PAHRUMP NEVADA

 

We once again spent some time in Pahrump, Nevada.  Its a good size city with plenty to offer, in the way of hiking, day trips, bingo and shopping.  The hiking is what I liked about our month in Pahrump.  We managed to hike with Keith and Charlotte at the China Date Ranch and on the BLM land that surrounds Pahrump.  John Halverson and I had some good adventures on the BLM.  We hiked in the snow on the days we could and explored several canyons where we thought the wild horses would be.

We did see some of the different animals, birds and reptiles that inhabit this area.  The coyote we encountered was a pair that had been feed along the road that runs through Death Valley.  Its a shame, they tell you to not feed them because they will become a pest and have to be destroyed.  The reptiles were everywhere on the warm days but no snakes were seen.

I enjoyed my first DATE SHAKE at the China Date Ranch with Keith and Charlotte, it was as good as the Date Ranch  promised.  If you ever get to this area I recommend you try one for yourself.















When were here before we visited the Dublin Gulch caves, it was fun visit them again.  They are dug from volcanic ash from a Lava Creek eruption in Yellow Stone National Park, over 600 thousand years ago.  It is unknown when the caves were dug out and first inhabited, however they estimate that it was likely in the late 1870's.  The caves remained occupied at some extent well into the 1970's.

 

 Anytime you visit this area, and you are looking for a good hike, I recommend hiking the Wallace Canyon, its located out on the BLM land.  Keith and Charlotte hiked it with Linda and I, its was one great day.  Part of the hiking experience is navigating the snow when you go to 9000 feet.  We managed to get as far as anyone could go.  After the hike ended at the parking area, we enjoyed our picnic lunch while looking at some wonderful vista's.

 

We spent a long day at Death Valley National Park.  It is a land of extremes, it's characterized at the hottest, driest, lowest national park.  Extremes in temperature and elevation create scenic vistas and ecological niches that host startling biological diversity.  We hiked Mosaic Canyon as far as we could go.  It will always be one of my favorite canyons.  It is a popular hiking trail up a narrow polished marble-walled canyon.  The first half mile  is narrowest section.  Some slickrock scrambling is necessary.  "Mosaics " of fragments or rocks cemented together can be seen in canyon walls.  Bighorn sheep are frequently sighted in the canyon.

We did the tourist thing and drove around and viewed everything that is Death Valley.  The very floor of the valley is not what one would expect.  Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, its a surreal landscape of vast salt flats.