Death Valley Park - Spring 2008

[dirtman13]

Forgot about this great pic.

[flatpoint]

GREAT CAMERA WORK!, Dirtman.

[Mike]

Hi Mike,

We ran in to you and your group at Barker Ranch. I have the black YJ and my friend has the blue and white CJ. Nice pic's, after we left Barker Ranch we went back to Ballarat and ran Jackpot Canyon. I agree with you, We spent a week there last year and four days this year and still haven't seen it all.

Enjoy,

Mike

http://scrap4wheelers.spaces.live.com/

Hey! It was great meeting you. We'll have to hook for a run some time. Are the pics near the end of your link of Jackpot Cyn? I haven't explored that trail yet.

[Mike]

Thanks for the great report! Looks like you had an awesome trip.

Here's a bit of trivia about your "alien" plant:

(from Wikipedia)
The Desert Trumpet (Eriogonum inflatum) is a perennial plant of the family Polygonaceae. The plant possesses very small yellow or pink flowers and an inflated stem just below branching segments.

Cool! Thanks. It is a creepy looking plant when you are up close and personal. I was hestitant to touch it since I wasn't familiar with the species (and I didn't want to get a finger bitten off!)

[Schmo]

Awesome report Mike . . . sure looks like you guys had a great time out there! Thanks for sharing. Between you and Russ, I think we have enough to trail reports to challenge Mr. Wells!!!

[INTO4XN]

That's So Cool!!! (nice pictures) The next time you plan a trip out there let me know? I would love to show my wife and kids Death Valley and the history behind it...Keith

[Mike]

That's So Cool!!! (nice pictures) The next time you plan a trip out there let me know? I would love to show my wife and kids Death Valley and the history behind it...Keith

I'm thinking that I'd like to get a group together in October or November and do a four day run. We could start on a Friday night again and if folks can't stay the whole time, they can bail as the trip goes on. Instead of camping in one spot, pitch a tent where ever seems right each night... just a thought.

[jkcrazyjim2]

I'm thinking that I'd like to get a group together in October or November and do a four day run. We could start on a Friday night again and if folks can't stay the whole time, they can bail as the trip goes on. Instead of camping in one spot, pitch a tent where ever seems right each night... just a thought.

Yeah, that's what some of my friends did last October and are planning on again this year. Just camp as you go. With that much distance to cover, it makes since.

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

I was in Death Valley the week before Mike, Sharon, Chuck and Scott visited the park; I went to DV directly from IDTT-V for a whirlwind tour of the area with a group from Arizona. The purpose of the trip was to scout the area for a club run next year, so we tried to keep moving as much as possible. We spent Sunday and Monday in the Furnace Creek area; on Tuesday we visited Cottonwood Canyon, Marble Canyon, Scotty’s Castle, Ubehebe Crater, and Crankshaft Corner enroute to Eureka Dunes. On Wednesday we saw Steel Pass, the (clothing optional) Saline Valley Warm Springs, Lippencott Road, the Racetrack, Teakettle Junction, Hidden Valley, South Pass, Hunter Mountain Road, Father Crowley Point and camped at Panamint Springs. On Thursday, we went to Aguereberry Point, Eureka Mine, Charcoal Kilns, Panamint Valley, South Park Canyon, Middle Park, and Pleasant Canyon. On Friday we took Goler Wash to Barker Ranch, then crossed Mengel Pass to Butte Valley, visited Warm Spring, the talc mine, and Saratoga Spring.

Sunday, March 30

Twenty Mule Team Canyon. This is an easy 2.7-mile loop that winds through colorful badlands:


Zabriskie Point. This famous landmark offers a spectacular view of Death Valley:




Furnace Creek Ranch has one of the three gas stations in the park (the other two are at Stovepipe Wells and Panamint Springs).:


The Death Valley National Park Visitor Center is located at Furnace Creek. The Visitor Center has an information desk, book store, exhibits, continuous slide program about Death Valley and free wi-fi internet access. Furnace Creek also has the Furnace Creek Inn (very expensive) and the Furnace Creek Ranch (moderately expensive). In addition to a gas station, Furnace Creek Ranch has a general store, golf course, café, saloon, steak house, campgrounds and motel rooms. The general store has a large selection of groceries. The food prices are roughly the same as you would pay at a mini-market. Best of all for people who are camping in the area, a limited number of shower/swimming pool passes go on sale at the ranch at 5 pm each day.

After setting up camp at the Texas Spring Campground at Furnace Creek, we went to the Rhyolite ghost town, just outside the park boundary in Nevada:
Rhyolite General Store:


Rhyolite Bank:


Goldwell Open Air Art Museum in Rhyolite, NV:




We returned to Death Valley via Titus Canyon Road:
Red Pass (enroute to Titus Canyon):


Mount Palmer (enroute to Titus Canyon):


Leadfield Ghost Town (enroute to Titus Canyon):


We had heard that there were petroglyphs in Titus Canyon, but this is the only one we found:


Titus Canyon:

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

Monday, March 31

Artists Drive is a nine-mile paved loop road through colorful hills. We visited this area in the morning; I think it would look even more colorful in the afternoon sun:




Devils Golf Course and Telescope Peak:


Badwater:


Hanaupah Canyon is a dead end trail on the west side of Death Valley:




View of Death Valley from Hanaupah Canyon trail:


After a dusty day on the trail, a shower and a swim at Furnace Creek Ranch felt great:

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

Tuesday, April 1

We broke camp and planned to explore some of the canyons near Stovepipe Wells enroute to Scotty’s Castle, Ubehebe Crater and Eureka Dunes. Our goal was to setup camp at Eureka Dunes.

Cottonwood Canyon is an eleven mile long dead end trail. It runs along a dry wash:


The Marble Canyon trail branches off the Cottonwood Canyon trail, and ends at the first narrows, but continues as a hiking trail. I walked a short distance up Marble Canyon and saw this rock art:


We filled our gas tanks and spare gas cans at Stovepipe Wells, ate lunch then headed to Scotty’s Castle. We explored the castle’s grounds but decided to wait until our next trip to take the tour of the castle:


We stopped at Ubehebe Crater, took a few pictures, and got back in our Jeeps:


We proceeded north on a rough, dusty washboard road past Crankshaft Corner:


We set up camp at Eureka Dunes:


The campground at Eureka Dunes has a pit toilet and tables, but no water.

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

Wednesday, April 2

After spending the night at Eureka Dunes, we had an ambitious itinerary for Wednesday; we hoped to see Steel Pass, Saline Warm Springs, Lippencott Road, the Racetrack, Teakettle Junction, Hidden Valley, South Pass, Hunter Mountain Road, and Highway 190 enroute to camp at Panamint Springs. We broke camp and headed south on Steel Pass Road. There were a few spots on the road that require high clearance and four wheel drive:






Inyo Mountains from Steel Pass:


Saline Valley Warm Springs are a series of clothing optional hot springs that extend along about a mile of the road. The campgrounds at the springs were built by volunteers and have pit toilets, water, fire rings, and open air showers:






I was tempted to stop and soak in the hot springs, but it will have to wait until next time because we had many miles to travel that day. We headed down the Saline Valley on a rough, washboard dirt road and climbed out of the valley on Lippencott Road. Here are some views of the Saline Valley from Lippencott Road:




The racetrack:






Teakettle Junction:


Hidden Valley:


Panamint Valley from South Pass:


Panamint Valley from Father Crowley Point (Highway 190):


Panamint Springs has a campground with showers and flush toilets, gas station, motel, café, bar and mini-market. We setup camp at Panamint Springs and ate dinner at the café.

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

Thursday, April 3

Our goals for Thursday were to visit Aguereberry Point, the Charcoal Kilns, and run the South Park Canyon/Pleasant Canyon loop.

Although Panamint Springs has a gas station, we decided to go to Stovepipe Wells for gas because the price there was about a dollar a gallon lower. This is the sign at the gas station at Panamint Springs on April 4. Notice that diesel is lower than regular unleaded:


After gassing up, we went to Aguereberry Point for some spectacular views of Death Valley. I think that the colors in the rocks would look better in the afternoon sun:






We stopped to explore the ruins of Eureka mine:






The charcoal kilns:


View of Death Valley from Mahogany Flat. Mount Charleston is in the distance:


Telescope Peak from Mahogany Flat:

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

Thursday, April 3 - continued


Telescope Peak from the Panamint Valley:


Panamint Valley from the South Park Canyon trail:


Briggs Camp Adopt-a-cabin:


The interior of the Briggs Camp cabin:


The South Park Canyon trail is noted for this wooden bridge:




Wild burros:


Rader Mine in Middle Park:




Striped Butte and Butte Valley from Middle Park:


Death Valley from Middle Park:


Rogers Pass Monument:


We returned to the Panamint Valley via Pleasant Canyon:

[Russ Chung]

Death Valley March 30-April 4, 2008

Friday, April 4

Friday, April 4 was my last day in the Death Valley area. We planned to travel up Goler Wash to Barker Ranch, cross Mengel Pass to Butte Valley, visit Warm Spring, then exit the park via the Amargosa River and Baker, CA.

Goler Wash:


Newman Cabin:


Interior of Newman Cabin:




A box in Newman Cabin (I didn’t open it to verify the contents):


Barker Ranch:


Interior of Barker Ranch. It is reported that the Feds found Charlie Manson hiding under the sink:




Mengel Pass: