Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Yeah I was there when they were about finished.

I personally hope that degree of a grading job is only done every 10 years.

 

Yeah me too. But not Willow Springs bad.

NM. At least if there's more than one way into Saline, they could of left Willow Springs the way it was....

 

Awesome pics, stories, and info. I was planning on a Canyonlands trip in the Spring, but I may have to change my plans. Looks like an amazing place.

 

Excellent suggestion! If I have time I might just do that.

 

Haha, soooo many places that I want to see. If only I were independently wealthy and had the time to explore at my leisure.

 

There is some good info on the first few posts of this topic on pg. 1. That info and checking of road conditions on the DV forums got me 2000 miles in and around the park earlier this year. But I'm sure there's a dedicated extensive map somewhere.

The backcountry roads really change every year depending on rain and the last time they were graded or if they're even open at all.

 

Death Valley SUV Trails by Roger Mitchell and Southern California Backroads and 4 wheel Drive Trails by Charles A. Wells are a couple of good trail books. Just remember as others have said the trails change year to year due to rain.

 

Oh you like to read?

White Smiths Fabulous Salt Tram by Mary Dedecker


Death Valley Book of Knowledge (DVBOK) by Steve Greene


Death Valley and the Amargosa, A Land Of Illusion by Richard Ligenfelter


Hiking Death Valley by Michel Digonnet


Hiking Western Death Valley National Park by Michel Digonnet


These Canyons Are Full Of Ghosts, The Last Of The Death Valley Prospectors by Emmett C. Harder


Loafing Along Death Valley Trails, A Personal Narrative of People and Places by William Caruthers


50 Years in Death Valley-Memoirs Of A Borax Man by Harry P. Gower


Geology Underfoot In Death Valley and Owens Valley by Robert P. Sharp and Allen F. Glazner


Deepest Valley: A Guide to Owens Valley, Its Roadsides and Mountain Trails by multiple authors


Death Valley SUV Trails by Roger Mitchell


Escape From Death Valley: As Told by William Lewis Manly and Other ‘49ers by Leroy Johnson

 

Just came across the logo from the Death Valley Off Road Club. A group I put together about 30 years ago.
One of the fellows was a graphic artist and did the art, made a tee shirt sized silk screen and a dozen or so acetate stencils for adding color to various parts. It was inspired by the sun going down in the mouth of Titus Canyon.
We would visit from SoCal on a nearly weekly basis, winter and summer.
On one occasion we looked for a route connecting a Ghost town to a mining camp, that from our research "should" exist. Sure enough we found it. The NPS said "no such route exists".

I have to say the year round 50' waterfall and it's associated hanging gardens in upper Hanaupah Canyon was the single most amazing site. Back then it was possible to drive to and several miles beyond/above it. Of the three Mountain Lions I have seen in my life, two were were in DV. One at the waterfall (nearly face to face) and the other at a spring on Hunter Mountain road.

 

pretty sweet logo. I would love to have had the opportunity to see those places back then!

 

^^^^This^^^^

 

Thanks fellas, that guy was really talented.

Before the SUV fad and the information age, back country DV was not as well known or as popular as it is today. many sites were largely intact. For example, the Inyo Mines site at the head of Echo Canyon still sported many buildings, the ore crusher, cyanide tanks and 3 stationary engines. The lower one complete with it's brass oil drip cups. It was possible (in a Toyota) to drive up to all 3 mine portal/levels then hike along the still hanging telegraph line towards the site of Schwab.

Then there was the Ghost Town in the Greenwater Valley, north of Gold Valley. It was a copper strike and we were culling turquoise chips from the mine dump. Later, back at camp I pretended to wash off the chips in a gold pan, "hey honey, check this out". I had put her engagement ring in with the chips. She cried and said yes.

 

Tom Harrison Maps are nice. I think i paid 10 bucks for one of the Death Valley area. Nice Big Color map easy to read and they are printed on tear resistance plastic that is also water proof...

 

That's amazing! nicely done good sir!!

 

Thank you for your post. Love hearing the history, and the engagement story.

 

haha

 

I am so glad I found this thread. I have been wanting to to a DV trip for some time now. I used to be big into hard-core rock crawling, but have been out of the scene for some time. An expensive divorce meant that I have been broke for the last 6 years, had to sell my crawler and tow truck in 2008.

I have finally regained some footing and bought what in my mind is the best off-road vehicle on the market out of the box (Except maybe a Rubicon).

One thing that concerns me is traveling these remote places with only one vehicle. As of now my vehicle is stock, but I have extensive experience in off-roading. Number one rule is, never wheel alone.

Any guys from the Las Vegas area planning a trip this fall?

 

LOL, I had a back up plan, it involved a winter camping trip just east of Donner Summit.

For you map and research folks. I have noticed that many "new" maps (everywhere, not just DV) such as the Trails Illustrated series seem to have omitted lots of historical POIs such as mine sites, cliff dwellings, rock art and less significant ghost towns.
Don't get me wrong, the TI series are great and I have a small fortune invested in them. A worthwhile tip is to view or download (free) the USGS 7.5min quadrangles and "proof" them against the map you have. In most cases there are several "survey dates". Frequently the earlier dated maps will show more sites and routes. I just add missing info to the nice new waterproof map.
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/maplocator/%28xcm=r3standardpitrex_prd&layout=6_1_61_50_2&uiarea=2&ctype=areaDetails&carea=0000000009%29/.do

The same thing applies to the http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/ maps.

 

Yeah, my buddy and I have been marking the routes we have taken and all the mines and springs we find. We download all the maps we can find, one always has a route the others are missing.
Finally got another trip planned, (its been a long, hot summer) it will include the Jail Canyon area