Death Valley

(2023-01-09, 08:12 AM)MojaveGeek Wrote: [ -> ]That road looks pretty gnarly!  How was the road as far as Owl Hole Spring?

Definitely a good call on snowy Telescope / Panamints.  It's got the right shape.    But yes, amazing visability.

With the recent rains, there's probably snow all along the Panamints north to Wildrose, any beyond that that you've seen in your travels?

The road from 127 to the military gate (just past Owl Spring) is fine.  The military takes good care of that section.  The wash is heavily rearranged btw the spring and the old ore bin near the top of the mine Rd.   

I haven’t seen any snow outside of the Panamints.  But with North Rd still closed I can’t speak for much of the park.

I didn’t include these photos in my Lemoigne Canyon post because, at the time, I was still trying to figure out what the heck it was.  I finally have some data on that!  According to an old blog post I found by Ski3pins, it’s the base hardware for the “street” signs added to various places in DV in about 1900-1906.  I had found one previously in Blackwater Wash where the old road/trail crossed the wash mouth.  Others still exist in Cottonwood/Marble Canyons and I’m sure other out of the way places.  

This one was near the confluence of the old Native American/prospector trail from Emigrant and Lemoigne Rd.  The awesome enameled sign that denoted direction and distance to landmarks was stolen long ago by someone unfortunately.   





Linking Ski3pins post for more info:
http://ski3pin.blogspot.com/2016/04/chas...4.html?m=1

That's an interesting link. It would have been cool to see the sign on that plate. There is a pole, no plate, up the Dry Fork of Blackwater as well. I'm guessing it was on an old motor rout to Skidoo, but there's also hints of a road and a couple of rusted out vehicles from the Dry Fork to Harrisburg. My hiking companions doubted when I suggested that the driveable route went down to the valley floor, but coming upon the (vacant) sign post convinced them. It would have pointed one way to Skidoo (that's the way we went) and the other to Harrisburg. We took the Skidoo side, and then walked the old pipeline back to Harrisburg where we had parked. Nice day hike.

Breadilocks, thank you for the link to our blog. Julie and I, off and on, continue to search for remains of the 100 or so desert water signs placed by Inyo County that were mandated by the California legislature in the beginnings of the 1900's. We've also enjoyed searches for the old trail up cottonwood that crosses Hunter Hunter and continues on to Keeler.

DAW, here, has helped me with his information gleaned from years of scouring local newspapers archives. Thanks DAW!

Your rig has a ring of familiarity to me. We may have seen it as we made a trip to DVNP at xmas time.

We were also up LeMoigne Canyon - yet again - in mid November. Details can be found on our blog.

I am, very much, enjoying your trip story and photography. Thank you!

(2023-01-10, 11:00 AM)ski3pin Wrote: [ -> ]Breadilocks, thank you for the link to our blog. Julie and I, off and on, continue to search for remains of the 100 or so desert water signs placed by Inyo County that were mandated by the California legislature in the beginnings of the 1900's. We've also enjoyed searches for the old trail up cottonwood that crosses Hunter Hunter and continues on to Keeler.

Wow, I didn't know there were that many of those signs! That's neat. Good luck on your searching!

(2023-01-10, 12:52 PM)Kauri Wrote: [ -> ]

(2023-01-10, 11:00 AM)ski3pin Wrote: [ -> ]Breadilocks, thank you for the link to our blog. Julie and I, off and on, continue to search for remains of the 100 or so desert water signs placed by Inyo County that were mandated by the California legislature in the beginnings of the 1900's. We've also enjoyed searches for the old trail up cottonwood that crosses Hunter Hunter and continues on to Keeler.

Wow, I didn't know there were that many of those signs! That's neat. Good luck on your searching!

I feel like one midway between Cottonwood Spring and the Marble route divide went missing in between my two times there.  It was off the post and lying below the first time in 2016

Wow, I didn't know there were that many of those signs! That's neat. Good luck on your searching!
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I feel like one midway between Cottonwood Spring and the Marble route divide went missing in between my two times there.  It was off the post and lying below the first time in 2016
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And that is a shame. Why can't people just leave historic items in place? It breaks my heart. Yup, preaching to the choir here. I saw a photo of the enameled sign that was at Jackass Spring sitting in the window of an old building, maybe in Keeler. I thought it was in my files but I've been unable to find it. The bottom of the post is still in place there.

Enough interrupting of Breadilocks trip story

(2023-01-10, 11:00 AM)ski3pin Wrote: [ -> ]We were also up LeMoigne Canyon - yet again - in mid November. Details can be found on our blog.

I have come across your blog now and then in researching DV stuff but hadn't seen it in a while. I just read the entry about finding the body and using the InReach. Clearly this is an excellent example of why it is useful to have two-way comms out there (I have an InReach as well) - you wouldn't want a chopper showing up to extricate you when you were reporting something like that. I've seen in one of their online videos that it's also fine to even send a message if you simply run out of gas - again, because you can explain the nature of the emergency. I've never hit that button, but heard several stories from people like you who did.

I quite enjoyed finding that trashed wagon - it was a piece of work with various repairs over the years - but had not heard that it was rumored to be LeMoigne's. Interesting tidbit, thanks.

And... you're not the only 70 yr old who lurks here

(2023-01-10, 11:00 AM)ski3pin Wrote: [ -> ]Breadilocks, thank you for the link to our blog. Julie and I, off and on, continue to search for remains of the 100 or so desert water signs placed by Inyo County that were mandated by the California legislature in the beginnings of the 1900's. We've also enjoyed searches for the old trail up cottonwood that crosses Hunter Hunter and continues on to Keeler.

DAW, here, has helped me with his information gleaned from years of scouring local newspapers archives.  Thanks DAW!

Your rig has a ring of familiarity to me. We may have seen it as we made a trip to DVNP at xmas time.

We were also up LeMoigne Canyon - yet again - in mid November. Details can be found on our blog.

I am, very much, enjoying your trip story and photography. Thank you!

Hey ski3pin!  It’s entirely possible we crossed paths!  I was in the central part of the park for Xmas.  LOTS of traffic.  I’m definitely going to dive deeper into your blog. Say hi if you pass through again and see me.

And everyone feel free to interrupt!  This thread is very free form and my goal of trying to post semi-live is to pick up new things, get interpretations and advice, and change tack to cool stuff whenever I can.

In my research on history and pre-history in Death Valley I recently came across this list of excavated Native American gravesites.  It’s really good reminder that we walk on sacred ground out here and there’s often NO trace of these graves left for us to be aware of.  And who knows how many might still remain unexcavated in the park. 

Just a reminder to always be respectful out there. 

https://www.federalregister.gov/document...objects-in