My First Trip to Death Valley

ski3pin

ski3pin

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Many of you have enjoyed Julie and my numerous trip reports on our adventures in Death Valley. I have been scanning some of our family photos and I came upon photos of my first trip to Death Valley. The date is December 1955. I thought members here would enjoy offering ideas as to the locations where three photos were taken. The photos were taken by my great uncle with his stereoscopic View Master camera.

Number one is a camping site.



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The second is a stop along a road.




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And here is the third photo.




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What do you think? Where are the locations? I'm so excited to find these family photos from 1955 taken in Death Valley National Monument.
 
Great memories are made by trips like this! I’m guessing the first photo is around Furnace Creek, the second is touring the Artist’s Pallet.

Edit: I’m thinking that third photo has some elevation. Dante’s?
 
1st may be furnace creek as Steve said, or maybe stovepipe wells.

2nd seems down the badwater basin road, maybe just north of the devil's golf course road.

3rd may be further south yet, just north of the current badwater access to the salt flats.
 
I'm going with Stovepipe Wells, Badwater, and no idea for #3.

I'm guessing Monte is the third child hanging out over #2's thigh.

And the heck with the wagon, I'll take the Jag!
 
Ted said:
I'm going with Stovepipe Wells, Badwater, and no idea for #3.

I'm guessing Monte is the third child hanging out over #2's thigh.

And the heck with the wagon, I'll take the Jag!
Click to expand...
I think you’re right on Bad Water.

If my best guess calculator is correct, Monte would be about 3 in Dec ‘55, so I’ll go with your pick of varmints. The wagon looks like a ‘52 vintage as well.
 
Good comments thus far. Number 3 is definitely Dantes View. The view is to the north and the trail that heads out to Mount Perry in visible. Number one, my guess is in the area of the real Stovepipe Wells, not the resort area on 190. It looks like the mouth of Cottonwood Canyon in the distance. Number two, my guess is somewhere along Badwater Road. I've not pinpointed the spot yet but it looks like just south of Badwater.

What varmint am I? Ted and Sage get a bingo. I'm also in photo one in the back of the 1954 Ford Stationwagon (the '54 had the chrome stripe down the side).

The big guy, Jed, with the Jaguar was a close family friend. His son Ron is along. Ron was a lifelong friend to my older brothers who stayed in the southern California area.

Take a good look at the camping photo again and the stationwagon. Mom & Dad had 6 children, all along on this trip. That's eight in the Ford plus my Mom's uncle, the photographer. That makes 9 in the wagon plus camping gear. Maybe this is how I learned to travel light?
 
cwdtmmrs said:
Where did you live at the time? How far was the trip to get there?
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We lived in the tiny town of Alta Loma at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains. It all got swallowed up (much, much later) as Rancho Cucamonga. This area of Death Valley would have been several hours drive.
 
Long drive with 9 people! The 15 wasn't there yet, was it?

My brother lives in Alta Loma and I have a house in Rancho Cucamonga. I remember when Etiwanda, Cucamonga and Alta Loma were combined to form Rancho Cucamonga. The People who live North of Baseline still say they live in Alta Loma though. It always was a nicer area.It is actually the San Bernardino mountains there.

When did you leave there?
 
cwdtmmrs said:
Long drive with 9 people! The 15 wasn't there yet, was it?

My brother lives in Alta Loma and I have a house in Rancho Cucamonga. I remember when Etiwanda, Cucamonga and Alta Loma were combined to form Rancho Cucamonga. The People who live North of Baseline still say they live in Alta Loma though. It always was a nicer area.It is actually the San Bernardino mountains there.

When did you leave there?
Click to expand...
No Interstate 15, Foothill Blvd was Highway 66. Baseline was the dividing line between Alta Loma and Cucamonga. My Dad moved the family from Wisconsin in 1953 and built our house on the end of Hermosa among citrus orchards and egg ranches. All of us kids when to Alta Loma Elementary, K through 8th grade. The school was by the train depot, post office, and American Can Company. My parents moved back to Wisconsin in 1970. I left Alta Loma shortly after.

There was a small piece of San Bernardino National Forest above us - the east end of the San Gabriel Mountains. The San Andreas Fault runs up Cajon Pass and is the boundary between the San Bernardino Mtns to the east and the San Gabriels to the west.

I spent most my youth up Deer Canyon, Day Canyon, and Cucamonga Canyon.

Lots of memories down there back when it was rural. It's been a long time since we've been back.
 
Wow! Small world. I've been in the area since 68 and know those same spots. Nothing but groves and vineyards here then. The last egg ranch was about 20 years ago or so. All concrete and homes now. You are correct about the San Gabriel's boundary, (I should have known!), I though it was the county line above Claremont.
 
Were the "pads" there in the 50's?
We stumbled across them a couple of years ago and spent a very hot night there.
It was 128F that day!
 
ski3pin said:
No Interstate 15, Foothill Blvd was Highway 66. Baseline was the dividing line between Alta Loma and Cucamonga. My Dad moved the family from Wisconsin in 1953 and built our house on the end of Hermosa among citrus orchards and egg ranches. All of us kids when to Alta Loma Elementary, K through 8th grade. The school was by the train depot, post office, and American Can Company. My parents moved back to Wisconsin in 1970. I left Alta Loma shortly after.
Click to expand...
1970 eh? Do you know what else happened in 1970?
mungo jerry in the summertime
 
Wow Has it been that long?
I always loved that song but it was a radio song. Never had a visual component. So much good music.

Paul
 
Same. Never saw a visual to the song until yesterday. They seem to be having lots of fun.

Tony
 
Ski- We can certainly see now where your sense of adventure comes from. Those are great pictures and a great story. Thanks for sharing.
 
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