April 29-30, 2017 Gold Butte, Nevada

Today we hiked the Whitney Pockets overlook trail. We left from the bus, hiked 3 1/2 miles. It was in the low 70’s,  sunny and very windy. The hike was lovely.

Last light last night from the bus. A big bird next in the cliff. Probably a raven’s.

Wierd weathering on this rock, swiss cheese rock and the last two are petroglyphs below the bird next on the cliff. At the end of the rock were more modern petroglyphs, tons of people carved their names. 

Fins on top of an outcropping of red rock. The flowers and one of the views of Whitney Pockets. 

Another couple views off the cliff.  More bright orange and yellow rocks looking into the canyon below.

John imitating Gabby Hayes with his hat turned up in the perfect seat in the rocks. The view to the east  over the cliff looking back down the road into the park and the bus is the tiny dot in the middle of the photo just right of the big rock. We are camped right off the road, but all by ourselves and no more than a handful of cars a day go by. 

Evening primrose, curly plant fiber, desert tobacco flowers, desert horned lizard- he matches the rocks and is hard to see, and a desert willow flower. A field of evening primroses and red rocks.

Today we hiked the lower part of Whitney pockets. High 70’s and sunny. Hot down in the canyon. We spied this colorful, narrow canyon from above yesterday. Bright yellows, oranges and reds.

The canyon narrowed and got really convoluted. 

Wild colors and weird twists and turns.

Every turn was different.

John is standing above this part which was narrow and twisty. I walked through it.  Stunning patterns in the rocks. It was hard to walk because I just wanted to look at the patterns. 

 It was a 3.6 mile round trip. This is John on the way back up.