Death Valley Deep Dive 2024

[DVexile]

Fun report as always, thanks!

Do you think the Amargosa is actually fordable at the Harry Wade crossing? Sounds like a lot of water is moving!

[Beardilocks]

I'm sure it is fordable. I just had a grader, a massive front end loader, and an NPS utility pick-up come up from that way this morning.

A Rivian headed down that way this morning after that as well but came back ~1hr later. Guessing he didn't want to ford it. The truck was screeching when it came back through though like a bearing went out on it. Yikes.

[Beardilocks]

The next day we headed out for another peak.  This one is very visible from as you travel either north or south on Greenwater Valley Rd (or Furnace Creek Washington Rd as Google calls it).  Unfortunately I didn't get a photo of it from the road, but it has a rather imposing and cool looking rock formation at the summit that we were curious if we could get up. 

Brice settled on the name Deadman's Comb, for how it looks from below and it's proximity to Deadman's Pass. 

Several other options were kicked around including Satan's Dentures, Dead Horse Teeth, Black Pinnacles, Devil's Pick, Beelzebub's Mohawk, etc. 

Checking out some mining trash...er history on the route in.  First shaft is collapsed. 


Probably a tobacco tin, but I've never seen one opened in this manner. 


Odd ballast/anchor rock of some kind.  Hole appeared chipped out. 


Here's a curious fella.  I think that I have seen one of these somewhere in better shape that was a maple syrup container and the packaging made it look like a little cabin.  Can anyone else confirm or suggest alternatives?


Lots of sexy blue/green/turquoise rocks out here.  I wonder what they were mining?  Haha. 


We found 3 intact bottles on this hike.  I don't think I've ever found an intact bottle before.  One green unlabeled, one Pepsi, one Coke.  I'd say this Pepsi one is much more recent than the mine. 


Here's the bigger mine/prospect in the area.  The main shaft was probably 20ft deep and looked like it stopped there.  Check out the cool old skinny ladder.


Gorgeous views of Greenwater as always. 


Funeral Peak looks it's best with a bit of snow on it & some dramatic lighting. 


Some evidence of the freezing rain at this elevation the night before. 


There's our target.


Quite the feature.


Climbing up into it. 


Pretty commanding views. 








Yes, that's snow falling in the Valley.  We got hit by a bit on the way back.  Pretty low elevation for snow even in Feb out here. 


I believe Brice is adding this to Peak Bagger, since it was not listed yet.  It's a really fun hike with a short fun climb at the end.  I think there are 5-6 decent climbing routes to the top of Deadman's Comb, so it's a nice choose your own adventure.

[netllama]

wow, such a nice assortment of eye candy on this hike!

[TacoLand]

Great photos – so jealous!

[Brice]

I couldn't find any examples of a maple syrup tin with the little handle on it, but I think it's a pretty good guess anyway.

https://maplesyruphistory.com/2021/01/13...yrup-tins/

[DAW89446]

No ring, though. But I did find a finger ring on this syrup can:



This is the closest one I could find with a ring/handle (can on right).



But I am convinced it is a Log Cabin or similar brand syrup can. Man, you sure have been finding some neat artifacts on this trip!

[MojaveGeek]

Interesting because if it was maple syrup, which is quite likely, that must have been an incredible luxury out there. Although one of those cans admits to having cane sugar. When I was a kid and we didn't have much money my mother used to make syrup by boiling up sugar water and adding some synthetic maple flavor. Living in New England, we prefer the real stuff now, but it's not cheap (unless you tap your own trees, which we sort of do)

[DAW89446]

Interesting because if it was maple syrup, which is quite likely, that must have been an incredible luxury out there.

Tonopah, Goldfield and Rhyolite created a metropolitan atmosphere in the region. Luxuries not thought probable were possible to those prospectors and even laborers in the mines. Consider the huge number of Billy Point Oyster cans, sardines and like delectables found at pretty much all post 1900 communities and mining camps in the greater Death Valley area. All available at most any mercantile over at Rhyolite and Bullfrog.

[Beardilocks]

We saw tons of sardine cans here as well. Just didn’t snap a shot.

As well as a lot of tiny cans we thought could be fruit juice. ~6-7oz.