8. The Trek: Ubehebe Crater to Nevada Border

Following is an excerpt from the working draft of my book:

…I felt the cold dampness of snow between my fingers for the first time since I began this trek, as I gathered a large handful within a bitter fist.  A small patch had sought refuge within the belly of the sandstone, hiding from the destructive power of the sun.  I threw a snowball lightly against one of the neighboring sandstone domes.  The snowball busted apart with a playful energy, revealing an intensified color through its moist staining of the rock it struck.

The overlook above the wash offered a dramatic view as my surroundings broadened before my eyes.  The Inyo Range stood as impressive as ever in the distance.  Cleanliness became present and abundant in the air as it began whipping and washing over my body.  It was cool and brittle, as if it were carrying within it a winter’s memory.

 I was torn at the moment between the relief found at the end of two days of steady climbing and the realization that the every foot of lost elevation during my awaiting descent would have to be made up again tomorrow as I climbed back out of the valley below.  I made a series of half-hearted steps downward, until the slope seemed to harness my commitment.  I was soon moving quickly without much thought of my actions.  Thankfully, my familiar friend, the Joshua tree, had decided to join me once again as gravity pulled me briskly down the wash. 

Unbelievable colors grew from the ancient volcanic rock along this difficult path.  Rich purples and reds, joined with a subtler burgundy, were scattered in the surrounding hillsides.  They led me down the boulder-strewn slope, until I eventually spilled into Dedeckera Canyon where I decided to rest. 

A large and flat boulder invited me to sit upon it, offering me a chance to remove my boots.  The air was crisp against the moistness of my feet, but the rock had stored the warmth of the midday sun.  I drew this energy up from the stone as I napped upon its surface.  The cool air created a longing for the very rays of light that I had cursed only a matter of days before. 

I soon grew very conscious of the energetic touch of sunlight on my face.  Its delicate, but intense pressure took grasp of my eyes, forcing them closed and revealing only a darkened red glow behind their lids.  I could not help but acknowledge the life being restored through the radiance felt upon my skin.  I was now ready to move on.

Peek-a-boo glimpses of Eureka Dune’s summit teased me as I began my descent down the final 1,500 feet of Dedeckera Canyon.  The crumbling walls soon narrowed and grew to heights of a few hundred feet above my steps, closing out the massive span of land around me.  Large boulders were half-buried within the canyon floor, causing me to curve around them like a trout in a stream.  A hawk soon screamed to announce my arrival as I approached the canyon’s exit, were my second to last cache was buried into the side of the hills.

At this point, the full mass of the dune was revealed as the final orange wall of rock peeled away.  It was like being reunited with an old acquaintance, even though we had met in passing only once before.  It felt as if I had reached some sort of bookend.  I was returning to where I started challenging the desert with the placing of my first caches. 

Despite the vague familiarity, the dune appeared fresh and equally spectacular from my newfound perspective.  She rose over 700ft above the floor of the massive Eureka Valley, appearing as if the sand violently lunged from the earth below, leaving behind a steep and narrow mountain of sand.  I could not help but be awed once again as I entered this secluded stretch of land. 

The silence was especially harsh as I lowered into the valley.  I grew more attentive to my steps as I grew closer to the formation ahead.  The sound of gravel beneath my feet eventually gave way to that of sand.  These sounds were soon interrupted by the wind as it briefly brought the dune to life by loudly swirling the sand across the crests above me.  

I stepped back for a moment in both surprise and amazement as I watched this mass of earth breathe before me.  It was as if she was briefly awoken from a deep sleep.  Though utterly captivating, the moment only lasted mere seconds before calming once again to silence and stillness.  It was like entering a forbidding lair with the dune quite intimidating as I approached her base.  Quietly again she slept, like a long and towering dragon, generously tolerating my passing.