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Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Discussion in 'Off-Roading & Trails' started by Crom, Nov 14, 2009.

  1. Jun 2, 2025 at 2:59 PM
    #8021
    essjay

    essjay Part-Time Lurker

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    Or use witching sticks.
     
  2. Jun 2, 2025 at 5:42 PM
    #8022
    DVexile

    DVexile Exiled to the East

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    So here is the land that is for sale from the assessor’s map. Basically it is all the crap down at the junction between Spanish Trail Hwy and Tecopa Hot Springs Road. It’s lots 30 and 28 on this map which I’ve outlined in blue for clarity (28 is a weird shape):


    IMG_0156.jpg

    EDIT: Note it doesn’t appear to include the small lot number 8 within lot 30. Lot 8 appears to be the church.
     
  3. Jun 2, 2025 at 7:41 PM
    #8023
    DVexile

    DVexile Exiled to the East

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  4. Jun 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
    #8024
    ian408

    ian408 Well-Known Member

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    DVexile[QUOTED], Drainbung and mk5 like this.
  5. Jun 2, 2025 at 8:18 PM
    #8025
    mk5

    mk5 Asshat who reads books

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    DSC07079s.jpg
    The pickup truck is not included.


    Edit: I found a social media post confirming that the BBQ/brewery has indeed gone out of business, which is a shame. Easily my favorite BBQ joint this side of the Inyos, this now leaves Tecopa with one fewer brewery to choose from.

    I believe we were discussing the below topic on the other thread, but for some reason, I'm linking this op-ed here:

    https://amp.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article307377541.html
     
    Last edited: Jun 2, 2025
  6. Jun 2, 2025 at 9:02 PM
    #8026
    essjay

    essjay Part-Time Lurker

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    Well, at least they don't have to deal with the Coastal Commission out there. Seems like just the right spot for high speed rail to go.
     
  7. Jun 3, 2025 at 9:24 AM
    #8027
    turbodb

    turbodb AdventureTaco

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    AdventureTaco
    Oh sure, you head out somewhere cool (well, not technically cool I guess) and don't even think to mention it so we could come along?

    They really should remove pens from those places; they are just so inviting to use.

    A few random pics from the riffraff, just to show that we kept our word. Except, these weren't the neato-est mine in the area. We'll have to go back for that one. And don't worry, I'll actually invite you to come along. ;)

    Follow the tracks . . .

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    "Working from home" back in the day

    [​IMG]
     
  8. Jun 3, 2025 at 11:24 AM
    #8028
    mk5

    mk5 Asshat who reads books

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    It was too hot to poke around in the hills last weekend, but damned if that hole in the ground wasn't pleasantly cool. I had tried following that road several years ago but got hopelessly lost in the wash. This time benefited from daylight, but the key difference by far was all the road work NPS did after Hillary. Perhaps one could lament the lowering of the bar for riffraff to permeate deeper into the park, but far fewer well-meaning asshats will wind up off-trail just trying to follow the damned roads.

    DSC07043s.jpg


    There is historical precedent for this -- I vote in favor!

    Actually, something I hadn't noticed until this trip, is that the T&T apparently ran a short spur up the canyon at China Ranch. There are some roadside signs pointing out this history:

    siding2.jpg

    siding.jpg
     
  9. Jun 16, 2025 at 5:58 PM
    #8029
    Stuck Sucks

    Stuck Sucks Aerodynamic styling with functional design

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    Sign-aside, I'm wondering if there really was a spur to China Ranch. This is a 1933 Avawatz Mountains topo which shows no spur, only a nearby siding. Topos from the '40s show the railroad removed.

    TandT.jpg

    Here's the T&T timetable.
    Screenshot 2025-06-16 at 17.53.12.png
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2025
  10. Jun 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
    #8030
    Radd

    Radd Well-Known Member

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    Death Valley, one of my favorite places on this earth. When I administrated and moderated the Adventure Rider forum we organized an annual Death Valley trip in early February. I did those for years. I either rode my KTM 640 Adventure or my modified BMW GS and even my BMW S the last time, when I was not going to off road. It was a cold 450 mile ride from Santa Cruz to Furnace Creek. We camped.

    As for fighter jets I was roofed two times in the Panamint Valley on that S when my Speedo was just north of 140mph. .

    What an amazing landscape.

    Mengal Pass, nastier than it looks

    IMG_7710.jpg

    The Geologist cabin at the base of Mengal pass in Butte Valley

    IMG_7711.jpg

    The park service allowed the off readers to keep the cabins up and you stay in one, no charge, first come first served.



    IMG_7712.jpg

    Riding a buddy 20+ miles in to retrieve another buddies bike that he crashed on and had to be transported out by a passing Unimog.

    IMG_7714.jpg

    Dumont Dunes a stones throw away out of the southern entrance.


    IMG_7715.jpg
     
  11. Jun 16, 2025 at 6:36 PM
    #8031
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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    It looks like a lot of public land around death valley and some inside Saline Valley will be available for sale. Also Eastern Sierras Owens Valley. And in a lot of other places too.

    https://wilderness.maps.arcgis.com/...x.html?appid=821970f0212d46d7aa854718aac42310

    This would be very bad. Lots of conversations happening on the web about it.

    https://www.wilderness.org/articles...gible-sale-senr-budget-reconciliation-package
    https://www.fieldandstream.com/stor...ters/map-of-public-lands-for-sale-budget-bill
    https://www.desertsun.com/story/new...or-housing-under-senate-proposal/84167882007/
     
    ponderosa, essjay, DVexile and 8 others like this.
  12. Jun 16, 2025 at 7:22 PM
    #8032
    ian408

    ian408 Well-Known Member

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    I wasn't sure if that was you. Nice to see you here. John was here as well although he hasn't posted in a long time.
     
    Crom[OP], Radd[QUOTED] and Drainbung like this.
  13. Jun 16, 2025 at 11:03 PM
    #8033
    Radd

    Radd Well-Known Member

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    What the hell!
     
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  14. Jun 17, 2025 at 2:29 AM
    #8034
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Just the basics
    Agreed this would not be good. As much as I would like to have my own personal slice of heaven in the places I adventure I wouldn't want to limit anyone elses experiences in thos places.
     
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  15. Jun 17, 2025 at 12:59 PM
    #8035
    Curveball30

    Curveball30 Well-Known Member

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    The normal faults there would make for a pretty bumpy track.
     
    Drainbung and essjay[QUOTED] like this.
  16. Jun 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
    #8036
    ian408

    ian408 Well-Known Member

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    Japan has a fairly extensive rail network and is more seismically active than California. :D
     
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  17. Jun 17, 2025 at 9:07 PM
    #8037
    Curveball30

    Curveball30 Well-Known Member

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    True. I don’t really believe that the normal faults in that area are near the risk of the transform San Andreas.
     
    Drainbung likes this.
  18. Jun 17, 2025 at 9:58 PM
    #8038
    essjay

    essjay Part-Time Lurker

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    It's those listric normal faults that you really have to worry about. Damn turtlebacks sneaking up on you all over the place, particularly in Death Valley.
     
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  19. Jun 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
    #8039
    RichochetRabbit

    RichochetRabbit Bing Bing Bing

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    How does one find the conditions/closures on roads in DV? Want to take some time in the near future to check Panamint, Racetrack, ghost towns, remnants of mills, etc. And those damned truck drivers keep falling asleep on steep downhills ...
     
    Drainbung likes this.
  20. Jun 18, 2025 at 9:16 PM
    #8040
    omegaman2

    omegaman2 Unknown Member

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

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