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Brian Posts: 231
3/18/2020
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Last weekend seemed like a good time to head for the desert. I wanted to revisit Rockhouse Canyon, but I'm assuming it won't be possible to drive over Clark Lake for a while, so I headed for a couple locations in the southern end of the park.
On Saturday I visited the Solstice Cave above Indian Valley. I had only found vague descriptions of the location (and I will follow that convention here also). Suffice it to say I had a pre-conceived notion of the location and I was totally wrong. After over an hour of searching at what turned out to be 300' too high, I gave up and was headed back in defeat when I ran right into it. Strange that other accounts I've read seem similar to mine in the sense that it's difficult but not impossible to find. I also realized that my initial mistake was actually lucky as my route up was fairly easy. On the way down I tried to take a more direct route, which suuucked.
On Sunday I set my sights on the Goat Canyon trestle by way of Mortero Palms. I have been to and over the trestle by other routes (always legally, strangely enough) but this was my first encounter with the dry fall on this route. When I got to the fall, a combination of no rope, being alone and not being sure of the safest way down made me decide to turn back at that point.
Inside the Solstice Cave
Outside the Solstice Cave
If you see me on the trail say hi
The dry fall and the view from there
edited by Brian on 3/18/2020
edited by Brian on 3/18/2020
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Rocko1 Posts: 601
3/18/2020
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Awesome! Great pics.
I attempted the cave a couple years back and did not find it either. 3 hours of boulder hopping upwards and I didn't see anything close.
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ziphius Posts: 911
3/18/2020
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Great trip report and congrats on finding the cave! That dry fall looks scary.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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rockhopper Posts: 668
3/19/2020
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Nice hike and great photos. Thanks for sharing. Solstice cave is on my list.
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tekewin Posts: 371
3/22/2020
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Nice photos. It's a magical place. I also had a hard time finding it even with a pretty good description of where to look. I only went a little past it before spotting it below. I felt an unusual sense of calm in the cave.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2624
4/12/2020
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Looks like a nice trip. The back wall in the shelter has been broken down it looks like, normally it would be high enough that you need to climb over it a bit.
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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deborah Posts: 115
4/25/2020
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Nice trip report and pictures! I'm catching up on all the activity, been oddly busy with work this past month or so. These posts are a great reminder that the desert will still be there. 
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rockhopper Posts: 668
4/25/2020
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deborah wrote:
Nice trip report and pictures! I'm catching up on all the activity, been oddly busy with work this past month or so. These posts are a great reminder that the desert will still be there.
It is comforting to know that desert will still be there. Ready for another expedition.
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Brian Posts: 231
4/26/2020
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rockhopper wrote:
deborah wrote:
Nice trip report and pictures! I'm catching up on all the activity, been oddly busy with work this past month or so. These posts are a great reminder that the desert will still be there.
It is comforting to know that desert will still be there. Ready for another expedition.
Yep, I suspect it will be October before I check to make sure the desert is still there. I usually do a few trips in May after a cold front goes through, but I don't think I'll bother this year. I hiked to the playa above Box Canyon on the day the state ended up issuing the stay at home order and when I came back out the next day it was a different world. It was a fitting end of the season for me.
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