Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Ugh. Thanks. So much trouble with access...

The CA-127 was so destroyed last year. When I passed thru in December, the 1-way flagged access, with pilot truck, I could see all the reconstruction effort. Lots of bulldozers and tractors with buckets. Damage in certain sections were pretty vast. They were installing large corrugated tubing to mitigate future issues in several places spanning several long miles. I talked to one of the workers flagging and he was brought in from far away and live in hotels until April.

I'll be watching for updates...

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3A6p5TJfJ3/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

^^ I drove that stretch of Redrock-Randsburg Rd last month, from 14 to 395, and it had signs of flooding from earlier storms, I think around that same low area. Not surprised it didn’t make it. I also drove both ways on 127 between Tecopa and Baker, through the construction area. I hope this past storm didn’t set those repairs back too much but I don’t feel confident.

 

There goes my President's weekend trip to Spangler.

 

You can just go across 58 to 395 North and get to Spangler. Or just take 395 up from farther South.

 

Looks like the 190 is closed now, from North Highway to Zabriskie Point. That cuts off access to Furnace Creek. Hopefully a short closure.

https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

 

Looks like Caltrans has already declared it open again:

UPDATE: As of 9:30 am on 2/7, State Route 190 has fully reopened through .

Thankfully a short closure for once!

 

Compared to some, that was quick!

 

Yes!
I can just take the 178 over. It adds about 25 minutes, but that's fine. I need a riding trip....

 

Welp, the NPS website contradicts itself.

The text descriptor that reads: Updated 2/1/2024 09:06 am is wrong. They are updating the page but some of the data is wrong too.

The map is showing previously open trails / roads as now closed.

 

Yep, one gets the sense they are in the process of surveying the roads and things are getting updated piecemeal. I fully expected Badwater to be closed, and at this point the map at least indicates part of it is. But typically it is the south end of Badwater Rd that gets the worst and is the slowest to be cleared, not too mention at least on radar it appeared the south end got more precipitation. So I kind of expect the south end to be closed as well?

The Amargosa must be flowing good (all roads in Tecopa are closed for flooding) so the south end of West Side closed makes sense. But I would expect Harry Wade to close as well.

Expect more updates to the page today and tomorrow I think.

 

@DVexile Yes, I agree that it is odd to have Harry Wade Open if that area is flooded, I was expecting it to close, but we'll see. On another note, it looks like Inyo County has reopened Panamint Valley Road so I believe one can pass through Trona to 190 and get in that way.

 

127 Open w/Traffic Control

Yay! District 9 just posted 127 is open again, but still with the remaining five mile segment of one way controlled traffic from before this storm. So sounds like this time it was just water covering the road and some debris to be cleared but no new pavement loss.

190 Snow Plowing

Also from District 9 looks like the 190 over the Inyos is being plowed. Photos show a few inches covering the highway.

As mentioned earlier, the 190 closure in DV itself is also over.

Fingers crossed that if these various Caltrans managed roads are bellwethers that other closures might be short.

EDIT: Similar story with some Inyo County roads like Panamint Valley Rd. and Trona Wildrose Rd.

 

Badwater Rd CLOSED

And as expected entire length of Badwater Rd. is now marked closed.

Sigh… I had been planning on using that soon…

 

I miss the good ol' days....when you could go to Lee Flat, Titus Canyon...or hell, even Badwater Basin freely as you wish.

 

Badwater Road OPEN

Lol! And now both the map and the text say Badwater Road is open the whole way! Though Artist Drive still closed.

Well, Caltrans cleared the 127 quite quickly, so maybe the NPS was on it too. Badwater Road does get rocks across it in a few places even with modest precipitation so maybe it just need a little clean up in a few spots.

Fingers crossed it actually stays open! Probably worth calling if planning to use it in the next day or two.

 

Photo Credit NPS​

Indeed Badwater Road needed a scraping after the storm!

NPS news release:

https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/atmospheric-river-feb2024.htm

 

It's like watching a tennis match

 

Starting to look good. I see they're filling spots as well.