Let the season begin!

Turkey Week Vacay Part 2: Joshua Tree NP

Nikko meeting the sun.  Ryan Mtn Summit.  

After Pinnacles, we drove down to LA to visit our friends Emily and Finn.  We stayed a night with them and they hosted a successful movie night and the kiddos had a great time in their yard with an amazing tree house.  

Nikko happy in the kitchen...

we met up with Pat & Sid to go to Travel Town, then got some N. African Tacos for lunch...

Once in Joshua Tree we were quite lackadasical in getting to our campsite.  Big mistake.  Between Thanxgiving and X-mas is their peak period... and as most of the campsites are first come first serve, you have to get there early it turns out.  At the visitor center we saw that there were plenty of sites open. By the time we got to the entrance station, the ranger there told us that he doubted that there'd be any sites open.  Turns out the visitor center doesn't update their open site numbers that frequently.  After that we opted to go straight to Jumbo Rocks Campground, and after nearly giving up, we parked next to a car that turned out to be leaving.  I really think we got the last site in J-Tree. Crazy.  They need to have a reservation system in place from Nov to Dec.  It's really chaotic and you basically have to vulture around to get a site there.

After that stressful experience, we set up our campchairs and drove off to Keys View.  I wanted to do this hike, but it was quite blustery up there.  

Salton Sea... 234 ft below sea level (vs Badwater Basin at 282 ft below).  Check out the 6 min short below for a succinct tragic history of the sea and its surroundings.  For a more scientific view check this one out.  

some man on wire action.  I'd like to hop on a high line someday... next time in J. Tree... I'd like to dedicate a few hours to set one up.  

ACROSS THE SKY - a world record slackline in the utah desert from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

A typical sight during sunrise/sunset in J-Tree.

Light-ffiti

we had a funny interaction at camp.... as Kimbo was putting Nikko to bed in our van, our neighbor was getting something out of their car.  Kim asked, "how are you doing?" to no response.  Kim brushed her off as a bit unfriendly... then 10 min later her husband came by with a few logs signing to us that he was deaf. They were leaving and were giving us their firewood.  Both couples were deaf and didn't hear anything from Nikko. Probably the best neighbors you can have if you have a crying baby camping.   

The next morning we took Kai on his second hike of the trip.  Ryan Mountain... Only 3 miles, but 1000 ft of elevation gain.  Kai started off with a good luck hug.  

Nikko did some hiking on this one...

After some snack breaks...

and some photo breaks...

Boom!  The kiddos made it! Easy peasy.  

Summit Shot!

After the hike down, we had another snack, and I got Kai on rope, scrambling around the boulders.  

Kai = slab master

Back at camp, I went for a quick scramble to catch the sunset...

From Kimbo's perspective.

The next morning, Nikko was still asleep in the van.  Nikko was not a very good sleeper the first 5 nights of this trip... but Kai was great.  

We snuggled Kai up during breakfast.  The weather was quite cold for J. Tree.  At night dropping into the 40s.  

Exploring more of the rock formations before breakfast.  

Breakky time!

Skull Rock

Some useful links:

• Mountain Project Page: Plenty of useful basic info here.  When to go, where to stay, classic climbs, etc.  
• Ryan Mtn Hike
• Weekend Sherpa
• Huell Howser!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGsiot4AIlo

Next time:

• Download the OruxMaps for the area, as the park map really sucks.  Or buy a topo.  The fee maps here are useless.
• Check out Indian Cove Campground (reserve-able, but not in the main area of the park) and explore that area the whole time.  No driving, etc...
• If you are arriving sometime between Thanxgiving and X-mas get to the campsites early to stake out a spot.  They go quick.  Or just make a reservation at Indian Cove.  Though it would be a drive to anything from there... but if you are staying for only a night or two, sounds like a good place. 
• Go explore some of the caves. You can get the book, or probably go to the table of contents and google some of the spots.  
• Iron Door Cave
• Butcher's Cave
• Chasm Cave
• Carey's Castle
• Hidden Cave
• Other hikes
• Queen Mtn
• some of the Oases
• San Jacinto from the Tram at Palm Springs

Always a nice place for some fun photos...

Monthly Pano: Channel Islands NP

Pat... being Pat

Gorgeous bluffs...

Potato Harbor!  That looks like the money spot to moore.

Turkey Week Vacay Pt 1: Pinnacles NP

In our driveway... while I was loading up the van, the kiddos were looking at maps, honking the horn, eagerly waiting for our next adventure!

This year, we decided to take the week of Thanksgiving off and road trip down south.  Kimbo had never been to Joshua Tree, so that was kind of our main destination.  Then we talked to our friends Pat and Sid as well as Emily and Finn in LA and decided to stay with them as it had been a while.  Then we decided to go to Pinnacles to break up our drive to LA... and we made plans with Pat and Sid to go to the Channel Islands after Thanksgiving with them.

So here we are at Pinnacles NP.  The last time I went here it was for climbing... probably over 12 years ago.  I was quite impressed with the number of routes here and had very high expectations of the climbing... and boy was I disappointed.  The rock here is not like Yosemite.  It basically looks like a muddy washed out cliff with rocks stuck to it.  The climbing here is known for having loose holds... I think it's one of those things you learn to appreciate over time.  The andesite and rhyolite formations were formed by an ancient volcano... eroding and weathering of the exposed rock creates the impressive formations appreciated today.

This is California's newest national park, having been signed by Obama on Jan 2013.

Kiddos ready for some hikin'!

Tunnel!!!

Kimbo wore matching shirt

crazy trees growing amongst the mind altering rock formations.

Kai likes to hold hands...

Nikko also holding hands with a monkey...

our camp!  There were plenty of sites open, and many of them were quite nice.  Look on Yelp to see what sites folks recommend.  There are some really nice ones, and some pairs that would be fun to get with another fam.

reheating our dinner...

Nikko learning the art of S'more cooking

walking off our desert with an evening walk/strider ride.

The next morning, we decided to go on a bigger hike.  I was a bit hesitant as this would be Kai's longest hike to date. http://ridewithgps.com/routes/11490995

And it was never flat... 1300+ ft of elevation!

and quite scary.  I had to spot him a few times.  

Group pic at the top!

now for the hard part... the descent.

Currently blowing my mind:  This article on the guy trying to break the record for of the number of miles cycled in a year.  Tommy Godwin just became my hero.

LINKS

• Weekend Sherpa
• Yelp - has good camping recs.
• Modern Hiker - good descriptions of some hikes - Bear Gulch Cave - High Peaks Loop
• Cave Status
• Mountain Project - lots of basic info, geared towards climbers.  

NEXT TIME

• Group Camp with a bunch of folks... the kids would love the caves, stridering around the campground, scrambling up some rocks.  
• Maybe this'll be Kai's first multi-pitch? - Coastanoan (5.4, 4 pitches)
• Do Brian Lucido's Adventure Run

Monthly Pano: Joshua Tree

Our camp at Jumbo Rocks.  

Sunset from the rocks seen in the panos above.  

Fun clouds at sunset

On the trail to Skull Rock.  You can find Kimbo, Nikko, and Kai if you zoom in... and have patience.