Under threatening skies, early morning finds us up in the wind of Dante's View again, with Styx as the day's objective. We follow the instructions from Chris Brennan's Totally Excellent Adventure Hikes Website across the ridge, then down this slope into a canyon. OK, OK. Guess I can't say EXACTLY the same thing EVERY day, but... Today it was just Ram, Ryan and I in what Ram thought was the funnest canyon, Styx. The way Styx works, one (or three) clamber down into Coffin Canyon, then climb over a ridge to get into Styx. Here's some stuff in the upper section of Coffin, in a conglomerate section, or possibly just well-consolidated alluvial deposits. Ram's Death Valley Diary of the day available HERE (on the Canyons Group).

Still a bit nippy when we climb to the pass to get into Styx. (Looking back into Coffin).

On the other side of the pass, we knew it was going to be HELLISH!!! Well, at least, Styx-ish: soaring vocals, tearing guitars, with organ and piano...

Coming down through the conglomerate proper into Styx.

And down we go...

...into the main canyon. A pretty nice arch hanging up above us.

And my buddy Ram, who takes more joy on being in canyons than anyone I know (and competition IS fierce).