Sort of like Rango’s sudden arrival in the desert – not even Death Valley but the Mojave.
Wife and I visit DV every February. The lodging and dining is overpriced, so we get the cheapest room we can, bring our own food and a small microwave.
Our favorite hike is the Golden Canyon loop. Another is a beautiful slot canyon, just 1-6 feet wide, off of Sidewinder Canyon.
Thanks for the tip, @Capn_Carl. Is that Willow Canyon? We’ve not made it down to either Sidewinder Canyon or the other features south of Badwater. Looks like we need to add that.
It’s not Willow. Willow shares the same parking lot as Sidewinder. Willow is north, Sidewinder south.
I don’t think the slot canyon has a name. IIRC, as we hike up Sidewinder Canyon, it’s the 3rd narrow, cavelike opening on the right. The other two are kind of neat, but not as narrow or long as the 3rd.
I’ve backpacked, bicycled and hunted wildflowers in DV, though it’s been a few years, and I’ve definitely not seen it all. Not surprising, once you think about it, is that it used to be a lake. On certain wet years there can be enough water to paddle a kayak around. I think the last might have been 2010.
My question is where’s a good place for a telescope? I know the whole thing is a dark sky site, but I’d like to find a spot at higher elevation with decent road access. Dantes’ point would be fine, but anybody gone higher?
You might think this would be, but you’d have to hike up with your telescope on your back. I think the name is largely theoretical.
I’ve not gone higher, but Rogers Peak is accessible by 4wd and courage and skill, and it is at 10,003 feet, nearly twice as high as Dante’s View at about 5500 feet.
Of course Telescope Peak would be even higher at 11,049 feet, but you’d have to carry your telescope up over 3000 more feet from the trailhead, and 7 miles of trail
We’ve just decided that a camping trip to DVNP should occur at the beginning of March. Thanks for this thread which I’ve bookmarked to be checked when figuring our plans.
I hope you let us know your plans and then give us a report after the trip!
I haven’t been to Death Valley specifically but I spent a few weeks in the Mojave at Ft. Irwin in 1996. The landscapes are amazing, and in the full moon it’s magical and other-worldly.
But quite hot and dry. Any clothing you didn’t wash daily ended up developing these huge crusts of salt.
I meant to come back and do a trip report, but then forgot about it.
Thanks so much for these suggestions!
The boys loved Mosaic canyon, especially the second half after you scramble up and around the rockfall. Super fun, and something they had never done before. We went to Ubehebe but it was much colder (higher) than I expected so the boys were under-dressed. My wife and I hiked up to the small crater and took in some views while the boys huddled in the car.
They also had a great time playing in the sand dunes and hiking down in the washes below Zabriskie point. Oh, and the snow was falling on Dante’s peak so the view was lousy but it was certainly bizarre to be standing in a snow storm looking down at the hottest place in North America. And the short hike up to the better view was something my wife had to handle - my fear of heights was already kicking in.
The quick stop at Red Rock Canyon during the drive back to Vegas was very cool too. I was sad we didn’t have time to do much hiking there.
Because of Ubehebe Crater I’ve learned two new words: phreatic, and maars.
From wiki:
“Geologists call the resulting large steam explosions hydrovolcanic or phreatic eruption and the pits created are known as maars.”