Am I asking for it, visiting Death Valley in July? What PM is needed to even consider it?

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https://goo.gl/maps/Q4NHe3puXbH2

Here's a loosely laid route (without DV); South Texas is also a big maybe. Adds a lot of miles to the trip but I'm better the grub is pretty good.

What I'm taking away is the Cruiser has got this, which I supposed was to be expected :bounce:

Good call on the brakes, @mechanist . I do have an issue with my passenger side front caliper; I think one of the bolts is stripped.
 
https://goo.gl/maps/Q4NHe3puXbH2

Here's a loosely laid route (without DV); South Texas is also a big maybe. Adds a lot of miles to the trip but I'm better the grub is pretty good.

What I'm taking away is the Cruiser has got this, and I may not. Which I supposed was to be expected :bounce:

Good call on the brakes, @mechanist . I do have an issue with my passenger side front caliper; I think one of the bolts is stripped.

FIFY :doh:
 
As several others have said, DV in July and August is not where you want to go exploring. Many of the more fun places to go are outside cell service coverage on remote roads that few travel on during the summer months. So if your 80 breaks down and you get stranded, it can literally become a life and death situation very quickly. Spring and fall are the best times for DV, with many predicting that this spring promises a plethora of flower blooms due to all the rain we've had in California. And not to belabor the point, but here's a sad story of some German tourists that went to a remote part of DV in mid-July: The Hunt for the Death Valley Germans.
 
If going, go at the beginning of the month. End of July and all of August are brutal. Secondly, if you go, travel in the mornings and shut down by 1 PM. Mornings, in comparison, won't be that bad.

Notes:
  • The ground will soak up heat and retain it longer as the season goes on. June, in reality, won't be that bad, especially in the mornings. As the summer drags, mornings will become nasty quickly. In DV there may be days in the summer the temp never drops below 100.
  • As you get into late July and August the monsoon season kicks in here in the southwest. Humidity increases, which will drop the daytime highs but, make no mistake, it is even worse. Especially the mornings. You may not get rain, but an increase in humidity of 10% at these temps is just plain nasty!
  • Traveling after noon is a mistake. Avoid it unless it is an emergency. In the southwest construction work starts as early as 2 AM to avoid the heat. Most contractors will start at first light, roughly 4:30, but no later than 5:30, and be done by 2 PM. Follow their lead, they are experienced in working in the heat, both physically and mechanically.
  • Bring gloves! Durable ones. I would bring a mechanics set and leathers for working on winch cable etc. All metals, especially where exposed to sunlight, will be brutally hot. Unprotected skin will be burned if coming into contact with it.
  • Bring long sleeve shirts, same as above. Will also protect from sunburn.
  • Install a new battery. Heat kills them and quickly. Batteries typically only last two years here. I would have two if doing this.
  • Battery operated fans will be helpful, especially if camping.
  • Look at Landcruiser Phil's write up "Hot drivers feet? This may be your fix." Hot drivers feet? This may be your fix.
  • If you don't have hood vents, consider installing them.
  • Consider window tint if you don't have it. Get a higher quality tint vs a darker tint. Dark tint it is much more difficult to see out of at night, especially to the rear and sides.
  • Bring a couple tarps. Set up tarps early to shade the ground from the sun. Once the ground soaks up the sunlight, it will act like a radiator. Also, if there is a breakdown, working in the shade will be huge.
  • Bring water and lots of it! We are not talking bottles, we are talking gallons. I would bring no less than 20 gallons. Each person will need 3 gallons of water per day in the heat. Avoid alcohol!
  • Don't go alone. Then, I would encourage going with a friend, in a separate vehicle.
Finally one last word of advice. Knowing of a hazard and avoiding it is prudent. Summer heat in the southwest is nothing to mess around with, especially if you are not used to it and don't have experience with it. Heat exhaustion which can lead quickly to heat stroke and is deadly serious. breakdown of equipment is serious in these conditions. Knowing what to do to protect yourself is terribly important. I personally would avoid the trip. If you do decide to go however, do your homework and read up about surviving in the heat.
 
If going, go at the beginning of the month. End of July and all of August are brutal. Secondly, if you go, travel in the mornings and shut down by 1 PM. Mornings, in comparison, won't be that bad.

Notes:
  • The ground will soak up heat and retain it longer as the season goes on. June, in reality, won't be that bad, especially in the mornings. As the summer drags, mornings will become nasty quickly. In DV there may be days in the summer the temp never drops below 100.
  • As you get into late July and August the monsoon season kicks in here in the southwest. Humidity increases, which will drop the daytime highs but, make no mistake, it is even worse. Especially the mornings. You may not get rain, but an increase in humidity of 10% at these temps is just plain nasty!
  • Traveling after noon is a mistake. Avoid it unless it is an emergency. In the southwest construction work starts as early as 2 AM to avoid the heat. Most contractors will start at first light, roughly 4:30, but no later than 5:30, and be done by 2 PM. Follow their lead, they are experienced in working in the heat, both physically and mechanically.
  • Bring gloves! Durable ones. I would bring a mechanics set and leathers for working on winch cable etc. All metals, especially where exposed to sunlight, will be brutally hot. Unprotected skin will be burned if coming into contact with it.
  • Bring long sleeve shirts, same as above. Will also protect from sunburn.
  • Install a new battery. Heat kills them and quickly. Batteries typically only last two years here. I would have two if doing this.
  • Battery operated fans will be helpful, especially if camping.
  • Look at Landcruiser Phil's write up "Hot drivers feet? This may be your fix." Hot drivers feet? This may be your fix.
  • If you don't have hood vents, consider installing them.
  • Consider window tint if you don't have it. Get a higher quality tint vs a darker tint. Dark tint it is much more difficult to see out of at night, especially to the rear and sides.
  • Bring a couple tarps. Set up tarps early to shade the ground from the sun. Once the ground soaks up the sunlight, it will act like a radiator. Also, if there is a breakdown, working in the shade will be huge.
  • Bring water and lots of it! We are not talking bottles, we are talking gallons. I would bring no less than 20 gallons. Each person will need 3 gallons of water per day in the heat. Avoid alcohol!
  • Don't go alone. Then, I would encourage going with a friend, in a separate vehicle.
Finally one last word of advice. Knowing of a hazard and avoiding it is prudent. Summer heat in the southwest is nothing to mess around with, especially if you are not used to it and don't have experience with it. Heat exhaustion which can lead quickly to heat stroke and is deadly serious. breakdown of equipment is serious in these conditions. Knowing what to do to protect yourself is terribly important. I personally would avoid the trip. If you do decide to go however, do your homework and read up about surviving in the heat.

Very well said!

Treat summer in the desert like it's fall in the mountains. Layer up with cotton outer and synthetic under. Long sleeves. Long pants. Wide brimmed hat. The same clothing that keeps you warm on the mountain will help keep you cool in the desert. Not shorts. No short sleeved shirts. And for the love of God no sandals or flip flops - it's not the beach.
 
I go to the Mojave (same climate as Death Valley) to ride ohv a lot. Most camping is exposed. If you plan on driving thru and staying in motels the 80 will be fine. If your plan is to cross off-road and camp in the desert, your going to be miserable. The heat is unbearable for camping. We never go to the desert after Memorial Day.
 
So Death Valley is a big place, and the most interesting places are not in the Valley. Most of them are at significant elevation. It's about 3 degrees cooler per 1000 feet elevation so you would go from 115F peak temps to say 100F peak temp if you camp at 5000 feet. Still pretty hot for a camping trip where there is basically no shade.

It's doable if you know where to go, but really, I'd save that trip for late October or early November which is my favorite time to go there. If you have half a lick of common sense, you are not going to die in Death Valley. Take a lot of water (like 4X your estimate of need) and enjoy. I'd take a shade structure or awning, big hats, and wear long sleeve t-shirts. Get up early, travel at first light, and settle in at elevation by noon. You'll be fine. You'll still be hot at 4 pm, so drink an extra beer.
 
A cot is really the way to camp in hot weather.....and it is 5 to 5.5 degrees per 1000 feet temp drop (dry adiabatic lapse rate ;) )

Mohageny Flats and Thorndike get full fast....
 

Ok, ok, DV is out. Cruiser can hang (maybe). Humans less so. Got it. Thanks for all the responses!

I still gotta go south though. I've been stuck in the Northeast for three years. No way I'm gonna bring a stitch of warm clothing on this trip :cool:. I can always change the plan on the fly but DV was extreme.:cheers:

I'll pop over to the appropriate sections for route planning. I'm looking forward to this quite a bit!
 
Ok, ok, DV is out. Cruiser can hang (maybe). Humans less so. Got it. Thanks for all the responses!

I still gotta go south though. I've been stuck in the Northeast for three years. No way I'm gonna bring a stitch of warm clothing on this trip :cool:. I can always change the plan on the fly but DV was extreme.:cheers:

I'll pop over to the appropriate sections for route planning. I'm looking forward to this quite a bit!

Sierra Nevadas in July will be amazing. June mountain is usually not too crowded, then you can cut South and explore along the PCH. Just don't linger too long on the boardwalk at pacific beach in San Diego or you'll never leave.
 
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Honestly people scare me... The op asked a genuine question so im not directing this at him but i honestly get scared by peoples naiveté .

I am from WA state but had to live in West Phoenix (Sonoran desert) for 3 and a half years for work. 120 in the shade was very common and the average person simply cant understand this environment without having lived it.

It was so bad that i could see my buildings suck moisture out of my body like an evil wraith when i touched them! It was soo hot that all one would have to do to kill someone is take them for a car ride with distracting conversation and no water. We literally would not drive 5 minutes away (in town) without water for fear of a breakdown or dizziness. Some of these affects diminish slightly after climatising but don't be fooled about locals cuz as far as i could tell the BULK of the culture down there was people running from one AC to the next.
Ac repairmen were like drug dealers how in demand they were and one was sure to kiss their butt if one was smart.

Most the people i met did their outdoors stuff in the winter or other but not summer and in fact after becoming intimate with the desert i now realize that 95 percent of all movies that have these beautiful desert shots were in fact filmed in the winter..Smart idea-

Now i will say that we as a species have invented some pretty nice gadgets to help us ,and people use those things all the time to go to crazy places but what happens when things dont go as planned? Plan all you want but if a person isnt prepared FULLY a person is dumb.

Its kind of like when i traverse my mountains up here and i see some trendy slackjaws waaaay out in the backcountry, miles from any road, and notice they are wearing gear that is more appropriate for a city park . These people have absolutely no clue what danger their in or a clue as to what danger they put the rescuer (could be me) in. Patagonia or somebody encourages them to buy such minimal gear that they know damn well was only ever meant for professional day-climbing fast attack groups and has VERY little to do with a complete mountain kit. Anyone can go read a mountaineering guide classroom textbook (mountaineering freedom of the hills -top recommended) and see that a responsible outdoorsman balances weight with safety.

All this to say that there is a reason that the phrase blind spot exists.

Is the trip possible tho? Yes,tho i REALLY like the prior post mentioning the sierras trip alot more.
 
Yes well also id like to say that as soon as i got my low mile cruiser i proceeded to spare no expense replacing ALL components of the cooling system sans the radiator which was immaculate.
Thanx to this site i gleaned the cooling system (improperly serviced) is probably the biggest weakness to our otherwise superior platform. FYI i was gonna keep the og heater control too until i inspected it further under light and noticed micro cracks in the plastic... Better to just replace that 20 year plastic no?
:skull:
 
If you are looking for some fantastic scenery and extremely different landscapes I can highly recommend central and northern Arizona and southern Utah. First the NORTH rim of the grand canyon. At 8,000 feet it will be cooler (70s) but, less than 10% of the people who visit the canyon go to the north rim, far more intimate. From here going north there is the grand staircase, Zion and Bryce Canyon. Southern Utah will be warmer, 90s and 100s but far more hospitable than DV. I spent a few days up there last summer. WOW! Fantastic scenery and 4 wheeling opportunities. This area should be on everyone's bucket list.

On the southern end of this area you can visit the Flagstaff area which includes Sedona, the south rim of the Canyon, Walnut canyon, Wapatki national monument and Sunset crater, the Verde Valley, Prescott and Crown King. Elevations between 5,000 and 8,000 feet. Temps in the summer between 110 (Sedona and the Verde) to the 80s at the canyon and Flagstaff. The area has good outdoor opportunities and, if you want to stay in a hotel or eat out, FAR better access to restaurants and good food. I live in the Phoenix metro area but also lived in Prescott and Flagstaff. I have become numb, to some degree, to the scenery so I would place this second to the North Rim and Utah. Note: I stay away from the south rim of the canyon in summer. Too crowded. Unless you take the train from Williams up and stay the night which is fun.

Both will have areas where you can be out of the heat or cold. In fact Flagstaff you can easily camp at elevations of 9,000 feet or higher if it is getting too warm for you. You can also camp in the Flagstaff or Prescott areas and run day trips to Sedona and the Verde, or even the Canyon. Best of both worlds because you can cool off at the end of the day.

One warning, it is monsoon season starting in July. Storms can be frequent and can rain you out of exploration at times. Humidity is up but temps, especially in the mountains, can drop to the upper 50s after a storm and it is a treat. Just come prepared, summer/fall is excellent time to visit these areas.

Just my cents worth...
 
So: y'all mean to tell me that one can't drive a Toyota 80-series Landcruiser through Death Valley in the summer?
Superior platform - really? Because it will simply overheat? So the 80 is not what it's made out to be on this board?

Mind you, I said 'drive through', on blacktop roads, not 'wheeling somewhere...

I've done that, by the way, many years ago, in my old K5, with the A/C broken... and the sights still were beautiful. I still remember looking out over the dunes at nightfall.

And as for this whining about the desert heat in AZ.... Take plenty of water, open the windows, and realize how different the desert smells in the summer. I've been out several times last summer, so what if it's 110°F in the truck - I thoroughly enjoyed having the desert to myself, and not having to deal with all those KOH-Wannabe UTV pilots on the trails. Wouldn't want to have missed those days, and hope to go again this summer.

Now, would I want to camp under these conditions - no. On that DV trip, we stayed in the Furnace Creek Inn, and had a great time.

In the desert heat, you'll live as long as you have water, and a little bit shelter to get away from the direct sun.

Anyways, to the OP: I could think of significantly more scenic routes for that trip.
 
Skip RavenTai? I thought that was a nice mod. I have OBDII with Dashcommand so I get a (close to) real time read out of coolant temps on the head unit or phone. Is Koso an improvement over this method in form or function?

Koso isn't any better than a Dashcommand, and in that case you definitely don't need the raventai mod. Just monitor temps closely on the DC on climbs and in high heat.

https://goo.gl/maps/Q4NHe3puXbH2
Here's a loosely laid route (without DV); South Texas is also a big maybe. Adds a lot of miles to the trip but I'm better the grub is pretty good.

Hueco tanks is right along 62/180 east of El Paso and has some great topography and rock art. It'll be a ghost town in July.. but lots of shade, history, and a really cool place to check out. If you want to get on some gravel you can even head up past white sands monument through alamogordo, up the mountain into cloudcroft (legit 10k feet alpine stuff), then head south through the military reservation into east el Paso. It is desert but a whole lot less hot than DV
 
So: y'all mean to tell me that one can't drive a Toyota 80-series Landcruiser through Death Valley in the summer?
Superior platform - really? Because it will simply overheat? So the 80 is not what it's made out to be on this board?

Mind you, I said 'drive through', on blacktop roads, not 'wheeling somewhere...

I've done that, by the way, many years ago, in my old K5, with the A/C broken... and the sights still were beautiful. I still remember looking out over the dunes at nightfall.

And as for this whining about the desert heat in AZ.... Take plenty of water, open the windows, and realize how different the desert smells in the summer. I've been out several times last summer, so what if it's 110°F in the truck - I thoroughly enjoyed having the desert to myself, and not having to deal with all those KOH-Wannabe UTV pilots on the trails. Wouldn't want to have missed those days, and hope to go again this summer.

Now, would I want to camp under these conditions - no. On that DV trip, we stayed in the Furnace Creek Inn, and had a great time.

In the desert heat, you'll live as long as you have water, and a little bit shelter to get away from the direct sun.

Anyways, to the OP: I could think of significantly more scenic routes for that trip.
The cruiser is superior , the post above clearly delineates an improperly serviced cooling system from one that is serviced. The cooling system being the weak link is relative to the fact that these engines can go 400000 miles and the rubber just wears out over time. The cooling hoses etc. need to be updated if they havnt been. Driving through 100 times is no problem and my warnings were for offroad camping and idiocy.
 

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