Valley of fire pinnacles

Saturday 4 of us went on a Sierra Club hike to the Pinnacles. It was 5 miles and 500 ft of gain.
Starting out from the Atlatl Rock parking lot and headed west toward the gap in the ridge visible from the start. The pinnacles are behind the ridge to the right.

starting out from the Atlatl rock petroglyphs

 The start of the trail toward the gap in the gray limestone ridge

 The trail passes several colorful outcrops.

 Two bighorns we saw on the way

 First view of the pinnacles

 A balanced rock

 Walking through the middle of the pinnacles

Small window and yellow lichen

 Backside of the pinnacles with reflected sunglow

 4 bighorn on the way back

Last rock outcrop before getting back to the start of the hike

VoF Exploratory hike from park lot 2

We got an early start from parking lot #1 to get good early light. We wandered west, then north and made a loop of about 5 miles and 1000 feet back to the car.

 First we  headed toward the smooth tan sandstone dome in the background. That dome is the location of Top Of the World Arch. The route has to dodge several out crops but is actually no problem.

 Getting closer to the tan sandstone the rocks get very colorful

Walking directly toward the tan sandstone and up to the mushroom rocks on top is a possible route to the actual arch but you have to have no fear of heights. We turned back at a narrow place right in front of the large broken rock sitting below the highest outcrop in the top center of the photo it was about a 300 ft straight drop if we slipped.

This is the place known as the Squeeze. it is directly below top of the world arch in the valley. We dropped into it and turned right toward the eye of the iguana.

Passed some large fins on the way

This is a side excursion up a slab to look around

This is on the direct route to top of world arch. It is immediately past the large broken rock at the top of the angled slab where it meets the vertical rocks. It was too exposed for me.

The eye  of the iguana

Another excursion up a side slab

yellow stripped rocks

more colorful rocks

A new arch we saw.

Looking toward rock of gibraltar

Small slot near the movie set

Kaolin wash just east of the small slot

Kaolin wash across the road on the way to the Fire Wave

Climbing up out of the wash well before arriving at Fire wave

Layered red and yellow

General slick rock continuing south toward white nipple

Looking back toward rock of gibraltar with optical illusion arch in front.

Top of the World arch, short way

Fifteen Sierra club members hiked to the Top of the World arch today. About 3 miles and 800 ft of elevation. Hikes in VoF always seem longer than they are due to the lack of trails and cross country navigation. This hike is about equal to a 6 mile hike.

 Starting out at parking lot number 1 on Mouse Tank road we hiked west across this kind scenery toward the high rocks in the background.

 There are areas of thin fins that stand out from the rock. If you are walking across this you have to be very careful not too step on them and break them off.

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After crossing the colorful rocks we came to the first steep section. It climbed about 300 feet real quick.

There were some flat sections.

After climbing the steep slab we came to a sandy area and turned right and headed toward a ramp that would lead to the top of a large fin.

This is the ramp. At the top you go down the other side into a dip before the final climb to the arch.

The top of the fin before heading down the other side.

From the bottom of the dip looking at the final climb to the arch located at the top of the ridge just above the hikers.

 The arch

The view from the high point above the arch

Us on the high point. White dome area is in the background.

 Coming back down from the arch and across the dip.

Coming down the ramp to the sandy area.

 Group in the sandy area with some hikers still on the ramp.

 Rounding the corner before going down the steep slab.

 One of the landings on the way down the steep slab.

Final steep section.

 There is another arch on this hike. It cannot be reached.

 Hikers on the way back to the cars with the unreachable arch in the background.

 Crossing the colorful rocks on the way back.

The cars are just beyond the knob on the ridge.