Death Valley canyons

I have to admit that the thrill junkie in me absolutely loves the technical canyons in Death Valley National Park. That is, the canyons (as previously posted on this blog) that often involve arduous approaches, high, long rappels and nearly impossible down-climbs. But nearly as spectacular as those rugged canyons are the ones that are much, much easier to get in and out of. Here are three that I recently visited, Marble, Mosaic and Fall, that didn't need a rope and were still fun.

A desert big horn sheep's skull in Marble Canyon.

A hiker passes through a multi-colored passageway in Marble Canyon.

Hundreds of years-old petroglyphs in Marble Canyon, most of them indecipherable.

Another view of the petroglyphs. Is that a coyote in the lower right? No idea.

A narrow passage in Marble Canyon. Much of the rock here was laid down when this was originally the bottom of an ocean.

The petrified wood look of the rock in Mosaic Canyon.

Mosaic Canyon's narrow corridors.

I'm not sure if conglomerations of rock like this are why it's called Mosaic Canyon, but I'm willing to bet it was.

Hikers make their way through a series of easy-to-climb ledges in Mosaic Canyon.

Nearly invisible from a short distance, Fall Canyon's entrance takes you into a cathedral of rock.

The lower section of Fall Canyon.

Fall Canyon narrows with views to the Grapevine Mountains above.

Yours truly winding through the upper Fall Canyon slot section.

Barrel cactus growing above the upper section of Fall Canyon.

The polished walls of upper Fall Canyon.

Just past this boulder the upper Fall Canyon narrows takes a quick left turn into another chamber.