TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
Parking area for Dry Bone Canyon is just over 7.1 miles up White Top Mountain Road, according to my National Geographic map. I found the White Top Mountain Road to be in better condition than the Racetrack Road up to this point. I have heard that at other times, the road is in awful shape:
Walking down the wash towards the canyon entrance was easy hiking. The ground was firm and there wasn't much navigating around bushes. There was also a nice view of the face of Leaning Rock BM:
There were Joshua trees growing everywhere on the walk down to the canyon:
The destination is clear the entire way, as you're heading in the direction of the base of this mountain:
Once at the base of the mountain, the route makes a sharp left and heads into the canyon:
One of the highlights of Dry Bone Canyon is fast approaching:
Entering the upper portion of the 1st Narrows of Dry Bone Canyon:
This polished fall was fun to slide down right at the start:
The sun was shining into parts of the narrows which made taking photographs tricky:
Rounding a very tight bend in the narrows:
Passing through a spot that showcases the beauty of Dry Bone's 1st Narrows:
Same picture as above taken from a portrait angle to showcase the high walls:
A picture of Steve in the midst of the 1st Narrows of Upper Dry Bone Canyon:
We were in the Upper 1st Narrows at about 11 o'clock in the morning, which wasn't the best time for photographs, but we still got some pretty shots:
A lot of quick turns with something new to see around every corner:
Another perspective from this area revealing the height of the canyon walls:
A high hillside can be outside of the narrows:
The next two pictures show you the boulder and dry fall which blocks further progress down the upper portion of the 1st Narrows. It is possible to get slightly farther with a tricky downclimb here, but we turned around while we were ahead:
Notice the variety of colors and patterns on the walls of the narrows:
A perfect contrast between the dark narrows and sunlight reflecting off the walls in the background:
Sometimes the rock would cover the bottom of the wash and connect the two sides of the canyon:
Time to once again climb a small dry fall. There is more to see in the 1st Narrows passing through this area:
At this point, we have exited the 1st Narrows and taken a side canyon which leads to the bypass route. Digonnet explains the bypass route in his book 'Hiking Death Valley' on page 342:
At first, we went up the side canyon for a while, and then climbed up the hillside to walk along a ridge:
In the lower right portion of this photo, you can see where we came from. In the upper right portion of this photo, you can see Leaning Rock BM:
And in this photo, you can see Dry Bone Canyon as it continues far below us:
Taking a closer look, we can see that it is going to be a long ways down to get back into the canyon:
Tiffany was doing a combination of hiking and sliding down the bypass:
The bypass is so aggravating because it is extremely long and it feels like it is never going to end:
We would frequently pause to take in the views and regain solid footing:
A hiker below looks like he is close to the bottom of the bypass now, but the most difficult part for us started from where he is sitting. Don't get into a comfort zone for too long on the bypass or you'll regret it:
Finally on the canyon floor once again. Before getting here, we had to figure out a route to avoid climbing. Regardless, a fall would still be painful during the last section as the rocks are both sharp and loose. But just to emphasize, the route is not obvious, it requires thought, trail and error, and caution:
Heading back up canyon from the spot where we dropped in:
Soon we entered into the lower portion of the 1st Narrows:
There were a couple of dry falls like this one which we climbed up to get farther into the lower 1st narrows:
A neat area of polished slides:
Tiffany smiling because she's enjoying this place, but also because the bypass is over for the time being:
The scenery in the canyon is definitely on a grand scale:
Approaching the end of the lower 1st Narrows for hikers:
It's quite beautiful and special to be in this place which so few people have visited:
The rock walls were polished with different colors:
Spectacular view looking back out of the section of narrows that we had hiked through:
This 20 foot dry fall is where we stopped in the lower 1st Narrows:
Backtracking out of the narrows and returning to the spot where we came down from the bypass:
View looking back up the bypass from close to the spot where we dropped in:
A number of large boulders have rolled into the wash in this area:
More boulders in the wash as we headed toward the 2nd Narrows:
The scenery has really changed at this point, which is kind of nice to have such variety:
One of the many relics which we found in the canyon wash which gives this canyon its name:
Rock walls with jagged edges and hillsides above:
Zooming in on the rock walls which we were passing by in this area:
The canyon doesn't widen out that much in this area:
The canyon begins a long slow curve up ahead:
More Joshua trees spotted in the wash as we head toward lower elevations:
This is a faraway place, very isolated that sees perhaps only a handful of hikers every year:
Another spectacular canyon wall that caught our attention:
Stopping at the same spot to take a picture of the towering canyon walls and cliffs in the distance:
Up ahead, the canyon heads into a gorge-like area:
We are now entering the 2nd Narrows of Dry Bone Canyon:
Block-like cliffs with nice colors in the background:
A view of the canyon walls at the beginning of the 2nd Narrows:
The wash of Dry Bone Canyon continued to be easy walking with no obstacles:
Very high canyon walls with no way in or out of the canyon through here:
Rocky bulges in the canyon wall hanging over the canyon:
Passing through a very tight section of the 2nd Narrows:
Various rock shelves about shoulder height in this part of the narrows:
Tiffany and Steve in this very cool place. We really loved the 2nd Narrows and feel that it was well worth the effort to get here:
Red colors in a step-like area along the canyon wall:
Odd patterns and colors on the surface of the rock:
Black bands making patterns on the rock:
These fantastic black bands stretched across some of the canyon walls:
Steve getting a picture by the canyon wall with black bands:
As you can see, the 2nd Narrows are very different in character to the 1st narrows:
There were some very interesting shapes and designs on the surface of the rocks in the 2nd Narrows:
Just a small passage to walk through most of the way:
More odd colorful designs on the canyon wall:
Exiting the 2nd Narrows and heading farther down canyon:
This is the spot where we turned around and headed back up canyon. On a future trip, I would like to hike the lower canyon and main side canyon:
The following four pictures were taken as we walked back through the 2nd Narrows:
And then we arrived at the moment we had been dreading. This photo shows you the entire bypass climb which we were about to take, from the canyon floor all the way up to the ridge:
Steve in a true perspective picture going back up the bypass. Yes, it really is this difficult the entire way:
Tiffany resting at the top once we successfully completed the return to the ridge:
Tiffany and Steve looking back out over Dry Bone Canyon and the great journey which was nearing its end:
Steve and Tiffany saying goodbye to Dry Bone Canyon and Death Valley until next time:
