PDA

View Full Version : Anyone hiked Death Valley?



flemdawg1
03-12-2010, 14:17
I'm going to Vegas next week for business, and staying over the weekend to do some BPing. Anyone have a trail/route reccomendation in DVNP?

Ladytrekker
03-12-2010, 14:22
Day 3
Death Valley National Park Awaken to the smell of fresh coffee and a hot breakfast before we begin our tour of the largest National Park in the lower 48. We'll begin at the stunning overlook at Zabrieski's Point and hike down Golden Canyon. Then it is off to Badwater Basin, the lowest spot in the U.S., at 282 BELOW sea level. Tonight, experience the silky warm waters of Tecopa Hot Springs.
http://www.adventurebus.com/death_valley_hiking_tour.htm

this is an itinerary off the adventure bus I have a friend that travels with them alot and she is going to be hiking there in Death Valley next week with this group. They will be in the National Park.

The Flatulator
03-12-2010, 14:25
I have hiked there half a dozen times. best to get a cehap trail guide or stop at the visitor center. You can't go wrong no matter what trail you take. The valley is absolutely gorgeous and there are all kinds of interesting and challenging canyon hikes (Sidewinder is a good choice) Make sure to do the "tourist" stops as well as a lot of these features are worth the drive (and crowds) to see (Badwater, Devils Golfcourse, etc) Artists Drive is nice as well. A challenging hike that takes you from below sea level to a high mountain peak (will still be snow, but easy traveling) is Telescope Peak.....Another nice hike, just over the Hoover Dam, about 2-3 miles is a nice 4-5 miles loop hike into (yes---into) a hot spring. Follows the Colorado River a short ways and then you enter a narrow canyon and have to walk through the hot springs. Only hip deep, but pretty walk out of the canyon. Lots to see and do out there. Check out this guys site. We have found some nice hikes using his info, Best part is, there are few, if any people. Red Rock Canyon is another good place to go that is close by, but more crowded. http://www.birdandhike.com/

chomp
03-12-2010, 15:00
I would not miss Slit Canyon and Fall Canyon. Slit Canyon is an unmarked hike, while Fall Canyon is pretty well established. There is really only one guidebook for the area, and its excellent. (Best guidebook I've ever used).

Anyway, here are some photos from when I was there a couple of years ago:

http://gallery.backcountry.net/chomp-deathvalley?page=1

I don't have a write up really, but there is a narrative in the photo descriptions.

flemdawg1
03-12-2010, 15:39
WOW! those photos are making me question whether a single BP loop is adequate. There seems like so much to see there.

Mrs Baggins
03-12-2010, 16:03
We stopped there on our road trip in 2007. We had our tent trailer and it was late June - - 120 degrees out. We didn't have a/c in the trailer but there was always a stiff wind so we just unzipped the sides and let the wind flow through. Stayed at Panamint Resort Campground (the term "resort" should be taken very VERY lightly here!). They have a restaurant/bar with a covered porch. We sat out there with tall cold pints of ale, under the ceiling fans, and made friends with the local roadrunner that hung out on the porch. Only had a couple of days there so we went to see Scotty's Castle (childhood dream of mine) and mostly sat on Panamint's porch and drank beer. It's the most surreal place we've ever been and we absolutely loved it! We often talk about going back, in the summer again, to soak up the heat and the beer! No other tourists around that time of year.......can't imagine what keeps 'em away in June! :)

Cookerhiker
03-12-2010, 17:06
I have been to Death Valley 3 times. Before retiring, I used to travel to Las Vegas on business so I'd take a few days off and head out there.

On my first trip in March 1991, I was camped at Stove Pipe Wells when a nightime desert sandstorm whipped up. The extremely strong winds snapped the aluminum pole of my brand-new Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight tent. I managed to rig up the tent with the broken pole. Next, the skies cleared and the full moon lit up the whole landscape like a floodlight. Very awe-inspiring.

Mostly did a series of day hikes that trip from the Valley floor up to some points on the east side. The longest was up to Dante's View; at 5,485', this meant a 5,600' elevation gain since the Valley is below sea level. Also enjoyed Artists Palatte, Sand Dunes, and Ubehebe Crater.

Next trip - also March - I drove up the west rim to Wildrose and hiked to Wildrose Peak which is over 9,400' - quite a striking contrast eco-region-wise. There's also a trail there to Telescope Peak, the highest point in the Park at over 11,000' but it was too cold to go there. I had car-camping gear but not backpacking.

My last trip was early December. In addition to the Valley, I also stopped at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fws.gov/desertcomplex/ashmeadows/) just outside the Park. What a treat! Several natural springs right in the middle of the desert providing an oasis for all kinds of wildlife. There were also some lakes created by water impoundments so I saw a ton of waterfowl.

Just responding to this thread makes me want to go again! Especially now in early Spring, the best time to be there.

tuswm
03-12-2010, 18:55
Some great stars out there.

deathening silence also.

If you have time see if you can make it up to Zion

Cookerhiker
03-12-2010, 19:10
Some great stars out there.

deathening silence also.

If you have time see if you can make it up to Zion

That's why I always liked my Las Vegas trips - not for "The Strip" or gaming etc., but because LV is an excellent base for some fantastic places. In addition to my Death Valley sojourns, I used other LV trips for trips to Zion, Bryce, Joshua Tree, and both rims of the Grand Canyon.

My last trip to LV was late Feb. '03 3 months before my retirement. After the work portion was complete, I headed to the South Rim. Phantom Ranch in the bottom was booked (kinda like Mt. LeConte - books well in advance) but I got on a waiting list. There was a (mild) snowstorm resulting in many fair-weather Phoenicians cancelling their reservations so I got a space. Hiked down from winter into spring, from 6" of snow to budding cottonwoods. Fabulous!

jersey joe
03-12-2010, 19:35
I would not miss Slit Canyon and Fall Canyon. Slit Canyon is an unmarked hike, while Fall Canyon is pretty well established. There is really only one guidebook for the area, and its excellent. (Best guidebook I've ever used).

Anyway, here are some photos from when I was there a couple of years ago:

http://gallery.backcountry.net/chomp-deathvalley?page=1

I don't have a write up really, but there is a narrative in the photo descriptions.
Great photos chomp...I gotta get out there one day!

AzWildflower
03-12-2010, 21:03
If you want to get away from people, try the Wildrose campground area. I set up my basecamp here. Lots of places to explore and trails to hike in this area. Prepare for the cold because of the elevation.

tuswm
03-12-2010, 21:30
That's why I always liked my Las Vegas trips - not for "The Strip" or gaming etc., but because LV is an excellent base for some fantastic places. In addition to my Death Valley sojourns, I used other LV trips for trips to Zion, Bryce, Joshua Tree, and both rims of the Grand Canyon.

My last trip to LV was late Feb. '03 3 months before my retirement. After the work portion was complete, I headed to the South Rim. Phantom Ranch in the bottom was booked (kinda like Mt. LeConte - books well in advance) but I got on a waiting list. There was a (mild) snowstorm resulting in many fair-weather Phoenicians cancelling their reservations so I got a space. Hiked down from winter into spring, from 6" of snow to budding cottonwoods. Fabulous!

I spend 3 to 6 months a year backpacking and the best sunset I have ever seen was on an 2 night hike in Zion. Only a couple hours from LV Go up past angels landing to the west rim trail then about a mile past the spring (only about 8 or 9 miles from the road) you get to the top or the ridge. There are a couple of camp sites there. Off the the left (west) is woods. Only about 100 yards off the trail the ridge stopps at a several thousand foot drop off with the most amazing color of sand stone over looking other islands in the sky. The west rim trail in Zion stands out in my mind as one of the most amazing hikes I have ever done. Its short, easy and amazing.

fiddlehead
03-12-2010, 21:54
I had to hitchike through there one time.
It was a tough hitch as I got dropped off out in the desert at some turnoff and had to wait there 2-3 hours before finally a German couple picked me up. All tourists and they don't stop usually.

Anyway, ran out of water and had to use my desert hiking skills and found a some cottonwood trees which lead to a small stream nearby.

I hope I never have to hitchike through there again.
(although I certainly wouldn't mind a backpacking trip away from the tourists)

flemdawg1
03-12-2010, 22:47
Some great stars out there.

deathening silence also.

If you have time see if you can make it up to Zion


I spend 3 to 6 months a year backpacking and the best sunset I have ever seen was on an 2 night hike in Zion. Only a couple hours from LV Go up past angels landing to the west rim trail then about a mile past the spring (only about 8 or 9 miles from the road) you get to the top or the ridge. There are a couple of camp sites there. Off the the left (west) is woods. Only about 100 yards off the trail the ridge stopps at a several thousand foot drop off with the most amazing color of sand stone over looking other islands in the sky. The west rim trail in Zion stands out in my mind as one of the most amazing hikes I have ever done. Its short, easy and amazing.

I thought about Zion but I hear that this time of year parts are still closed due to snow.

Cookerhiker
03-12-2010, 22:56
I thought about Zion but I hear that this time of year parts are still closed due to snow.

That may depend on the particular year. 2 years ago, I went to Bryce Canyon in early March. Bryce is higher elevation than Zion so presumably, it would have more snow. There was snow at Bryce; just enough to make everything beautiful!

Egads
03-13-2010, 07:58
I spend 3 to 6 months a year backpacking and the best sunset I have ever seen was on an 2 night hike in Zion. Only a couple hours from LV Go up past angels landing to the west rim trail then about a mile past the spring (only about 8 or 9 miles from the road) you get to the top or the ridge. There are a couple of camp sites there. Off the the left (west) is woods. Only about 100 yards off the trail the ridge stops at a several thousand foot drop off with the most amazing color of sand stone over looking other islands in the sky. The west rim trail in Zion stands out in my mind as one of the most amazing hikes I have ever done. Its short, easy and amazing.

I second Zion NP & the West Rim trail as a nice hike.

mudhead
03-13-2010, 12:22
If for some reason you are short of time, a good place, close by, to mess around is Valley of Fire State Park. Worth driving thru if nothing else.

flemdawg1
03-22-2010, 13:28
Hiked the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop. Gorgeous and quiet (except the 1st night when a rain storm came thru and the wind was howling all night.) Saw only one group of college kids off-road. Was definately a butt kicker the 2nd day going CCW with a big climb over the mountains. Then I thought I was lost and I made the right call to get back but then I saw this on the NPS website.

DO NOT try to descend the canyon that
drains beyond the dry spring at 4200 ft., (it flows
in a southeasterly direction back toward Cottonwood
Canyon). It has impassable dry falls.

http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/upload/Cottwood-Marble%20Canyons.pdf