At the starting point looking straight across toward the base of the Dry Bone Fan (right side of the picture). It was time to make the long journey across in the sweltering heat and sun:
Heading up the notoriously rocky Dry Bone Fan in low visibility due to the blowing wind:
Looking down the Dry Bone Fan, visibility has now reached zero across Mesquite Flat due to the massive dust storm:
The next morning, we awoke to clear skies. We still had wind gusts, but they were more tolerable. It was also cold outside:
We set up our tents on a gravel bank above the wash with a nice view of the backside of Leaning BM:
It was a good thing we brought cold weather clothing with us, so we could get bundled up for the Day 2 hike:
Sun shining on the White Top Mountain area early on the morning of April 16, 2013:
The mouth of Dry Bone Canyon was now clearly visible in the distance:
Drawing ever closer. One of the challenges of the hike is actually locating the mouth of Dry Bone Canyon, which is not visible from a distance. In fact, the area would be very confusing to hikers without good maps or navigational skills:
Steve finally at the mouth of Dry Bone Canyon after several years of planning:
We began our 1 mile hike through Lower Dry Bone Canyon:
It is mostly a wide wash through the early part of the canyon:
To make things easier, we walked along the top of gravel banks whenever we could find them (left of picture):
Lower Dry Bone Canyon is not the most comfortable place for hiking with lots of deep gravel and rocks:
Dry Bone Canyon begins to take shape as the canyon walls on the left side grew in height:
Huge peaks towering over Dry Bone Canyon. The peak just to the left of the center is actually 4,000 feet higher than the canyon floor where I was standing. And White Top Mountain is just behind this peak out of view:
Dry Bone Canyon starts to really narrow down up ahead:
This amazing panoramic shows the junction of Dry Bone Cyn (left) and Dry Bone MSC (right):
Our first view up Dry Bone's Main Side Canyon. Our hike was now finally beginning:
This is the view farther up Dry Bone Canyon. It looks quite interesting and spectacular from here:
The early part of Dry Bone MSC. This entire canyon had no cairns and no human footprints anywhere:
A short distance into Dry Bone MSC, we turned off into the 1st side canyon to check out the narrows:
This side canyon proved to be really interesting and gave us some nice photos:
It was quite steep and we had to contend with lots of small boulder climbs:
We soon ran into this dry fall which was somewhat formidable:
Climbing the dry fall in order to see what is farther up canyon:
Beyond the dry fall, there were some neat pinnacles in the distance:
It wasn't long before another dry fall had to be climbed:
And then a couple more dry falls appeared, each one progressively harder. I decided to turn around right here, as this side canyon was not our priority for the day:
Back out in Dry Bone MSC and looking to accomplish our main objective which was to hike at least 3 miles up the canyon to the end of all the narrows as seen on satellite imagery:
Dry Bone MSC truly passes through a beautiful section of the Cottonwood Mountains:
The canyon remains fairly wide for the first mile:
Around the bend in the distance is where Dry Bone MSC finally starts narrowing down:
The canyon walls had interesting rock shapes and textures:
Looking back down the wider section of Dry Bone MSC:
A mixture of rock types and colors on the surrounding hillsides:
Walking up a small chute in the middle of the canyon as things really narrowed down:
Starting around right here was the area where satellite imagery made me think we might encounter some dry falls:
Thus, I kept an eye open for potential bypasses, not knowing what kind of obstacles were ahead:
Up ahead, it appeared the canyon was going to enter a section of slot narrows:
Check out this incredible view that we had looking into the beginning of the true canyon narrows:
In the midst of the narrows, pretty wildflowers were in bloom:
A bend in the narrows where we couldn't see very far ahead of us:
The canyon walls became very impressive through this area with quite a bit of height:
If you have ever hiked an undocumented canyon not covered in guidebooks or any online trip reports, then you know how special every step of this hike was, not having any idea of what was ahead of us or around every corner:
Looking back at the dramatic slot narrows we just passed through:
This canyon was really becoming something special with so much unique character:
If you look ahead, you can see how the canyon wall on the right side turns and cuts toward the other wall:
The passage got smaller as the walls closed in on us once again:
Steve getting a picture as we entered into the best part of the canyon and narrows:
You can see here how something in the distance has caught my attention and thus I am taking a picture of it:
Looking straight up the canyon walls at this spot, which was both scary and stunning:
This is what I was taking a picture of-- a massive rockslide that has completely blocked the canyon in the midst of the narrows:
We hiked up the rockslide and then took this picture looking back down canyon:
Oh no! From the top of the rockslide, we could see a major dry fall up ahead in the canyon. This is what I had been dreading for years during the planning stage of this hike:
A closer look at the major dry fall, which is quite beautiful:
I managed to make it to the top and then looked back down on Fred and Debbie:
This view shows both the major dry fall and the rockslide in the canyon:
One final look at the rockslide and narrows before moving on:
A short corridor through the rock was just past the major dry fall:
Hiking through a very scenic part of the canyon:
The area opened up for a while with dirt hillsides coming in from the right:
This was an interesting polished chute and rock shelf to walk along:
Grand vistas in the midst of Dry Bone MSC:
The canyon floor abruptly changed rock type through here:
This mini-chute cut through the new rock type:
Very shallow narrows were formed as we walked between the low walls:
Looking back you can see how pretty this little area was to pass through:
A large boulder shaped like a square block somehow rolled to the front of this gravel slide:
Notice the three distinct rock layers that are on display on the left side:
The floor of the canyon turned to solid rock with white and pink colors:
There were quite a few polished rock areas, sloped dry falls, and small chutes to walk through:
Though we were beyond the 1st Narrows now, the canyon continued to be very impressive on a grand scale:
Looking up at the rocky peaks high above the canyon:
Notice how the high walls overhang the canyon floor:
Continuing to make progress up the canyon in the next three photos as we were about 2 1/2 miles into the canyon now:
These are 7,000 foot peaks that are north of the White Top Mountain summit. We were standing at an elevation of 3,850 feet when we took this picture:
These towering peaks are about 1 mile to the east of White Top Mountain. This view is looking up the 2nd side canyon as marked on our map:
Past the 2nd side canyon, Dry Bone MSC cuts between two dirt hillsides:
Yet another small colorful dry fall in the midst of a nice setting:
Note the unique red rock formation up on the hillside in the next two pictures:
This is the view up the 3rd side canyon. As you can see, there is much more to explore and discover in this area:
A picture of Debbie standing near the entrance of the 3rd side canyon:
More dirt hillsides dropping into the wash as we continued up canyon:
Looking back at the red rock formation framed against the background peaks:
This is where the geology really got interesting and captured our attention. Note the impressive rock formations on the right side of the next two pictures:
Even more impressive was this area of white bands on the rocks which reminded me of Marble Canyon's 4th Narrows:
Just like Marble's 4th Narrows, the white bands are bulgy and oddly shaped, not zebra stripes like Marble's 3rd Narrows:
It was just beautiful through this area as we all marveled over the rock designs:
The dark rock really made the white bands stand out:
We were already in the midst of the 2nd Narrows, but this spot showed off an impressive entrance to even tighter narrows:
This was the rock nettle dry fall that I had to climb. Notice the rock nettle plant in the center which happened to be the only way up or down:
The 2nd Narrows were much different from the 1st but also were outstanding:
There were several steep spots where I had to climb dry falls or small bypasses:
The next four pictures show my progress as I kept hiking up the 2nd Narrows:
Dry falls kept appearing every so often to keep the canyon challenging:
Looking down the narrow twisty canyon from the top of a dry fall:
The canyon gradually made a final transition from rock walls to dirt hillsides:
This canyon continues to wind its way through dirt hillsides all the way up to the White Top Mountain camping area:
This was my planned stopping point as satellite imagery revealed that I had already seen the best of the canyon:
It proved to be the perfect place to stop because there was a stunning grove of Joshua Trees:
Joshua Trees growing at an elevation of 4,350 feet:
Dramatic view of the Joshua Trees and gorge below that I had just hiked through:
Zooming in on the gorge that features the 2nd Narrows in Dry Bone MSC:
From the viewpoint at the Joshua Trees grove, this was the view farther up canyon:
Heading down the canyon and beginning the long journey back:
Under the cover of storm clouds, we hiked back to our vehicle having accomplished the first documented hike of Dry Bone MSC:
