Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

Wild flowers are getting an early start. All that October rain is paying off. Bummed I had to cancel my trip this week.

 

Dude... You're killin' it with these photos. Making me want to get a decent camera now.

 

Ditto! I've decided this is the year I'm investing in a decent mirrorless camera with some glass.

Sorry you had to cancel. I was so stunned to see the flowers in two weeks ago. I just could not believe it. I've been there twice now with them blooming.

 

I recently completed my trip report for my 5-day adventure into Death Valley. I recorded it all in my build thread, rather than cross post, I'm just going to link it here. I'll include a few of my favorite pics here.

Death Valley Part 1, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Part 2, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Part 3, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Part 4, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Part 5, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Day 4 part 1, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Day 4 part 2, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Day 4, part 3, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Day 4 part 4, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Day 5, part 1, Dec. 2015
Death Valley Day 5, part 2, Dec. 2015

Ibex Hills at Night.


Saratoga Springs


Deep in the Owlshead mountains.


First night camp.


End of the road, Owl Hole Springs Road


Mine site, looking across DV to the Funeral Mountains.


Inyo Mine.


Echo Canyon


Zabriskie Point


Manly Beacon

 

Got back yesterday from Saline.

North Pass has about 5" at the deepest spot and does not clear until you get partway down where you see the long straight away.
Washboard is worse than it was in November. Still able to get the harmonic spot between 40-50mph.
Temps are cold right now. Daytime high was maybe 60 down in Saline. Nighttime was near freezing. Weather was good.

South Pass has snow that begins at 4600'. It continues all the way to the watertank near Lee Flat.
For both passes the time of day you drive is critical. Early or late you could encounter more ice than snow.

The Trona-Wildrose road, which is technically closed, is thrashed. They are working on it so up to you to decide to drive it. There are two gates which can be locked at any time. There is some snow/ice at the kilns.
Like most of my trips, glad to be home last night but now wishing I was back in Death Valley.

Time of year to camp at Homestake and/or up on the sweet spots of Lippencott is crucial. I wouldn't want to be up there right now with the nighttime temps so low.

I'd also like to add, if you have never visited the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest and are traveling through that area try to make time to stop. Lots of great information about the area.

p.s.
Crom your TR is great. Looks like you covered a ton of area.

 

Awesome!

Thanks for the mini trip report / road condition update. I've been wondering about Trona wild Rose road, good to hear it is getting attention. It's been closed for an awfully long time. I last drove it in 08.

It's only been 2 weeks, but I too wish I was headed back out there.

 

@Crom Thanks for all of the reports! I've digged through a lot of them, but can you tell me how you navigate? What GPS unit? Do you take a computer with you? I've got an old android phone that I use and download the maps for offline use. Majority of the time it works pretty well but I'm always a little apprehensive going into deeper places and trusting the phone as my only GPS unit.

Thanks for sharing. You should start your own Amazon referral links and get some cash/credit for all of your recommendations. I'm sure helping us all out and building the community is great but a little cash doesn't hurt either!

Mahalo!

 

I'll share what I use.
An old Garmin Nuvi and paper maps. I always have a Benchmark in my truck and on most trips will have a Nat Geo map(s).
I've also fairly recently discovered the Sierra Maps for all the areas of the Owens Valley.

 

I use all the following:

• Nexus 7 tablet running Backcountry Navigator Pro
• Nexus 5 phone also running Backcountry Navigator Pro
• Garmin GPS CS60x
  
• NPS paper map for backcountry roads,
• NAT Geo Death Valley map which I cut into seven (7) pieces and laminated. I created an identification system for ease of organization.

The Garmin mount was showing signs of weakening and it finally sheered off while exiting the park to pavement. I think Racetrack Valley Road did the most harm. It was the worst trail from my last trip. In the beginning I could only maintain about 15 mph.

Thanks for the tip on monetizing. I've thought about it, but in the end I like to keep my work in the forum as an avocation.

 

Thanks for the input! I'll definitely check out the link to Sierra Maps.

Great tips! More info the better!

Well you've got a whole fleet of little minions driving around that have very similar gear...

If we ever cross paths... I owe you a six pack for sure!

 

A few more from our trip.

 

Man was there some stupid all over the floor in that thread. After reading that exchange I looked for context. Ah, 3rd gen forum, why didn't I realize immediately.

 

I read about 4 posts and backed out hoping natural selection will work sooner rather than later.

 

This one isn't in 3rd gen but in the new member area still pretty bad. What's happening to this site lol :

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/this-site-is-like-any-other.410950/

 

Great stuff in this thread!

taking a quick day trip out there tomorrow! should be great!

 

Day trip? Quit your job. Plus tomorrow is Dr. Martin the King day. Can't work on that day! Live a little. (As I am working on my truck and car today so that I can go to work tomorrow).

 

haha!

Well one of the good things about working at a University is, i get tomorrow off!

Any recommendations on sights for a one day, whirl wind trip??

 

DoorDing's loop looks like fun - but that is going to be a hell of a long day! I also believe those roads are all open, but be advised that Racetrack Rd. can have wicked washboard and bumps - good workout for your ICONs and I'd air down those KO2s for that run. Also Grapevine Canyon, that's the climb south on Saline Valley Road out of Saline Valley, had 2-3" snow and some ice last weekend. I think 4x4 and your KO2s should probably handle that OK.

Are you just trying to hit some sights - including ones close to pavement - or are looking to spend a lot of time off pavement? Have you seen much of Death Valley before?

DoorDing's run is a good "lots of off-pavement" itinerary. If you wanted to keep your total mileage down but see a lot of things along the way:

• Take 395 or 14 to around Ridgecrest, CA
  
• Trona Pinnacles near Trona, CA
• Continue up through Panamint Valley, stop by Ballarat ghost town
• Up to 190 and turn east over Panamints
• ***********************************************
  
• Drop south on Emigrant Canyon Rd and hit Skidoo, Aguereberry Point, Charcoal Kilns (or save this spur for return leg)
  
• Back up to 190, continue east
• Mosaic Canyon
• Stovepipe Wells Dunes
• Salt Creek
• Pass through Furnace Creek
  
• Zabriske Point a little further on 190
• Optionally continue to Dante's View - but this is about an hour round trip
  
• Double back on 190 and down Badwater Rd.
  
• Golden Canyon
• Artist's Pallet and both slot canyons along Artist's drive
• Devil's Golf Course
• Natural Bridge
• Badwater
• Return up Badwater Rd. and 190 back into Panamint Valley
• *************************************************
  
• Continue on 190 over Inyo Mountains but stop at Father Crowley Point on the way over
• Take 190/136 to the 395 at Olancha and head south on 395
• Stop at Fossil Falls on 395

The section between the *********** is an out and back leg and so you can actually do half of those spots on the way in and the other half on the way out to space out the driving. That's actually probably at least two days worth of things to see so you could drop things as you run out of time.

This emphasizes the more visited parts of the park along the valley floor, so if you've already been to DV a lot then it might not be that much that is new - but is excellent for a first time visitor. Also it does not emphasize the remote parts of the park - so you'll see people most of these places especially since it is MLK weekend.

A "boonies" route that is shorter than DoorDing's would be:

• 395 or 14 to around Ridgecrest, CA
  
• Trona Pinnacles
• Ballarat
• Goler Wash
• Mengel Pass
• Stripped Butte
• Warm Springs Canyon
• West Side Road South
• Harry Wade Road
• Saratoga Springs
• Mines or Ibex Dunes in that area too
• 127 south to Baker, CA
• I-15 back home

This route has rough spots at the entrance to Goler Wash, Mengel Pass itself and you'll have a long shallow water crossing on Harry Wade as the Amargosa River is currently flowing I believe.

Be advised for both itineraries there is no need to pass through Ridgecrest if you don't want to. Faster routes branch off the 395 south of Ridgecrest and head more directly for Trona. There is gas in Trona. I expect you'd do I15/395 from La Verne, but if taking 14 instead for some reason you can cut over to 395 and Trona shortcuts by turning off 14 just south of Red Rock.

Have a blast!

 

Thank you! Awesome!!!!

 

First trip out there. Spent lots of time in the sierras and the whites, never enough time...until tomorrow to take a peek at Death Valley.
Super pumped!

Thanks for the great Intel.