Better Late Then Never, My January Death Valley NP Trip Report!

[NM-Frontier]

Part 1

Death Valley has always been on my "list" since I first heard of The Racetrack back in high school. I love the idea of a place that can be below sea level and also have some of the tallest peaks around right next to each other. Mix that with its history and overall remoteness I just had to go. After talking about it for a few years the right opportunity finally came up, My best friend had moved back to New Mexico and had some time off before work started so we started planing. I think we canceled and rescheduled a dozen times as we watched the weather. The western US was experiencing unusually very low temps and the last thing we wanted to do was go to one of the hottest places in North America and have the same freezing weather we had at home. But seeing that it was getting down to "now or never" we puled the trigger. I packed the Land Cruiser and we hit the road.
After a long drive from New Mexico through a constant head wind, rain, and snow we entered the park after topping off and filling Jerry Cans and grocery shopping in Pahrump,NV around 11:00 pm. It was nice to see that the wind was tapering down after being blown around all day. We found a suitable site on Echo Canyon RD and got some much needed rest. We had driven in the dark since Las Vegas the night before so we really weren't sure what we would wake up to.

It was sweet!

First order was to check in at Furnace Creek and top of with fuel. Our rout would take us out to Crankshaft Crossing then over to Eureka Dunes and camp there, then Steel Pass to Warm Springs for night 3. Then Saline Valley to Lippincott and in to the Racetrack. The final night would be spent back in Death Valley and we would explore some of the southern parts of the park. We weren't sure how long our big loop would take so we left the last day open.

Ouch!

Crankshaft Crossing

Last Chance Mine

Part two will start with Eureka Dunes and go through Dedeckera Canyon and Steel Pass.

 

[NM-Frontier]

Part 2

Part 2

Eureka Dunes

Exploring the dunes was sweet. We had a great camp that night cold but calm. In the morning ice was in the 5gal water cans that were in the truck overnight. Also my buddy's contacts froze in the little plastic case and saline solution. It was cold any water spilled on the table froze instantly and never melted while we were eating or packing, still frozen when we left at 11:00 am.

All packed and ready for the drive up Steel Pass and in to Warm Springs and the Saline Valley.

The drive through Steel Pass was a highlight of the trip as far as driving goes with fun semi-technical bits in Dedeckera Canyon to big views and a long decent through a massive alluvial fan to Warm Springs.Sand dunes, Joshua Trees, and finally hot springs, the best 30 miles we drove.

It was a bit of a tight squeeze but all doable.

The ledges were a fun change up to the long miles we had seen, and would see on corrugated dirt roads.

Joshua trees near the top.

Stay tuned for Saline Valley and The Racetrack in Part 3.:sombrero:

 

[Stick Figure]

Very nice. Wish I would have thought about that area when we were out on our trip looks like a great place to spend some time.

 

[mkitchen]

Sounds like you had a good trip

Well you certainly caught DV at one of it's cooler times. Your trip brought you to a lot of good spots. The one thing I have noticed about DV is that you never feel like you have seen it all. There always seems to be more that tickles your back country travel itch.
Thank you for the write up.
Mikey

 

[roverrocks]

Very nice. Thanks

 

[srserl]

Subscribed. Great pictures, thanks for posting your trip.

I am going to DV in March and was wondering how long it took to get from Eureka Dunes to the springs?

 

[jim65wagon]

very nice!

 

[gene]

"I am going to DV in March and was wondering how long it took to get from Eureka Dunes to the springs"

It generally takes about 3 hours. Add a couple more hours if you decide to make the hike into Petroglyph Canyon.

 

[NM-Frontier]

That was about how long it took us, maybe a bit longer, its a slow go right now from the top to Warm Springs.

 

[NM-Frontier]

Part 3

Part 3

Warm Springs is quite the treat in the desert, a real oasis if you will. With large palm trees, a manicured lawn, the cleanest pit toilets in the country, and of course the springs, Warm Springs is a another world a way from its surroundings.There is lots of art and thing to wonder about if you walk around this place, like a straight row of tractor tires leading out to nothing. This is a place were I can see people diapering to, kinda hiding out, getting lost in, forever. Its Sweet.

This was the best camp we had the entire route. It was warm and sunny and calm at night. Looking back we should have just done another day here instead of trying to push on latter in the trip. This was also were we saw the most people besides in Furnace Creek.

Take one bagel, 2 eggs, and heaps of salsa, toast in Italian dressing (because you forgot oil or butter) you wont regret it!

Bat Pole leaving Warm Springs to Saline Valley Road.

Salt tram on Saline Valley rd

On Lippincott Road. I love this old monument sign.

We didn't take any real pictures on Lippincott, it was just fun negotiating the narrow spots and wondering how the road was gona get us to the top.

Part 4 will take us to the Racetrack and back towards more "civilization".:sombrero:

 

[Mauka2Makai]

Great write up! Looking forward to part 4. That bagel and egg breakfast looks very appetizing as well. I don't think I could ever get tired of exploring DV, seeing your pics just makes me want to head out tomorrow... I wish. Did you see any coyotes at the Springs? We had three just watching our every move last time we were there. Yeah, I wish we stayed an additional night at the Springs too.

 

[NM-Frontier]

Part 4

Part 4: The Racetrack

This is what we came here for and it didn't disappoint! I have been fascinated with this place since I first heard of it over ten years ago. The idea that a rock can just move along on "it's own" just blows my mind, and better yet no one can say for sure how they do it. I believe the theory that since the dry lake is so flat and dry with a supper fine silt that when it rains and saturates the dry lake bed it becomes very, very slick, and when the wind blows hard enough and the right rock is ready to move, it moves. It is nice that scientists don't know how every thing is formed still, it leaves us room to wounder on our own.

After a good look around at the Racetrack we topped off the Cruiser with fuel and started our way back towards the Echo Canyon area to camp for the night and be close to the south end of the park in the morning.

A quick stop at Teakettle Junction

Ubehebe Crater

Pretty much dinner this night. The winds were howling, my buddy lost his ground tent when setting camp and then the wind just about would flatten it out with a strong gust. Surprisingly the RTT on the Cruiser did better then I thought it would in the strong winds, I managed to get a half way decent sleep.

The area around Twenty Mule Team Canyon

Although not an epic or even long drive Twenty Mule Team Canyon is worth checking out. For only 2.5 miles long it packs a lot of scenery!

Artists Palette

Looking at Telescope Peak from Devils Golf Course, lots of dramatic vertical relief.

And of course...

Leaving the park and back on the road, only to plan our next trip back all the way home.:sombrero:

 

[BorregoWrangler]

Great trip report! I plan to see much of the same when I'm able to get out there for the first time myself.

 

[NM-Frontier]

Thanks, you won't be disappointed!:sombrero:

 

[kramme]

Thanks for the write-up and great pictures. I also like Death Valley but due to not having a true off-road rig it limits me in regards to the roads I go on. There is one sidetrip that is nice where you do not need a serious 4 wheel drive, it is Titus Canyon.

I can attest to the attraction of the place however. I will be there next week with a group of Honda Elements for a annual camping trip to Furnace creek. A few in our group have migrated to some awesome 4 wheelers with is perfect for DV.