Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

You're most welcome. I'm so pleased it has has had such positive and amazing contributions over the years. Rhyolite is neat! I hope you are able to plan a return trip into the park sometime. Such an amazing huge place with incredible diversity.

 

Lets be serious about what the most interesting structure at Rhyolite is...

 

Yes that's BlkWgn

When we were sitting around the fire we had a desert fox sneaking around the trucks. We caught it with flashlights as it scurried off.

 

I was in the Owlsheads a few years back, similarly cloudy black night, sleeping outside on a cot in a turnout where the road is in the bottom of a narrow gully/wash/canyon (might even be around where you camped) when around 2 AM some apparently clumsy burro nearly fell down the hillside next to the truck. After that considered adding one of those automatic defibrillators to my emergency gear...

 

I was just out in DV with my Taco last weekend. We didn't do anything crazy, my buddy had a Tahoe, it is weak. We checked out some old mines north of Beatty on Saturday, then went out to Lost Burro on Sunday. Pics from Lost Burro.

 

Holy shit! lol I'd have died. yeah, That would have been very unsettling!

I've thought of using a cot outside like that, maybe not during winter. Was that before you got the flip pac?


Very few travel back there.

I like it quite a bit.

In the future I'd like to backpack into the center of the Owlshead, and see the dry lakes.

What's interesting to me is that area is devoid of historical mines and there isn't much written about the area. Only reason I can think of is it was too remote or difficult back in those days... Dunno.

 

I love this. I don't know the history behind the sculpture, can't remember without pulling a book, but a statue honoring women's body is great in my book. I showed it to my wife but she was unimpressed, dunno why. Showed the pic to my 5 year old, asked her what it was, she said she thought it was a statue of a dinosaur, lol.

 

Yep, I've slept on cots outside for a long time now when in the desert. My old truck had a shell on it and I'd sleep in the back if weather was really poor, but the way things were arranged there was very little space above my head in there so I preferred the outside. Also there is nothing better than going to sleep watching the stars.

Just before getting the Flip-Pac I found the best cot ever - assuming you don't mind being close to the ground - called the Go-Kot. Website here:

http://www.campingcot.com/

Packed up fits in like no space at all, ingenious design and very comfortable too.

Only been back there for one night, definitely need to go back again. My wife and I did a hike over towards the old Epsom Salt mine with the famous wooden monorail. We were short on time, out of shape and wife was a few months pregnant so we only got to the closest part of the workings - neat mineral deposits there - and didn't go looking for any signs of the monorail itself. There is apparently one tiny standing section on public land. More extensive part on the China Lake range there. If you do that hike definitely use GPS and a topo - you are walking right into a notch of the China Lake ranges to get to the mine.

I've been to the Saratoga and Ibex area more frequently. Going to be dicey down that way soon, last big El Nino had the Amargosa flowing really good down there.

I guess since we are talking about that area I might as well post some photos from my previous trips down that way!








Oh, and on my to do list is to hike out to these extensive mine workings tucked behind the Ibex dunes:

 

@DVexile is it possible to explore most of this or any for that matter with a 2x instead of a 4x? Im 2 wheel drive but I want to go! lol

 

Oh absolutely, almost all of it in fact with the right 2WD truck and from a quick look at your build thread you'd be more than fine. Death Valley is mostly about very long roads with heavy washboard and occasional clearance problems. There is very little sand or other traction problems. A stock pre-runner would have enough clearance for 95% of what you would encounter. Then you want LT tires, full size spare and a tire repair kit.

Any truck can get stuck, the question is what do you do once stuck. In DV where you are likely a long way from help the correct thing to do is stop, drink something (non-alcoholic better) and then think through what to do. If you've got a shovel, jack and maybe a traction aid you should be on your way again in half an hour. The next question is which direction you are going after getting stuck. Usually the best decision is back the way you came!

Regardless of what you have with you recovery wise you should always be prepared to be stuck for a couple of days. If you have water, food and someone who knows where you are and when you are supposed to be back then even horribly stuck is just an unexpected camping site.

I'd probably hesitate to take 2WD on Lippencott Rd, Steel Pass and Mengel Pass. Good news is there is no reason you have to take any of those roads - they connect valleys you can get to from the other side just fine. A few spur roads are scary steep and I'd want the low gearing of the transfer case for those but again there are only a couple of those.

I always recommend Digonnet's book as the most comprehensive guide to the area. He actually got to a lot of Death Valley spots in a Honda Accord!

$15 Hiking Death Valley: A Guide to Its Natural Wonders and Mining Past

http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Death-Valley-Natural-Wonders/dp/0965917800/

Tacoma, 2WD, LT tires and a driver with a brain can tackle almost all of Death Valley. Get out there!

 

Great pictures, makes me want a better camera! Thanks for sharing them. I didn't know about the mining operations near the dunes. I'll have to check that out. It's a great section of the park. I like it very much.

I wanted to visit the Epsom Salt Works ruins for some time, and I've read about the wooden monorail that was created to service it. I'd very much like to check that out.

Part of me wishes that the political boundaries were different. Once upon a time there was a historical route established for vehicle travel that descended down the Western end of the Owlshead mountains, then turned North to the Epsom Salt Mine, and went north to Wingate Road. That's all China Lake Naval property now, with the exception of the carved out section for the Epsom salt ruins.

If this route were still possible, a traveler could go West on Wingate Road and pass the southern end of the Panamints and connect to Ballarat.

Here is where the route ended.

^^^^ Solid advice ^^^^ Good book too.

 

Awesome pix!!

 

Actually it was still accessible even after China Lake and its south ranges were established. You could get permission from the base to pass the gate at the southern end of Panamint Valley and continue over to Wingate on the weekends. I never did that (too young) but I think the practice extended well into the 1980s or maybe later. Wingate wash became a wilderness area eventually, I think in 1994 with the CDPA. At that point it was moot whether the base would let you on or not. Part of me is very happy that there are huge tracts of wilderness areas out there, especially as we see solar facilities popping up damn near everywhere and destroying viewsheds for hundreds of square miles. Except of course when I want to drive where they put a wilderness area Yeah, I wish the Wingate wash route was still open too.

There is one thing that has greatly benefited from the existence of China Lake - the Coso Rock Art District. No better way to protect petroglyphs than to put them dead center in the middle of a gigantic test range covered in UXO. If you've never been it needs to go on your list. Bit of a pain cause you have to go with a tour group and the tour times are routinely shifted a bit because of test range activities. But being the largest collection of petroglyphs in the western hemisphere it is pretty damn impressive.

 

Anyone headed to Saline in the next few days? I aim to be roadbound early tomorrow.

 

I'm planning my first trip to Death Valley this weekend. I could use some help with route planning and road status info if any folks in the know have a few moments to spare.

Vehicles:
2016 DCSB TRD OR 4x4 (stock) that needs to have NO scratches on the "borrowed" shell (topper/cap/ whatever you call it), the truck can get scratches (but I don't want to thrash the paint too bad)
2009 Xtera 4x4 (stock, lower end model with no lockers, OK to scratch)

Given the limitations and the fact that this will be my 7 year old son's first significant off-road trip, I'm aiming for easy to moderate roads to mix in with the general touristy stuff.

I don't expect any issues with these roads, but I'm open to any info:
1. Echo canyon, probably just up to Inyo Mine
2. Chloride Mine/Cliff
3. Titus Canyon


My primary concern, and where I'm a bit stuck is the best way to go from The Racetrack to Cerro Gordo. I know there are some closures and there's some ice, but it looks like there are two choices: Lippincott Road or backtracking to Hidden Valley Road then Hunter Mountain Rd. Some maps don't show Lippincott Road at all. Once you are over the pass, from Google it looks like there's a White Mountain Talc Rd that connects (South?) Saline Valley Rd to Cerro Gordo Rd, but I don't have any info on the viability of that route.


Here's a rough overview of the route in question:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bea...360028f78!2m2!1d-118.0628654!2d36.6060444!3e0

Potential additional side trips I'm considering are listed below. I'd love to hear updated info on these roads as we will be traveling flexible and could alter our route to take in different options.
1. Goler Canyon/Mengel Pass from Panamint Valley (Info suggests this may be too difficult for this trip, maybe next time.)
2. Pleasant Canyon
3. Warm Springs Road/Butte Valley Road (to the pass and then come back down)


Thanks in advance!

 

Boy I wish, wanted to do a trip somewhere next week but the rest of my life won't allow it. Have fun!

I think @Crom did both of those on his last trip a few weeks ago. Report in his build thread.

I would not attempt Hunter Mountain. Very bad ice patches as of last week and that was before all the more recent precipitation.

Lippincott should be fine with your vehicles. I would do that instead of Hunter this time of year. Head out South Pass on Saline Valley Road from there should be fine - usually well trafficked by people going to and from the hot springs.

From there it has been more than a decade since I went up the backside of Cerro Gordo so I can't help you there. But I'd be hesitant without some recent on the ground intelligence - that backside road should be snowy and icy by now.

I think that's a no, haven't been over Mengel in years but I doubt it has improved. Not sure of status of the dry fall at the mouth of Goler either.

Should be just fine.

How long are you out there for? That's a hell of a lot of roads and driving for a "weekend"!

Have a blast, and hope your kid loves his first big off road adventure!

 

Thanks, that's good info.

There's no way we will do all of these roads, I'm just trying to sort out my options and have some in reserve if timing shifts or things happen. We'll have almost two full days in Death Valley. There are travel days before and after. Also, we will not be camping, so we don't have to stop and setup camp and before dark.

Thanks again, I think he will have fun. He really likes to watch Expedition Overland so this should be fun for him. Before I got the truck, he watched all the Toyota marketing videos covering the features of the 2016 OR; so he likes to make sure I use MTS and CRAWL Control every chance we get.

 

I hope you have a blast!

The linked route you posted looks fine, except I would not attempt cerro gordo. You will have snow and ice!

If Hunter Mountain South Pass is open, you should be okay, take it during the day time. It was 26*F there when I went thru a little over a week ago, and yes patches of snow and ice.

Use this link for road condition info:

 

It sounds like the back way into Cerro Gordo is out; thanks for that info. Is it OK to reach Cerro Gordo coming in from 136/Keeler? Is it worth the trip?

I'm still confused on this portion, which is at least partially due to my unfamiliarity with the area. DVexile is suggesting Lippincott and it sounds like you are suggesting Hunter Mountain. Or are you just saying that Hunter Mountain should be passable? Given that my revised objective is to reach the 190 from The Racetrack and I'm not looking for extra excitement, I'm still not sure the best route.

Thanks!

 

I don't know anything about Crerro Gordo, other than where it is, and its elevation, which is bad for winter. I would not go there given the magnitude of your trip. Drive less, spend more quality time at the other locations.

I think your vehicles should be fine for Lippincott and exiting Saline Valley through the South Pass, which is Hunter Mountain.

Lippincott had a bad section at the bottom that stock height vehicles will need time to negotiate.

Hunter Mountain was actually 23*F when I took the pass, there was ice and patches of snow. Last el nino storm, probably made things more trecherous. Go slow, in the daytime, you should be fine.

Hope that helps. Good luck!