Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2010: Route 66 and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bicycle Camping / Day 5: Day hike across Broadwell Dry Lake and to Broadwell Natural Arch, Bristol Mountains, Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area 79
An excellent sunny and brisk day for another hike into the Bristol Mountains, this time to the Broadwell Natural Arch (high of 49 degrees F). I won't see any people today.
Due to the cool weather, I'll only drink two litres of water all afternoon. An apple, three energy bars and some almonds keep me going. 15.8 hiking miles with about 1300 feet of elevation gain.
Ugh, I can't wake up; I need more sleep, but I'm excited about today's hike to the Broadwell Natural Arch
I drag myself out of my sleeping bag and step out into the cold sun to see where I am (I arrived here in the dark last night)
While heating water for coffee, I walk around to familiarize myself with my new surroundings
I notice a thorny pencil cholla cactus bush near my tent
After a quick breakfast and coffee, I start hiking, anxious to locate the old road that I couldn't find last night in the dark
I continue hiking down the old road toward Broadwell Dry Lake and see some of my bicycle tracks from last night
I turn back for a last look at my tent against a Cady Mountains backdrop before it disappears for the day
I notice a very weathered old fence post with a metal claim marker as I approach Broadwell Dry Lake
Several old fence posts here delineate the JHJ claim near Broadwell Dry Lake
I hike across Crucero Road near Broadwell Dry Lake, surprised that it's rougher than I thought
I arrive on the shores of Broadwell Dry Lake and begin the hike across the lake
Beginning the walk across Broadwell Dry Lake, I suddenly remember the sensation of walking across a big and empty dry lake
A lone creosote bush pops out of the ground at Broadwell Dry Lake
Someone drove across Broadwell Dry Lake a while ago when it was still a bit wet
I sit down for a few minutes on the hard, crackled surface of Broadwell Dry Lake
Running down the middle of Broadwell Dry Lake is the remains of the former Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad bed
Looking north on the old T&T Railroad grade running down the middle of Broadwell Dry Lake
After 100 years, the old T&T railroad berm running across Broadwell Dry Lake is still raised a couple feet above the lake
I continue my walk across Broadwell Dry Lake toward the Bristol Mountains
An anomalous row of bushes grows out into Broadwell Dry Lake near the eastern shore
Hmmm... I think I'll call this row of brush "The Broadwell Dry Lake Pier"
I reach the eastern shore of Broadwell Dry Lake and begin the hike up the fan toward the Bristol Mountains
On the fan are a few fence posts, also from "JHJ claims," like the ones on the other side of Broadwell Dry Lake
I take a look back at Broadwell Dry Lake and the Cady Mountains as I make my way up the fan
Until now, I hadn't encountered a stray balloon yet today
Like most alluvial fans, this one is a bit rocky, so hiking requires some attention to where one's foot goes with each step
Approaching a rocky outcrop on the Bristol Mountains fan, I decide to check it out
A little further up the fan, I join the wide wash that I'll follow into the Bristol Mountains
This little guy might be a young barrel cactus sprout
I come around a bend and a "gate" welcomes me back to the Bristol Mountains
I pass through "the gate" and see a wider expanse beyond
I decide to check out a narrow side wash that appears to run parallel to my route to the natural arch
The erosion from flowing torrents of water in this little side wash is significant
I climb up the little hill and look down to a small natural tank in the drainage, dry right now
The dry stream that feeds the dry natural tank looks benign, despite the deep erosion that I just saw downstream
I pause to take in the views from this berm above Broadwell Natural Arch Wash, spared from erosion
I zoom in from my perch on the rock outcrop for a better view of Broadwell Natural Arch
I turn around and realize that I'm looking at the Broadwell Natural Arch, so I climb a rocky outcrop to get a better view
I have cell-phone reception here at Broadwell Natural Arch, so I check and send a few text messages
I climb down from the rock outcrop and walk up the wash to check out Broadwell Natural Arch up close
Inside this cavelet in the Broadwell Natural Arch formation is a ribbed ceiling
It's time to climb up the rocks and poke around the Broadwell Natural Arch formation
The Broadwell Natural Arch formation is full of eroded little caves in the rock
A few Rush milkweeds are flowering here right now (Asclepias subulata)
This cavelet in the Broadwell Natural Arch formation appears to be inhabited part-time
I've just noticed that there are two little natural arches up in the rock here, not just the one
Broadwell Natural Arch North
Broadwell Natural Arch South
If I stand back far enough, I can see both the north and south natural arches at the same time
The Broadwell Natural Arch area is fun because of the mini-caves everywhere that invite exploration
Close-up of the bird's nest high up in the rock wall in the Broadwell Natural Arch formation
Birds use these two cavelets high up in the rock wall, and one of them is occupied by a nest
I scramble around, checking out a few more mini-caves, then decide it's time to check out and resume my hike
I climb back down and begin a clockwise loop around the Broadwell Natural Arch outcrop before hiking back to camp
The Broadwell Natural Arch formation has the shape of a horse's saddle when viewed from the southeast
Just beyond the natural arch is Broadwell Mesa and greyish-green minerals coming to the surface everywhere
I circle the Broadwell Natural Arch formation and notice that the drop-offs aren't all as steep on the north side
On the north side of the Broadwell Natural Arch formation, I notice a few holes in the rock that I didn't see earlier
From the north side of Broadwell Natural Arch, I take one last look at the hike unhiked beyond
The hike out of the Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area back down to Broadwell Dry Lake begins in earnest
Smoke trees (Psorothamnus spinosus) seem to really like this Bristol Mountains wash
This lone stem peering out from the gravel reminds me of a chia sage from last year
These three holes in the wall look too regular to be natural
Back at "The Gate," it's time for me to prepare for check-out from the Bristol Mountains
I exit "The Gate" in the Bristol Mountains
Beyond "The Gate," I begin the hike down the fan toward Broadwell Dry Lake
Dry ivory tufts from last year dot a black volcanic outcrop in the Bristol Mountains foothills east of Broadwell Dry Lake
The cold sun starts to set behind the Cady Mountains on the far side of Broadwell Dry Lake
The Bristol Mountains behind me pick up the gorgeous gold of sunset as I hike down the rocky fan toward Broadwell Dry Lake
Hmmm... this installation on the Bristol Mountains fan is interesting
Hmmm... I see nothing about an old grave, despite the weathered cross, and the plastic post looks very recent
The fence post here is clearly old, but the adjacent upright plastic pipe clearly is not
I continue hiking down the Bristol Mountains alluvial fan toward Broadwell Dry Lake; it's a beautiful, peaceful world out here
I walk into the sunset as I head toward Broadwell Dry Lake
Behind me, the Bristol Mountains pick up a nice orange glow
In just a few seconds the orange glow on the Bristol Mountains has melted into pink
It's almost 17h, and a little sunlight still remains as I begin the hike back to camp across Broadwell Dry Lake
The hike across Broadwell Dry Lake in the still darkness is really pleasant; then I settle in for a cold evening in the tent
Elevation profile of hiking route to Broadwell Natural Arch, Bristol Mountains, Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area