Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

I'm curious - and apologies if I missed this in the previous discussions, I've been in-and-out with trips, so not as attentive as usual - with all these closures, are the backcountry roads closed as well, or are they already a bit of "travel at your own risk," and so maintain their status?

Obviously, as late fall/winter get closer, I'm starting to look that direction. In fact, I'm excited to go see some of the places I've been before, and how they've changed. Narrow canyons filled/emptied, etc.

 

The best idea is to keep an eye on the park's home page. Right now, it says all backcountry roads have moderate to severe damage and travel is "not recommended".

 

Yeah, I have noticed that the few times I've checked. I suppose that means - if roads into the park remained closed, that it could be interesting getting into the park, and then also interesting once I was there, so I'd need to be flexible in re-routing/re-planning on the spot. Of course, most trips also require some paved travel - even if for short distances - but I assume most of that will be re-opened by the time I'm headed down.

 

That's probably a safe assumption.

 

The back roads have always been "at your own risk". maintenance is minimal. Trying to get out on any of them from inside the park might be hit or miss right now. You can always take your chances by going into the park from a few of the backdoor backroads.

 

During the rains in the past two weeks, I've said to my wife repeatedly "Let's go to Death Valley." She knows I'm not talking about 190, but a more creative route into the Park.

 

If only every other guy with a 4x4 hasn't had the same idea. lol

 

Is there water in Lake Manly these days? Too bad Huell isn't around.

 

"This is water? That's amaaazing!!"
Huell Howser

 

I haven't heard anything about Goler wash, and if the dreaded ledge at the west end has returned. Was always a fun one back before they would grade it.

 

That granite waterfall (dreaded ledge) used to be the gate keeper that kept many non-capable rigs and hoodlums out of the park. Once it was graded we kept running into cars and motorcycles empty cans and trash all over the trail.

My wife and I just had that conversation this morning.

 

I hope this is accessible this winter.

 

One notable change made just yesterday is that map now shows Steel Pass Road and Hunter Mountain Road (all the way to Teakettle) as "closed" (red in color). That seems to suggest a ranger may have surveyed and determined there are more significant washouts on those routes. Someone was just at the springs a few days ago and confirmed the south end of Steel Pass Road just above the springs did indeed flood. South end of Steel just follows the wash so it always disappears after a storm, the open question is what happened further up the road. Also be advised route finding is much easier south-to-north up the wash after a flood on Steel.

EDIT: As of evening of 9/16 now the NPS map shows those segments as yellow like every other dirt road.

The 190 on the west side of the Inyos is heavily damaged (Caltrans says "several hundred feet of pavement and shoulder washed away, leaving behind gullies up to 15 feet deep"). The 190 on the west side of Towne pass also missing about a hundred feet of road bed. Unclear when there will be access to the south end of Saline Valley Road.

 

Man, these roads have absolutely taken a beating.

 

Caltrans District 9 tweeted that 190 is open from Darwin Road to Panamint Valley Road. Still closed from Dirty Socks to Darwin Road and from Panamint Valley Road to Stovepipe. So you can now get to the south end of Saline Valley Road if you drive up from Ridgecrest/Trona.

The sections that remain closed may be closed for awhile, those are the sections with significant pavement loss rather than just needing debris cleared.

 

I read something yesterday that implied the 25th might be the earliest. Good to hear of the progress.

 

Now the NPS map shows Steel and Hunter both yellow instead of red.

On another forum someone reported doing Steel Pass from north to south yesterday. They had to do some road building at the steps in Dedeckera and they confirmed absolutely no sign of a road all the way down the wash from Marble Bath to the springs.

 

Obviously the major routes will likely be in a "well-known" state (pending weather of course) by the time I'm ready to head down in... November, probably, but it's reports like this that get me excited to explore some of the places I've been before... to experience something entirely different.

This canyon comes to mind...

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...as does one with a sketchy hike to an arch, some already-amazing dry falls, and chalkstones...

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Wildrose, Thorndike and Mahogany flats campgrounds are undamaged as are the charcoal kilns. Wildrose/Trona road on the other hand has a couple of mudslides across it as shown above and will take a bit to clear and reopen.

 

These guys are enjoying their human free time until they reopen.