DV for a DV Newbie

CA

Cayuse

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
771
Location
Mesa, AZ
Looks like I will only have a couple of days to spend in Death Valley, probably around March 25th-27thish and from watching the bloom threads things are moving north and up.

With that in mind I'm wondering what the road is like over South pass to Tea Kettle Junction? I'll be coming from Cathedral City and my eventual destination will be Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas. I will be towing a trailer that has 235/75-15 truck tires on it and should be capable of handling moderate terrain.

If the collective wisdom says bad idea then what are some alternatives?

Thanks Much,
Bob
 
Are you planning to travel south pass down to Lippencott and up to the racetrack road or south pass and up and over Hunter Mountain and on to the Racetrack?
 
ski3pin said:
Are you planning to travel south pass down to Lippencott and up to the racetrack road or south pass and up and over Hunter Mountain and on to the Racetrack?
Click to expand...
Up and over Hunter Mountain and on to the Racetrack.

I should add that the trailer I'm pulling is narrower than the Tundra.
 
Hunter Mountain can have snow and mud in places going over the top. I have not seen any current reports on other sites such as -

https://www.facebook.com/DeathValleyRoadConditions

Usually spring, after a bit of a dry cycle. I'd think it would be okay. Here is a NWS spot forecast -

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-117.52141144155017&lat=36.546065067281575#.VuRYouZOg6U

It doesn't look like any moisture hitting down there during this big storm we're getting in the Sierra. We are in for a dry spell at least into next weekend.

There is a steep down grade off of Hunter with some switch backs, nothing we thought of as scary and I expect you are very experienced and confident with your rig. With the weight of the camper we descend in 4 low so we don't need to use the brakes. Watch for upcoming traffic so take advantage of the spots with a good view ahead.
 
Thanks Ski.

I've had the truck and camper in and around places in Utah and Arizona without difficulty (Toroweap, Cathedral Valley, Lockhart Basin, Burr Trail, etc) but this will be the first trip with the trailer.
 
Good advice from Ski. Be sure to get the latest weather update. We spent Mrs. Link's 40th birthday in late April camped just off the road on Hunter Mt. and got snowed on pretty good. This was some years ago, but I better not say exactly when or I could get in trouble on the home front :).
 
You are getting some great advice. I would not attempt Hunter Mtn in the winter/spring unless I had a recent road report. It is steep and can be icy. With all the precip of this winter, it's likely that Hunter has received a good amount of snow. Even with 4wd, chains should be carried.

But, if you do want to see the Race Track, consider coming down the Big Pine/DV Road. There's camping at Homestake, just south of the Race Track. There's also great dispersed camping just off Teakettle Jct., with some good hikes into Perdido Cyn.
Here's a TR from 2012 describing the area.
 
Really don't feel the need to deal with snow or ice if I can avoid it so I'll keep a close eye on the weather report.

What I would like is to see some of the area, hopefully hike a canyon or two, avoid the crowds if at all possible and get an introduction to the area for future exploration. Catching some wildflowers would be great as well :D I'm not tied to seeing the Race Track or anything else, although seeing fewer people would be a plus...

Thanks for all the tips so far.
 
As Lighthawk mentions, Perdido Canyon is a nice hike. In the area you can also consider Corridor Canyon, but it takes some effort. A little rope helps in one spot. Jim Boone covers the hike here - Corridor Canyon

We visited in November 2014 and included it in this trip story - Hunter Mtn.

The 360° campsite we learned about from Lighthawk mentioned in Part One of the above mentioned trip is easy to find, just a short ways up White Top Mountain Road, south of Burro Gap.
 
Don't forget Eureka Dunes if you get that far on the map. Can be windy and cold but is also a great experience. Free too if my memory serves me correctly.
 
The Death Valley Road Conditions facebook page is currently listing the Hunter Mt. road as "muddy, icy, washed out, travel not recommended." There's a north aspect that holds snow and ice for a long time into the spring.
 
Thanks for the update. We'll see what a week brings. Now some friends are talking about meeting for a couple days climbing at New Jack City so another option gets thrown in the mix...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads - WTW

CA
Spring Wanderings Southward
Cayuse
CA

New posts - WTW

Back
Top Bottom