Summer Thunderstorms Have Hit Death Valley

[ski3pin]

I've been following backcountry road damage reports from the latest series of flash floods. This was posted yesterday - 30 July 2018 - on the Park's road condition page -

Here are our most recent road updates:
The following roads are CLOSED due to flood damage: West Side Road, Big Pine/Death Valley Road, Titus Canyon Road, Natural Bridge Road, and Twenty Mule Team Canyon. We do not have predicted opening dates for these roads.
Upper Wildrose Road: Some food damage. High clearance is recommended from the end of the pavement to the Charcoal Kilns. High clearance and 4x4 recommended to reach Thorndike and Mahogany Flat campgrounds.
Racetrack Road: Multiple areas of debris and washouts. High clearance and 4x4 REQUIRED. The road is washed out at mile 13 and very hard to see between mile 15 and 18 as it travels through the wash. Signficant damage around miles 19, 20, 21, and 24. Exercise extreme caution!
Lippincott Road: Very severe storm damage. The road has been washed out in multiple places leaving exposed rock, boulders, and extremely narrow off camber sections. Washouts are 1-2 feet deep. The worst section is 2-2.5 miles from the top. 4x4 LOW required- locking differential may be needed. Wider full sized trucks may find the road impassable.
Saline Valley Road: Multiple areas of debris and washouts. Very rough and rocky. High clearance and 4x4 needed. Severe washouts toward North Pass and the Big Pine Road closure.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Wow quit the damage.
Frank

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Those must have been some storms... wow!

 

[Smokecreek1]

People just don't realize the impact of flash floods can have in the desert. Still remember, that while doing field problems in the Arizona desert while in the army, we were looking for a place to camp for the night. Well we had a brand brand new 2nd LT as our new platoon leader, who said " hey this dry wash looks like a nice place to camp". "No " our platoon sgt said, "we have flash floods here all the time and see those dark looking clouds over those mountains, that could mean , this dry wash could flood fast." well new 2nd Lts' being what they are, we camped there as our PLT SGT said "yes sir" and told us to prepare for the rain just in case.and yes it rained that night and we had a nice flash flood and the water reached the bumper of our duce and a halfs. I think that's why they try to give new LT's' a good sgt to show him the ropes. Must be a moral there about desert camping, flash floods, and 2nd LTs some where! Still remember that after all these years-hope this is not a hi-jack!

Smoke

Smoke

 

[Happyjax]

Butter Bars can be hard headed but the smart ones listen to the NCO's

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Up early and listening to the news... Death Valley was also reported to have the hottest July ever (as did many of the western cities) and the hottest reported day on earth at 127° (52.7778° C). Oregon State University was cited as the source.

 

[smlobx]

After reading about DV here on WTW we maid our maiden voyage out there in the February after Scotty's Castle was destroyed.
We had a rented SUV and on a particular day decided to go to The Racetrack and camp past there.
We made it out there and had a chance to walk around but noticed the sky getting very dark and after noting that we had crossed several washes to get out there we decided to get back.
We barely made it to the campground near the crater and the storm blew in....we survived in our Nemo tent but didn't sleep at all that night. Several people come up to us the next morning asking if we were OK. If I had to do it over again I would have slept in the SUV.

Mother Nature should always be respected...

 

[Foy]

With events/outcomes such as described, it's a bit easier to envision the formation of the vast alluvial fans seen in many, many places all over the world. Likewise, the extensive conglomerate and fanglomerate horizons now caught up in more classic stratigraphic sections make a lot of sense when one sees how a single season's rain events in DV affect the surface today.

Really old geology, old geology, much younger geology, and geologic processes under way as we watch--Death Valley has it all!

Foy

 

[ETAV8R]

A couple pics from Devils Gate and Death Valley Road near the 168. Every road I recently traveled in the Inyos and Whites showed signs of recent impact from rain storms.

 

[hoyden]

Wow!

(my pre-coffee response )