Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Steele Pass Open

Park road conditions no longer list it as closed, and the road conditions map has it marked as green.

I'd be curious as to the status of the steps in Dedeckera...

 

I'll report back in a month if nobody does before then.

 

Steel Pass Dec 27, 2019 for reference.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/trrmAMQ6iBfpAeJk7

 

Night ops in DV. Fun/scary times!

 

That was after an attempt to go in via South Pass and my frame/bumper was trying to push wet snow - both lockers, four chains in 4lo. Finally arrived in the valley just before sunrise.

 

Whoa! Some good news about the Devils Hole Pupfish population.

 

Did a trip with @pseudonym and a guy from ih8mud a week ago and the wild flowers in certain areas were insane. We even went by Ash Meadows and saw the thriving Devils Hole Pupfish! A few pics below. I did a quick trip report with more pics if anyone wants to check it out on mud: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/april-death-valley-trip.1337684/#post-15460879












Sorry, no Tacos.

 

Going to try something new this weekend: create a Google Street View on Harry Wade Rd. from Jubilee Pass Rd. south and southeast. MAY also head north to Saratoga Springs and continue on Ibex Valley Rd. All TBD.

 

Last Chance View
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NOTE TO FUTURE SELF: Doing a steep, rolling, cross-country hike above 8,000 feet with no acclimatization at all, after a winter of sitting your nearly fifty year old ass in a chair, is not conducive to having a good time. Bonus stupid points for starting the hike dehydrated and not carrying enough water.

 

The pic was worth it tho…at least for me haha

 

Comparison Time

Lake Manly Feb. 27 (when boating was allowed) vs. May 3:

 

DV posted a picture of a . It's FB so you can imagine the comments...they range from "$10,000 fine and five years license suspension" to "my Subaru could've made it". The people saying "I made it last week" are priceless.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6rX2e1LQgG/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

Sounds like you just forgot to add sleep deprivation to the mix? Or maybe didn't bring enough booze? Classic mistake!

Meanwhile the rest of us are sitting here upon our variously aged asses in likely less-comfortable chairs... gazing at your little picture with livid envy, stuffing our faces with junk food.

Can't believe you got Bonus Stupid Points for this shit--I tried the same thing last year and all I got was a splitting headache.

In other words... great work!

 

I am re-reading and enjoying a book I first read years ago, The Mojave: A Portrait of the Definitive American Desert by David Darlington. Not a detailed guide, but the author’s writings on his desert travel and experiences; people he met, human and natural history, UFO’s, and desert activities ranging from mining to weapons testing. Written in 1996, a bit dated from the 2024 perspective, but well-written and engaging. I recommend it.

 

Last Friday afternoon we were headed south on Harry Wade when we bumped into these guys stuck in sand 10 miles south of the pavement. They'd been there for four hours and were very happy to see us. They'd already lightened their load by removing all their camping stuff and spare tire, letting air out of tires, and digging like hell, making a few feet progress. Oh, did I mention they were two-wheel-drive? I think their tires might have been manufactured in the '80s.



As it turned out, the extraction was super easy -- they weren't as heavy or as stuck as they looked. They were headed south but decided it was best if they reversed rudder. We proceeded to Saratoga Springs, NY.

 

Definitely a good recommendation! I read it shortly after it came out way back when and it gets a very high recommendation from me as well.

 

I really enjoyed this book. What makes it compelling for me is the historical nature. Sure, it's not 100% accurate but the personal perspective is what makes it worth reading.

 

...nice truck, guessing a 1958

 

saw recent short vid of a CyberTruck churning up the mud in the vicinity. stated they made it out to Beatty for a re-charge