TRIP REPORT PHOTOS
With the famous Joshua Trees of Lee Flat a mere couple of miles away, this hike similarly starts out with a 4WD road passing through the midst of abundant Joshua Trees:
Joshua Trees cover the plateau and hillsides all the way to the horizon:
The road crests a small hill and then suddenly drops 175 feet in elevation very steeply:
This is how Lee Wash looks when first entering it. It is simply a sandy wash with burro and animal tracks which flows gently downhill:
After 1 1/4 miles of wash walking, giant boulders start appearing within the wash:
There are dry cascades and minor dry falls as the canyon begins to take shape:
Check out how water has sculpted this dry cascade area:
This reddish hillside was the first sign that there could be more interesting colors to come:
Quite a different scene than the nondescript wash that we started out with about 40 minutes earlier:
This was the first of several more challenging dry falls in Lee Wash. After edging forward carefully, we found a route to safely climb down. But we were definitely very cautious and some may prefer to look for an easier bypass:
This photo really helps you to appreciate the distinctive curves which began occurring regularly in the canyon:
There remained a very narrow passage to hike through as we continued descending:
With the wash literally filled with boulders large and small at times, it made the hiking very slow going. This is what caused us to eventually arrive at the main side canyon so late in the day:
Notice that the canyon walls were not clearly defined just yet. It was more like having masses of boulders serving as walls:
The wash would have changes of terrain where the giant boulders would mostly disappear for a short length of time:
Josh looking over an even more major dry fall than the one we had carefully climbed down earlier:
There would be no way to safely climb down this major dry fall:
Looking back up Lee Wash from the bypass trail which wraps around the left side of the fall:
Once safely back in the canyon, we looked back up at what we had bypassed:
A short time later, we arrived at the rim of Plunge Pool Fall. This was the view looking farther down canyon at the impressive walls:
First view looking down into the deep, dry plunge pool:
During times of heavy rain, this entire pool must fill up with water before it can continue flowing down canyon:
The climb down to get past Plunge Pool Fall is on the left side when heading down canyon. As you can see, caution is in order around the exposed edge of the fall. This is a beautiful but potentially dangerous area:
Full overview of the plunge pool, down climb area (washed out by the sun), and continuation of the canyon just beyond:
There was only one short area that required the use of safety ropes. Even so, I stayed far away from the exposed side of the dry fall:
This view shows the crumbly rock which makes the down climb potentially treacherous. It wouldn't be the best area to have rocks give way and sustain a fall:
After I successfully climbed down, Josh took this picture of me down in the plunge pool:
This view of Josh climbing down after me shows why we encourage the use of safety ropes and equipment:
Looking straight up at the layered dry fall from within the plunge pool:
One final view of the area showing Plunge Pool Fall and the area to the right where we descended by rope:
Plunge Pool Fall was fun and interesting but now it was time to continue exploring Lee Wash:
In the next two pictures, note the sheer difficulty of the walking terrain. This was very slow going:
Josh proceeding down canyon in the midst of numerous rock layers and types all around:
Try to count the layers and colors within this section of canyon wall:
Rocks and boulders were pouring down from the hillsides and covering the wash:
Vivid colors began showing up along the canyon walls in great variety:
It was fascinating seeing how the vertical canyon walls could have these layers of colors with a boulder-covered hillside just above:
Many areas in middle Lee Wash began reminding me of Kaleidoscope Canyon:
I love the contrast between these two distinct color layers:
This wall almost looks like a painted sculpture:
More colorful layers stand out in the midst of being surrounded by boulders:
A boulder basin with a landslide of rocks coming all the way down the hillside:
Notice the sheer height of this colorful wall rising above the wash:
Panoramic showcasing an incredible colorful wall of considerable length in Lee Wash (click to enlarge):
Looking farther down canyon, note the challenging terrain we were continuing to deal with:
This is a real interesting spot to check out the rock layers as they transition through different forms and colors:
A nice contrast of dark and light colors on display:
Continuing along and looking up as the colorful layers stand out despite erosion impacting the wall in the next two pictures:
The colorful layers stretch all the way down to the canyon floor and form part of the walking terrain:
Note the grand scope of the scenery through this area:
Another huge rockslide area. We saw a Kit Fox jumping through the rocks in this area but we were not fast enough to get a photograph:
A dome-like outcropping high above the canyon wall:
This area bears a slight resemblance to Red Amphitheater in the Funeral Mountains:
Even at less interesting portions of canyon, distinct colorful formations would make an appearance to brighten the landscape:
Checking out some of the more intricate designs on a rock wall:
The next two pictures show some faded patterns on cracking rock that was part of the canyon wall:
Many times the canyon would narrow down but not much more than what is seen here:
One distinct red rock vein dividing the top and bottom halves of the canyon wall:
The rim of the canyon up on the ridge was quite high above us:
The color of the bottom canyon wall matches that of the massive rockslide coming down from the ridge:
Here was one of the few spots in the canyon where it looked like somebody could access the ridge above if they really needed to, although it did look quite steep:
Josh getting a picture with an impressive section of Lee Wash behind him:
Quite a contrast with the small rocks of an eroded landslide area surrounded by larger boulders:
Even the shallower canyon walls had interesting rock layers to check out:
An impressive polished dry fall came into view high above the canyon:
This magnificent dry fall is hundreds of feet tall and is no doubt one of the most visually striking in the park:
A bulge in the canyon wall retains the pretty rock layers as it stretches out:
This picture captures contrasting walls on both sides of the canyon with the dry fall high above:
This was an interesting spot where some giant purple boulders have rolled down the natural slide on the right into the canyon wash. One boulder is visible at the bottom left corner:
A full overview of the colorful canyon wall crowned by the polished dry fall:
One more close-up of the polished dry fall from a slightly different angle:
Here are more of the giant purple boulders which have rolled into the wash:
This was such an impressive spot to walk through the wash right along the base of the huge vertical canyon wall:
Looking up near this spot revealed so much intricate detail and variety:
Zooming in on a unique rock layer which is exposed high up on the wall:
As the wall curves around, it continues to showcase the various layers:
A rockslide flowing down the hillside with three distinct color types:
One final look back at the very impressive area we just passed through:
A closer look at the tri-colored rockslide and origin of some of the colors up high:
Bands of gold high up above the canyon:
Notice how none of the narrower sections had smooth polished walls but rather just an odd mixture of rocks and formations all over:
Looking up hundreds of feet above us, the canyon wall showed areas of past collapses:
Another unique rock type took over the hillside on the left:
Two very distinct and contrasting layers make up this canyon wall:
Rounding a bend, we suddenly could see one of the most beautiful areas of the entire canyon:
Zooming in on the upper portions of this spectacular wall:
A towering slot with a dry fall at the back is visible at the upper right:
Panoramic showcasing the great beauty of Lee Wash's outstanding canyon walls (click to enlarge):
All the red coloring on this hillside reminds me of lava flowing down:
There is so much to take in visually at each spot in the canyon that progress must be slowed down for photography:
That's even true of the smaller areas with more simple formations. Everything is unique everywhere in Lee Wash:
There would be no climbing in or out of the canyon anywhere in this vicinity:
Josh steadily hiking down canyon. This was only his second time in the park with me during the last decade. He certainly chose a good major hike to join me on with Lee Wash:
A towering hillside of sheer cliffs rose up above the canyon shadows:
Notice the triangular rock outcropping in the middle of the wash:
A vertical rock vein cuts through the horizontal layers:
The shadows began creeping farther up the canyon walls:
A short slot in the canyon wall which had multiple high dry falls:
The canyon never stopped changing all through the middle section of four miles between Plunge Pool Fall and the main side canyon:
Notice how the red rock layer at the bottom is tilted and gets larger on each end:
Walking completely in the shadows as the high wall on the right blocked out all the sunlight:
I really like spots like this where the canyon wall has so much interesting texture to it:
The vertical patterns here at the top middle are reminiscent of slickenside markings:
The red and purple rock colors blend so well together:
Lee Wash to me is one grand cathedral of colors that seems to never end:
Reaching the junction with Lee Wash's Main Side Canyon. This is the view looking up the side canyon:
Although the fading daylight did not allow us to explore the Lee Wash MSC, we were still impressed by these natural red sculptures near the mouth:
Our shadows were growing longer with still half of the hiking distance to complete. The hike is 8 miles from the start to the Lee Wash MSC and another 8 miles from here to the parking area across Panamint Valley:
This circular bowl area on the left side canyon wall appears to be a naturally-formed catch basin:
The final 3 1/2 miles of Lee Wash are not as scenic but there are still outstanding spots along the way:
A white substance was covering these red rocks higher up:
The Cottonwood Mountains came into view way off in the distance:
The cliffs of Panamint Butte (6,584 feet in elevation) dominate this part of the Cottonwood Mountains:
Upon reaching the bottom of the Lee Wash fan, there are 4 1/2 miles of desert to cross if parked at the Panamint Sand Dunes parking area. If you wish to park at PSR, the hike is 2 additional miles, so it would be 6 1/2 miles from here:
The Panamint Sand Dunes are only 2 miles away from the bottom of the Lee Wash fan:
Sunlight was already gone from the landscape as we snapped the next two photos of the Panamint Dunes:
One final close-up of the Panamint Sand Dunes as seen from this unique angle:
