Day 6, afternoon: 10 round-trip bike miles (walked up the steeper sections) up Chloride Cliff Road from Monarch Canyon
Leaving my Monarch Canyon camp site at around 3300 feet elevation intact, I go for a ride up Chloride Cliff Road to about 4600 feet.
I don't pass any other vehicles during this ride and haven't seen anyone since leaving pavement yesterday afternoon. It's so nice to ride without the weight of all my gear!
I don't go quite all the way to the old Chloride City site, opting to park the bike and walk up a hill to take in the views of Death Valley down below. I also take a short walk in the area of the old trail to Keane Spring on the way back down to my camp site in Monarch Canyon.
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Date: April 23, 2007, 13h00
Size: 13 items
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Interesting patch of reddish soil on the way up Chloride Cliff Road away from Monarch Canyon
A geologist would probably have a lot to say about what this is, and isn't; I don't.
Date: April 23, 2007, 13h30
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Looking back down toward Monarch Canyon to see how much I've risen
I think my Monarch Canyon camp site is roughly in the center of the photo down behind the small mountains in the middleground.
Date: April 23, 2007, 13h40
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Switchbacks on the way up Chloride Cliff Road
I guess they decided that the road would have been too steep if it went straight up the hillside when they built it.
Date: April 23, 2007, 13h50
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An off-camber section of Chloride Cliff Road on the way up
Photo breaks are a great way to give my occasionally sore right knee a rest.
Date: April 23, 2007, 14h00
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Higher up after more switchbacks on Chloride Cliff Road
This road snakes around so much that it's easy to lose track of the direction in which you're looking if you aren't paying attention.
Date: April 23, 2007, 14h15
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Near the top of this set of switchbacks on Chloride Cliff Road
The road has risen a lot in a short distance.
Date: April 23, 2007, 14h10
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I park the bike and go for a walk up the big hill to my right to take in the views of Death Valley below
The old Chloride City site is actually another mile or two up the road, up over the hills to my left.
Date: April 23, 2007, 14h20
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Up at the summit of the hill that I just walked up, with Death Valley about 4500 feet down below
The Furnace Creek tourist area, where I camped two nights ago, is down in that large dark patch in the distance in the valley.
Date: April 23, 2007, 15h15
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Me, up at the summit of the big hill I just walked up
The old Chloride City site is probably just beyond the hill behind me to the left (south).
Date: April 23, 2007, 14h30
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On my way back down Chloride Cliff Road
Chloride Cliff Road is quite rocky in places.
Date: April 23, 2007, 15h30
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Further down Chloride Cliff Road on the way back to Monarch Canyon
Another rocky stretch of road.
Date: April 23, 2007, 16h30
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Back down near Monarch Canyon, an old water tank sits near Chloride Cliff Road
In the background, Chloride Cliff Road heads up into the hills to the left (south).
Date: April 23, 2007, 17h00
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I lock my bike to a wilderness sign along Chloride Cliff Road and go for a short walk toward the old Keane Spring
I don't see any green spots that might indicate the presence of a spring, but I had read that Keane Spring is probably dry, so I'm not surprised.
Date: April 23, 2007, 17h30
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