Tacoclimber

Ryan, pencil me in. I can't totally commit at this point, because I'm not sure if I'll have the gas money for the trip, but if I can get it, and I can convince my wife, I'd love to meet you guys there. It's only about 5 hours for me, if I go through Mohave National Preserve on the way. I'm gonna see if I can talk a buddy or two into going with me, maybe we can split gas costs. Anyway, I'll post up when I know for sure one way or another...

I am sure hoping it works out, though. I've never been to DV...

jsnby

I don't really think the point of DV is to go crawling....more for the scenery. I'm SAC and will be going...if there's a fun optional obstacle, I'm there, but I'm mainly going to see the lowest point in the US at the most beautiful time of the year.

DrBeau

The place I was talking about above is the Chloride Cliffs. Here's GPS Coords:

36*41'43.40" N
116*52'48.24" W

I also forgot...there's an "easy way" (the way I mentioned earlier) and a "hard way"...although I don't know if the hard way is very hard at all (never been). If anyone else is curious I can list out the "road" names.

ecchamberlin

I would really love to make this so I will keep an eye on this thread and see if I can work it out.

Always wanted to do this run after seeing the pics from last years trip.

Sleeper

If it's between a HUGE crowd at TDS (March 3/4) or just the boys for that weekend (March 16-20) I would have to go with the Death Valley trip hands down.

slosurfer

Count me in. Last half of march should work for me. Not sure if it will be the whole fam or just me. Will have to decide then what I will be bringing.

As far as what to see, I like the idea if hangin' with TTORA, and then breakin' off and seeing whatever we didn't see with them. Really I am down with whatever, I haven't been there since I was a kid, so it is all going to be new.

salad_man

I was in Death Valley in October and it actually rained there! I would love to go back, anyway, im gonna see if I can make the trip, gas money is really the only concern so we will see. Ill keep checking in to let you guys know.

Tanto

When we went there last year, there was still SNOW on top of the mountains and we got to go through a good bit of mud and a *little* snow on one of the trails at around 6000ft or so. It was pretty cold for what I thought it was going to be, especially up at 8000ft.

Tanto

Alright, it looks like anyone who's interested in going has already responded so I think there's only a couple more questions to ask everyone:

Would you mind doing some runs with TTORA while we're out there or does everyone just want to do our own thing?

I think it would be best if we only backcountry camped one night of the trip so that the rest of the time there will be showering facilities available so it should be a little easier getting your Missus to go with you. Sound good?

slosurfer

do you have a link to the ttora run?

jsnby

the ttora run hasn't officially started a thread yet. It's on the so-cal calendar and I spoke with Darren(rubberpants) and the trip is still on. Everyone in TTORA is concerned with making the calico cleanup a success to really plan for DV right now.

Tanto

Right on, jsnby

I've PM'd Darren to hopefully get some more info on their planned run. Hopefully he'll be able to shed some light on their plans.

Scottiac

I'm on the tentatively yes list as well. I'd like to see some of the more northern features, given a chance. Everything else sounds fine.

Tanto

If the NV/CA ghost town is going to be included then it would make sense to definitely explore the Northern side. The Eureka Dunes was one place we could pretty much always see last year but didn't get a chance to get out there and from what I remember, the Ubehebe Crater and the Racetrack were in the middle so the only place so far that is in the "deep south" would be the Manson place and a lot of mines.

Photog

I will be there from March 19-23, and staying at the Furnace Springs Ranch. Will you have a starting point for the days you are there?

Tanto

Yep. Lance and DealMaker did such a good job of organizing the run last year that I'm going to emulate their style and make it so that you can know where we're going to be at each day.

Good Times

Ryan, just a correction. Pierre did all of the preplanning last year so you're gonna have to give him all of the props there. I was just the messenger that made it look pretty but moving the post to the top

Feel free to look at the previous dv trips to get a good idea on where to go. A good option that'll be different would be starting way north and working your way down to the center. This is something none of us has done before so it should be rather interesting to check out. I'm not certain on how you'll manage the fuel but it is a good recommendation to bring extra in bins/cans if you guys plan to do the north to south route.

I should have some time this weekend to pull the dv books out so I'll try to help out on the planning.

DrBeau

This actually doesn't seem like a bad idea (although it's a longer initial drive for anyone coming from the south). I know how to come in from Lone Pine. We go from the Owens Valley (395 on the way to Mammoth) over to the Eureka Valley where the road becomes dirt (and there's the Eureka Sand Dunes, although I don't know if you're allowed to drive on it), then into north Death Valley, down the Death Valley fault zone and right by Ubehebe Crater. We could then progressively move down until we end the trip in southern Death Valley near Baker, CA. Of course, this probably wouldn't be congruent to TTORA.

Tanto

That sounds good but I think that the first night should be in either Panamint Springs or Stovepipe Wells. Stovepipe wells is farther north, but Panamint is likely to be the first "town" you pass getting into DV.

I like the start from the North and work our way south but the gas issue could scrap that idea. 2 extra gas cans may turn out to be required if we decide to go that route.

Pierre may have done all the planning, but you were leading us around most of the time last year

Tanto

TTORA is probably going to stick around one of the three "towns" but I've gotta email MikeAWood on TTORA and try and get some more details. Darren is the prez but he's having Mike plan out the trip and it may turn out that TTORA joins us vice the other way around.