Ten Days In Death Valley - Volume One

[DeathValleyDazed]

Heading home Tuesday 12/21/2021 from a glorious tern days in the park. With the short days and longer nights I was able to process some video-reports which will be posted in random order as some will not complete until after the holidays. Here's volume one which include three videos. (This forum only allows three video links per post.) I hope you enjoy watching half as much as I enjoyed creating them. 

I purposely rented a Farabee Jeep to drive right into the predicted storm on Tuesday 12/14/2021 and was so glad because here's what turned out to be another DEVA Mother Nature working her magic in the park. 


The Tucki Wash walk-about was well worth the effort for the scenery, solitude, and geology. The core sample holes on the west side of the basalt ridge were rather curious. Why way out there and only there? How long ago for and for what purpose? I now belief that hiking to or from Furnace Creek and Aquereberry Point is possible, challenging, but possible. My hunch is that I was about a third of the way there and the last third elevation gain or loss would be the toughest portion. There is no music track on this video because the vastness and silence speak louder than music allowing a true to life rendition of what it's like out there. 


The stormy drive through Warm Spring Canyon into Butte Valley was other worldly and well worth it. Here's what I experienced.

[DeathValleyDazed]

Beatty, Nevada "The Castle" Burns Down.


As luck would have it my first visit ever to The Geologist Cabin was hosted by frequent DEVA explorer and professional photographer, Bill Ingalls who graciously allowed this short welcome to the cabin and some history trivia.



The annual bird count with NPS staff on December 16, 2021 was full of surprises including me nearly stepping on a bobcat who got away without me snapping a photo. The rest is all history recorded here.

[DeathValleyDazed]

Drive the back road from PSR to Darwin on a clear, crisp December morning with a stop at the China Garden and Upper Darwin Falls Canyon. The recent snowfall added white ribbons to this Christmas time adventure. 


Hike from Keane Wonder Springs up to the Big Bell Mine Extension, join the Big Bell - Keane Wonder Mine Trail to loop back down through the Keane Wonder Mine Works, all in a big hurry due to the late afternoon start and urge to capture the sunset from half way up to Chloride Cliff and return by moonlight to the car park. 



Boogie on out to the Niter Beds in between Scotty's Castle Road and The Cottonwood Mountains on a crisp and crunchy December day in Death Valley. 

[DeathValleyDazed]

I caught up with my ol' friend Joe Moore, The Flintknapper resident at Furnace Creek for some "cutting edge" gossip and state of his art updates. 


A coyote sighting by Stephanie and Sam at the Furnace Creek Visitors Center on a cool December 2021 morning 


Christmas time at The Oasis at Furnace Creek and The Inn in Death Valley National Park seems real when there is frost outside every morning. 

[Kauri]

Looking forward to watching all these great videos! Thank you for all the time and effort you spend putting these together!!

[netllama]

Thanks for sharing the videos!

I've increased the max videos/post from 3 to 10.

[DeathValleyDazed]

Thanks for sharing the videos!

I've increased the max videos/post from 3 to 10.

netllama, you're welcome and I hope not to exceed that "ten" limit, from this DEVA trip anyway. 

[Beardilocks]

I can't wait to get some time to watch all of these.  Thanks for sharing!

Hiking from Aguereberry to Furnace is very doable and I wouldn't say it was super challenging.  I hiked the Wet Fork of Blackwater Spring top-to-bottom in late 2019 following old Native American trails (which you can follow to an extent on satellite view of the area).  It was about 19-20mi and I would recommend going top to bottom.  Lol. 

I've heard that there's a trail down the Dry Fork of Blackwater Spring as well.  Elevation drop might be more gentle, but distance might be longer, I'm not sure. 


Vaguely shown on 1908 Topo:

[DeathValleyDazed]

Hiking from Aguereberry to Furnace is very doable and I wouldn't say it was super challenging.  I hiked the Wet Fork of Blackwater Spring top-to-bottom in late 2019 following old Native American trails (which you can follow to an extent on satellite view of the area).  It was about 19-20mi 

Hey Beardilocks, appreciate your tips and vintage map! Perhaps the most challenging aspect of the hike might be crossing the mucky drainage lines at mid-valley without ruining a good pair of hiking boots? I literally wore plastic-rubber work boots to cross over and back on my excursion up Tucki Wash. So I'm wondering if you cross from west to east over the Corduroy Bridge/Road since it's in the general area? 
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_b...ion3d6.htm

[Beardilocks]

Hey DVD,

I did cross at the Corduroy Bridge, as much to check it out as anything. I can’t remember muck being too much of a problem. I seem to remember a few places where I picked my path carefully. But nothing that got too bad.

Checking my photos, I was actually there in Feb 2020. Maybe it was just really dry?