A First Descent in the Funeral Mountains of Death Valley National Park, California

From the top of the desolate Funeral Mountain Range, views of the Amargosa Valley basin brought the most incredible Death Valley National Park scenery I'd seen. We descended where life-bearing water has flowed for millions of years — over a tiered 350 million-year-old limestone rock wall of about 750ft — our first descent. Scott Swaney and I had been talking about a possible cave lead in Cyclops Canyon. This trip also offered a chance to meet a legendary canyoneer who has pioneered numerous Death Valley first descents. This was his 275th first descent canyon. An honor to join the group.