blue marble bathtub in death valley?

[RONR]

That doesn't look good. In my case, I could drive my truck once we got out.

Dv.jpg

Kevin: I remember you telling, me the story but for sure a picture is worth a thousand words. All’s well that ends well. Happy New Year!!

Ron

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

We're okay, and back home.

Glad you both are OK and got home.
Sure looks bad. Waiting for the story.
Frank

 

[takesiteasy]

Glad you both are OK and got home.
Sure looks bad. Waiting for the story.
Frank

x2!

 

[craig333]

That doesn't look good. In my case, I could drive my truck once we got out.

Dv.jpg

Makes me think I should find a spot to stash my winch anchor.

 

[craig333]

We must have just missed you. We spent Wednesday night just below the Marble Bathtub during the haboob.
Tub is still there full of blue marbles and rubber duckies.


photo explanation to follow in a future post

Tie rod? I'd sure hate to replace a ball joint in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Just looked at your gallery of photos.
That shot down the drivers side of the front tire sure looks bad.
Again glad you got out and home safe.
Happy New Year.
Frank

 

[kmcintyre]

Kevin: I remember you telling, me the story but for sure a picture is worth a thousand words. All’s well that ends well. Happy New Year!!

Ron

Yep, this was it .... Happy New Year. I hope to see you back in the "spot" in 2018!

 

[kmcintyre]

Been there-done that,no fun( 3 months stuck one time)!

Smoke

3 months? What's that story?

 

[hoyden]

That link no longer works! Looks like he put it up in 2007.
Here's his OP
http://www.4wdtrips.net/forum/showthread.php?4832-Steele-Pass-4x4-Trail-(Death-Valley-National-Park)

Jeff,

I'm still awaiting a reply to whether the blue marble bath is still there.

In the meantime I have a link for you with pics, GPS waypoints and a trail description if you're attempting to find it's location. Not sure if this is what you wanted from your original post or not...?

David Wright's link to Steele Pass and the Blue Marble Bath -

David's website is a tremendous resource for all things pertaining to the Sierra's and the Great Basin Divide. A true desert rat and a really knowledgeable fella.

 

[Smokecreek1]

3 months? What's that story?

To make a very long story shorter---you remember an ill-thought out Raygun government program to sell off the public land- so we could pay off the national debt? Well it was called the Asset Mgt Program and it was being pushed rather hard the new administration and all of us field BLM offices were supposed to identify land that we could quickly sell off! As is usually the case, they did not think out how the program would work (no details or thought of how the planning process works-just do it) ; the only land we had identified in our land planning process for sale/disposal was out in a place called the Madeline Plains. The MP is a typical high desert salt/sage brush sandy alkali flat that closes to vehicles with the first drop of rain in the fall until late spring when it dries out.

We got a call from our state office-saying we had to put up some land and do all environmental clearances now because DC wanted the figures right then-be danged that it was February and you could not drive or walk out there! So, anyway, off we went, and things went well for the first mile or so and as I came around a blind curve all I could see was water, water everywhere, and I could feel my 3/4 ton Power Wagon begun to sink, so I tromped on the gas spun the wheel and tried to make a u-turn and almost made it out.I ended up with the front stuck up to the doors and the rear end sort of sticking up at an angle. I was one of the several different rigs stuck that day and mine the last one they tried to pull out.

So there was my truck stuck.as was a truck that tried to pull me out and one of those German Unimog fire rigs that came to the rescue both of us and had also gotten stuck. By the end of the day we had all the rigs unstuck except for mine, so we headed in and planned to come back the next day and pull it out. Well it rained the next day and my truck sat out there until it dried out in May-drove it right out then -no worse for the wear (except to my reputation that is and a new understanding of the inspirational leadership of our new political bosses). It also became sort of a landmark out there because you could see the tail end sticking out of the water from 395. Sorry if that took so long to tell it -there is no such a thing as short "getting unstuck" story !

Smoke

 

[longhorn1]

Great story Smoke

 

[kmcintyre]

To make a very long story shorter---you remember an ill-thought out Raygun government program to sell off the public land- so we could pay off the national debt? Well it was called the Asset Mgt Program and it was being pushed rather hard the new administration and all of us field BLM offices were supposed to identify land that we could quickly sell off! As is usually the case, they did not think out how the program would work (no details or thought of how the planning process works-just do it) ; the only land we had identified in our land planning process for sale/disposal was out in a place called the Madeline Plains. The MP is a typical high desert salt/sage brush sandy alkali flat that closes to vehicles with the first drop of rain in the fall until late spring when it dries out.

We got a call from our state office-saying we had to put up some land and do all environmental clearances now because DC wanted the figures right then-be danged that it was February and you could not drive or walk out there! So, anyway, off we went, and things went well for the first mile or so and as I came around a blind curve all I could see was water, water everywhere, and I could feel my 3/4 ton Power Wagon begun to sink, so I tromped on the gas spun the wheel and tried to make a u-turn and almost made it out.I ended up with the front stuck up to the doors and the rear end sort of sticking up at an angle. I was one of the several different rigs stuck that day and mine the last one they tried to pull out.

So there was my truck stuck.as was a truck that tried to pull me out and one of those German Unimog fire rigs that came to the rescue both of us and had also gotten stuck. By the end of the day we had all the rigs unstuck except for mine, so we headed in and planned to come back the next day and pull it out. Well it rained the next day and my truck sat out there until it dried out in May-drove it right out then -no worse for the wear (except to my reputation that is and a new understanding of the inspirational leadership of our new political bosses). It also became sort of a landmark out there because you could see the tail end sticking out of the water from 395. Sorry if that took so long to tell it -there is no such a thing as short "getting unstuck" story !

Smoke

Wow... that's the winner of a story! Thanks for sharing. I doubt I could have slept at night knowing it was out there for that long. I'm surprised no one vandalized it but glad they didn't!

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Smoke for the interesting story.
Frank