Death Valley information

**Stoysluttie1** · 02-29-2008, 07:06 AM

Anyone know if the airport or Furnace Creek has a rental car place? Or if there is a taxi service? I'll be calling down yonder later but wanted to throw this out there.

If not, anyone want to help make a 7 year dream come true? We might need some car assitance from Furnace Creek to our TH and be picked up.
thanks stoy

**squirrelmurphy** · 02-29-2008, 08:43 AM

might be able to help. when are you doin' it?

**wandering, not lost** · 02-29-2008, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Stoysluttie1

Anyone know if the airport or Furnace Creek has a rental car place? Or if there is a taxi service? I'll be calling down yonder later but wanted to throw this out there.

If not, anyone want to help make a 7 year dream come true? We might need some car assitance from Furnace Creek to our TH and be picked up.
thanks stoy

have you been to death valley? It's fairly remote.

honestly, I have no idea. It's never been an issue for us because we've always driven out there. Good luck! It sounds like a pretty sweet, but very tough tour.

**steve** · 02-29-2008, 08:49 AM

fairly remote is an understatement.
nearest city would be vegas - about 3 hrs from badwater, another 30 from furnace creek.

i don't remember any car rental places in FC, but there is a gas station:

**Karl Stall** · 02-29-2008, 08:58 AM

Stoy,

I stayed there last summer for the badwater race - both hotels seem to offer plenty of amenities - I would bet that they would have a car rental or even more likely a shuttle service.

If you get the right person on the phone or just walk up when you are there no doubt someone will lend you a hand.

**yonskion** · 02-29-2008, 09:08 AM

Years ago I skied Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range. Long hard walk. Look into Mule rentals.. If thats where your heading PM me and I may be able to help.. water is sparse only 1 spring on the way up if I remeber. Bring dark colored garbage bags for snow meltage.... via sun. have fun!

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 09:15 AM

Nope, neither. Closest thing is that if you fly into the Furnace Creek airport in a private plane they will pick you up and take you to the Ranch or Inn. Closest car rental would be perhaps Pahrump, one hour.

If it was me i'd be hanging out at the Corkscrew Saloon around 10pm when the waitstaff gets off work. I bet you'd find somebody that could use a few bucks, and most all the employees have cars, with which to GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE on their weekends

. PM me for several other plan b's and c's if you'd like.

[sidenote, karl did you compete in the Badwater Ultra?]

**Rideski** · 02-29-2008, 09:27 AM

This actually sounds kind of fun.

http://www.adventurecorps.com/deathvalley/index.html

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by Rideski

This actually sounds kind of fun.

http://www.adventurecorps.com/deathvalley/index.html

It actually is. Never done it, but, errr, had a lot to do with their permit shall we say. Chris, who owns Adventurecorps, is one of the coolest guys you will ever meet. His events are tremendously wel organized, he also runs the July Badwater Ultra. To kind of get that back on topic, Chris was an event organizer that years ago was really captivated by the pretty powerful natural attributes of DV, the open vistas, colorful geology, relative lack of people, really clean winter air, and comfy winter temps. In his words, DV is one of the best sporting venues on earth. Even if you can't make one of his rides, you might think about just taking a biking trip there...

**hutash** · 02-29-2008, 10:26 AM

DV is big, fuckin' huge, and getting around with out a car is hard because it is so big. Hitch hiking could work, but most trail heads are well off the main road, so unless you got a real friendly ride, you could be stuck. I have only driven there (many times), so don't know about rentals, but I doubt it. I would think there is a shuttle to the hotel, but I would call the hotel. DV is an amazing place, but it is hard to take in at first because it is so big.

**squirrelmurphy** · 02-29-2008, 10:41 AM

looking for something like that? do you know how far you can drive up that canyon from the bottom, or are you planning on starting at sea level?

**Rideski** · 02-29-2008, 10:42 AM

If I had known I was that close to Death Valley when I was on top of Charleston Peak, I would have paid closer attention. I've driven to see friends in Vegas several times, but never ventured in the Death Valley direction.

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 10:56 AM

Last time i was there, a few years ago, you could drive a mile or two up Hanaupah Cyn. This is the morning report from today. There are a couple pretty big ridges/ranges between mount chuck and dv...

**El Chupacabra** · 02-29-2008, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Tye 1on

Last time i was there, a few years ago, you could drive a mile or two up Hanaupah Cyn. This is the morning report from today. There are a couple pretty big ridges/ranges between mount chuck and dv...

I spent New Year's Eve camping in Death Valley in 1998-99, at the base of Hanaupah Canyon. Desolate and wide-open -- and west side road is very very washboarded. We camped out there because we had a dog with, and that's not allowed in the designated sites in the park.

In the morning, we drove up Hanaupah Canyon, thinking the road would get to a point where it became impassable, and we'd hike up further from there. (Map showed some old mines up at the end of the canyon too.) We drove, and drove, and drove all the way to the very end of the road in the canyon -- it never became impassable (to a lifted XJ Cherokee). Wound up wandering around the canyon for awhile, then drove out.

Seriously, Hanaupah Canyon and most of the west side road just isn't all that great. It's very washboarded, and there are more scenic canyons for hiking.

I highly recommend Surprise Canyon, just outside the park on the western edge. Google it for some photos. It's green and lush year-round.

**squirrelmurphy** · 02-29-2008, 11:28 AM

El C, i believe the plan is to hike sea level to 11,049', then ski down to the kilns.

Stoy, i'm not in shape for a 11,000' climb, but if there's snow all the way, I could start at the kilns, meet you at the peak, ski back to the car at the kilns. I really want to ski Telescope. shoot me a pm, let me know when its going down.

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 11:31 AM

El Chup-the August 15, 2004 flood ripped down a lot of those side canyons. Really impressive, but left a lot of debris flows in 'interesting' places. Surprise is way cool, you're spot on. Squirrel-great plan.

a shot from furnace creek the day after the flood...

**El Chupacabra** · 02-29-2008, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Tye 1on

El Chup-the August 15, 2004 flood ripped down a lot of those side canyons. Really impressive, but left a lot of debris flows in 'interesting' places. Surprise is way cool, you're spot on. Squirrel-great plan.

a shot from furnace creek the day after the flood...

We were back in DV in early 2002 or 2003, and then again in early 2006. I remember it raining heavily during the '02/03 trip, with a lot of flooding -- we wound up leaving early because of how heavily it was raining.

Surprise Canyon changed a lot between the '02/03 trip and later -- much more overgrown now, lots of brush and tamarisk, much slower going hiking up that canyon.

**squirrelmurphy** · 02-29-2008, 11:39 AM

what's the clearance like on those roads? i've never been over to the west side road

**El Chupacabra** · 02-29-2008, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by squirrelmurphy

what's the clearance like on those roads? i've never been over to the west side road

West side road = passenger car passable, but very rough. But - YMMV - this was before the floods.

Lots of DV's roads can be traversed in any 4x4, stock. Subaru could do it, but that's a lot of abuse on a car.

If you haven't been to DV, I highly recommend coming in from Beatty, past Rhyolite, and through Titus Canyon. Google it. Very very cool drive; it's one way though, dropping out inside park boundaries.

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

West side road = passenger car passable, but very rough. But - YMMV - this was before the floods.

West Side Road proper was fine after rehab post-flood. Washboardy, but def passenger car worthy.

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Lots of DV's roads can be traversed in any 4x4, stock. Subaru could do it, but that's a lot of abuse on a car.

True, but you might consider an extra spare or other tire repair options...

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

If you haven't been to DV, I highly recommend coming in from Beatty, past Rhyolite, and through Titus Canyon. Google it. Very very cool drive; it's one way though, dropping out inside park boundaries.

Another good call from the goatdude. Not sure if i'd do that in a Suby tho. Check for icy conditions, there's a couple big drops between the passes. Also the site of an offroad 26 mile marathon each Feb, but seems like the road is closed and they have to go to plan b [west side road] about 3 out of every 4 years...Nice mtn bike ride too! Great hike right at the bottom of that road, at the parking area, up Jail Canyon...

**squirrelmurphy** · 02-29-2008, 11:57 AM

Never come in that way. Just went up to the northernmost enterance last weekend, by Scotty's, and on to the racetrack. I guess that was about as rough as i like to go in my subie, at least for 60 miles...

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 12:17 PM

Second best way is just staying on the paved road coming in from Beatty. That view right where the road splits is pretty much the single most stunning view of the valley that there is, even better than Dante's imho...

**Rideski** · 02-29-2008, 12:30 PM

Tye,
I'm impressed at your breadth of knowledge on this subject.
So comfortable with your answers; it has not even been necessary for you to suggest the PMing of Rontele.
Regards,
Rideski

**Tye 1on** · 02-29-2008, 12:38 PM

Thanks, actually learned all this stuff from Iceman, feel free to pm him for even better info.

[oh, and from living there for 3 years...]

**Stoysluttie1** · 03-03-2008, 09:25 AM

Sq- we might need your help. I'll find out later today. We ar elooking at flying in Friday am or something like that. So this upcoming weekend. I'll pm with details. Seems a team beat us to it a few weeks ago when we were supposed to do it. thye said 12 hours RT! 40+ miles and 12K. I wonder if they skied or not.