Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Hey, y'all! My wife and I are heading out tomorrow to brave the cold temp and recent rain (!)... Speaking of which, anybody know if the passes have snow? (Mitchell, South, Lippencott, Steele?) We have chains but are not planning on pushing it. Gonna call the rangers on our way out there.

Anyone heading out there? Keep an eye out for our rig (blue access cab, big CVT tent on top), and if you're on ham, we'll be listening to 146.520... (I'm Zander, KK6GCV)

Planning on hitting some or all of the following (I know it's a lot, we'll see!)

Starting up Goler Wash to go over Mengal Pass to Striped Butte... Then up to Furnace Creek, Rhyolite, Titus Canyon. Gas up in Panamint Springs, then South Pass, Hunter Mountain. Through Ulida Flat, Teakettle Junction, the Racetrack, over Lippencott Pass then to Saline Valley. Warm Springs, over Steele Pass, Dedeckera Canyon, Eureka Dunes... Through Bishop to home Monday.

 

Inyos and White's have snow. Depending on the next few days you may experience snow on north and south passes as well as Hunter Mountain Road. The latter gets very muddy. Good luck.

 

Yeaahhh... We might skip hunter Mtn road.

 

Hunter Mountain road had some very long deep rutted out areas when I went thru there the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. We were talkin that whoever went thru those mud pits was sweating it the whole way.

 

A good 3" fell in Independence this morning at 4,000'. I would bet dollars to donuts that the higher elevations got some snow as well.

 

Bishop got the same. I'm already over this winter shit. lol

 

I think I can stomach three inches. More than that, backing up... lol.

 

Ha! We are only one week in...

 

Enjoy yourself and be safe!

 

Titus could be a river if enough rain came down. Might be clear by tomorrow afternoon? if you do go over that way gas up in Beatty NV

 

This is what it was like last year. At 14:20 you can see my truck and awning room. Kinda strange finding my rig in someones video. It was amazing waking up to see the Inyos covered in snow after 1-2 days of rain in the valley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dasu2jDaYs

 

Hello, just got a signal coming into Trona. Did Goler to Warm Springs, aborted on South Pass and was heading into Nadeau. I notice a smell which I think is ATF and the whole front drivers wheel well is covered. I am wondering if anyone recommends a mechanic in Ridgecrest? OR, should I risk trying to make it back to Monterey?
Thanks!

 

I'd try and confirm where the leak is coming from and what the fluid is. ATF leaks that would cause fluid to coat the wheel well aren't really common.

Is it a broken cooler line that you can patch up? You sure it's not a CV?

 

Thanks I'll check it out I'll be losing service here soon.

 

It is some kind of oil. The front diff breather hose is covered in oil. The CV seems to be intact without tears.

 

Check your power steering fluid.

 

most videos i've seen of this region do in my opinion suck. but this one was OK! interesting. i've camped near to, and do prefer that section, where you were camped. weather looks great, agree real nice to wake up to snow covered Inyo's

 

Thank you both for your advice regarding the leak. I marked the level of my power steering fluid in Ridgecrest and just made it home and here is the picture. Black dot was the level in Ridgecrest. Also thought that all my fluid were full but don't remember.

 

That’s the brake fluid reservoir my friend.

 

Wheel cylinder?