Finding the Missing Desert Fish

Way back in December of 2020 we set out to find the Escape from Death Valley markers erected by the Trona Chapter of the Escape Trail Conference.  You can read about the first part of our adventures here: Escape from DV part 1.  We were now off to look at the missing Father Fish sign.  I had spotted it from a ridge high above back in February of 2021.  This was our first opportunity to go look at it. Yes, the hiking season in the Slate Range is short.  This time we decided not to spend the whole day hiking in the Slates, so after the hike we drove up and over and explore the inselbergs on the Panamint Valley floor.  These volcanic mounds stand black in a sea of salt covered mud.  Visually appealing to me, of great interest to lithium miners.  Yes, the whole valley floor is a vast lithium claim.  If they find exploitable amounts of lithium, their next challenge will be to find the vast quantities of water they will need to process it.  Green energy isn't free, or apparently, any greener than other energy.

The Panamint Valley, the black lumps on the right is where we will spend the afternoon.

Our missing desert fish!  Finally.

Panamint Valley salt flats, with the eyesore Briggs Mine in the background.

Our rock outcroppings.

Closer view of the Briggs Mine.

Lovely patterns.

Looking south

I find a stream bed.

Patterns in the mud.

My streambed has water!

Sticky, nasty, salty mud.

Lithium mining claim.

This was a fun and interesting way to spend a mid-winter afternoon.  We found a bit of old mining prospecting in the inselbergs , but not much else.  The weather was also warm and lovely.  I wouldn't want to try this later in the year.

There is a missing piece of this Escape from Death Valley sign tale that we located in an earlier trip.  This sign sits high up in the Panamint Mountains.  Only accessible by serious four wheel driving or a very long hike.  We did the four wheel drive version up Pleasant Canyon and down South Park Canyon.

Where we are going.

Once again we find more mine remains.  This is the remains of Clare Camp.  We didn't have time to head up and explore the mine.  That remains a trip for another day.

This cabin has since been removed.

Once someone's home was filled with hopes and dreams.

I'm smiling.  Can you tell?

The road we are taking home has some steep parts.

Striped Butte

Another tricky road bit.

Our spotter Bob does a good job keeping us safe.

Quick visit to the Thorndike Mine equipment shed.

More tricky road bits.

Photo courtesy BJ Holden.

A rock retaining wall keeps that road in place.

Photo courtesy BJ Holden.

Yes, it has a functioning kitchen, bathroom, and beds to sleep in.

The road back down to the Panamint Valley.

Another mighty sharp turn.

The road edge is washing, see the car in the gap?

Looking back the way we came.