Planning a trip to Death Valley. Suggestions?

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msahr

msahr

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My sons and I are doing a "Dad and the Boys" wheeling/camping/sightseeing etc. trip to Death Valley right after Christmas. Planning to enter from the east and do the one-way canyon into the park. High points are Racetrack Playa, Ubehebe Crater, don't particularly care about Scotty's Castle... Furnace Creek and the airport for the below-sea-level altitude indication on the GPS... If you've been, I'd appreciate your ideas.
 
One of the coolest drives in Death Valley is from the race track down the Lippincott Mine road into Saline Valley. http://www.desertusa.com/mag99/july/stories/race2.html
I did it years ago (1980s) in my 2wd toyota PU pulling a dirt bike trailer but that was down only. No way I would have made it back up.
Back then, Saline was not in the National Monument, now it is. Nice hot springs soaking tubs in Saline :cheers:.
Post pics when you get back.
Eric
 
Dad and Boys - depending on age of the boys, you may not want to visit Saline Hot Springs itself. :eek: The two natural hot springs there are clothing optional. ;) If you choose not to do Lippencott from Racetrack to Saline, you can backtrack from the Racetrack to Tea Kettle Junction and go up and over Hunter Mountain - snow closure dependent of course! Those are the two routes out from Racetrack unless you want to backtrack the 20-25 miles to Ubehebe. Ugh!

One way canyon you referring - Titus Canyon? Beautiful drive. If you haven't done Scotty's Castle, I would recommend it. I enjoyed the basic house tour and would go back for the behind the scenes tour.

Lots of DV trip threads on Expo Portal in the CA/NV section with loads of great info.
 
Just got back from Death Valley. Ran through Titus Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon (in and out), awesome run up to Defense Mine (hardest trail I've been on in DV) and the mine is really cool, hundreds of feet of ladders to explore all levels of an abandoned mine. Also did a day trip out to Hole(s) in the Rock. Exited DV via Goler Wash, Mengel Pass, and camped near the Geologist Cabin. DV is a cool place to check out. I would suggest the Panamint Valley side, more trails and less tourists.
 
Great! Thanks. How was the camping. Oh and one of my kids is 24, the other 17. So the clothing optional deal... nah.
 
msahr said:
Great! Thanks. How was the camping. Oh and one of my kids is 24, the other 17. So the clothing optional deal... nah.
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Camping was good. Highest elevation was 4300 ft and it was maybe 40 at night. This was just this last Sunday night. Perfect temps and no wind while I was there. Might be a little muddy now if they got some of that SoCal rain system. I would visit the hot springs, I have a few images permanently burned into my brain after my last trip there (not good ones), but it is interesting to see this group of older folks seemingly living out there.
 
we decided not to risk it in a rental Jimmy on Mengel Pass 15 years ago (plus, there was a guy with a shot gub living at the entrance to it) - other than that, I second a trip into Saline Valley - much less traffic than Death Valley proper
 
DSRTRDR said:
we decided not to risk it in a rental Jimmy on Mengel Pass 15 years ago (plus, there was a guy with a shot gub living at the entrance to it) - other than that, I second a trip into Saline Valley - much less traffic than Death Valley proper
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I had a shot gub a few years ago - man did it hurt! :rimshot:
 
Local sources tell me Steele pass heading toward Saline Hot springs is a really good trip, you get fly bys from China Lake at the hot springs and also check out eureka sand dunes, lots of things to see.
 
Is Steele pass doable with a M101CDN spring over offroad trailer? I know Lippencott has one 'suspect' hairpin turn issue.
 
Pulled our Horizon from the Hot Springs through Steele Pass to the Dunes a few years back with no issues. Your M101 should do fine. I place more faith in my M101 than than the AT.
 
I guess there are shrines to Elvis up some of the canyons near Saline hot springs, its a pretty interesting area.
 
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