Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

99% of the cleanup I do is broken glass.

 

I think often locals trash their own backyard. This pic is from 1998, a spot very few out-of-staters went to. Nice pic of our Black Lab 'Happy' at the Divide, thing is it was a party spot for the locals once the snowdrifts allowed access.

I'm pimping the pic to get old Happy's picture on the internet, but that pic doesn't show the fire ring next to her riddled with broken glass. We know that area well, and I know it's locals that party there and leave the bottles behind.

 

not dv specific, but sickening...
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/11/us/joshua-trees-cut-down.html

 

I know some (all?) BLM managed OHV areas ban all glass containers and will cite anyone found with one. Draconian indeed but apparently necessary - especially with that user community which sadly doesn’t comport itself particularly well. Or like most such things has a critical mass of bad apples tarnishing the entire community.

 

They are only participating in promoted hysteria. Remember, their job has changed significantly. It used to be to disseminate news. Now their job is to sell advertising and get certain people elected.

And one thing is certain. They ‘know’ someone that owns a truck is most likely a backwards, redneck asshole. That’s all.

 

... because ... see post 2851 https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/death-valley-off-road-adventures.60777/page-143#post-19585130

 

I missed you there by just a couple days- maybe next time!

I noticed the same thing as you- the Cholla garden had 100’s of peeps parked everywhere wondering through the Cholla, no where near the trail. White Tank campground- with the boulders was unhinged, gridlocked completely chaotic.

 

Anyone ever do Echo Canyon? Easy ride, a portion is on deep broken shale.

Below is eye of the needle


Explored around the Inyo Mine


Then my youngest raced into this structure, heard a rattle “inside” then ran out.

Turns out the rattle snake was on the stairs, “outside” of the structure, below.


I have no idea how my son was not bit- twice. Maybe the snake recently had a meal...

 

You should also mention the 'nudie' springs.

 

Yep - was also told about some petros there but never found them.

 

The Echo Canyon pic was spring of 2017.

In JT a couple weeks ago- we only did old dale and stopped at the boulders for the kids.

 

They have been mentioned in this thread many times. I just got back from six days there being "nude" at times. Others were nude as well.

 

Sorry, I just caught the tail end and it warmed my heart. Used to go out 3 times a year in the late 90's with my Brother in laws fj40 land cruiser club. We'd do lippencott and 'blue marble bath' other mines and ghost towns... but always loved seeing Batrock rd and the huge peace sign on the hill.. knew a hot shower and soaking 'a la natural' was to be had. Some of my greatest memories are out there in Saline and the surrounding areas.... even the wild donkeys running through camp! I finally have a 'Saline worthy vehicle' just need to find a couple more trucks to go with.

 

Thanks man. This is good to know.

My youngest was 9 then. He must have stepped on or next to it down the steps and back up. Initially I thought the rattle sounded somthing like a plastic grocery bag- until I saw the snake.

Fortunately nothing happened!

 

Are you one of those guys that feel like you have to be nude all the time once you arrive? And then wait near the Crystal pool and chat it up with unsuspecting new comers?

 

One of my first encounters with a rattlesnake was in Fossil Falls in AZ. I was picking berries and picked a berry where there was a rattlesnake's head poking out like another berry about 6 inches away from my hand. All I could think of was he was far more interested in finding some rodent that was eating a berry or two.

 

On the topic of snakes...

Here is a pic of two Copperheads taken while on a Scout hike in the mountains of NC:

 

So Arden Albee who is a relatively well known geologist and planetary scientist (and also did the geologic map of the Panamint Mountains meaning he hiked just about every ridge in the range) years back would do a spring break class/field trip for credit across the Mojave. The class was mostly on examining ground truth for remote sensing imagery (visible, IR, synthetic aperture radar).

One year he had a particularly conservative and straight-laced very religious couple along on the trip. He decided to take the class to the springs for lunch... on a warm March day... and intentionally didn't warn anyone in the group what they'd find there. I wasn't there for that one but apparently it was priceless.

Arden Albee


Somewhat less formal Arden Albee​

 

The road to Titus had a 'closed 1.5 miles' sign, never saw a gate.

Went to several of our old favorite mines with all the old vehicles and camps. All of the vehicles had been removed. All of the newer equipment and appliances...gone.
Kind of like the burros, I understand why, but it just isn't the same.

Echo canyon is easy, the northern route out has one tough wall.

I made it but a stock vehicles wont.

 

Agreed; very easy. Those are my pics from a couple years ago. The deep shale felt weird to drive on. Very scenic though!