Death Valley 2022/23

[DeathValleyDazed]

Those images are captivating. Being able to gaze down into the Racetrack Playa from your camera location really helps me gain perspective and context of this portion of Death Valley.

[MojaveGeek]

Yes, that view is pretty stunning. I had to walk to it but no matter. The first time into DV I got the view into the Saline from the other side, Ubehebe Peak, and I think that's what sold me and made me fall in love. From that side, you see the Inyos, but the view from the Nelson Range is just as awesome!

And those petros. I'm surprised you had not been there before, as you're a pretty good rock art scout. As you say, no matter how much time you spend there, you certainly miss some. And there's at least one other site somewhere around there but I've never been able to figure out where it is. We walked up the canyon and out and tried to cross the range to get another look at the view, but it got a bit rugged at the top and we ran out of time after hopping along some huge boulders, so had to settle for half of it. A nice place to spend time when it's hot and the Joshua trees are SO tall up there.

Oh, the last pic you sent didn't make it. May refer to a file that is local to your computer. Post 422

[Beardilocks]

Fixed the missing image. Thanks.

I hadn’t gotten up this high yet this year due to cold/snow/road closures. Same with many sites in Saline. This year there was just no space between snow in the passes and heat in the valley.

I know there’s another site near Jackass Spring, but was unable to get up the road this time.

[GowerGulch42]

One of my favorite vistas anywhere! I tried to camp there once, but the wind was so high whistling through the col there that we spent about two minutes contemplating how to set up and after the wind closed all the doors on my Jeep we decided another course of action was preferred. That was the only night I ever spent in a backcountry cabin (The Lee Hilton), and it was a fine respite from the severe wind. Wouldn't choose to sleep inside during fair weather, though… the mice were aggressive!

[Daymoth]

Well my husband agrees with you but im of the opinion that there is not such thing as too many sheep!!

[MojaveGeek]

Well my husband agrees with you but im of the opinion that there is not such thing as too many sheep!!

As in "21 goats" (sheep, actually) panel in Gold Butte

[Beardilocks]

Took a drive out to Eureka last week to get away from the heat and to see the dunes this year before I escape to higher elevations permanently.  

I had never camped behind the dunes before and it was gorgeous.

Little long exposure night shot fun.


Next morning I took a hike to the 2nd or 3rd major canyon north of Dedekera, depending on what you think counts as "major".  I had seen some odd anomalies on satellite and thought I'd investigate.

Started out just as the sun hit me as it was going to hit 95 at the dunes later that day.  Damn near stepped on TWO of these guys, less than 5min apart.  Maybe 6" from striking distance when I saw/heard him.  Their camo really works!  Both were juveniles, maybe 1.25" in diameter.  Definitely woke me up and almost sent me back for new shorts.  


Beautiful little canyon.


Interestingly I was scouting for a set of 3 objects I could see together on satellite.  As I came up the wash I found 2 and then 3 old smashed water tanks.


I had been suspecting water tanks but I had no idea why the hell they would be out HERE.  But that's exactly what I found.


Looks way too professional for an illegal grow operation (plus there's no where to... grow anything).  They would have had to chopper the tanks in, I can't see how the hell you'd get a truck up this little canyon.  


It had a very very tiny auto-drinker attached to it but that seems ludicrous for the 3 large tanks.  I could see zero evidence of mines anywhere in the grotto here.  No clue what it could have been for.


Very pretty walk out.  


Just as I exited the canyon I was buzzed by a jet zipping around the dunes, just over the ridge, and down Steele Pass.  As I got back to my truck a second one screamed through.  

[DeathValleyDazed]

Puzzled by those tanks as well. They appear to be fairly modern, plastic? It would be fun to solve the mystery of what the project purpose was back then and when?

[John Morrow]

Puzzled by those tanks as well. They appear to be fairly modern, plastic? It would be fun to solve the mystery of what the project purpose was back then and when?

That doesn't look like a wildlife guzzler to folks?  I'm confused.

[Beardilocks]

Very well could be. The “drinking” part is damn tiny though, only a couple of feet long with barely room for a sheep to get its nose in. Listed on the side (in case it’s too small) “Arkfeld waterer”. It had a float in it to turn water on & off but it was dry.

Just seems like those 3 big tanks is overkill for such a tiny water trough. And definitely the 2nd time tanks were installed. The first set of three was wiped out in a flood, their concrete base was also smashed in the canyon.