Death Valley Trip March 7-9th (ok I started on the 6th)

[bikerjosh]

3/6-9 Death Valley+ Trip (Day 0)

My buddy Chris and I drove down a day before the rest of the group was to meet up on Friday. I wanted to do a little recon and be rested for the start on Friday.
On the way up 395 toward Lone Pine, stopped off at Fossil Falls (part of the Coso range). Pretty cool volcanic rock and water carved formations.
Pretty cool explanation of how the area was formed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_Falls

After a decent Mexican lunch in Lone Pine, we headed North to Independence to find out the proper road to get to Reward Mine or (Brown Monster as it was sometimes referred to). We would be starting off here on Friday but I wanted to make sure I knew how to get there. After driving across the 1940's built Manzanar Airport that supplied the internment camp that resided across the highway road, eventually turns to dirt.
Finding it was pretty easy as long as you went left at the fork, we would find out was right at the fork later.
Tried driving into the Reward Mine, made it about 30 feet in before my roof mounted spare and jerry can required us to back out unload roof rack or just head in on foot.

Figured we'd strip the offending items off the roof the next morning and drive in with everyone else. Walked into the mine flash lights in hand, all the way to the end including a number of smaller side tunnels pretty impressive. Lots of interesting work, ladders and potential hazards. Wouldn't mind going back with climbing gear and exploring the shafts.

After hiking out of the mine we decided to drive back down and take the other fork that went to the right. At first I thought this was part of a mine known as the Eclipse, but looking online it seems to be part of Reward as well.
At any rate we drove up until the road which was really more of tailings pile at the top stopped our progress and backed down to a flat spot. Lured by the familiar "oh that doesn't look too far away" we took off hiking up the trail to the processing/sorting devices.
Standing on top of the sorter (but not as high as we went) took a picture to show how much elevation we gained. red circle is the 4runner

Mine sorting equipment

After this we headed back to Lone Pine to grab some pizza/beers and prepare for the next day.
Alright Nick, Philip and Patrick feel free to share photos and thoughts.

Josh

 

[SteveG]

Very cool! We're headed to Death Valley next month. I'll put this on my short list of places to visit... would love to check out the mine.

 

[bikerjosh]

Day 1

Ok, surprised no one has added anything I guess I'll post a brief take on day 1, although this is pulling me away from planning my first al day enduro of 2014.
Day 1
We met at the Manzanar Internment camp, after a brief moment to exchange greetings to old and new friends we headed out for Reward Mine after crossing the air strip we headed off into the dirt.
This time I removed the roof mounted spare and second 5 gallon gas can and was able to make through the mine to the turn around spot. I still think driving through a mine is pretty cool experience.

After exploring the mine we headed back to 395 to take off on the next loop. Given the length of time it would have taken to get over Mazrouka Peak to Papoose Flats to Big Pine Rd plus the fact I hadn't been abel to get snow reports we decided to drive up to Big Pine Rd and do a shorter loop to Papoose Flats (this would prove a good decision). My truck was experiencing some intermetant electrical problems so we left it at the trail head and split up into three rigs. We headed toward the narrows and on our way to the top of the pass we began experiencing progressively more snow until we got to a point that the combination of off camber trail, snow, and no shoulder w/a drop off we decided to turn around. Would have been interesting if we had come the other way from Independence and hit this section as a downhill, we may have had to dig a path through the snow.
After hitting big pine road again we headed for Eureka Dunes and Steel Pass. I highly recommend airing down before driving the 12 miles of wash board to the dunes. 45 psi in my rig coupled with 45 mph was not much fun. I finally aired down at the dunes. After the dunes we headed up to the steps of Dekedra Canyon, uneventful again despite going up them this time rather than down.

Patrick's rig
http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt215/bikerjosh/017_zpsd6371ec1.jpg

On top of the pass headed for MB: Nick, Patrick and Phillip running sweep.

After a brief stop at Marble Bath to place my daughter's ghost duck with our current trip date on it (actually had the previous date of trip on it, crossed out because I left it home on the first trip) we headed down to the Springs.

All was good until we got off the pass and down to the wash and it was now dark.

Even with lots of lights, finding the appropriate path was difficult a few times we found ourselves on the old path. We made it down to the hot springs about 7:15 or so. After finding our old camp spot we set up our gear and began cooking dinner.
Good day, happy ot finally be at camp.

 

[bikerjosh]

Reserved for more pictures of day 1.
Ok, here are some pictures that Phil took from day 1.

Phil following Patrick into Reward (ok, posting this for a 4th time, suckit-bucket shows it as right side up, but it keeps uploading upside down, saved it upside down this time)

Exploring Reward on foot

Eureka Dunes from the Deckedra Canyon Steps

 

[PTB]

Great start to the trip report! I'll try to add my 2 cents soon.

 

[bikerjosh]

Day 2 Hot Springs to Cottonwood Canyon

After soaking in the springs, we headed out over Bat Rock and South on Saline Valley Road. It was better condition than I have ever seen it, I think we averaged about 35-45 mph most of the way out. Even the rock filled washouts climbing out of the valley toward South Pass were gone.

After a brief stop at Panamint Springs to eat lunch in the parking lot, marvel at the high price of gas, and what an eight dollar loaf of bread looks like we headed for Stove Pipe Wells to fill up on gas that was almost $2 a gallon cheaper. Note to self: they only have 87 octane here, doh. Hope my extra 5 gallons will last until going through Furnace on Sunday.

After fueling up we headed out to Cottonwood and Marble Canyons. Parked at the end of Marble Canyon to hiked out into the narrows, I kept saying to myself “ok, what is around the next bend?” and kept hiking eventually we got to “the narrows” very cool.
Phil following Patrick and Myself into Cottonwood Canyon

Hiking in Marble Canyon, arriving at "choke stone", about 50 yards back was a trail that we would follow up and around the stone to continue on down the canyon. pic credit: Phil

Entering the narrows. pic credit phil

More narrows. pic credit phil

After getting back to the trucks we blazed (as much blazing as you can do when you are snaking in and out of a rocky wash) back down the trail to the fork to head out into Cottonwood Canyon. We ended up driving past the big shallow cave on the left and camped about 1/8 of a mile or so up the wash on an elevated section .
#12 represents end of the marble canyon rd, where you must continue on foot.

#23 represents the camp spot in Cottonwood Canyon, just past the shallow cave.

more to come.....

 

[bikerjosh]

Day 3 DV March(6)7-9

Day 3
Sunday morning brought clear skies and mild temps. After a short hike up Cottonwood Canyon to capture some wildflower pics for my Mom, I went to camp to fire up the stove and brew a cup of coffee. We packed up camp, and headed back down Cottonwood Canyon. Stopped briefly to look at the shallow cave/amphitheater, looked like a great place to camp until we saw some of the recent looking rocks that had broken loose from the top/sides and fallen to the ground. Hmmm, don't think my coleman tent would deflect that.

Eventually we made it back to Stove Pipe Wells and headed for Furnace Creek so I could finally fill up with 91 octane before heading to Bad Water.
Stopped at Bad Water, to take pics and walk out on the salt flats.
The group at Bad Water -Phil, who is behind the camera: Patrick, Chris, Nick, Rhett, Josh, and Linc (at 6'2" how am I the shortest guy in the pic?)

From here we headed out West Side Road and on to Warm Springs Road. Trip was pretty easy up to Warm Spring Mine/Cabins. The group that had been staying at the cabin were just packing up as we were exploring the grounds and doing the short hike up the hillside to find the source of the spring that feeds the cabin.
Spot Tracker:

Nick and Chris hiking to the source

source:

The pool was neither full enough to swim in nor empty enough to break out the skate boards and do some rail slides; although it did make a nice place to stop and have lunch.

From here to the Geologist Cabin in Butte Valley the road was full of rocks and much slower going than I remember. (Full disclosure, the two previous times I've been through here were on a dualsport at roughly 2-3 times the speed.) Stopped briefly at Geologist Cabin (nicer than I remember).

From here to Mengel Pass the road was in better condition than the previous miles. Mengel pass was in rougher shape than I remember, but as I mentioned this was the first time through on 4 wheels.



Once over Mengel Pass it was smooth sailing until we go to the recently semi cleared rock slide.
Spot Tracker:

Nick coming through rock slide

Me coming through the slot

After getting everyone through the tight slot we progressed on and through Goler wash, actually I didn't even notice Goler wash until we were through it. I guess the steps have been filled in?

By this point it was later than expected so instead of trying to make it through the slate range trail, we turned right and did the high speed run up to Ballarat and out to 190 where we aired back up and said our goodbyes until next time.

Thanks to all for another great trip.

 

[justrom]

Josh,

Awesome trip report, we were in DV the same weekend and hit several of the same spots. I think we saw you on Saturday night / Sunday morning, we were the sliver Tacoma camped just past the cave. We were trying to leave the cave campsite open for a bigger group, but since the little guy was crabby (and vocal) that night your choice to push on up the wash was probably a good one.

Wish we'd said hi as you guys went by, hopefully we'll see you again out on the trail.

Here is us coming out of Cottonwood Canyon:

 

[bikerjosh]

ok more pics out of order

@justrom thanks. When we saw you guys camped there, we originally thought we might try and squeeze in on the raised section below you but figured we would just push on further and find another place to camp.
Day 2 South Pass Me and Chris (navigator, spotter, buddy)

My 4runner on South Pass (currently for sale)

Day 3 Mengel Pass, Chris telling me something along the lines of "go drivers side to avoid this huge rock, are you looking at the tablet or the trail?"

Chris again, this time directing Patrick asking "how many fingers am I holding up cause you don't seem to be following my directions" or maybe it was "Stop, Hammer Time! Can't touch this" full disclosure my memory is a little fuzzy here.

more to come

 

[bikerjosh]

more pics

well since I seem to be the only one posting in this thread, thought I'd throw up a few more photos.
Phil and Patrick on Mengel Pass

Nick, saying "anything you can do on four wheels, I can do on three"

Me doing a little "flexing"

Patrick coming through the slot

 

[nckwltn]

I'll have a post ready in the next couple of days, complete with still and moving pictures. I do end up on 3 wheels quite a bit

 

[nckwltn]

Trip report up!