Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Nice. I have a friend who is almost there. I think he's got a couple more classes and then off for his BSN. Not sure where he's gonna go yet.

And yes, even though it's only a year, you should hit the peak or do something to carry you through the time.

 

nostalgia for last march. about twelve hour apart. iPhone.

 

suburban boredom reigns

october 15 2019


march 11 2020


october 13 2020

 

I went out to DV this past weekend for a quick getaway. I explored Rhyolite on Saturday camped nearby and entered from Titus Canyon and continued on to West Side Rd and Warm Springs camp on Sunday.

My plan was to explore Gold Hill and Arrastre Spring off of Warm Springs Road and exit DV from 178/127 to Baker. I was so enamored with the fall colors, burros, and the clouds that I missed the turnoff to Gold Hill and to my surprise Stripped Butte came into view. I told myself well I'm here now and might as well check out Geologist Cabin. It was occupied by a Burro wrangler, must be a contractor for BLM. He had several of them inside a pen and a horse trailer nearby. After taking a few pics, I had a decision to make exit via Warm Springs or try my luck with Mengel Pass and Goler Wash. At this point it was getting dark fast and I rolled the dice to exit via Mengel Pass.

The rocks on Mengel came up quick. After I walked my path and spent time picking my lines I reached the rock cairn unscathed where I think Carl Mengel's ashes are buried. I figured it was all down hill from here. After encountering a few more obstacles it was taking forever to get to Goler in the dark. I missed one of the bypasses and I had to back up to take the bypass. Apparently my passenger front side mud flap did not like that idea and decided to have a fight with a rock, it lost. Oh well, folks have warned me about them mud flaps and now I'm in the market for a more flexible and shorter length option. Continued on to Goler and it was rather uneventful. There were some tight areas to go through near the spring, but it was late and I just wanted to exit. I thought I read there was a tough section at the entrance of Goler, but I had no issues and it went rather smooth.

I arrived at Wingate Rd at 750pm and was welcomed to a relatively freshly graded road that allowed me to go fast and make up some time. I made it to Trona Rd at 830pm. Aired back up, pit stop in Mojave, and made it back home by 1230am. The 6am alarm came quick.

Edit: fat thumbs hit post before I was ready to post.

 

Just back from a few days in (ok, mostly immediately next to) the park. A bit hazy/smoky, but it was so nice to get back.

Some photo processing, and then it's time for the trip report. For now, just a couple clues:

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Made our first trip to DV last year. We were hoping to head back this year to spread some ashes but COVID hit and we weren’t allowed across the boarder.

 

Woah, it seems like it not just you who have enjoyed this escapade.

 

yeah. We took her on one final road trip before saying goodbye, it’s been well over a year and we still miss the big dummy.

here’s a link to the thread I started at the time.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/dying-dogs-last-wish-road-trip.599866/

 

From the first photo I'm guessing you made it past the small but narrow dry fall I decided not to tackle in the disappearing light last October. I ended up turning around and camping on a lower ridge instead. Love the Panamint valley and still need to hit a bunch of spots on the west side.

 

Leaving a week from Thursday for our Death Valley trip, getting just a little bit excited
Thursday, on the way to Beatty, we are hitting up the Ibex Spring area. Friday will be Slit Canyon right there at Hole in the Wall. Saturday will be Claire Camp and the surrounding area. Rounding it out on Sunday by hitting Warm Springs Canyon before heading home. Should be perfect weather and looking forward to a great time.

 

From a BLM Email. I don't recall whether it was mentioned or not but, here you go!

"Earlier this year, the Domestic Names Committee of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted unanimously to approve the proposal to name a peak after the Devils Hole pupfish and Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish. At 4,355 feet in elevation, the previously un-named Pupfish Peak is a high point in an area known as Devils Hole Hills on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. (Sierra Wave Media)"

I think that's pretty cool.

 

We may cross paths at hole in the wall or warm springs. I'll be in an MGM DCSB 2nd Gen with a shell and RTT...

 

Right on. We may skip hole in the wall and do the hike from chloride cliff down to big bell mine, keane wonder mine, to the keane wonder mill parking lot.

I'll be in a 2017 silver DCLB if we do cross paths!

 

This sums up a typical trip fairly well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWKL9530Qe0

 

what kind of drone is that?

 

The kind you don't fly in DVNP.

 

naughty naughty!!!

 

As long as you didn't take off, or land in, the Park it's totally legit. lol

 

In this video no drone flight was used in the park which is pretty cool. He did a great job using it outside the borders, editing, and when in the park using a gimble.

 

True story.

A few years ago a buddy I used to climb with got really into paragliding. He's a dude that once he commits he goes full in. After a few years under one of those he decided to do a Sierra crossing. Oh, not just any Sierra crossing but the first Sierra crossing. Told you he's that kind of dude.

Anyway, he takes off from White Mountain(Inyo's) and keeps flying under perfect conditions for 7.5 hours. The last bit of his flight takes him over Sequoia National Park. Like drones, paragliding is prohibited in the park. If you take off or land in it. He landed a few miles outside of it.

Looking down on the last 20 miles of his flight he was being followed by Park Service Law Enforcement. He lands and promptly gets "detained". His support crew is on scene almost as fast as the LEO's. The LEO's are dead set on arresting him at this point because his story is pretty much crazy. Which it is because of that whole first Sierra crossing thing. Luckily he has go-pro'd the whole flight.

About an hour of the LEO's looking at the video they apologize and tell him how rad what he just pulled off was. lol