to get an early start since we were doing a December hike with short days:
Turning a corner into the sunshine:
The wide open spaces of the lower canyon were quickly coming to a close:
When you spot this rock mound in the middle of the wash, you know you have reached the junction with the Bighorn Gorge Main Side Canyon:
It was at this point that I finally realized our hike was going to be successful and not a complete disaster. We made it to this point 4 hours after we started. We have just passed the entrance to the Main Side Canyon, which was 7.6 miles from where we had started:
The excitement really began building as we took the right turn and began to make the transition from the lower gorge to the upper gorge:
The beginning of the upper gorge started with a narrow canyon filled with boulders:
Some basic climbs were just ahead which are necessary in order to keep going:
The first of two dry falls which we immediately encountered in the 5th Narrows. Both of these would have to be climbed, but they are not as hard as they looked:
Almost immediately we encountered this second dry fall, which was even easier than the first to climb:
Steve stopping in front of the dry fall for a break and a picture:
Looking back down the gorge. If you look to the right, you can see how the Bighorn Gorge Main Side Canyon cuts a large path through the mountains:
While still in the 5th Narrows, fossils began appearing on the gorge walls:
Beautiful scenery in the 5th Narrows as a small passage cuts between the canyon walls:
When we could see outside of the narrows, it was evident that there were towering cliffs all around us:
While we would find better specimens later, the fossils on the walls through here still caught our interest:
It might make you dizzy just looking at this picture, taken through a leaning section of the 5th Narrows:
Steve posing at the location where everything seems to be leaning in one direction:
One more picture in the midst of the 5th Narrows of Bighorn Gorge:
The fossils got more spectacular as we approached the beginning of the 4th Narrows, as seen in the next three pictures:
The pathway through the narrows stays small and is clogged with small boulders:
Steve using his hand to show the size of this particular fossil:
More of the beautiful scenery along the walls of the 5th Narrows:
Progressing farther up the gorge with great anticipation. You can tell that things are about to get a whole lot better:
Daria posing next to the polished rock of a small passage:
Flowers in bloom in the Fall, just prior to entering the 4th Narrows of Bighorn Gorge. To continue the journey with us, visit the Trip Report for Upper Bighorn Gorge:
