Ashford Mill, Death Valley National Park

Ashford Mill Buildings

There’s gold in them thar hills! Why else would people come to Death Valley – aside from the mystic saltwater pools, of course! If you’ve got a moment, and you’re heading into the park from the South entrance, or leaving the park from the South entrance, I’d suggest that you stop at the ruins of the Ashford Mill, where you can still see some of the structures of the former mill survive – mainly because they were built twice as thick as normal buildings. Supposedly, the buildings were built twice as thick, because extra material was delivered upon construction, but if you’re like me, you can speculate about more sinister, science-fiction type reasons while you’re there. In any event, while it’s not the Eureka Mine (http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2012/2/27/eureka-mine-harrisburg-ghost-town-aguereberry-camp.html), it’s still worth a stop to see some of Death Valley’s mining past.

Directions: The Mill is located right off Badwater Road, and is approximately thirty-four miles South of Furnace Creek. There are highly visible signs on both directions of the road.

Ashford Mill Buildings

More Information: http://www.backroadswest.com/deathvalley/Ashford.htm, http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/upload/DEVAmap1a.pdf

What NOT to do in Death Valley National Park

Awww man - did they really - yeah, they drove out there.

Back in the day, when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, I worked for the Wilderness Division of the National Park Service at a National Park for a season. Years later, I worked for the Department of Parks and Recreation for the State of California for a season as well. Before that, when the geologic features of the planet were forming, I was an Eagle Scout who was involved with numerous leave no trace programs. And now, as a somewhat grizzled outdoors veteran, I am a liberal-tree-hugging-pinko-commie-granola-eating-birkenstock-wearing-anti-american-stinky-pants (or so certain parties will tell you). I am all for wilderness preservation and protection. I don’t think this is a secret, but if you didn’t realize this, now you know. (It wasn’t a secret). Sometimes, when I am on vacation, or just out for a stroll, I have to weigh in my head whether I should say something to my fellow visitors about what they are doing to our natural resources. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s time, but sometimes it’s good to say things to preserve things for other people – after all, everyone needs to work to protect the land for future generations.

 Since they were so smarts, they are stuck - stuck good.

In my defense, let me say that being an eco-vigilante isn’t all bad: I pick up trash that I find on the trail and pack it out; I provide directions to people that are lost, or may become lost, I discuss trail conditions, provide water and food, provide educational insights (when I know what I’m talking about), and in certain situations, provide first aid. After all, you can’t just protect the environment, you have to protect the people in it as well. In any case, what I’ve been talking about the last couple days is the myriad of things available to do in Death Valley. And, you know what – there’s many more that I haven’t even touched upon. But, there’s plenty of things you should not do, and this is one of them. If this isn’t the most egregious thing that you shouldn’t do in the park, it’s up there. I took these pictures in 2010 as I was leaving the park off of Badwater Road. In case you haven’t been there, the road is lined with a plethora of signs along the hardpan that say, “No Offroading”. I saw this when I was I was driving along when I saw something out on the hardpan. It was one of those moments where I stared and said, “Nahhhh, it couldn’t be, no one’s that stupid”, before I blinked and realized that it was still there.

Since I’m a curious guy, I parked and walked out to the stuck vehicle. The perpetrators? Well, they were long gone, which is good for them, because this eco-vigilante would have definitely not held back had he found them. Their vehicle? Well, you can see what happened to it. It was stuck – and stuck good. I don’t know if the National Park Service ever found the culprits – but then again, since they were crack lawbreakers, and so smarts, they left the plates on their car before they fled. Thererfore, let me advise you of what not to do in Death Valley: if the sign says no off-roading, don’t do it. Just don’t. It’s hard on the environment; there’s plenty of other places you can off-road legally, and chances are, you’re going to end up looking like the dumbasses you are when you get stuck, caught, and have to abandon your vehicle. Final analysis: Death Valley – lots of things to do, but don’t do this, unless you’re a complete failure. 

 Only one thing that can really be said here: Death Valley Driving Fail

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail, Death Valley National Park

A cloudy day at Salt Creek, 2012

If you’re like me, and you spent any amount of time in California in the 1990’s, chances are you saw two bumper stickers: “Keep Tahoe Blue”; or “Save the Pupfish”. Sadly, I don’t see as many Pupfish bumper stickers today as I used to, but perhaps that’s because most people don’t know where the pupfish are or what they are. There’s no reason to despair though – a visit to the Salt Creek Interpretive Trail will clear up the salient facts about Pupfish, but may provide you with other mysteries of the science fiction variety.

I’m a little hesitant to call the Salt Creek Interpretive Trail a hike, as it’s a half mile walk (.5) roundtrip over a wooden boardwalk that rests beside and above Salt Creek. If it were up to me, I’d call it more of a leisurely stroll back through time, but that’s not nearly as catchy or as informative as “Interpretive Trail”, so it’s probably good that the National Park Service doesn’t consult with me on naming items. But, if you take the trail, you will indeed be traveling back in time. Salt Creek is a portion of the surviving remnants of ancient Lake Manly, which I talked about yesterday when discussing Golden Canyon (http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2012/3/14/golden-canyon-to-zabriskie-point-death-valley-national-park.html), which existed some 186,000 years ago (http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/deva/ftsho1.html). At this point, some people may find it surprising that Death Valley has standing water as it is now one of the driest, most inhospitable places on earth. But, let’s think about this rationally for a second: one of the most well-known portions of Death Valley is what? Badwater, another pool of standing water that is, yep, you guessed it, also some of the remnants of Lake Manly.

 Salt Creek during a "wet" year, 2010

Salt Creek has something though that Badwater does not: Pupfish. These little guys are the survivors of ancient pupfish who lived in Lake Manly, and have adapted – and survived the climactic changes of over 186,000 years – no mean feat! Granted, life’s a lot harder for these little guys these days, as Death Valley is a lot hotter – and drier than Lake Manly – but, if you time it right, you’ll see them darting around Salt Creek in the early days of spring, before the thermometer edges up into the triple digits of summer, and large portions of the creek evaporate off. If the above facts about Pupfish weren’t enticing enough for you, let me hit you with one more: the Pupfish that live in Salt Creek have to drink to get their water, and they excrete the excess salts produced from the salty marsh they live in. Think about that for a second: how many fish do you know have to drink water to survive?

 It came from SALT CREEK!

Directions: The turnoff for the Salt Creek Trail is thirteen miles North from Furnace Creek off the 190; and approximately (12.7) thirteen miles to the South of the 190/Scotty’s Castle junction if you are approaching from Stovepipe Wells. From the 190, the road is gravel, but is well graded, and is passable by any vehicle. The trail starts from the parking lot, which contains a pit toilet, and is an elevated boardwalk for the entirety of the half mile loop. It is impossible to get lost upon, and it is suitable for all ages, as it is very easy.

Tips: The Pupfish like to hide under algae mats (their food), or under overhanging plants by the creek, as well by the boardwalk pylons. They are quite quick, and you have to be keeping a close eye out for them as they do dart from place to place rapidly.  Don’t expect to see many – if any of them if you visit the creek in the summer, as most, if not all of the creek will have evaporated off.

 Ok, ok, actual size of Sphinx Moth larvae - still cool though!

And now for the mystery portion of Salt Creek. If it happens to be a particularly wet year in Death Valley, or if you time it right, you will find the Salt Creek area overrun by mysterious yellow creature during the spring. These creatures have no fear at all, and will not hesitate to attack each other with their horn, or in the case of the author, his boots. 2010 was a particularly wet year, and when I was at Salt Creek, these yellow creatures were swarming all over the entirety of the marsh, which made me feel like I was playing a part in a B-grade science fiction movie: The Yellow Menace that Came From Death Valley!!!! What are they? They’re actually the larval stage of the Sphinx Moth, which are some of the larger insects of the desert, with wingspans of two to eight inches (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edhiker/3441825365/), and are not something you get to see every day. So, while it may not be a hike; Salt Creek is a great place to travel through time in real life and science fiction style.

More Information: http://www.nps.gov/deva/naturescience/springs.htm, http://www.nps.gov/deva/photosmultimedia/Salt-Creek.htm, http://www.modernhiker.com/2012/03/12/hiking-salt-creek/, http://www.avoidingregret.com/2012/02/photo-essay-salt-creek-death-valley.html, http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/22/in-death-valley-heat-salt-creek-pupfish-find-a-way-to-survive/, http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9059686884987833045)

Golden Canyon to Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park

Golden Canyon trail, passing the Manly Beacon

There’s a lot of hikes in the National Park system that get a lot of press as the “best hikes”. And, when I say “press”, I am not just talking about articles written by journalists and bloggers. I am talking about word-of-mouth hikes that are discussed between hikers and non-hikers; discussions that percolate world-wide about places that should be seen or, in some cases, depending on who is talking, have to be seen. A lot of these hikes deserve the reputation and the discussion that they get; and a lot of these hikes don’t deserve the reputation that they get. I’m not going to weigh in about which hike deserves what as it’s a matter of personal opinion in my book. What I will say, is that the best secret hike in the National Park system is the hike(s) I’m talking about here and last week: Golden Canyon.

It’s the best secret hike in the National Park system because not many people know about Death Valley. It just doesn’t have the cache of a Yellowstone, Yosemite, or Grand Canyon. Even people that know about Death Valley don’t talk about Death Valley. In this sense, knowing about Death Valley is like knowing about Fight Club. The first rule of Fight Club, and knowing about Death Valley is not to talk about it. It’s the best secret hike because of what you get to see: as I talked about last week, there’s amazing slot canyons to walk through and explore, there’s the Red Cathedral, there’s the Manly Beacon, there’s abandoned mines, and to top it all off, the reason the terrain is so spectacular is that you’re walking in an area that used to be a giant lake – Lake Manly. As an added bonus, this hike is full of opportunities to explore. Many times, on many trails, you are left with limited opportunities to see what else is out there. In Golden Canyon, there are ample places to wander off to and things to see. For these reasons, I rate it as the best hike in the National Park system that you’ve never heard of. So, if you like “best hikes”, this is a must-do in my book.

 Golden Canyon trail, looking back toward the Panamint Range

Directions: Follow the directions I discussed last week here: http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2012/3/6/golden-canyon-to-red-cathedral-death-valley-national-park.html to get to Golden Canyon. From Marker 10 of the trail discussed in that previous post, you can turn out to the Red Cathedral or continue on to Zabriskie Point. To get to Zabriskie Point, follow the signed turnoff, whereupon the trail will become markedly steeper for the next half mile (.5). To your immediate left (North) will be the Manly Beacon, which you will eventually pass before heading down into a series of gulches before heading up again toward Zabriskie Point. At around three quarters of a mile from the turnoff (.75), there will be a number of mines that you can peer into before continuing toward Zabriskie Point. It is worth noting that through this stretch of trail, the trail is not well marked, in that there are not many signs, and there are a few areas to navigate where if you are not familiar with the area, you could get momentarily lost.

 View from Zabriskie Point to Gower Gulch

However, this area is well worn by the soles of many hikers, and one should be able to follow the worn trail in areas where there are not trail markers. While I don’t generally recommend following foot trails blindly, this is an area where you should not get lost; and if, in the worst case scenario, you are not carrying a map and do get lost, I recommend that you climb to a high point (of which there are plenty) in this region, and look either East, whereupon you will see the highest point: Zabriskie Point which you then can head to. Once you reach a wash at one mile past Marker 10 (2 miles from the Golden Canyon parking lot), you will see a sign directing you toward Gower Gulch or Zabriskie Point. At this point, you can either head back down Gower Gulch, and toward the Golden Canyon parking area, for a roundtrip distance of four miles (not counting diversions to the Red Cathedral); or you can head up the last half mile of trail to Zabriskie Point.

 View from Zabriskie Point toward the Red Cathedral/Manly Beacon

This last half mile of trail is steep, and does ascend a fair amount of vertical distance to Zabriskie Point; but the end result is worth the effort, as the view from Zabriskie Point encompasses the Manly Beacon, Gower Gulch, portions of Golden Canyon, the badlands surrounding them, and in the distance, Telescope Peak. From Zabriskie Point, you can either drive to other park destinations, should you have someone picking you up, or you can walk back down Golden Canyon for a total roundtrip distance of five miles (again assuming no additional stops). My personal preference is to head back to Golden Canyon through Gower Gulch (http://youtu.be/J_ndksa2t6s), which has interesting formations and slot canyons, for a total hike of six and a half miles (6.5), and this distance does include a stop at the Red Cathedral on the way to Zabriskie Point. Alternatively, you can start at Zabriskie Point and work your way down on these same routes.

Tips: Do take a map and plenty of water on this hike; as I noted above, there is the potential to get mildly, or if you are truly talented, excellently lost at places on this hike. Do also be aware that the majority of this hike is exposed, and you will get quite hot on it even in the wintertime. In addition to the tips described last week and today in the main body of the blog, a great spot for photos is once you are next to the Manly Beacon, facing West. You will have great views of Death Valley proper and the Panamint Range.

More Information: http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=205476, http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/DEVA/Golden_Cyn/_Golden.htm, http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/DEVA/Zab_Golden/_Zab_Golden.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabriskie_Point

Update on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 5:00PM by Last Adventurer

And, weirdly enough - don't just take it from me, Paul and Lisa were just at Golden Canyon/Gower Gulch, and had a great time as well: http://drivinginertia.com/1352/death-valleys-gower-gulch-loop-hike-through-golden-canyon/

But shhh - it's a secret!

Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral, Death Valley National Park

Beginning of Golden Canyon Trail

 It should surprise no one that I am a child of the latter half of the twentieth century. As one, I listened to a lot of one-hit wonders. Now that I’ve made myself sound like my father: “You know what was great in 1962? Wilt Chamberlain”, I’ll get to the point. The point is this – in 1997, there was this song. It started with a little high hat, and then it had a repetitive five chord introduction, and since that could be any song, I’ll tell you what it was: it was Smashmouth’s Walkin’ on the Sun (http://youtu.be/LQj--Kjn0z8). I’m not sure what’s more embarrassing; that I’ve had this long lead in about how I used to listen to Smashmouth, or that whenever I think of the song, Walkin’ on the Sun, I can’t even get the lyrics right, and I always think the lyrics are “You might as well be walking on the moon”.

But let’s be honest here – sun, moon – who’s keeping score? Whenever I go to Golden Canyon, this is the song I think of because I associate it with being on the moon (not sun), and that lunar type of terrain is exactly what you will see from the moment you enter Golden Canyon.

Directions: The Golden Canyon Trailhead is two miles South of Furnace Creek Inn on the Badwater Road. The trailhead is well signed, and cannot be missed. Golden Canyon is one of the more popular hikes in Death Valley, due to its proximity to Furnace Creek, and due to the fact that it is an interpretive trail for the first mile and due to the fact that the hike to the Red Cathedral is largely flat. Like Mosaic Canyon, there is a high probability that you will indeed see people within the first quarter mile of the hike, and that the parking lot will indeed be busy. I have seen the parking lot full of cars, RV’s, and all other vehicles; and in my experience, there is generally a fair number of people milling around the trailhead.

Golden Canyon Trail But, do not despair:  as I have noted in other posts, most notably Mosaic Canyon, timing is everything. You may be in Death Valley on a particularly cold day, or a particularly hot day, or maybe you got an early start; and maybe you will see no people. In my experience, however, most of the people that hike Golden Canyon do what hikers in Mosaic Canyon do, and that is that they will hike a quarter mile, then oooh and ahhhh about the formations, maybe sing a little Smashmouth (ok, that’s just me), and then head back to their cars to move on to the next item on their list. This means that once you get past the first quarter mile, or the first mile, after the interpretive section of the trail ends, chances are you will be by yourself, wishing you knew the words to more songs to break the silence of the trail. In any case, you should never let other people dissuade you from experiencing your National Parks, because chances are, only you can experience the park in your own way. In fact, I’m sure of that fact!

 One of the many slot canyons off the Golden Canyon Trail

In any case, the trail leaves directly from the parking lot, and is well graded and easy to follow for the first mile. During this first mile, you will pass by many slot canyons to your North and to your South. While these canyons aren’t on the trail, there’s no reason that you can’t explore them, as long as you take the proper precautions (such as a map, and plenty of water), which is another way to separate yourself from other hikers and a great opportunity to explore. After one mile, conveniently marked by Marker 10 on the NPS Interpretive Trail, the trail forks in two directions. The left fork (heading roughly to the North) will take you to the base of the Red Cathedral; and the right fork (heading roughly to the South/Southeast) will take you to Zabriskie Point or Gower Gulch. From the signpost, it is roughly .25 (1/4) mile to the end of the approved NPS trail to the Red Cathedral. Again, however, along the way, there are many slot canyons that you can explore; and should you wish to walk to the very base of the Red Cathedral, it will be an additional .25 (1/4) miles of distance. This is an area with a variety of great geologic features, so even though it is a short distance, and an easy hike, I’d recommend that you plan a little additional time to explore the area and enjoy the scenery. If you don’t go up any of the slot canyons, and stick to the trail, and nothing but the trail, you will hike 2.5 miles total roundtrip, for a distance of 1.25 miles each way. As I will discuss tomorrow, you can also link this hike with longer walks out to Gower Gulch or Zabriskie Point.

Tips: The NPS interpretive trail for the first mile has great information regarding the area, its history, and the geology at work in the surrounding terrain. Brochures are available for the trailhead on most days, and at the Visitor Center for a mere .25 – a real bargain. As always with any hike in Death Valley, do take plenty of water, and if you are planning on exploring, a map as well.

 Base of the Red Cathedral

More Information: http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=205476, http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/upload/Golden%20Canyon%20Trail%20Guide.pdf, http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/DEVA/Golden_Cyn/_Golden.htm, http://www.backroadswest.com/trips/2011/11/golden-canyon-hike-death-valley/

Scotty's Castle, Death Valley National Park

Front Gate to Scotty's Castle

There are three great historic mansions in California that are full of ghosts. There’s the Winchester House, which is full of actual ghosts. (http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/) Then there’s the Hearst Castle, which is full of the ghosts of history, old Hollywood, print news, and dare I say it, Rosebud. (http://www.hearstcastle.org/). Last, but not least, there’s Scotty’s Castle, which is full of ghosts of old stories. Out of the three, Scotty’s Castle is the most remote, as it is in the far Northern corner of Death Valley National Park, miles and miles away from cities, towns, and civilization. Despite its remote location, Scotty’s Castle holds its own as one of the big three, and depending on your perspective, may even be the most interesting, beautiful, and compelling.

Each of these above mansions has its own share of fantastic stories – the Hearst Castle has tales of old Hollywood; and the Winchester House has tales of the supernatural. The difference between these two mansions, however, and Scotty’s Castle is that these mansions were built first, and the stories came later. In the case of Scotty’s Castle, the stories came first, and in some respects, the mansion was built on top of those stories, and built upon those stories as time progressed. Don’t believe me? Well, let’s discuss some of those stories – first off, Scotty’s Castle isn’t a castle. It’s a vacation home. Second, it wasn’t even the home of Walter Scott (aka Scotty); it was the home of Albert Johnson. Third, it originally wasn’t a home or castle; it was part of a story about a gold mine that never existed. Fourth, when Albert Johnson came to see the mystical magical gold mine that didn’t exist (here’s a news flash, he was conned!), there was a fake ambush involving “banditos” that turned real when one of the fake banditos got actually shot! Since I’ve been on the tour a fair few times, I could go on and on about these stories that preceded the Castle, but, I think you get my point.

 Living Room Fireplace, Scotty's Castle

As for stories that came after the Castle was built, I think what I’ll do here is place some additional facts and some myths, and if you read to the bottom of this entry, you can see which ones were true, and which ones were not. Here we go – true or false: 1) The Castle had electricity when it was built because it had its own source of hydroelectric power; 2) Scotty had a room in the Castle that he never lived in; 3) Scotty used to drag chains around the basement and say that it was “people working the gold mine”; 4) the land the Castle is on was not actually purchased correctly the first time, and had to be re-purchased by Albert Johnson; 5) the Castle had waterfalls on the inside to cool people; 6) the Castle had a “programmable” organ that works today and is likely haunted. If the facts in the paragraph above, and the quiz, plus the pictures here don’t inspire you to visit, then it’s probably not for you. But, for those who like a good con-artist-befriends-millionaire-and-together-they-build-a-mansion story, the directions to get there are below.

Directions: the Castle is located Right off of Highway 190, three miles North of the Grapevine entrance to the National Park. Tours occur multiple times a day, every day by knowledgeable NPS staff who wear period costumes, and they can tell you just about everything you’d ever want to know about the Castle. (http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/house-tour.htm ).

Courtyard, Scotty's Castle

Tips: The NPS tours are popular, and they do get backed up and or booked out. If you arrive late in the day on a weekend, you may not be able to get on a tour. You can avoid this horrible fate by either booking in advance, as described in the link above, or arriving early, for the first tour of the day. I’ve done the latter, and never had a problem getting on a tour. As for the results of my True/False section above? All of those facts were true!

See you in the gold mine!

More Information: http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/scottys-castle.htm, http://oldtrailmaster.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/scottys-castle-pipe-organ/, http://www.yelp.com/biz/scottys-castle-death-valley-2

Ubehebe Crater, Death Valley National Park

Rim of Ubehebe Crater, looking into the bowl.

In my opinion, there are two types of people in the world: those that will walk down into a potentially active volcanic crater, and those that will not climb down into a potentially active volcanic crater, and instead, prefer to watch the first group from the volcanic crater’s rim. I suppose I’d be even willing to say that there’s even a third class of people, those that want to be nowhere near a potentially active volcanic crater, but they’re probably not reading this article, except as a cautionary tale of what to stay away from, so we won’t worry about them today. If you’re a member of one of the first two classes of people, and you’re in Death Valley, you’re in luck: the Ubehebe Crater is available for those who like to stand on the rim and watch, and it is available for those who like to hike. And, if you are of that third class of people that avoids volcanoes, now you know not to go to the northern portion of Death Valley National Park.

The Ubehebe Crater is one of many volcanoes in Death Valley National Park, and it is a “Maar Volcano” in that it was created by a giant steam and gas explosion that occurred when hot magma from the Earth’s core reached a pocket of ground water. When this occurred, the intense heat immediately flashed the water into steam, which then expanded until the pressure was released by a fairly large bang. (http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/ubehebe-crater.htm; http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/deva/ftube1.html). If you’re into rocks, as I am, this is a sort of geologic two-for-one opportunity in that you get to go into a volcanic crater of a maar volcano – not something that happens every day! As for the amount of risk, well, while the volcano has not erupted for at least three hundred years, there is no magma underneath the area presently, so the risk is probably minimal, at best. (http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/01/ubehebe-crater-possibly-younger-but-no-imminent-danger-of-an-eruption/)

Midway down the Ubehebe Crater

Directions: Ubehebe Crater is located five miles North of the Grapevine Visitor Center to Death Valley National Park, and the way to the crater is well signed. Even if there were no helpful NPS signs, you would know that you were approaching the crater when you started to pass through large expanses of black cinder fields that look like the surface of the moon. At the middle of the NPS loop road there is a parking area, and interpretive panels regarding the crater. At the interpretive panels, you will likely meet a number of people who have a number of theories about the crater – one time I was told that it was the result of a meteorite strike; another time, I was told that the NPS Panels were incorrect due to a creationist perspective, but since you have read this article, you will be prepared to impress people with your knowledge that the crater is a Maar volcano. Once you are done discussing the particulars of the crater with friends and or total strangers, you will have to decide whether you are a crater walker, or a rim-walker-watcher-of-crater-walkers.

If you’re the latter class of people, I don’t have much to say other than the standard, “enjoy the view”. If you’re a crater walker, here’s what I have to say: the way to the bottom of the crater is very easy. In fact, it is so easy; you will feel like you are sliding. This is, in fact, because you are likely sliding. You will be traveling over loose volcanic rock and scree which naturally wants to obey the force of gravity, and wants to help you obey the force of gravity by coming to rest at the lowest point, the crater floor. Even though the crater is 600-770 feet deep, you will traverse this distance quickly, and I suspect you will find yourself at the bottom within ten to fifteen minutes. Once you are at the bottom, there’s plenty of things to explore – more volcanic rocks, and the cracked dry surface of many evaporated seasonal lakes. If you’re feeling daring, you can head into the alluvial tunnels on the Eastern side as well, although from what I could find, none extend back very far, and all would appear not to be very stable.

 Bottom of the Ubehebe Crater

Once you are done at the crater bottom, you will look up and marvel at how tiny the non-crater explorers still sitting on the rim looking at you appear. Similarly, they will be marveling at how tiny you look at the bottom. At that point, you will realize that you have a very steep climb back to the rim. This is the point where distance factors in: whether you believe it or not, you will have likely only gone .25 (1/4) to .50 (1/2) miles to the bottom of the crater. What that means is that you have .25-.50 miles to ascend over 500 feet of vertical terrain. To add insult to injury, while the scree helped you going down, it will now hinder you going up. At times on the ascent it will feel like you are walking through quicksand. It is precisely for this reason that I will call the hike moderate: no matter how good of shape you are in, you will work to get out of the crater. It is also worth noting that when you reach the top, you will feel an enormous sense of accomplishment; however, the non-crater walkers will not want to share it with you, as they likely thought you were crazy to attempt the hike in the first place. Although it may not seem like it, this hike is only a half-mile to mile roundtrip!

 Tips: Take plenty of water. Even on a cold day, you will work up a sweat coming out of the crater. On a hot day, you may emerge completely soaking wet. Know your limits; pace yourself, and do not attempt the climb in triple digit heat at a world setting pace.

Bottom of the Ubehebe Crater

See you in the crater!

More Information:  http://www.everytrail.com/guide/ubehebe-crater/map

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Death Valley National Park

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, April 2010

If you play your cards right, you can follow the previous posts from a snowy 11,000 foot peak (Telescope Peak), past some unique structures (the Charcoal Kilns and Eureka Mine), through an ancient canyon with cracked granite blocks (Mosaic Canyon) down to rolling sand dunes (Mesquite Flat) all within a day. That alone should make Death Valley a “must-do” in anyone’s book – I personally can’t think of another place world-wide where you can traverse such a variety of terrain in a day or less. Granted, if you’re going to do all of those things in a day, you’re going to need to get an early start, and move quick, but it is indeed possible.

What I’d personally recommend, however, is that you spread out these things over a couple days – no need to rush these things. The park’s been shaped over several eons, so you’ll definitely be able to see most of these things the next day, or the day after that as well. The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are one of several dune fields within Death Valley, but are the most accessible to the majority of park visitors. If hiking the Kelso Dunes (http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2012/1/20/kelso-dunes-mojave-national-preserve.html) is like being an extra in Star Wars, hiking the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is a bit like being in the Sahara – surrounded by tall peaks, and in the path of trading caravans – or tourists. While the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes don’t speak and rumble like the Kelso Dunes do, and are usually full of tourists, they still have a fair amount of magic in their shifting grains of sand.

 Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, June, 2009

Directions: The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are three miles South of Stovepipe Wells, directly off of Highway 190 in Death Valley National Park. As of 2010, there is a nice new NPS parking lot, interpretive panels, bathroom, and signs directing visitors where to park. From the parking lot, it is a short walk into the dunes. Perhaps the most common complaint by hiking purists and other members of the backcountry community is that these dunes are too well-traveled and too busy. While it is more likely than not that you will encounter people within the first quarter mile of the parking area, once you enter into the dunes, the odds of encountering people decreases exponentially. While the dunes are not as remote as say, the Kelso Dunes, or the Eureka Dunes in Death Valley National Park, plenty of opportunities still exist to enjoy these dunes on your own.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, June 2009

As you can see from my photos above, taken in 2009 and 2010, I was at the dunes by myself. However, as I noted regarding Mosaic Canyon, timing is everything in life. Will the Dunes be busy when you are there? In predicting this, my outcome is hazy, but I say this: forget about whether it’s busy or not. Whether you enjoy it, people or no people, is all in your mind.

Tips: There is no “approved” trail into the dunes or to the top of the tallest dune. From what I’ve heard and experienced, the average person will likely walk two miles around the area. But, that distance is up to you – it could be more, it could be less. If you really want to get away from it all, I’d say you’re probably going to walk more than two miles, especially if you want to explore. What do I like to do in these dunes? I like to head up to the summit of the tallest dune and stare at the alien and varied expanse of Death Valley. If I had a sled, I’d definitely go sledding, much as I do in the Kelso dunes. I also like to head out and around to other dunes, looking for the remnants of old desert lakebeds and other strange things. What I will always do is make sure to have a map; or keep a visual reference on my vehicle, or some other fixed point so that I won’t get lost; and, I always make sure to have plenty of water in the valley of one of the world’s hottest (and in this location, sandiest) deserts. Also, if you're going to take photos of the dunes, the best time is early morning - sunrise, or shortly thereafter.

See you in the sand!

 Mesquite Flat San Dunes, April 2010

More Information: http://www.nps.gov/deva/naturescience/sand-dunes.htm, http://www.hikespeak.com/trails/mesquite-flat-sand-dunes-in-death-valley/, http://www.panamintcity.com/sanddunes/mesquitedunes.html 

Mosaic Canyon, Death Valley National Park

Entrance to Mosaic Canyon

Do you like rocks? I like rocks. I’m constantly staring at rocks; picking up rocks, and trying to analyze rocks. Part of my interest in rocks is based on the fact that I’m wondering, “Is this safe to climb? Will this hold my weight? Can I traverse it?” and part of my interest lies within a much simpler explanation: the rule of cool (“ROC”). Rocks, in my opinion, are cool. Think about it for a minute: rocks are the very bones of the planet; forged in the molten interior before being slowly exposed on the surface. Even if you disagree with my analogy above, and say that rocks are more like the soul of the planet, dark and inscrutable, or some other metaphor, rocks are cool because they are time capsules. Any geologic feature, large or small that one gazes upon probably stood for millions of years, and during that time, was probably altered by heat, wind, water, ice, or platetechtonics. If nothing else, the long view of earth’s history gives you pause – that rock there that you’re sitting on? Probably stepped upon by dinosaurs; and it’ll probably be present long after you’re gone. Then again, if you don’t want to think about such big picture things, it’s easiest to say what I said above: rocks are cool.

Death Valley is a great place for rock aficionados, and one of the most unique places in the park to see the forces of nature – and geology at work is in Mosaic Canyon. In the canyon you can expect to see the following: “…Mosaic Breccia. Breccia is the Italian word meaning "fragments". This formation is composed of angular fragments of many different kinds of parent rock, and it can be seen on the floor of the canyon just south of the parking area. The most common rock formation in the canyon is the Noonday Dolomite. This limestone is rich in magnesium and formed 750 to 900 million years ago when the area was part of the Pacific Ocean. This sedimentary material was later buried to great depths by younger materials and was subjected to pressures and temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, much of the limestone was altered, or metamorphosed, into marble. Subsequent uplift and erosion have since re-exposed these metamorphic rocks.” (http://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/mosaic-canyon.htm)

 Mosaic Canyon marble

Directions: Mosaic Canyon is located .25 (1/4) miles West from Stovepipe Wells Village. From the park road, follow the well-signed and well-laid out gravel road two miles to the parking area. From the parking area, the trailhead is readily apparent. Do note that this is indeed one of the most popular hikes within the park, and during all portions of the year, you can and likely will see people on this hike. However, this is not a sure thing: the last two times I have headed up Mosaic Canyon, once in April, and once in June, there were minimal (~5 people) at the trailhead. Like most things in life, timing on the Mosaic Canyon trail is everything. I personally do not feel that the area is busy beyond belief, but it does have the potential to become so, depending on how busy the park is at the time of your visit. The best – and most well known features of the trail are within the first quarter mile, or as other people describe it, “lower Mosaic Canyon”.

 Upper Mosaic Canyon

These portions of the hike feature smooth granite sculpted walls, and very flat terrain. This is indeed the area, should the area be busy, where most of the other park visitors will be concentrated. The trail does continue on past this point, into what is now called, “Upper Mosaic Canyon” for another two (2) miles to a now dry waterfall (although it does feature runoff after storms), which unless you have the skills and or equipment, is impassable to climb. If you want to only hike the lower section of the trail, you are looking at a very easy hike of a half mile (.5) roundtrip; and if you are looking at a walking all of the way to the dry waterfall, you’re looking at an easy, mostly flat roundtrip distance of four (4) miles.

Tips: Looking to beat the crowds? I guarantee that you will should you walk more than .25 (1/4) miles. If you’re the type of person that hates crowds, you’re probably also the type of person who can walk a quarter mile easily. After a quarter mile, the canyon opens up, and there’s great views along the way. In fact, depending on your perspective, these views may even be better than those in the initial section. Additionally, there are many offshoots from Mosaic Canyon that can and should be explored from this point; but, if you are going to do that, be sure that you do possess a map, compass, and or GPS device. It can also become quite hot in Mosaic Canyon, so do bring plenty of water. Also, as the NPS site says, do NOT take rocks from this site, as it is indeed protected for future generations. So look, touch, but do not take – leave no trace!

Mosaic Canyon

More Information: http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/deva/ftmos1.html, http://www.hikespeak.com/trails/mosaic-canyon-in-death-valley/, http://www.backroadswest.com/deathvalley/MosaicPhoto.htm, http://www.toddshikingguide.com/Hikes/California/DeathValley/DV4.htm, http://www.panamintcity.com/tuckimountain/mosaic.html

Eureka Mine, Harrisburg Ghost Town, Aguereberry Camp

Ruins of Pete Aguereberry's house, Harrisburg

As if there weren’t enough interesting things about Death Valley National Park, here’s one more for you: the park is honeycombed with tons of abandoned mines, representing a bygone era of mineral exploration and exploitation. (http://www.nps.gov/deva/naturescience/mining-in-death-valley.htm). Many of these mines can be seen from the trail, most notably in the Golden Canyon region, but a majority – if not all of these mines may be unsafe, due to a variety of factors – the mine may not be seismically stable, there may be hazardous gasses (methane), or there may be morlocks or other serious hazards within the mine. Fortunately, should you have the itch to explore a mine in a safe manner; there is an option for you: the Eureka Mine (provided you are headed there during the right season).

 Ruins of Cashier Mill, Harrisburg

The Eureka Mine is part of an area worked by Pete Aguereberry, and was at one time – the site of a town that housed three hundred people that, depending on who you talked to, was called “Harrisburg” or “Harrisberry”. (http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/pete-aguereberry.htm). If the site doesn’t look like it once held three hundred people, that’s because most of them lived in tents. Today, the ruins of Pete’s house and the mine are all that remain. Personally, driving up to Pete’s house and the remaining portions of the mine make me think of one thing: “thiiiiiiiiiiiiis towwnnnnn is commmmmmmmming like a ghooooost town” (In case my singing doesn’t help you, and it may not, listen to the classic song from The Specials here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WhhSBgd3KI).

Harrisburg ruins

It’s interesting to walk into Pete’s house, and surrounding outbuildings, and see what the ravages of time in the desert have and have not done (I think it’s mostly the ravages of other park visitors, but that’s just me). There’s an entrance to the mine just up the road that is the main attraction here, but here’s the kicker: the mine is closed during wintertime to protect hibernating Townsend’s long eared bats. So, if you arrive at the mine in the wintertime, you’ll really be singing the Special’s ghost town blues.

 However, even if the mine is closed, there’s plenty of outbuildings to explore, as well as the hill above the Eureka Mine. If nothing else, it’s a great short stopover when you are in the Panamint Mountain Range, and a great example of a ghost town that still exists – unlike Skidoo (http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/death-valley-ghost-towns.htm)!

Directions: From Death Valley park proper, take Emigrant Canyon Road. After approximately ten miles, there will be a well-signed turnoff for Aguereberry Point/Eureka Mine. If you are entering the park from Wildrose Canyon, turn left (North) onto Emigrant Canyon Road, and follow the road for approximately seven miles, where the turnoff will also be well signed. From the turnoff, it is two miles on a graded gravel road to the site, and the site will also be readily apparent by the ruined buildings, ruined car, and other mine workings. If you drive six miles down the road to Aguereberry Point, you’ve gone too far!

Tips: As noted above, if you come in winter, you’ll only experience the scenic ghost town and its surrounding structures, as the mine will be closed until spring to let the bats get their beauty rest!

More Information: http://www.takemytrip.com/desert/28a.htm, http://www.ghosttown.info/ca/eureka/index.html,http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ca/harrisburg.html