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Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

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

  1. May 11, 2019 at 11:52 PM
    #2781
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    I just finished reading the comments section which includes lengthy commentary from major groups. The decisions made by the park service do sound reasonable and I personally don't have any issue with the decisions made regarding the Saline Valley Warm Springs Management Plan. Glad that the area isn't being dozed and returned to a state similar to that which existed over 100 years ago.


    In other news there is a new book available from the DV hiking guru:
    Mojave Desert Peaks: Hiking the Crown of the California Desert
    [​IMG]
    https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0965917886/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    I just got my copy this evening. Not much time to delve into it currently.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2019
  2. May 14, 2019 at 11:01 AM
    #2782
    DVexile

    DVexile Exiled to the East

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    So my copy of Mojave Desert Peaks by Digonnet just arrived and I've given it the quick once over. It is a Digonnet book - meaning it is a guide book like no other. The typical detailed write-ups, carefully annotated topo maps, comments on flora, fauna and geology relevant to the region or the specific hike along with any local history. There is minimal overlap with his other guides. "Must do" kinds of hikes in a park like Telescope, Wildrose, Ubehebe and such are of course duplicated but in some cases he as re-edited the text slightly. In other cases things mentioned as a side trip in another guide (e.g. White Top Mountain or Lost Burro Peak) get fully expanded description here. Other than those few overlaps I'd say about 90% of the hikes are unique to this guide.

    Compared with Zdon's Desert Summits this book of course gives vastly more information for a given hike. Zdon covers a huge number of peaks in fewer pages total with each hike often covering less than half a page distilled down to just what is needed to get there and get up to the summit. Zdon is immensely useful and comprehensive on its own of course. Digonnet as usual covers fewer hikes but each write up is practically an armchair adventure.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2019
    whatstcp, Crom[OP], ETAV8R and 5 others like this.
  3. May 14, 2019 at 4:37 PM
    #2783
    ian408

    ian408 Well-Known Member

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    Exactly what I thought. Much better than the average guide.

    Thanks for the recommendation, I know Amazon appreciates the flash sale too :D
     
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  4. May 14, 2019 at 6:08 PM
    #2784
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    We must have both seen this on slamazon around the same time. I decided to pick it up because I'm a Digonnet fan. Every little tidbit helps and this does make the want to visit list longer.
     
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  5. May 14, 2019 at 7:20 PM
    #2785
    ian408

    ian408 Well-Known Member

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    Totally agree with this. For me, it's like a treasure trove and pretty soon I feel like I have a better understanding of then.
     
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  6. May 14, 2019 at 7:37 PM
    #2786
    DVexile

    DVexile Exiled to the East

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    Actually I didn’t know of its existence until you posted about it. But I live in a city with one of those ridiculously fast Amazon fulfillment centers.

    Thanks for the tip off :cheers:
     
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  7. May 14, 2019 at 7:58 PM
    #2787
    sawbladeduller

    sawbladeduller semi-realist

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    every time i go to whole foods they ask me if i'm an Amazon prime member and i take pride in saying 'no thank you', and ive been buying much less there, and driving further to shop elsewhere for items amazon deems un-nessecessary and no longer stocked. as to amazon, i do buy some things on occasion but have found prices can be less on non amazon sites. funny thing to me, i bought some thing on amazon and it arrived in two days and happy, and i bought some other thing but it took two weeks and i returned it cuz i got tired of waiting and opted for other fix...finicky, but happy so easy to return. so amazon a good thing sometimes, but i'd still put the company in the fire and burn it, if given the chance.
     
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  8. May 14, 2019 at 9:30 PM
    #2788
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Welcome!
    I'd been looking at it for a couple weeks waiting for a review and finally gave in.
     
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  9. May 15, 2019 at 3:43 AM
    #2789
    DVexile

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  10. May 15, 2019 at 12:04 PM
    #2790
    Yetimetchkangmi

    Yetimetchkangmi Well-Known Member

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  11. May 17, 2019 at 8:53 AM
    #2791
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Recent rains have provided DV some lakes...

     
  12. May 17, 2019 at 11:40 AM
    #2792
    Yetimetchkangmi

    Yetimetchkangmi Well-Known Member

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    I was there on May 2nd and it was sprinkling for a couple of days before I left, nothing major like this.
     
  13. May 17, 2019 at 3:00 PM
    #2793
    specter208

    specter208 Well-Known Member

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    Does anyone know if death valley is salty?
     
  14. May 17, 2019 at 3:20 PM
    #2794
    DVexile

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    If you mean are the ephemeral lakes that sometimes show up on the valley floor after a wet period (like in the video a few posts up) really salty then the answer is yes! The playas (dry lake beds) that they form on are already very saline and typically the water that collects in them have passed through lots of saline deposits before even reaching the valley floor. As the water evaporates it becomes more and more saline. When all the water evaporates the salts are left behind and so the valley floor is a mixture of salt and mud.

    Gain just a little bit of elevation onto the surrounding alluvial fans and the soil really isn't particularly saline at all. Also most of the springs through out the area are not particularly salty. But the water that collects on the valley floor is very salty.
     
  15. May 17, 2019 at 3:58 PM
    #2795
    Yetimetchkangmi

    Yetimetchkangmi Well-Known Member

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    yes, very salty.
     
  16. May 20, 2019 at 1:45 PM
    #2796
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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    Incredible! Thanks!

    As you know now, the dry lake bottoms are salty.

    Some places like the Devils Golf Course, the salt crystals (foreground pic below), are hard as glass. The salt crystals can be a few CM long, can be quite sharp and can mess you up if you're not careful.

    [​IMG]

    Other parts like Badwater the landscape is more mild and while salt crystals still very durable, don't seem to grow as long.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  17. May 21, 2019 at 5:39 AM
    #2797
    specter208

    specter208 Well-Known Member

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    Are there any nice trails or open expanse areas for dirt biking/OHV with no salt?
     
  18. May 21, 2019 at 6:01 AM
    #2798
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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    No. OHV is not permitted in the park. For that I'd go to a different place.

    East of San Diego, Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. Something like that.
     
  19. May 21, 2019 at 8:52 AM
    #2799
    dman100

    dman100 Well-Known Member

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    Are non-street-legal dirt bikes or OHV’s allowed in ANY national park? When I was in Canyonlands last month, I was surprised to see lots of side-by-sides on the streets and highways (and of course trails) outside the Park, but it was very clear that they were not allowed in the Park on either dirt or pavement. In fact, even pedal-assist eBikes aren’t allowed in the Park ... you can ride a normal bicycle, or a street legal and licensed motorcycle, but not an eBike.
     
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  20. May 21, 2019 at 10:09 AM
    #2800
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Not that I know of. Inyo County is currently working hard to promote public lands for OHV use and have some sort of established trail program in place. Problem is that Saline Valley Road is going to be included in their network and it is going to be hard for the park service to ensure OHV use doesn't stray into park lands from SVR. I hope they have a way to educate riders/drivers about park boundaries and where not to go. Without specifically looking at SVR I'd say the majority of it is surrounded by DVNP lands.
     
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