Anticrepusculars Old Stovepipe Well

[DeathValleyDazed]

Sun rise and Moon set rays mix overhead at The Old Stove Pipe Well monument as the morning light highlights the Rhyolite-Skidoo Road remains. November 2020. I have been out to the Old Stovepipe Well twice before but it was during the day when all of the colors were washed out and had not yet learned of The Rhyolite-Skidoo Road which is only visible when the morning or evening light highlights its faint shadows. Having stood on the summits of most of the surrounding mountain tops adds perspective and satisfaction to mother nature's theatre in the round.

https://youtu.be/qJ5CDucCm8c

I've seen the anticrepuscular rays once before out at the Saline Hot Springs. 

https://youtu.be/j9HyodVJ6Xw

[DAW89446]

... and had not yet learned of The Rhyolite-Skidoo Road ...

So, have you learned yet of Val Nolan’s grave? It’s on the old road leading east to the main road north up the valley. I haven’t visited Stovepipe nor Nolan’s grave since the road was closed to vehicular traffic.

You can also find segments of the old Rhyolite-Skidoo road in the canyon on the way to Daylight Pass; on the other side of Daylight Pass you can easily spot it heading straight for Rhyolite. This particular tangent was widened for use by Old Dinah, the old steam tractor displayed in front of the old Furnace Creek Ranch resort complex (I don’t know if it’s still there or where it is after the transformation of the resort).

In the canyon above Beatty Junction are remains of several of the telephone poles of the Rhyolite-Skidoo telephone line as well.

[MojaveGeek]

I haven't been out there for some years, but along the old Skidoo road on the gentle fan down from the DV Buttes the road is very clear, and straight, with some telephone wire and broken glass insulators scattered about. I recall at least one, maybe two, junked and rusted cars near where the road starts to drop into the canyon as heads over toward Stovepipe and yes more than one pole is still standing there.

[DeathValleyDazed]

You can also find segments of the old Rhyolite-Skidoo road in the canyon on the way to Daylight Pass; on the other side of Daylight Pass you can easily spot it heading straight for Rhyolite. This particular tangent was widened for use by Old Dinah, the old steam tractor displayed in front of the old Furnace Creek Ranch resort complex (I don’t know if it’s still there or where it is after the transformation of the resort).

In the canyon above Beatty Junction are remains of several of the telephone poles of the Rhyolite-Skidoo telephone line as well.

Hey DAW89446, I am unaware of Val Nolan's grave but will look into it. Thanks for the detail. I believe Old Dinah is now on the west side of the old general store at what used to be Furnace Creek but is now called The Oasis. I may someday just walk the Rhyolite-Skidoo Road?

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I recall at least one, maybe two, junked and rusted cars near where the road starts to drop into the canyon as heads over toward Stovepipe and yes more than one pole is still standing there.

Hi MG, Thanks for your notes. While unaware of the Rhyolite-Skidoo Road I was exploring the west end of the Death Valley Buttes a few years ago and happened to stumble across the road, an old car carcass and the electric/phone? line. These are screen shots of the video I took of the hike.

http://salamandersociety.com/deathvalley...ar2017.png

http://salamandersociety.com/deathvalley...wn2016.png

Like I told DA89446W, it would be fun to walk the whole road.

[MojaveGeek]

Well if you walk the whole road you'll end up in Skidoo The poles / wire were for the Rhyolite / Skidoo phone line. More of it can be found in traces on the north side of the Mesquite Dunes, and on the south side of 190 north of Mosaic Canyon. And then I'm pretty sure it went up Telephone Canyon though I don't recall seeing any remnants of it in there.

Thanks for posting the pic of the rusted out old car. Somehow I liked that one.

My very first time out there I headed toward what I thought were the Buttes but in fact it was a lower third butte a bit NW of the main ones. There is an old mine on the NE side. On some nice desert pavement there I found my first sleeping circles but I have not been able to relocate them on a later return.