Itinerary
Monday, November 4, 2024
Fly or drive into Palm Spring, CA (PSP)
We will have a vehicle waiting at the airport for you. Since people are
flying in from all over
the country, you may have to wait around a few hours for other
participants to arrive. We antiticpate taking 2 trips from the
airport to 29 Palms, the area in which the trip
is based.
As you arrive, we will perform a a quick equipment shakedown. We expect to have done this online
prior to the trip and will only be looking for obvious last minute omissions such as water containers,
day pack, hiking shoes etc.
When one of our shuttles is full, we will bring you to 29 Palms, CA and drop you at our "base" hotel
Make-your-own trail mix from our cornucopia of ingredients
Buy last minute and forgotten items at
Nomad Ventures, Joshua Tree,
61795 29 Palms HighwayJoshua Tree, CA 92252, (760) 366-4684.
This can be done "as needed" during the trip as well.
Go out for welcome / introductory dinner in town. Dinner not included in trip cost
We will drop you at your hotel. Please be in or near 29 Palms, not Yucca or further
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
We will pick you up at your hotel around dawn. Please be ready to go. Continental breakfast
may be provided.
Drive to Joshua Tree National Park
Drive to the Boy Scout Trailhead
Begin hiking at the Boy Scout Trailhead, elevation 4050'
Hike 3.6 miles to Willow Hole, elevation 4170'
Hike 3.6 miles back to the vehicles, elevation 4050'
Drive back to 29 Palms
Go to dinner in a local restaurant (TBD). Dinner not included in trip cost
We will drop you at your hotel
Mileage Today: 7.2. Total mileage: 7.2
Possible bailout: Boy Scout Trailhead
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
We will pick you up at your hotel around dawn. Please be ready to go. Continental breakfast
may be provided.
Drive to Joshua Tree National Park, Pleasant Valley Backcountry Board, elevation 3300'
Hike about 4.3 miles on the Fried Liver Wash Trail to the Hexahedron Mine, elevation 4300'
Hike about 4.3 miles back to the vehicles at the Pleasant Valley Backcountry Board, elevation 3300'
Drive back to 29 Palms
Go to dinner in a local restaurant (TBD). Dinner not included in trip cost
We will drop you at your hotel
Mileage Today: 8.6. Total mileage: 15.8
Possible bailout: Pleasant Valley Backcountry Board
Thursday, November 7, 2024
We will pick you up at your hotel around dawn. Please be ready to go. Continental breakfast
may be provided.
Drive to Joshua Tree National Park, Juniper Flats Backcountry Board, elevation 4340'
Hike 3.7 miles on the California Riding and Hiking trail (CR&HT) to the Stubble Springs Loop trail,
elevation 4700'
Hike 3.4 miles on the Stubble Springs trail to the Fan Canyon View, elevation 4900'
Hike 5.1 miles on the Stubble Springs trail and CR&HT to Juniper Flats, elevation 4340'
Drive back to 29 Palms
Go to dinner in a local restaurant (TBD). Dinner not included in trip cost
We will drop you at your hotel
Mileage Today: 12.2. Total mileage: 28.0
Possible bailout: Juniper Flats
Friday, November 8, 2024
We will pick you up at your hotel around dawn. Please be ready to go. Continental breakfast
may be provided.
Drive to Joshua Tree National Park, Cottonwood Backcountry Board, elevation 3000'
Today we are hiking a reverse lollipop loop to Victory Palms
Hike 1.7 miles to Mastodon Peak, elevation 3285'
Hike 3.7 miles to Victory Palms, elevation 2680'
Hike 5.1 miles back to Cottonwood, elevation 3000'
Drive back to 29 Palms
Go to dinner in a local restaurant (TBD). Dinner not included in trip cost
We will drop you at your hotel
Mileage Today: 10.5. Total mileage: 38.5
Possible bailout: Cottonwood
Saturday, November 9, 2024
We will pick you up at your hotel an hour before dawn in anticipation of a long day that requires
us to shuttle vehicles and take 2 trips into the park.
Please be ready to go. Continental breakfast may be provided.
Drive to Joshua Tree National Park at the head of Smith Water Canyon dropping one vehicle off
at Uphill Rd, 29 Palms, trailhead elevation 4650'
Hike 3.9 miles down beautiful and ever-changing Smith Water Canyon to the Quail Springs Trail,
elevation 3650'. Please note: There is a 30 foot downhill rock scramble that may unnerve you
so please be mentally and physically prepared for it.
Hike 4.1 miles out of the park to Uphill Rd. in 29 Palms, elevation 3250'
Shuttle back to Smith Water Canyon to pick up vehicle
Drive back to 29 Palms
Go to dinner in a local restaurant (TBD). Dinner not included in trip cost
We will drop you at your hotel
Mileage Today: 8.0. Total mileage: 46.5
Possible bailout: 29 Palms
Sunday, November 10, 2024
We will pick you up at your hotel around dawn. Please be ready to go. Continental breakfast
may be provided.
Drive to Joshua Tree National Park, Covington Backcountry Board, elevation 4820'
Hike 3.8 round-trip miles to Covington Crest, elevation 4890'
Take an aimless driving tour around the park
Drive back to 29 Palms
Mileage Today: 3.8. Total mileage: 50.3
Possible bailout: Covington Crest
End of hiking
We will drop you at your hotel to get ready for dinner
We will pick you at your hotel for an early closing dinner
Go to dinner in a local restaurant (TBD). Dinner not included in trip cost
Awards Ceremony
If you have a red-eye flight, we will take you to the airport in Palm Springs
This is the official end of the trip. You are welcome to spend the night at
the hotel, however if you drove and would like to get on the road or if you flew
and would like to schedule a late flight (or a red-eye if
this is a West Coast trip) you can definitely do so.
Monday, November 11, 2024
We would like to get everyone to the airport in a timely manner and not have
people sit around all day waiting for their flights. We expect to shuttle everyone early
in the morning in one shuttle to make sure those leaving earliest can catch their flights.
This will depend greatly upon how many participants we
have and when their flights are. As we get closer, we'll have a better idea of how to
proceed.
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