Recent reports about noseeum hordes at the hot springs had me rethink this jaunt into Death Valley. Noseeums, or biting midges, love me and I come home with lots of wonderful little memories that tend to linger for at least a week after I get home.
My job schedule allows for several days off at a time every two weeks if I don't provide additional availability and this trip was supposed to be Saturday April 14th-Thursday April 19th. Even better that I decided to load up the camper and take it to work with the hope that I might be able to get off a little early and get on the road. I had planned to go to either Alabama Hills or Wagon Wheel OHV Staging Area. Leaving 3 hours early from work gave me an early start to get to Alabama Hills.
I've had good luck camping at Alabama Hills on previous trips but this time the place was packed. Not wanting to drive every nook and cranny of the area late in the evening I looked around on Googlemaps satellite for a potential site in the area. Found one just off Whitney Portal Road west of the main area of the hills. Woke up to a wonderful morning.
The first stop after breakfast was the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center. I like to stop here on trips for various reasons. They have a decent restroom, potable water, and good source for maps, books, posters, etc. Of course they have information on the surrounding areas and you can pick up a fire permit too. My main reason on this trip was water.
Last year I made a shower tube from plastic piping. Discovering a leak I didn't take the shower tube on a late summer trip and put it away for another time. The leak was fixed and the tube came on this trip. Using a 25' collapsible garden hose it was easy to fill from the source at the visitor center.
Eastward bound for Stovepipe Wells to pay park entry and top off fuel before spending a couple days out in the Funeral Mountains. Death Valley has several options for paying park entry. Some are with real rangers and others are done via the "Iron Ranger". Iron rangers are self-pay automated entry fee stations. The park has new iron rangers but the one at Stovepipe Wells was not working and the ranger station was closed. The trip itinerary did not include Furnace Creek but it ended up being a nice surprise.
The Furnace Creek visitor center was packed! It was Saturday after all and temps were nice in most areas. It didn't seem as hot as the outdoor thermometer reported.
Many times during this excursion in the park it would be later in the day yet feel like morning still. Everything happens for a reason and I saw a sign for "Indian Tacos" at the Timbisha Village area within the park. Now these are a bit pricey for what they are but most things in Furnace Creek are expensive. Essentially they are an open face taco/tostada but with thick Indian Fry Bread. One is a lot to eat for one person depending on appetite. I often watch weather conditions using the Timbisha Village weather cam. This is the same place that has the tacos. Finally found it in person.
With the park entry fee paid and belly full it was time to get on with the day. The park service finally reopened the Keane Wonder Mine site and I wanted to see what it was all about. It is located in the Funeral Mountains which was also the goal for the evenings campsite.
The park service has repaved not only the the Beatty Cut-off road but also Daylight Pass. The cut-off leads to the dirt section that heads up to the Keane Wonder Mine. Since the reopening is fairly recent, the short dirt road has not yet become a washboard paradise and is in good condition. The lower mine area is quite interesting and I did manage to do a short hike up a few of the tram towers. The hike down the old road to the parking area was quick and easy from where I was. One item of particular interest was the rocks along the side of the old road. They shimmered in the afternoon sun. I'm definitely no geologist and in my wanton imagination it was all gold flake. I would see the same type of rocks again during this trip.
The daylight was ticking away and the race to find an unknown campsite was on. The turnoff for the Chloride City region of the Funeral Mountains is not well marked. I for one am very happy about this even though I passed it initially and had to do a short back track to the dirt road. The photos from some of the references I use were spot on-"High Clearance Required". While the first part of this road may be tame there comes an area where high clearance is required.
An acquaintance had given me some suggestions for places to camp. I continued on in effort to get further from the highway. A short turn-off of the dirt road gave way to a level and secluded campsite. While not the campsite I had hoped for it was a great spot. Using the binos at a nearby hill I spotted a large cairn. Cairns are for marking trails, not fulfilling ones ego. This one seemed out of place from the get go and would be dealt with later on.
The evening would be calm, temperate, and graced by a star filled sky. Reclining in my fairly new Kelty Deluxe Lounge Chair provided viewing of the wide screen. Only one significant shooting star was witnessed this evening but well worth the trek.
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