Tristan- I'm old enough to be your grandma. I cant climb mountains but I do that thru you every Saturday. It relaxes me listening to you- I also yell out "don't fall!" Quite often. I love your shows. Thank you. I'm glad you made it today.
Hey Tristan... I grew up down at the bottom of those mountains on the other side of the river in Bullhead City, Arizona. We used to go to Grapevine Canyon quite often when I was a kid and crawled around on the rocks further up the canyon. There are even more petroglyphs further up from where you were. By the way, the lake that you saw down at the bottom of the valley is NOT Lake Mead, it is Lake Mohave. Lake Mead is above Hoover Dam, about 60 miles upstream from where you were. And, the mountain range which contains Spirit Mountain is called the Newberry Mountains, while the next range north and west of Needles is called the Dead Mountains. An interesting fact, the peak you were on, along with all the other granite spires, when viewed from the state highway to the south, are known to us locals as "The Three Sisters." I am disappointed that you didn't show us any of the road over Christmas Tree Pass. It's a fun drive and easily passable by anything with a moderate amount of clearance. The worst part to me is the washboards on the west side of the mountains as you approach Highway 95.
When I was in my teens my dad and I would run beagles in the fields in Southern California in cholla country. The dogs would frequently run into cholla and wait patiently until we walked up and flicked it off with our pocket combs…this was in the mid-1950s. Glad to see the technique is still alive! 😊
When removing cholla bulbs, a couple of flattish rocks held under the bulb & lifted upwards work just as well as a comb. I learned this technique when my family moved to the Phoenix area in 1960.
Know the area well. I have never climbed what you did but have been up Spirit Mountain several times, and the hike up there is well worthwhile. Spirit Mountain is the highest point around, and you get spectacular views of the area, including up to Las Vegas and the Mount Charleston area. Enjoyable video. Don't think I'll be climbing Iguana Mountain, though, anytime soon, way out of my comfort zone.
Lovely video Tristan. I think that Jumping Cholla just wanted to be friends. I like your "comb" method for removing it from your leg. The rock art was incredible and, as you said, different from the norm. Still it was very impressive. I enjoyed your climb and also the Joshua Tree forest. Amazing!
My favorite part was seeing all the ginormous rocks, I just love rocks. I think that comes from the "rock slide" at the family farm that is right next to/the far side of the waterfall that a brook runs over. There's a little 'tub' also at the top of the waterfall that was always so cold.
Thanks, Tristan! I love the desert and treasure memories of childhood trips to the Mojave’s Yucca Valley area, Grandma & Grandpa’s place near Bullhead City in Lake Havasu area, and the years I lived on the Great Chihuahua desert in Texas’ Big Bend area. What an amazing planet we’re blessed with! Far away from those places now, enjoying the great Pacific Northwest. I thoroughly enjoy your videos, both SUV & Tenkara! Much love to you and your wife!
I would recommend climbing Spirit Mountain, we did it in 2020 & seen more snakes (2) than people (1). My stats that day were 4.3 miles & 2,369 ft altitude gain, need route finding skills as the trail is sketchy at points, a very steep climb to get to the top near the end, top views are outstanding, would recommend next time you are in the area.
I’m just so impressed and grateful that your supplying us all with just incredible information about the locations, the history not to even mention the fabulous views … Thank You for taking us along …
Happy Saturday morning! Beautiful rock art. Great tip on removing cholla burrs! Vertigo is in tack, thanks for doing the climb up Iguana Peak. I feel like I'm on top of the world when you reach the peaks on all your climbs. Thanks for the hike!
That was really detailed rock art 😮 Beautiful area with the rock formations perfect for climbing to get a great Birds Eye view of the area. Love to watch you climb , Tristan. A true Spider-Man 😊 Great trip as always. 👍🏻🙋🏼♀️
This was a really cool post, Tristan, including the reference to the significance and importance of rock art. It is amazing to see this many Joshua Trees in one place, stunning. Thanks, as always, for taking us with you on another adventure. 🙏☮️😊
Just came across your channel (RU-vid algorithm most likely) and enjoyed this adventure! Appreciate your ability to articulate the experience with a sound handle on the English language and research of the area. Also love the desert southwest and the native history that abounds. Subscribed!
While on a field trip in college for Forestry and National Resources we visited an area in the desert in California that has panels and figures like this. And it’s in an area where the deer migration comes through so the theory is that it’s kind of a blind for the hunters to wait at. So they think some of the petroglyphs are informational, but that some of them, are shall we say out of boredom 😅😊
Omg! I was just there! It was such a cool site. And what an easy hike! Too bad I didn’t get to run into you. I would have loved to say HI. My husband and I just started tuning into your videos roughly about a month ago. Keep up the good work!
This was, as always, a great video. I havent seen these before and they are amazing. I love the view at the top. The drone shots from the top with you in it are my favorites. Even though this couldn't be a drone shot, it was a close second. Love the music too.
I am so glad you made it to Grapevine Canyon. I made it there in the early 1990s & I've told quite a few people how impressive it is! The drive in past the Skull rock is neat too! The entire drive amazed me too...Thanks for the memories!
I have been to Grapevine Canyon three different times and each time I went further and further up the canyon. The glyphs are fantastic and easy to get to as you say. Beyond the little caves and petroglyphs are the actual grapevines which give the canyon it's name. I never did find the fossils I was told about. Guess I'll have to go back for at least a fourth visit.
And a bird broke the total silence! I love bird song in the morning! That rock art was great! Very distinct! Hope I spell it right! Spellck will get me!❤️😀🇺🇸🌏🚙
Awesome video! Beautiful scenery and tremendous amount of valuable information about an area that is so close yet not known by the typical tourist in the area of southern Lake Meade area. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate the introduction to Grapevine Canyon as a site of impressive rock art, and an earlier poster said additional panels are seen further up the canyon. With its proximity to Las Vegas as an air hub, this will go on a future vacation itinerary. I'm mostly a trail hiker with limited outdoor skills and enjoy your videos showing the process of bushwhacking, scrambling, and creating your own routes. As always, thanks for providing an inspiring travel adventure to start Saturday mornings off right!
Thanks for sharing your adventure. Your climbing skills are "Expert", your filming is very Professional and your Narration & Education of us is rewarding. Due to age, I'm not going to get there in person, going with you is almost like being there! Thanks Again
Tristan, I’m totally hooked… I just recently discovered your channel and have been bingeing as much as possible. I really enjoy your commentary, it is packed with interesting info. It shows just how much research you do before an adventure. And your love of everything nature shows with your excitement and pure joy in what you do. You have a wonderful way of bringing us along, and that will keep me watching faithfully. I’m basically home bound due to a medical condition and I use my iPad as a type of pain management. Utilizing a form of biofeedback to escape my 4 walls and immerse myself into your adventure. And you make that very easy to do with your beautiful commentary. Thank you for what you do from you new fan .. Jennifer
Another amazing post! Found you about a month ago and subscribed immediately! Fav part is the summit with the selfie stick! And really enjoyed the native history of the area and the flora. Thank you for taking us to this highly spiritual place that most of us will never be able to visit! Best, from Colorado!
Thanks for sharing the trash you picked up. Everywhere I camp, and I do camp off grid, I pick up trash. I recently started taking photos of my hauls. Always amazes me. I'm happy to report most of the brass I find is old and gun enthusiast are picking up their brass now. Thank you.
The exception I've seen is in popular local shooting areas closer to towns. There are always SO MANY empty casings and other pieces of trash there, and I know that's not from 40 years ago.
Nice. Been to Searchlight a couple times but I never been to that area (yet). Just got back from Goblin Valley before the blizzard hit. Thanks for the videos,
Thanks for another great outdoor adventure. Traveled to these spots recently, and what a wonderful set of places indeed. The new Awi Kwa Ame National Monument is pronounced A VEE QUA MAY as I understand. I could be incorrect. Hope to see you on the trail someday.
This was a great video me and the family camped up there 30 years ago many times play where the rock art is if you go on up that canyon there should have been a wonderful spring with flowing water and grapevines really sorry that you missed that
Interesting rock art. Here in SE New Mexico there is a site called Three Rivers that has 23,000 petroglyphs! Very interesting and almost 12,000 foot Sierra Blanca in the background.
Tristan, something I think you'd be into, that Grapevine Canyon reminded me of - there's a proposal floating around to designate a Great Bend of the Gila national monument, in Arizona in the area sort of between Gila Bend and Yuma. This area was a cultural crossroads and there are absolute ton of dense petroglyph sites, which are similar in nature to the ones shown in this video. Outside of the Painted Rocks petro site, none of the other locations are signed and they appear to be mostly unknown, despite proximity to Phoenix. If you dig through the monument proposal and old issues of Archaeology Southwest, you can find information to help locate these sites. Anyway just thought it'd be of interest. Its not too far from quartzite and could easily be a side visit when in the area for the RTR
Very cool place Tristan. Love the petroglyphs they are always so interesting. Makes me think what life was like when they were created. It is amazing that they have lasted all this time. Awesome climb. Have a great day Tristan. Always enjoy your videos!!!👍👍😊
Like the contemplative music as your walking in the park area before you start talking. Excellent video in every way. Saw one of your tenkara addict videos from a year ago where you were catching monster trout in a skinny little stream and I was like”whaaat so cool 😅
Fabulous! I had no idea about the new national monument!!! Amazing scenery. I'm only a couple of hours away. I am going to take my Jeep and check it out. Thank you so much for another adventure!
Fabulous video. Had no idea Joshua Trees grew in actual “forests.” Amazing. So glad to see it; I thought they were actual rare and endangered. Thank you for the day!
Hello Tristan... great video, just quick a correction the lake you are seeing in the video is actually lake mohave. We hike grapevine canyon all the time, We live in Bullhead city Arizona and you were a stones throw from us. If you ever want to see a mountain covered in over a thousand petroglyphs give me shout out and we will take you there. It's out in the mohave not terribly far from where you were.
I’ve been watching you for a while, I also travel out of my SUV, I am actually fairly close to iguana peak right now and I’m about to go do this hike! Thanks for always putting stuff on the map for us and thanks for cleaning up the area
Interesting hike/climb, petroglyphs, Joshua trees, and cool rocks! Yep. That's why they call those jumping teddy bear Cholla (not to be confused with hanging fruit cholla) You can be walking 20 ft from the nearest Cholla (they blow distances in the wind) and you'll find one in your leg. I think they have extremely sensitive needles on them and you can barely catch one on your shoe and it'll flip up and stick to your leg. They look all soft and fuzzy like a teddy bear but I think they are among one of the most treacherous cactus out there. Very difficult to walk close to them and you have to be watching every step you make when they are in the vicinity. Great video, as usual.
This is what I love about your channel, you find the desolate places we love to see to give us trip ideas. Thank you for all the effort you put in to show us these awesome locations
It is nice to see the new national monument not too far from me. There is a Joshua Tree Forest on the border of Utah and Nevada driving Old Highway 91.
I live in the Mojave desert, and actually work in the rural areas. That being said; I bought a pair of cheap gaiters to wear, and it keeps the cholla, or anything, from sticking. It's a slick surface, that doesn't allow anything stickers, to attach.
They do call choya jumping cactus. I got one-inch my palm and fingers as a small child. That's when my mom told me. I feel for you! Clever! My mom used shears and pliers. Holy crap! Did you climb up and then go back for your camera?!? That is some dedication if you did! I started humming the Spiderman theme song when you started up again! 😂 Amazing rock formations! The trees and cacti are very impressive, as well! Well done!
