Day 7: Mojave Desert springs: Butcher Knife Spring and Cottonwood Spring day hike, New York Mountains, Mojave National Preserve
After yesterday's inspiring but tiring trek, sleeping in late this morning is a goal, but I wake up at 8h from the hot sun cooking my tent. Fortunately, the ample breeze makes it easy to roll over and fall back asleep after opening the tent windows (and leaving the screens closed).
Today's nine-mile round-trip hike from my campsite at Butcher Knife Corral (4600 feet) will take me to springs on the northwest side of New York Mountains in Butcher Knife Canyon and Cottonwood Canyon (5300 feet). No long steep hills, just plenty of great scenery, solitude, joshua trees, spring water, and wildflowers on a perfect day no warmer than the low 80s.
No human contact today.
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Date: April 29, 2008, 10h00
Size: 62 items
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I'm still walking down the wash away from Butcher Knife Canyon, mindlessly, enjoying the scenery and the sunshine
I've got a good walking rhythm going now. The wash is quite wide and I'm back at the tire tracks after veering away from them for a while.
Date: April 29, 2008, 18h19
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Hmmm... there are no more tire tracks in the wash here; where did they go, and where is the road that I was on?
I shouldn't be seeing that small hill ahead. I quickly realize that I've been following "bad" tire tracks for at least a mile instead of staying on the "good" tire tracks that would have led out of the wash to the road back to my tent.
Date: April 29, 2008, 18h28
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To my right is an old trailer on a hillside that I'm not expecting to see, so I start hiking cross-country toward my tent
According to my map, I must be a mile or so east of my tent. But with the endless forest of joshua trees between here and there, I can't tell exactly where I am. I wouldn't mind except that it will get dark shortly and I didn't bring my flashlight.
Date: April 29, 2008, 18h32
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I'm hiking briskly cross-country in the hope of crossing before dark the Cottonwood Canyon Road that will lead me to my tent
I'm really enjoying the sunset over Cima Dome in the distance, but am a bit nervous about not knowing my precise location, even though I know I'm not too far from my tent.
Date: April 29, 2008, 19h17
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After almost an hour of cross-country, I cross the old road at dusk and realize that I've overshot my campsite by about a mile
I've been lower on the fan than I thought, below my campsite. It's a relief to reach the old road and have last night's bicycle tracks guide me back to camp.
Date: April 29, 2008, 19h33
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Ahhh, back at camp by Butcher Knife Corral and there's still a hint of daylight remaining; such perfect timing
Despite the awkward end to the day, it has been a great one. The moral of the story is to always bring a flashlight on day hikes (as if I didn't already know that). Strong winds set in later and try to rip my tent apart.
Date: April 29, 2008, 19h36
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Butcher Knife Canyon hike as viewed in Google Earth
Date: July 21, 2008, 20h59
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Mojave National Preserve map, Day 7: Day hike to Cottonwood Spring and Butcher Knife Spring for water
Continue to Day 8: Butcher Knife Canyon to Nipton via Death Valley Mine, Cima and Morning Star Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve.
Date: July 23, 2008, 20h08
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