Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

I've got an idea playing around in my head right now. Thought I'd gauge interest first.

Any interest in spending MLK weekend (middle of January) wheeling around Panamint Valley (western Death Valley)? What about President's weekend in February, or sometime in March or April?

LOTS more details to it than that, but I first need to know if there's interest.

REQUIRED equipment: 4x4, aftermarket skids (engine, trans, transfer case), at least one fuel can (or pay me $25 per can to haul around your extra fuel). I helps a LOT to have high clearance, but is not an attendance-killer like 4x4 and skids are.

 

I'm interested

 

Is 4x4 a must?

 

For the PV/DV trip, yes. The idea is specifically to stay at the Briggs and Stone cabins, which require 4x4 and skids to get to (I have a particular reason to be at the cabins, which itself doesn't involve making it a group trip, but I figured I would open up the idea to TW). If you're okay with staying elsewhere, and not doing South Park Canyon (and not seeing the spot I rolled my truck), then the rest of the options can be done with 2wd.

 

I usually get by with only 2 wheel lol I have had multiple people look at my truck once somewhere and go wait where are the front driveshafts... lol

But I will bow to your wisdom.

 

X2, depending on dates

 

Dates for Jan or Feb are listed. MLK and Presidents' Day weekends. Gives us 3 days to play around (and work, for me and Brad).

 

I tried 12 psi this weekend. There is noticeably more sidewall flex than 15 psi. I didn't expect that.

Good to know. I'm still playing around with PSI levels for the E range Toyo tires I have. I am currently running street at 36 PSI and I like 15 for wheeling, but I'm gonna have to pay attention to the sidewalls. One of the trips I did was almost all rocks, and tires get beat up pretty quickly in that terrain. They definitely get more exposed.

The ARB Twin is great. For 33" tires, the twin puts back 20PSI in 1 minute 5 seconds according to my timed tests. For backup to the ARB I have the viair 90P.

Nice thing about CO2 is, it's dry. The other day I aired up with the compressor in 90% humidity, and I couldn't believe how wet the air was.

I too ran the duratracs for 40K they got real beat up in the end and I had a sidewall chunk bad, and that's when I thru in the towel and got some beefy tires.

They're neat. I've not yet been to the Eureka or Panamint dunes. My favorite dunes are in the south, the Ibex dunes.

Drop dead gorgeous, if you ask me.

That was on my list for for a long time. Almost did Cactus to Clouds hike from Palm Springs to San Jacinto Summit, but it never happened. Need to make it happen before the age thing gets me.

 

#advil

 

I need to a lot of the former and the later will come naturally. I think I would need about 12 months to be ready for a badwater to telescope peak jaunt.

 

Elevation is always a wild card for me. Although it seems to affect me worse than others. I've gotten sick on Half Dome in Yosemite, and San Jacinto (10,834). I think if I did cactus to clouds first, I'd be fine for badwater to telescope.

I just looked it up, C2C:

Best part of San Jacinto is taking the tram ride down the mountain to the parking lot.

Shorty's well to Telescope Peak:

Here is a nice blog post from someone who recently pulled off a round trip hike.

 

We tried white Mt peak (14000+) camped at 10k and one of the adults got sick and didn't tell us until the morning. We had to pack up and head down to lone pine before he felt better.

 

I'll be there from Mar 31st - Apr 3rd. I'll be with the wife and our twin 9yo girls and base camping in Furnace Creek with our pop up trailer. I hope to squeeze in a few 4x4 trails but wont be able to do any major backcountry exploring. Most likely do Titus, Echo Canyon, Hole in the wall. Want to see some mines, ghost tows, dunes etc then go swimming in the FC Inn pool LOL. I haven't been there since I was a kid so it will be a scouting trip and show my kids some very cool natural beauty. If anyone will be there at that time please let me know. I hope my friend and his wife can join us in his truck. Can't wait as this thread inspired me.

 

If you want to do some awesome High Country backpacking go above independence to Onion Valley trailhead. Go over Kearsarge Pass into the John Muir wilderness. Go over Glen pass if you want more. Went up there a few times in my 20's, that would kick my ass now.

 

December 18th road condition report:

West Side Road has been graded and is now OPEN. This provides access to the high clearance 4x4 roads connected to that, including Warm Springs Canyon, Johnson Canyon, Trail Canyon, Queen of Sheba and Hanaupah Canyon.

Saratoga Springs Road. . . . OPEN

Here are the closures along with any known snowy areas:
Badwater Rd..........Open from CA190 to Harry Wade Road. The section of road known as Badwater/Jubilee Pass Rd/178 is closed between Harry Wade and Greenwater Valley Rd.

Lower Wildrose.....Closed from Wildrose Camp to Panamint Valley. Access to Wildrose must go through Emigrant Canyon.

Upper Wildrose Road.....Snow above Charcoal Kilns.

Bonnie Claire/267......Closed.

Saline Valley North Pass.......Closed by Inyo County. South Pass is open. Some snow.

20 Mule Team Canyon.....Closed

Scotty's Castle..........Closed, but Scotty's Castle Rd is open from CA-190 to Ubehebe Crater Road.

As far as roads not listed on this list, consider them OPEN. Regarding closed roads, if they're closed we have no estimate on re-opening dates. Crews are working as quickly as possible. Most of the park is open.

 

^^ Ya'll do winter camping there? I still have never made it to DV.

 

As long as there is no rain. Just be prepared for sub-freezing temps at night.

Thanks for the report Nick, I was hoping to get out there but I got a nasty head cold and that kinda killed the trip.

 

You're welcome Andy.

Hope you get better!

Big news in that report for me is, west side road open, and Badwater to Harry Wade road is now open.


I too am fighting a terrible cold. I've got the full spread over and back counter medication going on, drinking 1.5 gallons a day. I'm hoping to make it out after Xmas. We'll see...

 

I'll be there 2nd week of Jan as long as things go as planned. If not Mojave is the runner up.

 

I'll do a proper trip report in a week or so. 4 days, 4 nights in the park, solo, 250 miles of dirt and rock trails.

Relevant trail reports, Racetrack is overused, and HEAVILY washboarded. Saline is in good shape from the Dunes south all the way to 190

Teaser pics:

I added MORE pin strips.

I compressed some suspension parts.

I made some dust.

I crushed some rocks.

My drivers side mirror took a nasty hit, but is intact. I lost a lot of paint on my sliders, my u-bolts, my rear axle housing, chipped paint on rockers and I broke a GPS mount. Plus whatever else I find when I inspect tomorrow.