death valley info.

[chicago]

Is there an easier route up to the "race track" from saline valley/ hot springs?
Gonna be doing a weekend run into the spring in a few weeks in the taco...Dont necessarily wanna take the taco over Lippencott mine trial with only ONE other rig besides myself.
Any other easy/ cool stuff to see in Saline?

K

 

[rusty_tlc]

You would have to either head out S Saline then back over Hunter Mt and over to Teakettle Jct. or head back out N Saline and in on DV road to Ubehebe Crater then on out to the race track.

Other Stuff in S Valley? Eureka Dune is cool. You could go over Steel Pass to get to the Hot Springs.

 

[chicago]

You would have to either head out S Saline then back over Hunter Mt and over to Teakettle Jct. or head back out N Saline and in on DV road to Ubehebe Crater then on out to the race track.

Other Stuff in S Valley? Eureka Dune is cool. You could go over Steel Pass to get to the Hot Springs.

How long of a trek is the N pass to ubehebe crater?
Been to Eureka dunes and steel pass numerous times on Blotch. Its bitchin back there. However, with only 2 rigs going Id be a little leary with going in or out of that route with the jagged little rock road in Saline valley leading into the springs.
Isnt there a way to access teakettle junction from Cerra Gordo and down to the race track? I seem to recall that we had done something like that?
Most of the stuff I had done had been in the Blotch rig, so nothing SEEMED that hard, but Im thinking of it in a different light with my DD, one other rig and the wives. My caution meter is a bit higher than normal.

 

[chicago]

Think I should find a map.

 

[spressomon]

Keith: The easiest way to get to Ubehebe and then on to the Racetrack is to just keep heading east on Death Valley Road...to Crankshaft Junction...then down to the road that takes you to Ubehebe and RT. Its basically a gravel road until you hit the paved portion of DV Road and then the spur that takes you up to Ubehebe.

Or if you're going to be heading there from Cerro Gordo you might want to take the highway out of Lone Pine, through Stovepipe Wells to Scotty's Castle Road and then back north to Ubehebe and the Racetrack road.

Have you been to Rhyolite?

If you're going to be there around Thanksgiving be prepared for the crowds at the springs...

 

[chicago]

Keith: The easiest way to get to Ubehebe and then on to the Racetrack is to just keep heading east on Death Valley Road...to Crankshaft Junction...then down to the road that takes you to Ubehebe and RT. Its basically a gravel road until you hit the paved portion of DV Road and then the spur that takes you up to Ubehebe.

Or if you're going to be heading there from Cerro Gordo you might want to take the highway out of Lone Pine, through Stovepipe Wells to Scotty's Castle Road and then back north to Ubehebe and the Racetrack road.

Have you been to Rhyolite?

If you're going to be there around Thanksgiving be prepared for the crowds at the springs...

About how long of a day is it to do Ubehebe crater and the race track THEN down to the springs?
Has anyone been on Lippencott mine trail that can report of some of the travel conditions of it?
Trying to think of cool spots that are stocker friendly from the Saline Valley as that will be the base camp for the weekend.
Were going the weekend AFTER SnT. Hoping the weather is decent...Itll be me and Julez, my buddy Dean (blotcher) and his wife. There was a different run scheduled with MORE of the blotchers, but wires got crossed, the guy that was organizing it bailed and then jumped back in again after Dean and I decided to go anyway etc. So the plan is to meet in Olancha at the Road house cafe EARLY, grab some grub and head in.

Thanks for the info.
Im usually just plodding along on Blotch, so Im not TOO savvy with what is where and how to get there.
Ive ALWAYS wanted to take Julie down there, so Im very excited to be able to take her.

 

[spressomon]

About how long of a day is it to do Ubehebe crater and the race track THEN down to the springs?
Has anyone been on Lippencott mine trail that can report of some of the travel conditions of it?
Trying to think of cool spots that are stocker friendly from the Saline Valley as that will be the base camp for the weekend.
Were going the weekend AFTER SnT. Hoping the weather is decent...Itll be me and Julez, my buddy Dean (blotcher) and his wife. There was a different run scheduled with MORE of the blotchers, but wires got crossed, the guy that was organizing it bailed and then jumped back in again after Dean and I decided to go anyway etc. So the plan is to meet in Olancha at the Road house cafe EARLY, grab some grub and head in.

Thanks for the info.
Im usually just plodding along on Blotch, so Im not TOO savvy with what is where and how to get there.
Ive ALWAYS wanted to take Julie down there, so Im very excited to be able to take her.

I'd allow 3/4 of a day, for a decent easy pace to get from Ubehebe, stopping and messing around at the Racetrack, down Lippincott mine trail and then on to Saline. If you are running all season tires, due to the potential for sharp rock puncture, I'd personally think twice about Lippencott...but that's me.

Haven't been on Lippincott since March. There's one sharp corner, about 1/4 the way up/3/4 the way down depending on your direction of travel that seems like one gusher away from washing out. But its been that way since I've been going...

 

[locrwln1]

About how long of a day is it to do Ubehebe crater and the race track THEN down to the springs?
Has anyone been on Lippencott mine trail that can report of some of the travel conditions of it?
Trying to think of cool spots that are stocker friendly from the Saline Valley as that will be the base camp for the weekend.
Were going the weekend AFTER SnT. Hoping the weather is decent...Itll be me and Julez, my buddy Dean (blotcher) and his wife. There was a different run scheduled with MORE of the blotchers, but wires got crossed, the guy that was organizing it bailed and then jumped back in again after Dean and I decided to go anyway etc. So the plan is to meet in Olancha at the Road house cafe EARLY, grab some grub and head in.

Thanks for the info.
Im usually just plodding along on Blotch, so Im not TOO savvy with what is where and how to get there.
Ive ALWAYS wanted to take Julie down there, so Im very excited to be able to take her.

Pretty long and really most all of the roads in the park are stocker friendly, just rough to rougher gravel roads. Unless Lippencott has washed out, it should be really easy for you. That really is going to be the "fastest" way from the springs to the racetrack and crater. With two vehicles, you could make really good time. Take lots of gas, it is minimum of 75 miles from pretty much any gas to Saline Springs. There are some serious distances out there as you know and at the speeds you are forced to do, gas goes quick.

Have you warned Julie about the walrus which hang out at the springs???

As soon as they see a female approaching the tubs, they soon follow.

Jack

 

[spressomon]

No s*** on the walruses huh! Sandy & I were there, at Saline Hot Springs, it was her first (and quite possibly her last ) and we were enjoying the soak under clear calm and dark star studded sky. We were in the big nice tub near the palm trees enjoying the night and out of nowhere...like instant Lipton soup...6-dicks jumped in.

That was the same trip there must have been a 400lb lesbo convention. Yeah...shar-pei's got nothing on those gals! I think that mental image might be burned into her memory forever. Yeah it WAS THAT BAD!

Oh yeah...and the naked runner dude that wears nothing but a small backpack and a bell. Guess where the bell is located? That's right dudes! Oh yeah and he has his dog in tow.

Nice.

Don't go there for solitude Take your dark shades just in case the walruses attack

 

[DesertLake]

Are you sure it was a bell, or was he really really dehydrated? Okay maybe thats more like a rattle.

 

[chicago]

LOL!
Julie is aware of the clothing optional part of the springs. We all plan on remaining CLOTHED (bathing suits as I ALWAYS DO) in the springs as well.
I told her that its a bunch of old hippies out there which is TOTALLY true. Shouldnt be a big deal. Now watch...the sweedish bikini team with be out there for the weekend and Ill be banned from Blotch for LIFE.
Last year I brought 2 jerry cans of fuel and didnt even come close to needing it.
My concern of lippencott is the fact that I was running the 62 last time which made many trails SEEM easy, so now Im having trouble remembering weather or not it was difficult or not.
I DO RECALL a nasty wash out RIGHT AFTER a tight switch back that got me puckerin a bit. The rest seemed somewhat un eventful. It CANT be any harder than S.Park canyon, no? I ran that last year in the taco and had NO issues what so ever.
So as youre dropping in to S pass off Death valley road is Lippencott mine BEFORE the springs turn off or after?

Thanks for all the input gents.

 

[chicago]

Are you sure it was a bell, or was he really really dehydrated? Okay maybe thats more like a rattle.

LOL!

Now there you go AGAIN Will with the FUNNY SH!T!

Nice!

 

[spressomon]

LOL!
Julie is aware of the clothing optional part of the springs. We all plan on remaining CLOTHED (bathing suits as I ALWAYS DO) in the springs as well.
I told her that its a bunch of old hippies out there which is TOTALLY true. Shouldnt be a big deal. Now watch...the sweedish bikini team with be out there for the weekend and Ill be banned from Blotch for LIFE.
Last year I brought 2 jerry cans of fuel and didnt even come close to needing it.
My concern of lippencott is the fact that I was running the 62 last time which made many trails SEEM easy, so now Im having trouble remembering weather or not it was difficult or not.
I DO RECALL a nasty wash out RIGHT AFTER a tight switch back that got me puckerin a bit. The rest seemed somewhat un eventful. It CANT be any harder than S.Park canyon, no? I ran that last year in the taco and had NO issues what so ever.
So as youre dropping in to S pass off Death valley road is Lippencott mine BEFORE the springs turn off or after?

Thanks for all the input gents.

South Park is a quite a bit more challenging than anything typically on Lippincott. From South Pass the turn off to Lippincott is before Saline turn-off. Its 9-3/4 miles north of the intersection of Saline Valley Road and the Hunter Mountain Trail. So you'll know it when, from the Hunter Mountain Trail intersection, you'll go down Grapevine Canyon, which has some switchbacks and you can see the Saline Valley floor...the next right (and only right turn on this stretch) after you get down the switchbacks and then a couple miles after the road straightens out is Lippincott.

 

[spressomon]

Are you sure it was a bell, or was he really really dehydrated? Okay maybe thats more like a rattle.

Didn't want to look. Didn't want to know

 

[450 DUDE]

Im thinking you should be fine going down Lipincott into the springs.

Im planning to be in the springs around that time and maybe even hit the 49er festival. http://www.deathvalley49ers.org/

I might have to hit you guys for details on the route we took over the White mountains , that was pretty sweet.

ken

 

[chicago]

Im thinking you should be fine going down Lipincott into the springs.

Im planning to be in the springs around that time and maybe even hit the 49er festival. Home

I might have to hit you guys for details on the route we took over the White mountains , that was pretty sweet.

ken

Sahweet.
well be at the spring Friday afternoon...Most likely around the upper springs.
If you happen down there, come look for us.

 

[chicago]

Didn't want to look. Didn't want to know

Yeah..you definitely see some interesting stuff there at the springs.

 

[Kofoed]

Death Valley National Park - Road Conditions (U.S. National Park Service) <--link

Coming in from Cerro Gordo you will encounter this washout listed for the South Pass Road. Word is the road is REALLY closed (impassable) and they are grading it, but may not be ready fpor you .

The Inyo County Road Department 760 878-0202

Stop sweating Lippincott.

Head up Lippincott from SV, you'll know pretty fast if the road is washed out--which happens to the portion on the valley floor. Then you could go around Hunter Mtn via Tea Kettle Junction and back in through the south pass road if you wanted. Going through North Pass and around to the Ubehebe Crater is a LONG way without any gas available, plus the road leading to the Racetrack gets severly wash-boarded.

blotch-on

 

[chicago]

Death Valley National Park - Road Conditions (U.S. National Park Service) <--link

Coming in from Cerro Gordo you will encounter this washout listed for the South Pass Road. Word is the road is REALLY closed (impassable) and they are grading it, but may not be ready fpor you .

The Inyo County Road Department 760 878-0202

Stop sweating Lippincott.

Head up Lippincott from SV, you'll know pretty fast if the road is washed out--which happens to the portion on the valley floor. Then you could go around Hunter Mtn via Tea Kettle Junction and back in through the south pass road if you wanted. Going through North Pass and around to the Ubehebe Crater is a LONG way without any gas available, plus the road leading to the Racetrack gets severly wash-boarded.

blotch-on

I do recall the washboard going to the RT from teakettle. I think that is where I lost that caliper bolt that one year on Blotch.

Thanks for posting up Kofoed.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Keep your eyes peeled for an 80 series right rear fender flare in-between the Race track and Ubehebe...

Effen wash board.