Death Valley Thanksgiving 2010

[billwilson]

Folks

Happy Post T day

Short version:

The OC to Death Valley and Back
Miles= 610
Gas = $180
Food= $20 Furnace Creek Burger
SMB's = One (sorry dude, cant remember your handle here POST PICS

Events:
Killer Food (my wifes home cooked and fresh grilled Thai food)
Purple Mountains
Suburban parked in picture was lady waiting for overdue family hiking
(they hiked out the other end a couple of hours later, happy ending)
(they are from Atlanta, have spent 38 T days in DV with family and now exended family)
Dead Battery first morning - Thank You SMB forum for suggesting and Ricks trailer supply for wiring my Surepower with Momentary jump start switch
Clogged Sink drain - required removing drain plug fitting and removing junk
Cooper- our dog is NOT a hiker, have to carry the little bastard after a while
SMBer- met a nice couple that made us glad we have a suburban heater (blew up flatplate)
Ranger station- got three cool Jr. Ranger pencils
Squeaks and Rattles - had wife drive, found source of a few, to builder and aluminess soon to fix

Conclusion:
will we go back
yes
same area, no
Panament, Race Track and Saline are on list

Road to Saratoga Springs


Saratoga Springs







Sunset at Virgin Falls Trailhead






We Love our Volcano




Toward Furnace Creek





Cottonwood Canyon Campsite





Leaving DV in Panamint Valley

[Gooseberry]

lets get a race track run going? see if we can make it out the pass?

[billwilson]

Originally Posted by Gooseberry

lets get a race track run going? see if we can make it out the pass?

Love to, but gotta work a bit because of the up coming
Bill Wilson Tour de Utah Christmas 2010 to Post New Year 2011

The Racetrack is for sure on our list

[woodbee]

Originally Posted by Gooseberry

lets get a race track run going? see if we can make it out the pass?

What route are you thinking of doing? A trip down to Death Valley N.P. sounds good.

Woody

[jstanley]

Did you check out Ibex Springs ghost town or any of the talc mines above Saratoga Springs?

[Gooseberry]

I'm open for anything and everything.
Need to see if its passable but going out the north west side of the racetrack I heard is fun.

Originally Posted by woodbee

What route are you thinking of doing? A trip down to Death Valley N.P. sounds good.

Woody

[woodbee]

[quote="Gooseberry"]I'm open for anything and everything.
Need to see if its passable but going out the north west side of the racetrack I heard is fun.

Are you talking about Lippincott Road to Saline Valley? My wife went from the Race Track to Saline Valley down Lippincott Road last April. Great trip.

Woody

[jstanley]

Need to see if its passable but going out the north west side of the racetrack I heard is fun.

????
There are basicly 3 legal ways to get to The Racetrack in a vehicle:

From the SW up the Lippencott road, possibly a SERIOUS 4wd route depending on road condition (Id recomend going down it, no up)
From the NE from Ubehebe Crater a well graded, graveled road.
From the SE thru South Pass over Hunter Mnt and thru Goldbelt, possible snow in winter but otherwise a dirt road. (This route has another "Racetrack" playa but not the famous one)

I would guess you are thinking about the Wilderness Crorridor Route out the NW side of Saline Valley over Steele Pass (just narrow as in SMB scraping, not really technical) to Eureka Dunes over thru Crankshaft Junction, then up the Ubehebe road to the racetrack.

[EMrider]

FYI, good youtube vid taken recently of an SMB going through Dedeckera canyon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0_QvlnFduQ

That looks it might be uncomfortably tight in an EB.........

Still, I'd probably give it a shot traveling with a group. I've always wanted to go through Dedeckera canyon and Steele pass and a few minor dents or scrapes are not a big deal.

R

[jstanley]

That looks it might be uncomfortably tight in an EB........

The old rule of thumb for going up Dedeckera canyon to Steele Pass was under 72" wide.
The stairs up thru the narrows has been built up lately and wider rigs can do it if your careful,
The NPS Ranger Humvee puts a wheel up on the wall to get thru.