The hike of our lives: Panorama Loop and Mt. Warren

This was the hike that made it all worth it--all of the planning, all of the hard work on our camper, all of the organization, my foot surgery, and Vicky taking on so much responsibility to get me well afterwards. We both agreed that it was the most amazing hike we had ever been on, and since we've done some stunning hikes in the Cascades, this is saying something.

We did this hike on our third day in Joshua Tree National Park. The Panorama Loop is 6.6 miles, and there are two side trails to Mt. Warren that added about another 2.5 miles, making about a 9 mile hike. This is a substantial hike anywhere, considering the elevation gain, which was at least 2000 feet and probably closer to 2500, if not 3000.

The hike begins on some arroyos where there was gentle elevation gain.

Then, we hiked through Black Rock Canyon. It is so named because it is a canyon and has black rocks. Clever. The rocks were beautiful.





Then we began a long hard climb. As we climbed, it got colder and the wind started howling. The sounds blowing through the valley were sometimes spooky. By the time we arrived at the top of the ridge, where we could see forever, the wind gusts had to be over 40 mph. They were so strong that it was at times difficult keeping one's feet. Fortunately, even if we fell we wouldn't fall over cliffs or anything, so we were undaunted by the conditions.



At the top it was spectacular, and raw, and full of energy and beauty. Powerful. And we were alone there, not having seen any other hikers all day, and not being able to see any other visible signs of civilization.

We were already a bit tired, but little did we know how much more was in store for us that day.



We hiked along a ridge for about a half of a mile, viewing some of the most beautiful sights imaginable, and then began a descent. About two miles later we reached a cut off for Warren Peak. We had decided that we would take both cut-offs--one for Warren Peak View and the other, with 200 feet more elevation gain than Warren Peak View, for Warren Peak itself.

So we began the climb to Warren Peak View. It was on a peak about half a mile from Warren Peak, and it provided a great view of what we were to later hike. After we trudged up, and viewed, Warren Peak, we asked ourselves whether we really were intended to trek down 500 feet, and then up another 700 feet to Warren Peak. It looked for forbidding, especially with the wind howling, and the temperatures rather cold. And we were tired after our hike earlier in the day and the previous two days.


This is Warren Peak, from our viewpoint:

But we did it. We hiked down, caught the Warren Peak trail, and trudged up, and up, and up. By this time we had hiked 7 miles and had done at least 2000 feet of elevation gain, and it was cold and windy. But we really wanted to get to the top.

So we did. Here is Vicky. Not only at the end of world, but at the top of the world:

Here I am:



And here we are:



And here is what we saw:






By the time we reached home we were cold and exhausted.

The next morning we were to leave, but this hike so inspired us that we decided to stay another day, and hike another 7.5 miles.

What a memory.