(Click here for area map)

1. Mojave Aster #1 - Lots of these in bloom all along the trail.
2. Gilia - Also quite plentiful and difficult to get a picture of on a windy day!
3. Beavertail Cactus - Several bright magenta flowers encountered along course of hike.
4. Yellow Tackstem - It's hard to see the tiny tacks on the stem, but they're there!
5. Desert Pincushion #1 - Lots of these little white flowers scattered all around.
6. Desert Pincushion #2 - This little plant is growing out of a crack in a rock.
7. Mojave Aster #2 - More lovely lavender flowers.
8. Desert Larkspur #1 - Plenty of these interesting little flowers blowing around in the breeze.
9. Desert Hyacinth - These neat little flowers were also present in great quantities.
10. Little Gold Poppy - Tiny, golden-yellow flowers and intricate, grayish-green leaves.
11. Desert Plantain - Inconspicuous, but all over the place.
12. Burrobush - This member of the Sunflower Family is also known as Ambrosia dumosa.
13. Desert Larkspur #2 - This member of the Buttercup Family is also known as Delphinium parishii.
14. Spineflower - Unusual member of the Buckwheat Family quite common in the area.
15. Snake's Head - Interesting turban-shaped flower buds.
16. Five Spot - The spots are actually inside the flower and visible after it opens.
17. Purple Mat and Desert Star - Two common belly flowers hanging out together.
18. Lupine - Seed pods forming on lupine stalk.
19. Late Afternoon Shadows - View along portion of the Slate Range late in the day.
20. Peace Sign - Rocks arranged on playa area to form footprint of the Great American Chicken.

1. Quarry Area #1 - Looking northwest towards quarry.
2. Turpentine Broom - Close look at flowers on Turpentine Broom bush.
3. Claim Post - The corners of quarry mine claim are clearly posted.
4. Quarry Area #2 - Another view of quarry area with Argus Range in background.
5. Inside Old Car - Looking in the driver's side window at lush interior!
6. Rain Puddle - Large puddle at bottom of hole at quarry.
7. Loading Dock - Fallen railroad ties with red rock behind them.
8. Old Car - Rusty old car near quarry.
9. Rock Wall - Rock wall holding back tailings from quarry.
10. Manly Peak - Manly Peak behind tailings pile.

1. Blue Bird - Extremely bright blue feathers.
2. Water Mouth #1 - Looking down on mouth of Water Canyon.
3. Water Mouth #2 - Look for old roads on hillsides.
4. China Road #1 - China Road snaking around with Manly Peak in background.
5. Inside Shack - Interior of shack at Aquarius Travertine Mine.
6. Outside Shack - Exterior view of shack above McDermott monument.
7. Pole - Pole on hill above shack looking north into Panamint Valley.
8. Highway - Looking down on highway dropping into Panamint Valley.
9. Delivery Van - A delivery van taking turn on Slate Range Xing.
10. Mine Tunnel - Entrance to mine tunnel above Weston Marker.
11. Weston Marker - Memorial marker with top of crossing in background.
12. Tight Turn #1 - View from Weston Marker of tight turn in highway.
13. Tight Turn #2 - Close view of vehicle on tight turn.
14. Truck on Highway - View of truck chugging up Slate Range Crossing.
15. China Road #2 - Another view of China Road with Manly Peak glowing in the background.
--- OLDER PICTURES ---
16. McDermott Marker - Marker in memory of local miner.
17. Aquarius Shack - Shack above marker next to Aquarius Travertine Mine.
18. Lizard In Hand - Taken near the Aquarius Travertine Mine.
--- LATE JANUARY 2010 ---
19. Shallow Pond - Area west of highway flooded by recent rains.
20. Snowy Mountains - Snow on Argus Range northwest of Slate Range Crossing.
21. Circular Rocks #1 - Rocks arranged in circular pattern.
22. Circular Rocks #2 - Another view of rocks placed in circle.
23. Donkeys #1 - Small group of donkeys.
24. Donkeys #2 - Group of probably sixteen donkeys.
25. Donkeys #3 - Another view of group of donkeys.
26. Donkeys #4 - Seven donkeys posing for the camera!

1. Lycium #1 - Lycium with berries growing near trail.
2. Lycium #2 - More lycium. It was quite abundant.
3. Lycium #3 - Lycium is a genus in the Nightshade Family.
4. Lycium #4 - DeDecker lists four different species of Lycium grow in the Death Valley area.
5. Lycium #5 - Even more lycium on trail on Panamint Valley side of the Slate Range.
6. Lycium #6 - Lycium was abundant along this three-mile section of trail.
7. Tomato #1 - Another member of the Lycium genus is Desert Tomato.
8. Tomato #2 - Desert Tomato is also known as Lycium andersonii.
9. Desert Woolly Star - This small flower was quite abundant.
10. Trail View - Looking along the trail to the south. A tower can be barely be seen at the top of the highest point in the picture.
11. Panamint Valley - Looking up Panamint Valley along the foot of the Argus Range.
12. China Road - Corner of old dirt road built by Chinese immigrants is visible. Also visible is a section of the hiking trail.
13. Spiny-Herb #1 - Spiny-Herb specimen with yellow flowers.
14. Spiny-Herb #2 - The flowers aren't exactly spectacular or even very noticeable.
15. Claim Marker - Claim marker along ridge with Maturango Peak in the background.
16. Tomato #3 - More Desert Tomato. There was quite a bit of this plant!
17. Lycium #7 - Even more Lycium growing at about 3600 feet.
18. Lycium #8 - Another view of the berries on a Lycium plant.
19. Slate Playa - The playa area in the middle of the Slate Trail. (picture taken 09/2008)
20. Lycium #9 - Yet another close look at the berries of a Lycium plant.
21. Unidentified Bush - Interesting bush. Not sure what it is!
22. Benchmark Rocks #1 - View of six foot stack of rocks looking southeast along the Slates.
23. Benchmark Rocks #2 - Another view of stack of rocks, this time with Manly Peak in the background.
24. Survey Benchmark - The benchmark was apparently placed at this location in 1950. The elevation was about 3800 feet according to my GPS.
25. Rock Quarry - View of the rock quarry near the northern end of Searles Valley looking down from the Benchmark Rocks.
26. Benchmark Rocks #3 - This time Telescope Peak shows up behind the rocks.
27. Benchmark Debri - It appears that a small structure may have existed here at one time.
28. Benchmark Rocks #4 - That's Maturango Peak behind the stack of rocks in this picture.
29. Playa - Playa area along trail about a mile and a half mostly east of Slate Range Crossing.
30. Punctured Bract - There was lots of punctured bract scattered around the area.

1. Slate Trail - Section of the trail west of playa
2. Slate Pond #1 - This area fills up with water following rain
3. Slate Pond #2 - Some of the rocks by the pond area
4. Lichen on Rock - One of the many lichen covered rocks along the trail
5. Briggs Mine View - The Briggs Mine is just to the east, across Panamint Valley
6. Tarantula On Trail - The only other hiker I saw that day!
7. Slates View - View looking toward transceiver
8. Turtle Shell in Playa - Empty shell... there were some turtle holes near by with freshly moved dirt
9. Playa Along Trail - Large flat area cradled between hills
10. Another View Of Trail - Another section of the trail

1. Crossing #1 - Looking down top of China Road.
2. Crossing #2 - A little further down China Road.
3. Crossing #3 - Wall supporting road around corner.
4. Crossing #4 - Another wall supporting road around corner.
5. Crossing #5 - Rock wall holding up road.
6. Crossing #6 - Looking down middle portion of road into valley.
7. Crossing #7 - Road working its way around another corner.
8. Lower Road #1 - Lower portion of China Road.
9. Lower Road #2 - Another view of lower portion of China Road.
10. Briggs/Manly - View across valley from bottom of road.
11. Slate Highpoint - Looking south from the bottom of the road.
12. Highway View #1 - Looking down highway from top of pass.
13. Highway View #2 - Another view of highway dropping into valley.