Nevada and Death Valley May 7 - 13

[audrey]

Pat, Little Bear, Audrey, Marge, and assorted friends did some fine hiking in Red Rocks Canyon and Death Valley last week.

We climbed Wildrose Peak (at 9000 feet, we were breathing very hard even though the trail was easier than almost any of the trails around here);

We had to stop just short of Corkscrew Peak because we spent some time searching around for the herd path. What a mountain! You are "above" treeline from the moment you get out of your car. There's not a single tree between the road and the summit more than 4 miles away!

Pine Creek Canyon and Juniper Canyon are exciting scrambles on multi-colored rocks, favorite places for climbing.

LaMadre Spring and the herd path that leads to LaMadre Mountain are great fun. You can wander wherever you want, with some fun steeps thrown in.

Wildflowers were still plentiful on each hike.

I just signed up for Community Webshots, so bear with me if I don't get the link right. If it doesn't work, perhaps someone can advise how to do it.

http://community.webshots.com/album/348383363nSoqdK

 

[JohnL]

Audrey,

Nice photos. I'm heading out to Vegas next week and will hit Red Rock a couple times and we'll do a day trip to Death Valley. Can't wait. Thanks for the photos to get me extra psyched.

JohnL

 

[dentonfabrics]

Corkscrew Peak is a great hike but dont forget to check out Zabriskie Point. You'll walk up and down smalls hills of cobalt-based sand, past abandoned mines. Bring your camera, especially nice at sunrise/sunset.

Was in Vegas in March. (I've never seen the desert so green because of all the rains.) At that time, the road into Death Valley from the east (Rt 190 I think?) was closed because it got washed out from the rains of a bad winter. That route has reopened, I take it?


thanks,
denton fabrics

 

[JohnL]

denton,

The latest road conditions in Death Valley indicate that you cannot stop at Zabriskie Point due to road construction on HiWay 190. Another place I'd like to get to is Dante's Peak.

Audrey,
Can you give me an up to date road condition report in those areas? Thanks.

JohnL

 

[Seeker]

Wow! Looks like a great trip!

 

[audrey]

JohnL,
here's the website I watched avidly for a few weeks before going there:

http://www.nps.gov/deva/Morning.pdf

Looks like temps are going to be well over 100.

Go high and only come down at night!

 

[sapblatt]

Nice trip

Sounds like you had a great time. Pictures are beautiful!!
It is amazing how tough the breathing gets when you get that high.

 

[JohnL]

Audrey,

Yes, that's the site (among others) that I have been looking at. I was hoping that it was not up to date but looks like it is. Oh well, I guess I'll have to go back another time.

Thanks,
JohnL

 

[sli74]

Wonderful !!!!
Sounds like a fun time. You'll have to tell me all about it next weekend.

sli74

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Thanks. Timing is great Audry. I'm going to be in Death Valley in a few weeks. I'd just been looking at some maps. A report from someone I know is so much better.

I was thinking of climbing Telescope Peak. I want to do a bit pf preperation for climbing Whitney a coupld days later.... Yeah, I know the heat in the valley, and then going up Whitney with ice axe and crampons might be a weird combo.

 

[audrey]

Pete,

I don't think that the heat will bother you much up on Telescope. It was still covered with snow. The official website says you may still need ice axe and crampons. The snow that was left on Wildrose Peak 2000 feet lower was definitely of the spring corn variety and we needed jackets on the summit.

We didn't see another soul that day, no cars in the parking lot, no tourists gawking at the charcoal kilns. It's a nice feeling to have such a magnificent place all to yourself. We could see the summit of Mt. Whitney from the top, as well as all the other snow-covered Sierras.