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Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

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

  1. Nov 29, 2010 at 9:31 AM
    #61
    bjmoose

    bjmoose Bullwinkle J. Moose

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    Thanks for the thread bump - I enjoyed filpping through those pix. ETAV8R, you have a nice eye!
     
  2. Nov 29, 2010 at 2:45 PM
    #62
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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  3. Dec 13, 2010 at 5:03 AM
    #63
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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  4. Dec 13, 2010 at 12:03 PM
    #64
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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  5. Dec 13, 2010 at 1:21 PM
    #65
    rondog

    rondog Well-Known Member

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    such awesome pics!
     
  6. Dec 13, 2010 at 2:38 PM
    #66
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    It is a little dated and as things change so may some of those opportunities. I know for sure that the Keane Wonder Mine site is closed due to safety concerns. The NPS may try to make it safer. Cool info anyway even if it is to get some bearings and compare things today to only a few years ago.
     
  7. Aug 17, 2011 at 8:38 AM
    #67
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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    I ran Saline Valley on August 6th. Entered from CA-168, traversed the valley and made it up Hunter Mountain and took the pass (scary section of shelf road). I camped in the pine trees before making the last 20 miles to pavement. I have always wanted to make it through all of Saline Valley and now I have. I suffered a tire puncture near Turtle Jim's which I repaired with a plug kit. I think I clocked 86 miles off-road on this side trip. It was an awesome adventure coming from the White Mountains while visiting the Ancient Great Basin Bristle Cone Pine trees in the Inyo Nat'l forest.

    DSC04907_6a778a7569c24de504321df381ddca46977ce026.jpg

    DSC04908_5bdc362dd775e0296f98338023660805fdcb75b3.jpg

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    DSC04919_c8c6e097879a600560501f93252a83755c87d5cd.jpg

    DSC04923_dc5337e506c69da8b590aeb09096cf2a16e46f9e.jpg
    Abandoned mining complex just outside the park boundary in Inyo Nat'l Forest
    DSC04934_fcde9b77a88a817ac91ccfd26eb3cd3f65828497.jpg

    A very long stretch of rough road: Waucoba / Saline Rd.

    DSC04959_39d41e3dc34dbfcdf2d59b565c7c0575c67597e3.jpg

    Turtle Jims

    DSC04964_1184d3461265041c076b63b8da1763a8d7401d0e.jpg

    Poked a hole in my Duratrac but plugged it
    DSC04972_d29cce420c3f0fec3e8906f012249bf49ddb545a.jpg

    DSC04977_70f14bbd8a9aab288f2cd216136c3e9e358c9351.jpg

    Sand dunes in Saline Valley
    DSC04982_1cb7c5f9661550dc9e0dd3756a4ea81bf0038808.jpg

    DSC04990_b372760dca77165e584b540c4dcfd6753a82f9e4.jpg

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    Disabled Suburban 40+ miles from pavement. Looks like they had a radiator issue.

    DSC05013_b1b4e052dd6b8c2c5de14836af9c5357df4dcb7c.jpg
    Water coming from Hunter Mountain Canyon
    DSC05023_8176378dca9e8161e02833200c6471e89ff5aeb0.jpg
    Looking at the Panamint Sand Dune complex from Hunter Mountain Pass
    DSC05031_0cce3643108814fc28f6af9d7469071da105503d.jpg
     
    michael roberts and taco abbo like this.
  8. Aug 17, 2011 at 8:47 AM
    #68
    David K

    David K Well-Known Member

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    Keep the photos coming Crom! Really nice...

    Last time I was in Death Valley was in 1980 for a college Geography & Geology Class field trip!
     
  9. Aug 17, 2011 at 2:50 PM
    #69
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Good post and pics. What was the condition of Saline Valley Road down in the valley?
    How did you puncture your tire? Where is Turtle Jims?
    Be mindful of bears up in Hunter Mountain. I was there a few months ago and saw bear scat right near a secluded campsite...a lot of scat.
    Are you sure those aren't the Panamint Dunes? Eureka isn't visible from Hunter Mountain.
     
  10. Aug 17, 2011 at 7:52 PM
    #70
    DDD

    DDD Shine bright like a hymen

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    How was the weather? I always wanted to go to DV but I have been afraid to go in the summer.
     
  11. Aug 17, 2011 at 10:29 PM
    #71
    acdronin

    acdronin Well-Known Member

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    Well tourist season runs from mid-fall till mid-spring, hottest recorded temp in DV and a good argument for the entire world is 134 degrees in badwater,


    meat begins to cook at 144!
     
  12. Aug 18, 2011 at 7:19 AM
    #72
    BigRedToy

    BigRedToy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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    These two pictures made me lol. Its like they found every small rock on the trail and filled in the ledges.
     
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  13. Aug 18, 2011 at 8:40 AM
    #73
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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    Thanks. It's a wonderful place with lots of trails to explore. And it is a premiere attraction for geologists. I have photos from other trips where, while hiking I discovered fossils of the creatures of the ancient lake Manly.

    The road down in the valley was mostly okay but it had some sketchy sections due to rain that was received earlier in the year. Some parts the road disappeared into sand and if not for my GPS I would have done a WTF? Near the salt marshes it was very rough; there were a number of washouts--one of which made me get out and inspect, and recheck the best approach to pass.

    But Hunter Mountain had some real rough patches--again due to rain. Ruts, softball sized rocks in lots of places. There were 2 water crossings, maybe a third (can't remember). I pretty much kept the transfer case in 4LO for Hunter Mountain. The temperatures dropped pretty quickly as the sun was setting and I was gaining elevation.

    I do not believe there are bears at Hunter mountain. There are in fact wild asses though. Heard them while I was eating dinner, and the next day while doing some photography.

    Yes I misspoke; it was the Panamint Dunes I saw. I'll correct my original post.

    See this thread for my tire puncture write up.

    See this map of my route which marks Turtle Jims. Switching the map to terrain view helps.

    DV is enormous it is also a place of extremes. Within the park you have Telescope peak which is 11,043 ft tall in the Panamint mountains, and just below in Badwater Basin the elevation is −282.2 ft. DV Proper is where Badwater Basin is located. Saline Valley which is where I was, at it's lowest is 1,500' elevation, so it's not has hot as DV proper. I surmise that there is a 10° difference in temperate between the two valleys.

    Saline Valley was about 105° in the afternoon, at it's hottest my temp gauge read 110°. After I traversed through SV and made Hunter Mountain pass, I camped in the pines at 6,000' where at 7 pm the weather was a nice 74°

    I do not recommend anyone go DV in the summer unless it is to the higher elevations. It's just too dangerous. Of course I make an exception for myself as I have done this many times before and I am fully prepared for it. I do possess the ability to communicate via satellite which are used strictly for emergency rescue situations.
     
  14. Aug 18, 2011 at 4:08 PM
    #74
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Good info Crom.
    I didn't think there were bears there either but the crap didn't look like it came from the local burros. There was a park wildlife photographer documenting some plant fungus/parasite and I asked him about the scat. He said he would check it out and it may be possible it came from a bear.
    Last spring we did the south pass out of SV and there were three cars on the trail heading north. I'm talking cars like crown vics. Stupid people. They had already made it through two water crossings and still thought it was ok to continue.
     
  15. Aug 18, 2011 at 4:19 PM
    #75
    Crom

    Crom [OP] Super-Deluxe Member

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    Just WOW. People driving to meet their doom? Unbelievable!
     
  16. Aug 18, 2011 at 5:25 PM
    #76
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    I almost wanted to turn around and follow them to see how far they could make it. We needed to get to PSR for fuel though.
     
  17. Nov 8, 2011 at 1:04 AM
    #77
    ETAV8R

    ETAV8R Out DERP'n

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    Crom[OP] likes this.
  18. Nov 8, 2011 at 7:48 AM
    #78
    bjmoose

    bjmoose Bullwinkle J. Moose

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    Nice pix!
     
  19. Dec 12, 2011 at 3:48 PM
    #79
    bhh2000

    bhh2000 Well-Known Member

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    I'm really interested in going on a death valley trip, do any of you have any suggestions of where to go?
     
  20. Dec 13, 2011 at 10:54 AM
    #80
    Kurdain

    Kurdain Well-Known Member

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    Man.

    When I was growing up we went there a lot of times on vacation, my father was very into history so we went to a ton of old ghost towns, mining towns etc.

    Some are MILES from anywhere and they hauled literally TONS of steel and equipment on mules into those mountains.

    Seeing these pictures brings back a lot of memories.

    We had a '78 Ford 3.4 ton pick-up, 2WD. It is amazing how just poking along and stay on the road, even abandoned ones, how far you can get and access some pretty amazing places.

    I know we carrier A LOT of extra water, shovel, gas, etc.. (this was before cell phones but I can't see them working out there anyways).

    My father always got information from the local ranger stations and we were even given keys to some gates to go up to some old towns.

    I remember one place we went far up into the mountains came around a corner and it was like someones summer home.

    Spring fed water reservoir, large house in decent shape and even a swimming pool full of water so clear. It was awesome. No one around for miles.

    More pictures!
     

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