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Post by damu21 on Nov 27, 2017 8:05:30 GMT -8
looking for a route in death valley to do between christmas and new years 3 days 2 nights. ive heard good things about the panamint mountain area. any suggestions? wildrose peak trail area?
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ogg
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Post by ogg on Nov 30, 2017 17:24:46 GMT -8
Look into the the Cottonwood-Marble canyon loop. Cottonwood creek is generally considered a reliable perennial water source. You'll need at least a high clearance vehicle to access the trailhead.
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rebeccad
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Writing like a maniac
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Post by rebeccad on Nov 30, 2017 20:58:31 GMT -8
You will need to stick to the lower elevations, as it is very cold high up, and hopefully there will be snow in higher elevations.
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Post by damu21 on Dec 1, 2017 5:22:58 GMT -8
yes i was looking at the marble canyon loop. on the alltrails website it denotes a 2wd parking area. since i would be getting a ford focus as a rental car im hoping i would be able to use that
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davesenesac
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Our precious life is short within eternity, don't waste it!
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Post by davesenesac on Dec 1, 2017 18:58:49 GMT -8
Death Valley National Park has an area of 8481 square miles. That is almost the size of New Jersey. About 91% of the park is WILDERNESS however primitive high wheelbase 4WD provide a skeleton access to most park zones. Regardless there are immense areas away from those dirt roads that almost never see humans. Of course from mid spring through early September it is usually too hot to be pleasant. The primary impediment to going into its wilderness even in the cool of winter is of course lack of water. That is why your Cottonwood Canyon is about the ONLY place backpackers actually venture into. But that ought not be the situation because a person ought to be able to carry enough water out anywhere from roadsides to last at least at couple days before returning. Canyonlands NP has the same situation and has numbers of backpackers that do so. But not at Death Valley because...
Well a decade ago I spoke with one of the older visitor center rangers after relating some amazing pristine places I'd ventured into that then asked about that matter and he chuckled. Said most people are simply afraid to venture out away from roads where there is no water. After all the park is named Death... I would also add most backpackers have feeble imaginations when selecting places to visit. One just needs to consider how in mountain alpine areas people almost always only go to lakes haha.
On my website 2016 Trip Chronicles feature I have some stories about venturing into such areas. Whole canyons probably not visited since prospectors with mule days. There are a disgusting number of lonely places easily day hiked into from even paved roadsides where one is almost certain not to see boot prints. Do some single overnight two day trips. Just get a topographic map and figure out some place to venture into. Stay below 2000 feet. Better also look at a geologic map if you have an interest in seeing some of the colorful geology areas like those in my feature.
www.davidsenesac.com/2016_Trip_Chronicles/2016_Trip-Chronicles-0.html
David
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