Trail Run: Death Valley| Nov 20 - 24

[OTG Ben]

Meeting Location: Mobile gas station in Olancha (10 min south of Lone Pine)
601 US-395, Olancha, CA 93549
https://goo.gl/maps/tTRR6SDWEVS26r5CA

Start Time: Meet at 10a, we'll be heading out at 10:30am sharp!!

Recommend Vehicle: 4x4 w/ 2" lift and AT or MT tires (sprinters not recommended on this route)

Route + GPX: https://www.gaiagps.com/public/R26mVzGPDRy5ervt771ZiXoz

Recommended Gear: We recommend carrying 5 gal of extra fuel if your vehicle is equipped. If you can carry 10, even better as not everyone's rigs may be equipped to carry extra fuel and we're going to need it once we depart Titus Canyon. Be prepared for a wide range of temps. Can be subfreezing at night and 80+ during the day.

Food + Water: There is limited access to food and water along the route. We recommend that you carry sufficient water and food for the entire 5 day adventure.

Communications: GMRS Channel 15>> 462.550
Ben's SpotX: If you're running late, you can text me on my SpotX satellite communicator at 254-460-2664

More info coming real soon! Stay tuned!

If you're interested in this event, please RSVP at: https://www.overlandtrailguides.com/events-1/black-rock-desert-family-adventure


Itinerary
Gaia Link: https://www.gaiagps.com/public/R26mVzGPDRy5ervt771ZiXoz
Total Mileage: 450 mi, but 100% anticipate we'll modifiy this route to shorten it.
Longest Stop Between Fuel: Beatty to Panamint Springs (approx 250 miles, but could be closer 200 depending if we cut out the Racetrack Playa)

Day 1 | 180 - 190 miles
- 95% pavement
- Starwars Canyon
- Badwater Basin
- Artists Pallette
- Twenty Mule Cannon (time bearing)
- Keane Wonder Mine (time bearing)
- Camp Hole in the Wall or Chloride City Cliffs

Day 2 | 125 miles
- 67% pavement, 33% dirt
- Beatty (gas) >> Next gas is approx 250 miles @ Panamint Springs
- Ryholite Ghost town
- Titus Canyon
- Eureka Dunes Camp

Day 3 | 60 miles
- 100% dirt
- No opportunity for gas
- Steele Pass
- Saline Valley Hotsprings
- The Bat Signal
- Camp

Day 4 | 30 - 70 depending if we go to the Racetrack Playa
- opportunity to bail out Hwy 190
- 100% dirt
- Racetrack Playa
- Lippincott Pass
- Cerro Gordo Ghosttown
- camp location tbd

 

[nckwltn]

Its likely that if Black Rock is still the location I won't be able to make it from SoCal. If DVNP, we are in!

 

[schultzp-8939]

We've been in the Black Rock Desert twice, and we've yet to go to the Playa. It's normally such a dusty, windy area. If the only concern is the Playa surface, I'd say just skip the Playa and move on to another area. Having said that, Death Valley would also be super cool. It's one of our to-do items, but it's always such a long drive from the Bay Area. It'd be fun to do it with a group.

 

[All-Terrain Family]

I'm interested in either trip. Conditions could be gnar in the Black Rock. But It's not a guarantee that it'll be impassable. High Rock Canyon should be fine.

DV should be great too!

-M

 

[OTG Ben]

I'm interested in either trip. Conditions could be gnar in the Black Rock. But It's not a guarantee that it'll be impassable. High Rock Canyon should be fine.

DV should be great too!

-M

Hedging towards DV based on this possibility. I'd rather make the decision ahead of time, rather than see the week of it's not going to happen-- makes planning more difficult for everyone. Either way, I'll post something up no later than beginning of week on the decision. If it's DV, we'll most likely meet at Trona Pinnacles.

 

[All-Terrain Family]

Hedging towards DV based on this possibility. I'd rather make the decision ahead of time, rather than see the week of it's not going to happen-- makes planning more difficult for everyone. Either way, I'll post something up no later than beginning of week on the decision. If it's DV, we'll most likely meet at Trona Pinnacles.

Cool. What route you thinking? I recommend lippencott and Steel Canyon.

-M

 

[OTG Ben]

Edit: new route has been posted to the original thread.

 

[nckwltn]

Link to adventure route: https://www.overlandtrailguides.com/post/death-valley-adventure-route

My kids will be super excited to see Cerro Gordo in person. We've been watching the YT channel for a year+ now. (They were there a couple of years back, but were probably asleep as we drove through)

 

[All-Terrain Family]

Super interested. Mengal pass looks fun! Dedeckera Canyon is rough, but I've seen stock 4Runners do it. There's one climb that is a challenge with open diffs. But not bad. It's harder coming up from Eureka.

Tacoma is lifted, 33s and I'm getting sliders before then, hopefully.

-M

 

[All-Terrain Family]

There's dispersed camping at Eureka Dunes and Saline Valley and Racetrack. Don't know about Goler Wash.

What's the exit from Racetrack? Back down Lippencott? If you end at Eureka you're a short drive back to pavement to Big Pine.

We're in. I'll probably bring the trailer.

-M

 

[nckwltn]

Super interested. Mengal pass looks fun! Dedeckera Canyon is rough, but I've seen stock 4Runners do it. There's one climb that is a challenge with open diffs. But not bad. It's harder coming up from Eureka.

Tacoma is lifted, 33s and I'm getting sliders before then, hopefully.

-M

Climbing up Mengal is more challenging IMHO than Dedeckera. Going down each is pretty straight forward with gravity on your side

I would be surprised if a stock 4Runner had any clearance issues with either (sliders or not). Was with someone last year who took an F150 down Dedeckera steps with VERY little scraping on just one step.

There's dispersed camping at Eureka Dunes and Saline Valley and Racetrack. Don't know about Goler Wash.

What's the exit from Racetrack? Back down Lippencott? If you end at Eureka you're a short drive back to pavement to Big Pine.

We're in. I'll probably bring the trailer.

-M

There is reasonably good dispersed camping at warm springs camp for a bunch of rigs. I haven't camped in the Goler Wash area before, but I'm sure we could find a spot. I also personally like to camp at the springs (I don't partake in the hot tubs), but they at least have pit toilets, and camp fire rings (and a warm shower, albeit completely outdoors).

I don't think it would be too long of a drive to make it from Trona Pinnacles to Warm Springs Camp (with several stops) in a day's drive (granted, the sun will be setting pretty early, so we won't have a ton of daylight hours)

Google maps shows ~80 miles and ~3.5hrs indicated travel time between the two and going up Goller, down Mengal, and past striped butte to Warm Springs Camp.


From Racetrack we could go up and around hunter mountain, or drop back Saline Valley (via Lippincott) and out the south exit and make our way up to Cerro Gordo. Fuel would be a consideration if we have a Beatty fill-up as our last gas stop.

218 miles to go Beatty, Titus Canyon, Eureka, Dedeckera, Steele, Saline Valley Springs, Racetrack, Hunter Mountain, Lee Flatt, Cerro Gordo. Then it's another 20+ miles (mostly down hill) to Lone Pine or Olancha for gas.

208 miles to cut out Hunter Mountain and go back down Lippincott. Going around through hunter mountain does pass by Teakettle Junction

So much to see, so little time in the day!

 

[OTG Ben]

It's official. We're doing Death Valley instead of Black Rock. I'll send out a blast to the group just so everyone knows we're on the same page.

@nckwltn Agree, probably makes more sense to come in over Cerro Gordo. I'm guessing as long as no cold storms blow in, we should be able to get over the pass without issue?

 

[nckwltn]

It's official. We're doing Death Valley instead of Black Rock. I'll send out a blast to the group just so everyone knows we're on the same page.

@nckwltn Agree, probably makes more sense to come in over Cerro Gordo. I'm guessing as long as no cold storms blow in, we should be able to get over the pass without issue?

Are you saying start at Cerro Gordo and enter that direction?

 

[CAchief]

Hey @OTG Ben- I had to back out of Black Rock as that drive would be too much for us, but DV would work!

What are you capping this trip at #'s wise? I'm going to try and get the week off of work but likely won't know until early next week.

 

[CAchief]

Climbing up Mengal is more challenging IMHO than Dedeckera. Going down each is pretty straight forward with gravity on your side

I would be surprised if a stock 4Runner had any clearance issues with either (sliders or not). Was with someone last year who took an F150 down Dedeckera steps with VERY little scraping on just one step.




There is reasonably good dispersed camping at warm springs camp for a bunch of rigs. I haven't camped in the Goler Wash area before, but I'm sure we could find a spot. I also personally like to camp at the springs (I don't partake in the hot tubs), but they at least have pit toilets, and camp fire rings (and a warm shower, albeit completely outdoors).

I don't think it would be too long of a drive to make it from Trona Pinnacles to Warm Springs Camp (with several stops) in a day's drive (granted, the sun will be setting pretty early, so we won't have a ton of daylight hours)

Google maps shows ~80 miles and ~3.5hrs indicated travel time between the two and going up Goller, down Mengal, and past striped butte to Warm Springs Camp.


From Racetrack we could go up and around hunter mountain, or drop back Saline Valley (via Lippincott) and out the south exit and make our way up to Cerro Gordo. Fuel would be a consideration if we have a Beatty fill-up as our last gas stop.

218 miles to go Beatty, Titus Canyon, Eureka, Dedeckera, Steele, Saline Valley Springs, Racetrack, Hunter Mountain, Lee Flatt, Cerro Gordo. Then it's another 20+ miles (mostly down hill) to Lone Pine or Olancha for gas.

208 miles to cut out Hunter Mountain and go back down Lippincott. Going around through hunter mountain does pass by Teakettle Junction

So much to see, so little time in the day!

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Looks like an great route. This past February we went Titus Canyon>Ubehebe Crater>Racetrack and out Hunter Mountain. I wanted to do lippincott, but I was solo with the family and opted for Hunter Mountain. The kids got to play in the snow!

 

[All-Terrain Family]

Are you saying start at Cerro Gordo and enter that direction?

Better to start in Beatty since Titus is one way.

-M

 

[schultzp-8939]

We're excited to be going to Death Valley (finally).
Is anyone else coming from the Bay Area (Redwood City for us) and is interested in caravaning to the start?
-- Andreas

 

[OTG Ben]

We're excited to be going to Death Valley (finally).
Is anyone else coming from the Bay Area (Redwood City for us) and is interested in caravaning to the start?
-- Andreas

I'll be leaving from the North Bay (Marin / San Rafael area), most likely heading out as soon as I pick Thomas up from school. We should be on the highway by 4pm (yay for rush hour traffic!).

 

[CAchief]

Per the OTG e-mail request, I'm confirming our family of four will be participating in the Death Valley trail run

 

[schultzp-8939]

I'll be leaving from the North Bay (Marin / San Rafael area), most likely heading out as soon as I pick Thomas up from school. We should be on the highway by 4pm (yay for rush hour traffic!).

Yeah, I plan to pull the kids out of school that day. I don't like to drive at rush hour, especially on a Friday afternoon. We'll probably leave around noon or just before, depending on whether we start at Trona Pinnacles or somewhere else.