Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Well first trip to DV. Three full days didn't give it justice.

We came in through Yosemite, into Bishop. Had to run up to the White Mtns and make sure when it warms up to spend a few days exploring the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. Definately on the summer bucket list...


Mt Whitney from the White Mtns:



We first went to the Eureka Dunes.
Our view with our coffee:







After a late start to morning and the hike we went on our way through Steel Pass, we set out to spend the night at the Lower Hot Springs and visit the Race Track by mid day. But it got dark quick. So we decided to stop for the night at the Upper Hot Springs.


Packed up and headed up Lippincot Pass to the racetrack.



Did only about half of what I wanted to do on this trip. My friends needed to get back to work. I took the whole week off. I tried to get them to flake the last day. We left last Thurs morning as the rain was starting to fall.
Kerns Valley. Really would like to explore that place.


So I spent my final days back near home on the coast.

 

Simply beautiful.

Down in the valley.... as Buzz Aldrin said about the Moon... "Magnificent Desolation"

 

Agreed excellent pictures License2Ill, a life changing trip

 

Awesome trip! People like bag on Cali (including myself sometimes). But you can't beat the diverse scenery anywhere. Great Pictures! - and not even any of Yosemite or more along the coast. A 50 page pictorial could be done on that trip. Sorry but photographer in me went a little haywire. Looking forward to heading up to Mammoth - my winter home away from home. I got to make a detour to DV sometime in the spring. Cheers

 

Thanks.

I felt pretty hurried through the trip.

Out of all the places I've traveled too, I've never felt the need to photograph anyplace like DV. Hopefully early next year I'll spend two weeks doing it solo. With a few days in Kerns Valley.

 

One reason I wanted a FWC was so I can stay in a place camped for a longer duration for photography. Death Valley is my favorite place to venture out to. So much to see and do there.

 

I found this report of these poor bastards who drove a rental car into Saline Valley earlier this year in June, 2013 and almost died.

http://davidsworld.org/2013/06/27/stranded-in-death-valley-part-i-of-iii/

I read all three parts, and there are pics of the cars undercarriage in the third part (hilarious). Highlights are a $2K tow, $6K in car repairs and they were rescued!

 

The total damage was $14,500 plus the $2,000 in towing.

I hate to say it, but it is sad that we produce idiots like this guy. Clearly he has no concept yet about loving and caring for his 'loved one.' If you could detect this kind of thing in the womb, I would be much more supportive of abortion. And, everyone here should know Miller Towing - and hope they never need them!!! lol

Well, sadly this is the time we live in. His first lesson was 'Make sure someone else pays for your mistakes" - which really wasn't a mistake. He knew he was fucking this car well before he damaged it as much as he did.

Lucky people. /rant

Now these folks weren't so lucky... http://www.thelocal.de/20091114/23273

Carry on...

 

Death Valley ain't no joke

 

Going through a back road in Panamint Valley, we passed by a family in a a sedan. amazed they still had an oil pan. We told them to go back, but they thought it was 'fun'.

 

The Darwin Family! People are so clueless!

 

It is no coincidence that Darwin, CA is not far from the Panamints.

 

Yes the guy was an idiot. He gambled with is life and his gf's as well. They were extremely lucky. And LOL at his high bill.

Now since you brought up the missing Germans, for those that don't know or just want to read an amazing story. Here is a link to a first hand experience of how the missing Germans were located. It was only because of Tom's efforts and persistence that they were ever found. I read all of his posts on the matter last year. Great read!

http://www.otherhand.org/home-page/search-and-rescue/the-hunt-for-the-death-valley-germans/

x2

It's stunning to me, the cavalier attitudes and the subsequent dangerous situations the unprepared place themselves into. Is is a matter of diminished intelligence? Maybe, and in some cases Yes! Or perhaps generally speaking, many people living in cities are detached from the reality of how frail human life is. Water, food, shelter, navigation aids, medical needs, the basics so readily available and plentiful in the city that people just take them for granted. I dunno. But it seems to me that it sure happens a lot! Okay. That's my rant.

 

"It's okay. The 'free' service of the Park Rangers and volunteer Search and Rescue will come for us."

Amazing stuff.

 

^^ Jack London.

 

Time to start planning the next outing. We might try Goler wash /Mengal Pass/Butte Valley to Warm Spring Canyon.
Or go to the North and try Steel Pass..or both!
Not much rain predicted for January, stay tuned.

 

Hey so my buddy says march is the best time to go cause the old bristlecones are in bloom.

Any advice? I really wanna go check this place out!

 

Feb. Mar. Is a good time of year to go. I've been when the wild flowers were in bloom and it was a real treat.

 

we made it to DV this weekend. Went from just north of Trona over Manly pass through Goler to Butte Valley and camped in Warn Springs.
The weather was perfect, 45 at night and 70 during the day.

This is a 4wd trail with a small amount of rock crawling, One of the group had a stock DCLB with 265s and made it through with a lot of nail biting. My skids and rails got banged up, both my billys need to be rebuilt and one of my Duratracs got a gash on the sidewall.

We had a new person join us that put us to shame, a rock crawler Jeep that was high end.





I didnt take many pics but I will try and get some form the others in our group.