All,
On Nov. 18th 2010 Vincent and I left the San Jose area around noon to go to DV on a trip with the Southern California Land Rover Club(SCLR.org).
We drove down to Ridgecrest and spent the night in a motel. The plan was to meet at the Trona Pinnacles at 0830 on Friday. After breakfast we headed out following the instructions from Mr. Garmin. Well he took us the long way around and we came in the back door down road 143 that hadn't been graded since the Plistocene Era! It was like driving on top of the ocean waves in a tight swell ~~~~~~~
The view was fantastic when we arrived and we drove thru the pinnacles
and found the group.
The trip leader Frank came and introduced himself. Quickly a couple of other Rovers showed up and soon there were 13 coilers at Trona. After instructions we took off North thru Trona and after about 7.5 miles turned onto a dirt road headed East over the Slate Range.
This road was to take us to Fish Canyon along the escape route of the Bennet-Arcane families from Death Valley. From there to go north to Ballarat and do the Pleasant Canyon Loop and finish in Furnace Creek by sundown.
The Slate Range trail was fun and not difficult with great views from the ridge tops of the Panamint Valley and the Briggs mine. Once you get to the entrance of Fish Canyon you find the marker
for Father Fish, a 49'er who died there whose body was found by the Bennet-Arcane families, also 49'ers.
The weather was mostly sunny and probably in the low 70's with a chill gusty wind.
At the base of the alluvial fan we turned North and headed towards Ballarat. Alan was on the radio talking about the volcanic and tetonic action in the valley.
A quick break in Ballarat alors down the Wingate road to South Park Canyon Rd, an inoccuous left turn onto a dirt track. Climbing up the switchbacks proved tough for the stock Disco's and one imparticular. A couple of shelf road sections and we were into the canyon itself. Loose rock and sand in a couple of hundred yards we came to a low rocky step. Carlos' Disco
couldn't make it up and after several tries and some effort by Eric to engage the center diff lock(cdl) an hour and a half later it was decided to turn around as we were blocking the tightest spot in the canyon and it was already 2 pm. The loop takes 6.5hrs travel time. Carlos had more trouble getting out of the canyon and we made it the 70 miles to Furnace Creek just after dark.
Vincent and I headed to camp
while the (most) of the rest went to the Furnace Creek Ranch Hotel. After our dinner of salami, cheese and burgers we went and asked about the morning meeting.
Saturday found us meeting at by the temporary Visitors Center at 0830. A quick talk and onto refueling and airing down and now we are 17 coilers. Then the lineup photos,,,,,Oh now we are moving to Marble Canyon.....stop for something in Stovepipe Wells....onto the dirt to Marble........ A long dusty track to the canyon opening, easy going we got to the entrance of the canyon
and hiked into the volcanic upheaval and marble deposition of the canyon. Here we encountered 2 tarantula spiders also hiking the canyon. I hung back and listened to the solitude of the canyon and took some panorama photos of the canyon walls. Because of my ankle I could not go all the way with the group and hear all of Alan's descriptions so I tried to grok the area I was in.
Upon returning to the vehicles lunch was eaten and then Alan gave a good talk about the tectonic and volcanic action of the park and the earthquake faults which resulted from the volcanic action.
Soon we exit the canyon and drove right past the petroglyphs???? The plan was to go to Mosaic Canyon next and then to Zabriskie Point for sunset. Well due to Vincents knowledge of the Valley we decided it was too late to do both and we opted for Zabriskie and the sunset. I was not disappointed there was much beauty to be seen there! We arrived in a very gusty wind, about 20 min prior to sunset. Most visitors just came up looked and left it was so windy and cold, at times it almost knocked you over.
Returning to Furnace Creek we explored the solar array that I found when checking out the Valley on GoogleEarth. As we headed back to camp the others came in from Mosaic, it was about 30 min after sunset.
Sunday morning we broke camp and got to the visitor center by 0800 so I could go shopping before the 0830 meeting. At the meeting Frank awarded Alan a membership to the SCLR, #1000 as a thank you for doing the trips.
Off we go the quarter mile to the refuel station $4.50/gal premium and take off for Chloride City Trail. Headed towards Beatty, Nv. and turning off on to the unmarked dirt road. Fairly easy trail with some high clearance issues, we passed an astounded mountain biker going our way. I bet he thought he was going to be all alone! At Chloride Cliffs the view is astounding!
You can see the southern end of Death Valley at the Owlshead Mtns, to the north end where Ubhebe Crater resides. In between you can see Badwater, lowest point, Telescope Peak, highest point. You can locate Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells, Whitetop Mtn and you can look over the Cottonwood Part of the Panamint range and see the tops of the Inyos on the other side of Saline Valley. Truly spectacular, GO THERE!
Vincent an I checked out a mine and we were off for Titus Canyon. On the way Shah hit a boulder in the road and got a flat that slowed us down and Vincent and I decided to forgo Titus so we could get home at a somewhat managable hour. It was an 8+ hr drive. When we stopped to say goodbye at the paved road it was snowing, not much but a few flakes. Goodbyes said we aired up and departed. On the way home we took pictures of the snow on Telescope Peak,
Cerro Gordo(Linus and I went there July, Vincent went with Marie Claire(his fiance) a few weeks later)
I got home about midnight. Same time as the trip leader. All in all I had a great time and learned a good deal about the volcanic Death Valley. I had to get a new camera and this one takes the panorama photos which took me awhile to learn.
Thanks to Vincent for putting up with me! To Frank and Alan for organizing, to Simon and Nina for thier hospitality.
On Nov. 18th 2010 Vincent and I left the San Jose area around noon to go to DV on a trip with the Southern California Land Rover Club(SCLR.org).
We drove down to Ridgecrest and spent the night in a motel. The plan was to meet at the Trona Pinnacles at 0830 on Friday. After breakfast we headed out following the instructions from Mr. Garmin. Well he took us the long way around and we came in the back door down road 143 that hadn't been graded since the Plistocene Era! It was like driving on top of the ocean waves in a tight swell ~~~~~~~
The view was fantastic when we arrived and we drove thru the pinnacles
and found the group.
The trip leader Frank came and introduced himself. Quickly a couple of other Rovers showed up and soon there were 13 coilers at Trona. After instructions we took off North thru Trona and after about 7.5 miles turned onto a dirt road headed East over the Slate Range.
This road was to take us to Fish Canyon along the escape route of the Bennet-Arcane families from Death Valley. From there to go north to Ballarat and do the Pleasant Canyon Loop and finish in Furnace Creek by sundown.
The Slate Range trail was fun and not difficult with great views from the ridge tops of the Panamint Valley and the Briggs mine. Once you get to the entrance of Fish Canyon you find the marker
for Father Fish, a 49'er who died there whose body was found by the Bennet-Arcane families, also 49'ers.
The weather was mostly sunny and probably in the low 70's with a chill gusty wind.
At the base of the alluvial fan we turned North and headed towards Ballarat. Alan was on the radio talking about the volcanic and tetonic action in the valley.
A quick break in Ballarat alors down the Wingate road to South Park Canyon Rd, an inoccuous left turn onto a dirt track. Climbing up the switchbacks proved tough for the stock Disco's and one imparticular. A couple of shelf road sections and we were into the canyon itself. Loose rock and sand in a couple of hundred yards we came to a low rocky step. Carlos' Disco
couldn't make it up and after several tries and some effort by Eric to engage the center diff lock(cdl) an hour and a half later it was decided to turn around as we were blocking the tightest spot in the canyon and it was already 2 pm. The loop takes 6.5hrs travel time. Carlos had more trouble getting out of the canyon and we made it the 70 miles to Furnace Creek just after dark.
Vincent and I headed to camp
while the (most) of the rest went to the Furnace Creek Ranch Hotel. After our dinner of salami, cheese and burgers we went and asked about the morning meeting.
Saturday found us meeting at by the temporary Visitors Center at 0830. A quick talk and onto refueling and airing down and now we are 17 coilers. Then the lineup photos,,,,,Oh now we are moving to Marble Canyon.....stop for something in Stovepipe Wells....onto the dirt to Marble........ A long dusty track to the canyon opening, easy going we got to the entrance of the canyon
and hiked into the volcanic upheaval and marble deposition of the canyon. Here we encountered 2 tarantula spiders also hiking the canyon. I hung back and listened to the solitude of the canyon and took some panorama photos of the canyon walls. Because of my ankle I could not go all the way with the group and hear all of Alan's descriptions so I tried to grok the area I was in.
Upon returning to the vehicles lunch was eaten and then Alan gave a good talk about the tectonic and volcanic action of the park and the earthquake faults which resulted from the volcanic action.
Soon we exit the canyon and drove right past the petroglyphs???? The plan was to go to Mosaic Canyon next and then to Zabriskie Point for sunset. Well due to Vincents knowledge of the Valley we decided it was too late to do both and we opted for Zabriskie and the sunset. I was not disappointed there was much beauty to be seen there! We arrived in a very gusty wind, about 20 min prior to sunset. Most visitors just came up looked and left it was so windy and cold, at times it almost knocked you over.
Returning to Furnace Creek we explored the solar array that I found when checking out the Valley on GoogleEarth. As we headed back to camp the others came in from Mosaic, it was about 30 min after sunset.
Sunday morning we broke camp and got to the visitor center by 0800 so I could go shopping before the 0830 meeting. At the meeting Frank awarded Alan a membership to the SCLR, #1000 as a thank you for doing the trips.
Off we go the quarter mile to the refuel station $4.50/gal premium and take off for Chloride City Trail. Headed towards Beatty, Nv. and turning off on to the unmarked dirt road. Fairly easy trail with some high clearance issues, we passed an astounded mountain biker going our way. I bet he thought he was going to be all alone! At Chloride Cliffs the view is astounding!
You can see the southern end of Death Valley at the Owlshead Mtns, to the north end where Ubhebe Crater resides. In between you can see Badwater, lowest point, Telescope Peak, highest point. You can locate Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells, Whitetop Mtn and you can look over the Cottonwood Part of the Panamint range and see the tops of the Inyos on the other side of Saline Valley. Truly spectacular, GO THERE!
Vincent an I checked out a mine and we were off for Titus Canyon. On the way Shah hit a boulder in the road and got a flat that slowed us down and Vincent and I decided to forgo Titus so we could get home at a somewhat managable hour. It was an 8+ hr drive. When we stopped to say goodbye at the paved road it was snowing, not much but a few flakes. Goodbyes said we aired up and departed. On the way home we took pictures of the snow on Telescope Peak,
Cerro Gordo(Linus and I went there July, Vincent went with Marie Claire(his fiance) a few weeks later)
I got home about midnight. Same time as the trip leader. All in all I had a great time and learned a good deal about the volcanic Death Valley. I had to get a new camera and this one takes the panorama photos which took me awhile to learn.
Thanks to Vincent for putting up with me! To Frank and Alan for organizing, to Simon and Nina for thier hospitality.
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