Death Valley Deep Dive 2024

[Beardilocks]

I came upon this site in a rather odd way. A video from an ultralight pilot flying over DV came up on my YouTube feed last year. He passed over some odd looking ruins somewhere in the eastern part of the park. After some research on Google Earth I managed to track down the location. It is just about a mile outside of the Eastern park boundary and on the opposite side of the mountain from Ryan. Or at least where Ryan is on my current maps. The old map featured below shows Ryan further east and the towns of Colemanite &Devair where Ryan should be.

I haven't had much time to research this, so feel free to comment if you know the name of the town/worksite or the use of these structures. This siding/depot/town/worksite is located right on the old Death Valley Railroad grade that went from Death Valley Junction, around the curve at the top here by this depot, and around to Ryan (or Devair on this 1910 map).


The set-up of this site is very odd. A satellite view is below. There are nearly 40 structures at the site, with 2 or 3 being larger ruins and about 36 being smaller ruins. The larger ruins I'll detail below. The smaller ruins are an odd size: remaining walls are about 2ft high and the interior space is a scant 3-4ft by 5-7ft. Not really larger enough for human occupation. The entrances generally face Southeast towards the railroad, but not all of them. In generally the placement is fairly willy-nilly, to use a technical term.

I'm struggling to come up with what these small foundations could have been used for. My best guess is explosive storage. Those were typically done in dugouts to keep them cool. But I can't think of any other reason to build 3 dozen tiny structures in one place.

Satellite view. The ruins cover about 1/4mi. Top of this image is NNE.


Old RR grade.  That took some work. 


Cleared area at the south end of the site. 


Classic purple glass maybe helps date it.


This is one of the laregr structures.  About 12-15ft wide and 15-20ft long.  Walls remain at about 4-5ft high. 





Area is covered in these old tobacco tins. 








One of the smaller structures that sits oddly far from the rest. 


Part of the central group.





The only double ruin, opening facing away from the railroad. 





This was one of the more oddly shaped smaller structures. 


There was quite a larger structure here at one one point on the north end of the site.  The opening at the front here is larger than any of the small ruins. 


Only artifact other than rusty cans and broken glass. 


Looking back from the railroad.


Entrance road and possibly remnants of a gate. 


The old railroad bed.  No drainage cuts or culverts.  Surprised it's still standing. 


This old trestle however is long gone. 





A strange old spot.  I would love to find out more about it.